who could not bow to the Gods of the Heathen no more then the true Christians now can bow to the corrupt wills of Ambitious and unreasonable men and though the Innocent suffer therefore for the present yet for their sakes will the Lord shorten the days of the Wicked as he did the days of that Persecuting Emperour The Seventh Persecution IN the year 253. did the Seventh Persecution arise under the Emperour Decius who with Excessive Cruelty did Persecute the Christians In this Persecution several of the Bishops were put to death and such as were the chief among the Christians did they torture with many Torments and the Houses of the Christians they Plundred and that which the Plunderers did not esteem that they burned In this Persecution many suffered Martyrdom some being Burned some Beheaded Women so well as Men some being whipt to death and some Souldiers for Incouraging these Martyrs in their Suffering were put to death In this Terrible Persecution several departed from the Faith for fear of the Torments yet afterwards came to be restored again the Suffering of the Christians was great under this Emperour but his days were also shortened for he had not Raigned two years but was caught in a Whag of Mire where he met with a check or Reproof for his cruelty Note Thus it appears that the Christians that lived Godly in Christ-Iesus suffered Persecution according to what the Apostle hath said 2 Tim. 3 12. And many now that live Godly and Righteously do suffer not only the Imprisonment of their Bodies but also the Spoyling of their Goods which have been Spoyled both by Priests and People who have sometime as it were Plundred their Houses for their dishonest gain and they have shewed themselves in their carriage and behaviour to be liker unto the Heathen then the suffering Christians who suffered their Houses to be Plundred but we do not Read that they then Plundred the Houses of any but with patience suffered the Plundring of their Goods and in this patience and long Suffering are the Christians that are so not in Name only but in Nature found in these Perillous times Again have not some Souldiers been turned out of their places yea and brought into suffering for countenancing and favouring the Sober Innocent true Christians among whom some for fear of Suffering may in some respect desert the Truth as some faithless ones among the ancient Christians did yet we know certainly there are a Remnant that cannot bow their knee to Baall but would chuse rather to die the death which many ancient Christians suffered then they will forsake the Lords Truth or Transgress his Righteous Law by breaking his commands The Eighth Persecution IN the year 259. did the eighth Persecution arise under the Emperour Valerianus who put forth a Proclamation against the Christians wherein he forbad their Meetings and when this Proclamation or Order was not observed then did there follow a great Persecution of the Christians in which there was very many put to death and some were Banished and they converted of the Heathen in the place to which they were Banished but the Emperour under whom the Christians thus suffered did not go unreproved for his cruelty for he was taken Prisoner by the King of Persia who made use of him for a Foot-stool when he got up upon his Horse c. Note Hath it not happned so in England that by the Kings Proclamation the Meetings of the true Christians have been forbidden And when that they observed the Kings Proclamation no more then the antient Christians observed the Emperours hath not a great Persecution followed have not many of the Prisons he silled with them partly because they could not Swear and partly because they continved their Meetings when they were forbidden by the Kings Proclamation as the Religion of the Christians was forbidden by the Laws of the Heathen and therefore did the Heathen with much rigour pronounce these words unto the Christians Your Religion is forbidden by the Laws c. And did not Anti-christians the like when they abused them in their Meetings and broke them up with much Violence did they not also pronounce these words with much Rigour Your Meetings are forbidden by the Kings Proclamation c. And forasmuch as the true Christians now have chused rather to suffer Bonds and Imprisonment yea the spoyling of their Goods and what not then they would renounce the Faith deny their Religion or forsak the Assembling of themselves together it doth therefore appear that the same mind is found in them now which was heretofore in the antient Christians who chused rather to suffer the loss of their Lives then to forsake him for whose cause they suffered yet we see their Persecutors did not always go unreproved Oh! that other Kings Princes and Magistrates would take warning from that which happened to these Persecuting Emperours The Ninth Persecution IN the year 273. did the ninth Persecution arise under the Emperour Aurelianus but this Persecution was not so great as the other because he was cut off by death soon after he had determined the same yet in this Persecution was Felix the Bishop of Rome put to Death with several others here and there in divers places Note Often doth the Lord frustate the purposes and Determinations of such as conspire Mischief against his People yea have we not seen sundry Powers overturned in England and Parliments broken up and Councels if not Committees also shattered to pieces when they have been determined to do Wickedly so that sometime they have not had power to bring that forth which they had Conceived and brought to the Birth so mightily hath the Lord confounded their Conspiracies and brought their devices to nought and this the true Christians have concluded to be the Lords doing which they have beheld and which thing hath been indeed marvelous in their Eyes The Tenth Persecution IN the year 302. begun the Tenth Persecution which was so great that it exceeded all that had been before it not only in cruelty but in continuance for it continued 12 Years Eusebius who lived at that time Writes of it at large in his Eclesiastical History saying it was occasioned through the freedom of the Christians who were come into great Reputation and were put in places of Office to Rule in Countrys and Cities but through their prosperity and voluptuousness Brotherly Love came to decrease Haughtyness and Pride got up and in stead of the worship of God an insolent authority begun to get up in the Church of the Christians And at that time the Emperour Diocletianus gave forth a Proclamation wherein he commanded that all the Christian Churches should be pulled down and the Holy Scriptures Burned and that the Christians should be turned out of their places with other such like things After that there came another Order that they should cause the chief of of the Church to offer unto Idols or else they were to be put to
service which pleased every man best wherefore we have decreed to Publish this EDICT wherby it may appear manifest unto all Men that it may be Lawful for them as many as will follow that opinion and Religion by this our gracious gifts and Letters Pattents i. e. Writs or Commissions from the Prince as every one listeth and is delighted so to use that Religion which him pleaseth and after his own manner to exercise the same besides this also is permited unto them that they may build places of Prayer for the Lord Last of all that this our gift may be the greater we have vouchsafed to decree that also That if any House or Mannors i. e. Farm-Houses without the walls of the Cities heretofore belonging unto the Christians Title by the Commandment of our Ancestors have passed unto the Crown either presently enjoyed by any City or otherwise sold or given to any Man for a reward all these we have Commanded they should be revoked to the Ancient rights of the Christians whereby all may have experience of our Piety and Providence in this behalf These words of the Tyrant not one year being fully past followed the Edicts or Proclamations which against the Christians were Ingraven in Pillars Afterwards he was smitten of God with a Plague from above and his Flesh wasted by an Invisible Fire so that it consumed and dropped away and lost all the fashion of the old form being become like a Painted Image dryed up of a long time his Eyes passing their bounds left him Blind at length he confessed he suffered those things justly and gave up the Ghost Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cantum Happy is he whom other mens harms do make to beware The Tenth BOOK OF EUSEBIUS The Heathen were glad of the Christians Success The Emperor favoured them much THE Heathen being delivered and rid of the former Mischiefs confessed diversly That the Only True God was the Defender of the godly Christians But unto us there was an unspeakable Joy saith Eusebius which with incessant Hope did depend upon Christ the Anointed of God Moreover the most Puissant i. e. Mighty Emperors by their often Constitutions i. e. Appointments published in the behalf of the Christians have amplified and enlarged the things granted to us by the free Bountifulness of God Unto the Bishops also there came favourable Letters from the Emperor Dignities were bestowed Summs of Money and Presents were sent them The Edicts of Constantine and Licinnius touching Christian Religion and the Liberty thereof Weighing with our selves said they that of old the Liberty of Religion was not to be hindred and every one had licence after his Mind and Will We have presently commanded that every one shall handle the holy Affairs at his pleasure and that the Christians shall retain their Faith of their former Opinion and wonted Service Whenas with prosperous Success we came to Milan and enquired of the things which made for the Commodity and Profit of the Commonwealth these amongst many other things seemed expedient yea before all other we purposed to decree wherein the Reverence and Service due to God is comprised i. e. contained that is to say by which we might grant unto the Christians altogether Free choice to embrace what Service and Ceremony pleased them best to the end the Divinity of the Celestial i. e. Heavenly Affairs now every where received might in some part be pleasing unto us and to all our Subjects Then according unto this our Pleasure we have decreed with sound and most right Judgment that Licence any Liberty be henceforth denied unto None at all of chusing and following the Christian Service or Religion but that this Liberty be granted unto every one to addict his Mind unto that Religion which he thinks fit for him to the end that God may grant unto us his wonted Care and Goodness And now whosoever freely and firmly is disposed to retain the Christian Religion let him do it without all molestation or grievance And because that we have granted Liberty to use their Observance and Religion if so please any It manifestly availeth for the Tranquillity i. e. ease and quietness of our Times that every one have Liberty to chuse and worship what God pleaseth him best This have we done lest ought of our Doings seem prejudicial unto any Service or Religion And because the said Christians are known not only to have enjoyed the place of their Meetings and Assemblies but also certain other peculiar i. e. proper not to every one privately but belonging by right unto their whole Society see that thou command all those according unto the Decree mentioned before to be restored unto the Christians Afterwards the Emperor summoned a Synod i. e. a General or Universal Assembly of Bishops to meet at Rome for the uniting and reconciling of the Churches for it seemed unto him very grievous that there should be found in his Provinces a multitude of People prone i. e. inclining unto the worse and disagreeing and that among Bishops there should be variance Money granted unto Ministers by the Emperor Constantine the Emperor unto Decilianus Bishop of Carthage sendeth greeting Inasmuch as it pleased us to administer something for expences sake unto some certain Ministers of the approved and most Holy Religion throughout all the Provinces of Africk I have signified unto Ursus that he should cause three thousand Poles of Silves i. e. certain Weights one contain-in 222 pounds and six ounces the other weighing 208 pence to be told unto thy Fidelity And forasmuch as I understand that some troublesom Persons were supposed to pervert by some lewd Corruption to People of the most Holy and Catholick i. e. Universal Church wherefore if thou perceive such Men to persist in their Folly without any more ado have recourse unto the Judges and make them privy thereof that they consider of these as I charged them when they were present A Copy of the Epistle by the which the Emperour freed the Bishops from paying Tax or Tribute We greet you most Honourable Anilinus Because it appeareth diversly that if the Religion wherein great estimation of Holiness is maintained be set at nought great danger will ensue to the publick Affairs And again if the same be orderly handled and maintained great Prosperity and special Felicity i. e. Happiness will follow unto the Roman Empire and the Affairs of all Men the Goodness of God exhibiting i. e. giving the same It seemed good unto us that those Men which labour in this godly Religion with due Holiness and diligent Observation of this Law shall receive Recompence of their Travels Wherefore our Pleasure is That they of the Province committed to thy charge whom we commonly term Clergy-men i. e. Bishops Deacons and Priests c. be wholly free and exempt i. e. free from any Service or payment from all publick Burthens lest by any errour or cursed swerving they be withdrawn from the
indicting himself for this Fact and pleading Guilty when the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by and consenting unto his death and kept the Raiment of them that Slew him Acts 22. 20. God chiefly inspects the Heart and if the Vote be passed there writes the man Guilty though he stur no farther in all moral Actions God values the will for the deed the storm thus increased apace and a violent persecution began to arise in which our Apostle was a prime Agent and Minister Raging about in all Parts with a mad and ungoverned Zeal searching for the Saints beating some imprisoning others and procuring them to be put to death indeed he was a kind of Inquisitor imployed to hunt and find out these upstart Hereticks accordingly took a Warrant and Commission to go down to Damascus in fury and a misguided Zeal whether many of those persecuted Christians had fled for shelter but God who had designed him for a work of another nature and separated him from his Mother's womb to the Preaching of the Gospel stopt him in his journey as Acts 22. 9. and he fell unto the ground and heard a voice saying Saul Saul why Persecutest thou me and he went to Damascus another man from a Persecutor he became one of the Persecuted from hence he Traveled to Arabia and spent three years in the Ministery there and then retunned to Damascus a great and populus City from hence he went to Ierusalem and converst with Peter and Iames it was at Antioch about the beginning of Claudious's Reign ten years after Christ's Ascension where the Desiples was first called Christians being usually stiled before Nazarens from Jerusalem he set Sail to Cyprus and planted Christianity there and now the Old Spirit of the Iews did begin to hunt and persue them who coming from Antioch and Iconium exasperated and stired up the multitude and they who just before accounted them as Gods used them not only worse then men but slaves for in a mighty Rage they fell upon Paul stoned him and as they thought Dead and then drag'd him out of the City where the Christians of that place coming probable to Inter him he suddenly Revived and Rose up among them and the next day went hence to Debe and so Traveled to several places to Confirm the new planted Church he was Imprisoned and Ill-used at Phylippi His Parents were Tent Makers by Trade Preaching Christ at Jerusalem Italy Spain Labouring much among the Gentiles suffered at Rome under Nero as he was leading to Execution it is said Three of the Soulders that Guarded him seeing his Courage become Christians and suffered Death he kneeled down and his head strucken off with a Sword as some write in the 68 year of his Age and was buried with Peter The description of his Person He was a Man said to be of Low and tittle Stature and somewhat stooping his Complection fair his Countenance grave his head small his Eyes carried a kind of beauty and sweetness in them that he was Low himself plainly intimates when he tells us they were wont to say of him that his bodily person was weak and his speech contemptable in which respect he is stiled by Chrysostom a Man Three Cubits or a little more than four Foot high and yet tall enough to reach Heaven The Life of Andrew HIstory which hath hitherto been very Large and Copius in describing the Acts of the two first Apostles is hence forward very sparing in its accounts giving us only now and then a few oblique and accidental Remarks concerning the Rest and some of them no farther mentioned than the meer recording of their Names for what Reason it pleased the divine Wisdom and Providence that no more of their Acts should be consigned to writing by the Pen Men of Old is to us unknown Andrew was Born at Bethsaida a City of Galile standing upon the bank of the Lake of Genesareth Son to John or Jonas a Fisher-man of that Town Brother he was to Simon Peter he had Scythia and the Neighbouring Country primary alloted him for his Provinces first then he Traveled through Cappadocia Galatia and Bithynia and Instructed them in the Faith of Christ. Passing all along the Euxine Seas formerly called Axenus from the Barbarous and Inhospitable temper of the People who were wont to sacrificed strangers and of their Skulls make Cups to drink in at their Feasts and Banquets he was brought before the Proconsul who perswaded him that he would not foolishly destroy himself but live and injoy with him the pleasures of this Life the Apostle after many more words replyed that now he saw it was in vain any longer to deal with him a person incapable of sober Counsel and hardened in his on blindness and folly he might now do his worst and if he had one Torment greater than another he might heap that upon him the greater constancy he shewed in his suffering for Christ the more acceptable he should be to his Lord and Master the Procounsul first Commanded him to be scourged seven lashes successively whipping his naked body and seeing his invincable patience and constancy Commanded him to be Crucified but not to be fastned to the Cross with Nails but Cords that so his death might be the more lingering and tedious as he was led to Execution to which he went with a chearful and composed mind the People Cried out that he was an innocent and good Man being come within sight of the Cross he saluted it with this kind adress that he had long desired and expected that happy hour thus having prayed and exhorted the People to constancy and perceverance in that Relgion he was fastned to the Cross whereon he hung two days teaching and instructing the People all the time and when great importunities in the mean while was used to the Proconsul to spare his Life he earnestly begs of the Lord that he might at this time depart and seal the Truth of his Religion with his blood God heard his prayers and he immediately expired in the 9th month though in what year no certain account can be Recorded his Body being taken down and Embalmed was decently and honourably Interred by Maximilla a Woman of great Quality and Estate JAMES The Son of Zebede a Fisher-man by Birth a Galilean suppos'd to be one of the Brethren that their Mother asked that one might sit at the right hand and the other at the left hand of Jesus in his Kingdom he Preach't Christ unto the 12 Tribes some write that he came to Spain and other Western parts and also Britain Ireland he was slain with a Sword by Herod the Tetrach of the Jews in Judaea where he was buried JOHN The Brother of James by Birth a Galilean Preach't Christ in Asia coming near Rome was accused to the Emperor as an Assertor of Athesim and Subvertor of the Religion of the Empire whereupon he was sent bound to Rome and put into a Coldron
of boyling Oyl in which he had no harm Banished by Trajan the Emperor into the Isle of Patmos and there he wrote his Gospel being Releast in the Reign of Vertinax and in the 100 year of Christ as written by some return'd to Asia chiefly Residing at Ephesus his constant practise to his dying day being led to the Metting saying no more than Little Children Love one another he lived as some write to the Age of 120 years PHILIP Born at Bethsaida near the Sea of Tiberias Brought up in learning t is said he Preach'd Christ in Phrygia and the City Hierapolis many having reciev'd the Faith he was seized and carried to Prison was cruely Scourged and hanged by the Neck against a Pillar at which time as some write was a Terrible Earth-quake he was Buried at Hierapolis and his Daughters some say was Crucified at Paimimes BARTHOLOMEW Who some think to be Nathaniel of Cana in Galile Preach'd Christ unto the Indians Buried in Albania a City of Armenia the Great where he was Crucified with his head downward and slain alive and some wright that he was beheaded at the Commandment of Polemis King of India MATTHEW Otherwisé Levi Born at Nazareth a City of Zebulon the Son of Alpheus a Tax gartherer Preach'd Christ to the Ethiopians which is called Presbiter Iohn's Kingdom by Hurtychus's Command thrust through with a Sword he dyed at Hieropolis in Porthia and was Buried suppos'd to be 70 years of Age. THOMAS a Iew and Fisher-man as some write Preach'd Christ unto the Parthimans Medes and Persians and to the Caramans Hixcans Bartrians and Magicians he rested at Calamica a City in Iudea where the Heathen Priests as he was Praying a lone in a solitary place they coming upon him with a Dart called a Spear or Javelin Run him thorow SIMON ZELOTES Born at Cana in Galile Preach'd Christ throughout Mauritania and Africk the Less and Persia Egypt and Bretania where he was as some write Crucified and Buried JUDE And sometime called Thaddaus and Sebbaeus as some writ Brother of Iames Preach'd Christ in Iudaea Samarie throughout all Mesapotamia he was slain in the Time of Agbarus King of Edesse and buried MATTHIAS One of the 70 Disciples and Numbred among the 11 Apostles in Room of Iudas he Preach'd in Macedonia in Ethiopia about the Haven Hyssus and the River Phasis a Barbarous Nation and Ravonous of flesh he dyed at Sebastobilus nigh the Temple Stoned by the Iews at last beheaded with an Ax Anno 59 some say 64. MARK Of Iews Parents of the Tribe of Levi Preach'd Christ at Alexandria and all the Bordering Regions from Egypt unto Pentapolis in the Time of Tarmin he had a Cable Rope tyed about his Neck some write his Feet at Alexandria by which drawn from a place called Bucolus to the place called Angeles where he was Burned to ashes by the furious Idolaters in the month Pharmuthi with us call'd April on the 25th day LUKE The Evangelist Born at Antioch the chief City of Syria brought up in Learning Toyled with the Apostles Epiphanias writes that he Preach'd in Dalanatia Galatia and France and Italy and Macedonia Authours do not agree where he suffered Martyrdom but it is suppos'd at Ephesus he died and was Buried TIMOTHY Preach'd at Ephesus and Illyricum and throughout Hellas in Achaia where he died and was Buried Thus did these faithful Wittnesses finish their testimony and through their constancy and fidelity obtained not only a good Report but also a Crown immortal through faith in Christ Iesus to whom be glory and dominion for ever SOME PASSAGES OUT OF A LETTER WRIT TO A PERSON OF Quality Giving a True Relation in General Concerning the Heavenly Lives of the Primitive Christians SUCH was the Beginning and first Institution of the Christian Church that in it we find Men who voluntarily became little Children Children who in Wisdom exceeded Patriarchs Virgins who had the Prudence and Gravity of Matrons and Matrons endowed with Virgininal Modesty and Chastity Men of gray Hairs and old in Years but Children in Malice Pride and Ambition and it was hard to say which were the Old and which the Young Disciples for the younger sort strove to qual if not exceed the elder in Devotion Holiness was their Ornament and Men were counted Great as they arriv'd to high Degrees of Piety and the more Religious any Man was the greater Majesty and Respect he was thought worthy of The Light they came attended withall fill'd the World as the Sun doth the Universe which comes forth from its Eastern Conclave and presently diffuses and spreads its Light over all the surface of our Hemisphere So soon did the World feel the influence and operations of these new Stars and were focred to acknowledge their Divine Power and Virtue for they pressed through the Câ—…aos Mankind lay in as souls do pierce through Bodies and the Life Sense and Understanding they taught them was wholly new so different from what was in the World before that Men gaz'd at the Spectacle and lost themselves in Admiration What advantages the Soul can be supposed to give the Body the same did the first Christians afford to the benighted World and whatever inconveniences the Body puts the Soul to the same did the besotted World bring upon the first Christians for as the Soul tenders the Bodies welfare so did they the Worlds as the Soul directs the body to do things rational so did they the World as the Soul restrains the Body from doing mischief to it self so did they the World and as the Soul makes the Members of the Body Instruments of Righteousness so did they attempt to reform the deluded World into Holiness On the other side as the Body afflicteth the Soul so did the World persecute those first Christians as the Body makes the Soul live uneasie so did they incommode these excellent Men as the Body puts ill Constructions on the actions and admonitions of the Soul so the World did put the same on theirs and as the Body seems to long for nothing so much as the ruine of the Soul so the destruction of those Saints was the great thing the World then did aim at They were a Commonwealth made up of Great and Low of Rulers and Underlings of Governours and Subjects and yet nothing was more hard than to distinguish one from the other for what-ever the difference might be they esteemed one another epual and by their carriage one would have concluded that they had been all of the same degree and condition Their Pâ—…stors and chief Men were more known by their Munificence and Good Deeds than by their Coats of Arms or Splendour of their Offices They seemed to be all of the same Kindred for the Aged they honoured as Fathers and the Youths they tendred as their Children Those of the same Age call'd one another Brethren and these were the names they gave one another and in these Titles they gloried more than men
a true Testimony wishing that the Declaration of such things had been Printed in their Books which were done at the first Preaching of Christ. Iohn passeth over with silence the Genealogy i. e. of the Birth or Pedigree of our Saviour according unto the flesh being before amply laid down by Matthew and Luke and beginning with his Divinity reserved of the Holy Ghost for him as the Mightier The cause why Mark wrote his Gospel we have declared before And Luke in the beginning of his History sheweth the occasion of his writing signifying that divers now had already imployed their diligent care to the setting forth of such things as he was fully perswaded of necessarily delivering us from the doubtful opinion of others when by his Gospel he declareth unto us the sure and certain Narration of such things whereof he had received the Truth sufficiently Concerning the Books of the New Testament It shall also be Convenient saith Easebins if in this place we Collect briefly the Books of the New Testament In the first place must be set the fourfold writings of the Evangelists next the Acts of the Apostles then the Epistles of Paul are to be added after these the first of Iohn and that of Peter which are Authentick that is undeniable or approved of all Lastly if you please the Revelation of Iohn all these are received for undoubted The Books which are gainsaid though well known unto many are these the Epistle of Iames the Epistle of Iude the later of Peter the second and third of Iohn whether they were Iohn the Evangelists or some others of the same name Divers do number the Gospel to the Hebrews among them that were disallowed which was used especially of them which received Christ of the Hebrews Of Nicolas and his Sect. Concerning Nieolas of whom the Revelation of Iohn makes mention it is Written of him that he was one of the Dâ—…acons Ordained together with Stephen by the Apostles to Minister unto the Poor but thus it is Written of him This Nicolas having a Beautiful Woman to his Wife after the Ascention of our Saviour was accused of Jealousie and to clear himself of that Crime he brought forth his Wife and permitted him that listed to Marry her But his followers say that their doing is agreeable with that saying that is the Flesh is to be Bridled And so following that doing and saying without all discretion they Sin without all shame in filthy Fornication Concerning Iohn and Philip with his Daughters it was wrote thus by Policrates unto the Bishop of Rome for in Asia said he the great Founders of Christian Religion died who shall rise the last day at the coming of the Lord when he shall come from Heaven with Glory to gather all the Saints Philip one of the twelve Apostles was Buryed at Hierapolis and two of his Daughters which led their Lives in Virginity And Iohn who leaned on the Breast of our Saviour rested at Ephesus The Martyrdom of Simeon the Bishop Simeon the second Bishop of Ierusalem being accused for being a Christian was scourged several days and when he was a Hundred and Twenty years Old he suffered Martyrdom Anno Dom. 110. It is reported that unto those times the Church of God remained a Pure and Uncorrupted Virgin for such as endeavoured to corrupt the perfect Rule and the Sound Preaching of the Word if then there were any such hid themselves unto that time in some secret and obscure place but after that the sacred Company of the Apostles was worn out and come to an end and that Generation was wholly spent which by special Favour had heard with their Ears the Heavenly Wisdom of the Son of God then the Conspiracy of detestable Error through deceipt of such as delivered strange Doctrine took rooting And because that not one of the Apostles survived they Published boldly with all might possible the Doctrine of Falsehood and Impugned that is resisted or assaulted the open manifest known Truth How Plinius Secundus wrote to the Emperour in the Christians behalf Under Trajan the Emperour there was a grievous Persecution of the Christians and it seems that Plinius Secundus a notable president was stirred up to write unto the Emperour in the Christians behalf who wrote as followeth saying That he found nothing in them that was Impious or Wicked but that they refused the Worship ing of Images signifying this withal that the manner of the Christians was to rise before day to Celebrate Christ as God and to the end their Discipline might strictly be observed they forbid sheding of Blood Adultery Fraud Trayterous dealing and such like And for answer hereunto the Emperour wrote again That there should be no Inquisition for Christians but if they were met with they should be Punished Through which meanes the grievous Persecution was somewhat qualified yet nevertheless there was scope enough left for such as were willing to Afflict them Concerning Ignatius his Valour and Courage It is reported that one Ignatius Bishop of Antioch was sent from Syria to Rome for the Confession of his Faith to be Food for Wild Beasts who passing through Asia curiously Guarded with a great Troop of Keepers confirmed the Congregations throughout every City where he came with Preaching the Word of God and Wholsome Exhortations and specially giving charge to avoid the Heresies lately sprung and at that time overflowing c. And in his Journey he wrot unto several Churches saying I strive with beasts by Sea by Land nights and days fettered among ten I eopards that is a band of Souldiers And the more they receive the worse they become I thus exercised with their Injuryes am the more Instructed yet hereby am I not justified Now do I begin to be a Diciple I weigh neither visible nor Invisible things so that I gaine Christ let Fire Gallowes Violence of Beasts bruising of the Bones Racking of the Members stamping of the whole Body and all the Plagues invented by the mischief of Satan light upon me so that I win Christ-Jesus This he wrot from Syria to the Churches Concerning Mark the Evangelist Eusebius rehearseth one thing touching Mark the Evangelist as followeth The elder meaning Iohn said Mark the Interpreter of Peter look what he remembred that diligently he wrot not in that order in which the Lord spake and did them neither was he the hearer and follower of the Lord but of Peter who delivered his Doctrine not by way of Exposition but as necessity constrained so that Mark offended nothing in that he wrote as he had before committed to Memory Of this one thing was he fearful in omitting nothing of that he had heard and in delivering that was false Concerning Matthew it is thus written Matthew wrote his Book in the Hebrew Tongue which every one after his skili Interpreted by Allegations The Fourth BOOK OF EUSEBIUS When Heresie crept into the Church WHen Persecution
any should fall from the Faith daily there were apprehended such as were worthy to fulfil the number of the Faln Weaklings so that out of both these Churches as many as Ruled and bore the greatest sway were taken and Executed and also certain of the Ethnicks i. e. Heathens being our Servants were taken for the President had commanded publickly a General Inquisition to be made for us who being overcome by the subtil slights of Satan and terrified with the sights of the Torments which the Saints suffered through the perswasion of the Souldiers feigned against us and reported that we used the feastings of Thiestes and the Incest of Oedinus with divers other Crimes which may neither Godlyly be thought upon neither with modesty be uttered neither without Impiety be believed These things now being Bruited or reported abroad every body almost was moved and incensed against us insomuch that they which for familiarity sake used moderation before now were exceedingly moved and mad with us great then was the rage both of People President and Souldiers against the Martyrs And among the rest there was a woman called Blandina by whom Christ shewed that those things which in the sight of men appear vile base and Contemptible deserve great glory with God for the true Love they bear to him indeed without boasting in shew For when as we all Quaked for fear yea and her carnall Mistress which also was one of the persecuted Martyrs was very careful least that peradventure at the time of her Answer by reason of the frailty of the Flesh She would not persevere Constant Yet she was so replenished from above with Grace that the Executioners which Tormented her by turns from morning to night Fainted for weariness and ceased confessing themselves overcome and that they were no longer able to Plague her with any more Punishments c. For she like a noble wrestler was nenewed at her Confession for as it is reported of her as oft as she pronounced I am a Christian neither have we Committed any Evil She was recreated refreshed and felt not Pain of her Punishment Sanctus also bare nobly and valliantly yea above the Nature of man all such vexations as man could devise his Constancy was so great that he uttered neither his own Name neither his Kindred neither the Country whence he was nor whether he were Bond or Free but unto every Question he answered in the Roman tongue I am a Christian. This confessed he often instead of all other things of his Name and City and Kindred neither could the Gentiles get any other Language of him wherefore the President and the Tormentors were feircely set against him and when as now there remained scarce any Punishment unpractised at length they applyed unto the tenderest parts of his Body Plates of Brass Glowing Hot which â—…ryed Scared and Scoarched his Body yet he remained unmovable nothing amazed and constant in his confession being strengthened and moistened with the Dew which fell from the Celestial that is Heavenly Fountain of the Water of Life Over all his Body his Flesh was wounded his Members bescarred his Sinews shrunk so that the Natural shape and outward hew was quite changed And when as the wicked Tormentors a few days after had brought him to the place of Torment and well hoped that if they punished him now they should overcome him and prevail or if that he dyed in Torment they should terrifie the rest and so warn them to take heed None of all these things happned unto him but beyond all mens expectation in the latter Torments his Body was released of the pain recovered the former shape as it is recorded of him and the Members were restored to their former use so that the second Plague through the Grace of Christ was no grievous malady i. e. disease but present Medicine Again Satan going about Blasphemously to slander us procured Biblis a woman one of them which had fainted before to be brought forth supposing her frail and fearful mind now to be quite altered from the Christian Opinion consequently through her Blasphemous denial to be in danger of Damnation But she at the very hour of Torment returned unto her self and waking as it were out of a dead sleep by means of these Punishments Temporal considered of the pains of Eternal Fire and unlooked for cryed out unto the Tormentors and said How could they devour Infants which were not suffered to touch the Blood of Bruite Beasts Therefore when she confessed her self a Christian she was appointed to take her chance among the Martyrs Afterwards the Saints were Imprisoned in deep and dark Dungeons and were fettered in the Stocks and their Feet stretched unto the fifth boord chink with other Punishments which furious Ministers or Goaâ—…ers full of devilish rage are wont to put in ure i. e. use and practise upon poor Prisoners so that many were stifled and strangled in Prison And when many of the Saints were so weakned with grievous Torments that life seemed unto them unpossible they remaining shut up in close Prisons destitute of all mans aid yet even then were they Comforted of the Lord and confirmed in Body and mind so that they stirred up and Comsorted the rest several of the younger sort that were newly apprehended whose bodys had not before tasted of the lash of the whip loathed the closeness of the Prison and were choked up with stinch And Pothinus Bishop of Lyons being above four score and ten years old weak of Body scarce able to draw breath because of the Imbecillity i. e. Feebleness or Weakness of Nature he was carried of the Souldiers and laid before the Tribunal i. e. Iudgment seat accompanied with the Potentates i. e. Princes or great Rulers of the City and the whole multitude diversly shouting as if he had been Christ he hath given a good Testimony And being asked of the President who was the God of the Christians he answered If thou become worthy thou sholt understand After this answer he was cruelly handled and suffered many stripes for such as were nearest to him struck at him both with hand and foot and such as stood afar off look what each one had in his hand that was thrown at his head and such as ceased from pouring out their poisoned malice thought themselves to have grievously offended supposing by this means to avenge the ruine of their rotten Gods Afterwards he was cast into Prison where after two days he departed this life Moreover as many as fainted in the first persecution were all alike imprisoned and Partakers of the affliction neither did they prevail or the denial profit them it was thought sufficient Fault that they confessed to have been such but these as Murtherers and hainous Trespassers were twice more grievously plagued The joy of Martyrdom the hoped promises the love towards Christ and the fatherly Spirit comforted the one Company The other were vexed in Conscience so
hainous offences he should become Fortunate so that he became a deadly foe unto the Catholick i. e. Universal or General Christian Faith under which was raised the Eighth Persecution against the Christians Of Dionysius constancy and fidelity in the time of Tryaly of his Banishment and Suffering In as much saith Dionysius as it is commendable to conceal the secrecy of the King and Glorious to publish abroad the Works of God forthwith then will I shew the willfulness of Germanus a Bishop who at times Backbited Dion I came unto Aemilianus with some of the Brethren And Aemil. said not unto me specially raise no Conventicle i. e. a small Assembly commenly for Evil for this would have been Superfluous i. e. that which is too much And the last of all he having recourse unto that which was first his speech was not of making no Conventicles but that we should be no Christians at all and commanded me to cease henceforth from Christianity For he thought that if I altered mine Opinion divers others would follow me I made him answer neither unreverently nor tediously That we ought to obey God rather than Man Yea I spoke with open protestation I worshiped God which is only to be worshiped and no other neither will I be changed neither cease henceforth from being a Christian This being said he commanded us to depart to a certain Village adjoyning upon the Desert called Cephro afterwards Dionysius with others were brought forth and Aemilianus sat in the Presidents room and said I have here signified by word unto you the Clemency i. e. gentleness or mercy of our Liege and Lord the Emperours towards you They have granted you Pardon so that you turn unto that which Nature it self doth bind you unto so that you Adore i. e. Worship the Gods which guard the Empire and forget the things which Repugn i. e. Resist Nature What answer make you unto these I hope you will not Ungratefully i. e. Unthankfully refuse their Clemency insomuch as they Counsel you to the better Dionysius answered All men do not worship all Gods but several men do worship several Gods whom they think good to be worshiped But we Worship and Adore the one God the Worker of all things c. Then Aemilianus the President said What lett is there I beseech you but that naturally you adore that your God insomuch as he is a God together with these our Gods Dionysius said We Worship no other Gods To whom Aemili the President said I see you are altogether unthankful you perceive not the Clemency of the Emperour wherefore you shall not remain in this City but shall be sent into the Parts of Lybia unto a place called Cephro this place by the Commandment of the Emperour I have picked out for you It shall not be lawful for you and others to frequent Conventicles neither to have recourse as they call them unto Church-Yards If any of you be not found in that place which I have appointed for you or in any Conventicle let him under his peril There shall not want sufficient Provision depart therefore whither you are commanded So he commanded me saith Dionysius although sickly to depart with speed not deferring no not one day Afterwards he wrote thus Truly we are not absent no not from the corporal Congregation of the Lord i. e. from some that were of or belonging to the Body for saith he I gather such as are in the City as if I were present being indeed absent in the Body but present in the Spirit And there continued with us in Cephro a great Congregation partly of the Brethren which followed us from out of the City and partly of them which came out of Egypt and there God opened to me a door unto his Word that was in the place to which he was banished yet at the beginning we suffered persecution and stoning but at the length not a few of the Painims i. e. Country-men forsaking their carved Images were converted For unto such as before had not received then first of all we preached the Word of God and insomuch as therefore God had brought us among them after that the Ministry was there compleat he to wit Aemilianus removed us unto another place which was thought to be more rough I hearing we must depart from thence and knowing not the place whither we were commanded to go neither remembred I that ever afore I heard it named for all that took my Journey willingly and cheerfully Yet here I will accuse my self for at the first I fretted and took it very grievously If Places better known and more frequented had fallen unto our Lot it should never have grieved me but that Place whither I should repair was reported to be destitute of all Brotherly and Friendly Consolation subject to the troublesome Tumult of Travellers and violent Invasion i. e. assault of Thieves Moreover he relates how Germanus peradventure gloried of many Confessions and could tell a long Tale of the Afflictions which he endured But what can be repeated on our behalf Sentences of Condemnation Confiscations i. e. Forfeiture of their Goods to the Emperor or King's use Prescriptions i. e. Banishment or open sale made of their Goods spoiling of Substance deposition of Dignities i. e. deprivation of Honour no regard of worldly Glory contempt of the Praises due unto Presidents and Consuls threatning of the Adversaries the suffering of Reclamations i. e. Gainsayings Perils Persecutions Errors Griefs Anguishes and sundry Tribulations c. Yea there were Men Women young Men old Men Virgins and old Women Souldiers and simple Men of all sorts and sects of People whereof some after stripes and fire were crowned Victors i. e. Conquerors some after Sword some other in small time sufficiently tried seemed acceptable Sacrifices unto the Lord. And yet to this day said he the President ceaseth not cruelly to slay some that are brought forth to tear in pieces othersome with Torments to consume other with imprisonment and Fetters commanding that none come nigh them and enquiring daily if any such Men be attainted i. e. convicted or proved guilty of some great Crime Yet for all that GOD refresheth the Afflicted with chearfulness and frequenting of the Brethren How Persecution ceased When Valerianus's Son got the Supremacy i. e. chief Place Rule or Authority he wrote unto the Bishops as followeth The Emperor Caesar P. L. c. unto D. P. D. together with the rest of the Bishops sendeth greeting The Benefit of our gracious Pardon we command to be published throughout the whole World that they which are detained in Banishment depart the Places inhabited of Pagans i. e. Heathens For the execution whereof the Copy of this our Edict i. e. Proclamation or Decree shall be your discharge lest any go about to molest you And this which you now may lawfully put in ure i. e. use was granted by us long ago Marinus a Souldier suffered
Martyrdom The cause was this There is a certain Dignity among the Romans called the Centurions Vine the which whosoever doth obtain is called a Centurion i. e. a Captain of a hundred when the Room was void the Company called Marinus to this Degree and he being preferred another came before the Tribunal or Judgmen-seat and accused him affirming that it was not lawful by the antient Laws for him to enjoy that Roman Dignity because he was a Christian and sacrificed not unto the Emperor and that it was his turn next to come in place The Judge being very much moved with this first demanded what Opinion Marinus was of and when he saw him constantly confessing himself to be a Christian he granted him three Hours space to deliberate i. e. advise or consider This being done Theoteâ—…nus Bishop of Caesarea took Marinus in hand with Exhortations and shewed him the Sword that hung by his side and pulled out of his Pocket the New Testament and set it over against the Sword and bade him chuse whether of these two he preferred or liked best for the health of his Soul when he immediately stretching out his Hand had taken up the Book of Holy Scriptures Hold fast then saith Theoteâ—…nus unto him cleave unto God and thou shalt enjoy the things thou hast chosen being strengthned by him and get in peace After he had returned thence the Crier lifted up his Voice and called him to appear at the Barr the time granted for deliberation being now ended Standing therefore at the Barr he gave Tokens of the noble Courage of his Faith wherefore in a while after as he was led he had the Sentence of Condemnation and was beheaded Several Bishops wrote unto Dionysius Bishop of Rome and to others concerning Paulus Samosatenus who was rejected as a Heretick by them They say that neither by Art Trade or Exercise he attained unto the abundance of Wealth he enjoyed but with lewd Acts and Sacriledge i. e. robbing of a Church or stealing of holy things by injurious or wrongful and tyrannical oppressing of the Brethren whom he made to tremble for fear with his guileful gain and wily promise of hired Patronship i. e. defence or protection by which subtilty and deceit he gained so much that Procured the Givers to be liberal to the end they might be delivered from their Adversaries and so he turned Godliness into Gain Neither need we declare how that he being puffed up with Pride usurped secular Dâ—…gnities i. e. took into his use contrary to right worldly Honours and would rather be called a warlike Captain than a Bishop of the Church walking stately through the Streets and Market-place reading Letters and withal openly inditing maintaining about him a great troop to guard his Person some going before and some coming after so that our Faith and Religion ran to great spight slander and hatred by reason of his swelling Pride and haughty Disdain Neither will we rehearse the monstrous Figments i. e. Lyes which he feigned his glorious Brags the uglisome Spectacles i. e. horrible Sights he devised to amaze the minds of the simple sort He made for himself a lofty Seat and high Throne not like the Disciple of Christ but severed in shew and title after the manner of the Princes of the World smiting the thigh with the hand pouncing the foot-stool with his Feet If any extolled him not as the use is upon Theaters i. e. places where People sit to behold solemn Games or Plays with clapping of their Hands with shouting and hurling of their Caps if any also both of Men and Women had not skipped to and fro with busie-bodies and undescent obeisance i. e. uncomely Obedience by bowing the knee if any as in the House of God had behaved themselves honestly and decently i. e. comely or handsomely the same he checked and all to be reviled He licensed the Bishops and Ministers of the adjoining Villages and Cities which honoured him to preach unto the People the Elders and Deacons which accompany with him know his Wickedness but dare not accuse him insomuch as they themselves are guilty of the same Crimes for he enricheth them wherefore he is both beloved and honoured of them that gape after the like Gudgeons i. e. Gift or Reward We know beloved Brethren that a Bishop and the whole Order of Priesthood ought to be a Patern of Good Works unto the common People neither are we ignorant of this that many are fallen by reason of the closely kept Women and many again are subject to suspicion and slander The Eighth BOOK OF EUSEBIUS Concerning the Peace and prosperous Success of the Christian Affairs and Calamity which followed after THE Clemency or Mercy of the Emperors was so increased towards the Christians that they committed the Government of the Gentiles to them And for the great Favour they bore to our Doctrine saith Eusebius they granted Liberty and Security to the Professors of Christian Religion What shall I say of them who in the very Palace of the Emperours and in the presence of Princes lived most familiarly Yea the Bishops of all Churches came to be in great Reverence and Favour among all sorts of Men and with all Magistrates who can worthily describe those innumerable Heaps flocking Multitudes throughout all Cities and Famous Assemblies frequenting the Places dedicated or appointed unto Prayer because of which Circumstances they not contented with the old and antient Buildings which could not receive them have throughout all Cities Builded them from the Foundation wide and ample Churches But then after that our Affairs through too much liberty ease and security degenerated i. e. turned out of kind from the natural Rule of Piety and after that one pursued another with open contumely i. e. disgrace or reproach and hatred and when that we impugned i. e. resisted or assaulted our selves by no other than our selves with the Armour of Spite 2nd sharp Spears of opprobrious i. e. reproachful Words so that Bishops against Bishops and People against People raised Sedition i. e. discord or strife Last of all when that cursed Hypocrisie and Dissimulation had swom even to the brim of Malice the heavy hand of Gods high Iudgment after his wonted mannâ—…r whilst as yet the Ecclesiastical Companies i. e. them of or such as belonged to the Church assembled themselves nevertheless began softly by little and little to visit us so that the Persecution that was raised against us took its first original i. e. first beginning from the Brethren which were under Banner in Camp whenas we were touched with no Sense or Feeling thereof neither went about to pacifice God we heaped Sin upon Sin thinking like careless Epicures i. e. such as are given to excess in Gluttony that God neither cared nor would visit our Sins And they which seemed our Shepherds laying aside the Rule of Piety practised Contention and Schism among themselves i. e. division in matters of Religion
and whilst they aggravated i. e. made things worse and worse by Words these thing viz. Contention Threatnings mutual i. e. that which passeth one from another Hatred and Enmity and every one proceeded in Ambition i. e. Pride or immoderate Desire of Soveraignty much like Tyranny it self then I say the Lord according to the saying of Ieremiah made the Daughter of Sion obscure and overthrew from above the Glory of Israel and remembred not his Foot-stool in the day of his Wrath. Of Dioclesians Proclamations against the Christians In the nineteenth Year of Dioclesian's Reign was there Proclamations published in which it was commanded That the Churches should be made even with the ground the holy Scriptures by burning them should be abolished i. e. disannulled or destroyed such as were in Honour and Estimation should be contemned and such as were of Families if they retained or held the Christian Faith should be deprived of their Freedom And such were the Contents of the first Edict But in the Proclamations which immediately followed after it was added That the Pastors i. e. Shepherds throughout all Parishes first should be imprisoned next with all means possible constrained to Sacrifice Afterwards some endured bitter Torments others fainted for Fear and at the first onset or first violent assault were quite discouraged Some were tortured and launched with more intolerable pain some failed of the purposed End some were found constant and perfect Yet the Enemies of Truth triumphed and laboured to bring their purpose to effect Concerning the Persecution The Persecution against the Christians grew so exceeding great that some after many Torments endured were broiled to death some were hanged and some were beheaded And about that time some of the Emperour's Palace hapned to be on fire and when the Christians were taken in suspicion to be the Authors thereof by the Emperors commandment the whole Troop generally of all the godly there at that time was executed whereof some with the Sword were beheaded others burned with fire others carried in a Boat and thrown into the deep Sea And such were the practices in the beginning of the Persecution at Nicomedia Afterwards the Emperor commanded all the Pastors throughout every Church to be imprisoned and kept in hold multitudes were inclosed or shut up and the Prisons of old appointed and ordained for Murderers diggers of Sepulchres and riflers of Graves were then replenished with Bishops Ministers Deacons c. so that there was no room in Prison for such as were condemned for hainous Offences Again when the former Edicts had taken place there followed others by virtue of which such as sacrificed were set at liberty and such as resisted were commanded to be tormented with a thousand kind of Torments Concerning the Roman Empire Before the Roman Empire waged Battel against us saith Eusebius in the space the Emperors favoured us and maintained Peace it may not sufficiently be declared how prosperously the Commonwealth flourished and abounded with Goodness c. And whenas the Empire after this sort increased without offence and daily was enlarged they had no sooner removed Peace from among us but they stirred up Battels as could not be reconciled Not fully two years after this Hurlyburly i. e. tumult or stir there was such a change happened unto the whole Empire which turned all upside down For no small Disease overtook the Chief Emperour and bereaved i. e. deprived him of his Wits Afterwards the Empire was divided into two parts the which was never remembred to have come to pass before that time Not long after Constantius the Emperor passing all others throughout his Life-time in Clemency and Goodness towards his Subjects when he died his Son Constantine supplied his room In his Life he was most benign among all the Emperors who alone of all the Emperors in our time governed most gloriously and honourably during the whole term of his Reign shewing humanity and bountifulness unto all Men c. The Dissimulation of Maxentius Maxentius who exercised Tyranny at Rome in the beginning of his Reign dissembled our Faith egregiously i. e. some time basely creeping into Credit by flattering the People of Rome and therefore he commanded his Commonalty or vulgar People to cease from persecuting of the Christians whereby he might pretend a show of Piety i. e. Godliness and seem tractable and more benign i. e. favourable than his Ancestors that went before him But in process of time he was not indeed found the same which Men took him for and hoped he would be for he fell into all kind of Enormities i. e. he went out of rule or measure omitting no heinous Offence how detestable and lascivious soever it was unessayed i. e. untried wherefore all both high Primates i. e. Archbishops and inferiour People trembling for fear of him were oppressed with his intolerable Tyranny yet neither by silence neither by suffering this grievous servitude i. e. bondage or base estate could they be free from the bloody slaughter and imbrued murther of this Tyrant Concerning Maximinus and his Proclamation in the behalf of the Christians It seems his Behaviour towards the Christians was very cruel and the Persecution long and tedious in his day which continued for 12 years He exceeded many in Hypocrisie Superstition Idolatry Oppression Prodigality in Drunkenness Lechery c. wherefore a plague lighted on him which took root in his Flesh and afterwards proceeded even unto his Soul At length being thus tormented and lying in this miserable condition he began to ponder with himself the rash Enterprises he had practised against the holy Worshippers of God Wherefore returning unto himself first he confessed his Sins unto God next calling unto him such as then were about him he gave commandment that with all speed they should cease from persecuting the Christians and that by the Commandment and Decree of the Emperor they should build again their Churches c. And his Proclamations were published throughout the Cities containing a Reâ—…antation of these things formerly prejudicial unto the Christians In the third Year of our Persecution under the Reign of Maximinus the second Hurly-burly was raised against us and the Tyrants Letters were then first of all brought to Urbanus charging all the People of what Degree or calling soever that they should Sacrifice unto their Gods the Magistrates also throughout every City busily applying themselves to the same and that the Beadles throughout all the City of Câ—…sarea should by virtue of the Presidents Edict summon the Fathers the Mothers and their Children to appear at the Idols Temple and that the Tribunes should likewise out of a Scroll i. e. a piece of Paper or Parchment which might be called a Bill call every one by his Name by reason whereof there was no where but heaviness sobbing and sighing And Apphianus went cheerfully unto the President as he was sacrificing and boldly took hold on his right hand and stayed
concerning their Collections how they disposed of them and how their sufferings were prejudicial to the Comon wealth WHen the Christians saw themselves every day besieged and betrayed and when they were very often taken in their Assemblies and prest to sacrifice to the Gods then they cryed out and said We cannot hinder our lives from being in danger if we will be faithful to God pag. 31 and 116. It is well known unto many how that the Innocent and harmeless Christians have of late been often haled out of their Assemblies and prest to do things contrary to their consciences upon the refusal of which their Liberties and Estates have not only been in peril but their lives also so that the true Christians may well conclude as the Antient Christians did viz. That they cannot hinder their lives from being in peril if they will be faithful to God The Christians were accounted publick Enemies to the Emperours because the honours they rendred to them were neither vain flattering nor rash but mark what Tertullian saith to the Heathen concerning this particular Think you saith he these are such great testimonies of affections to kindle fires in the midst of the streets to set up Tables there to make feasts in the publik places to change the face of the City into that of a great Tavern c. Must a publick shame be the mark of a publick joy saith he must these things be accounted seemly on the solemn days of Princes which at no other time or on other days are fitting or decent pag. 126. In like manner have the true Christians been accounted Enemies to the King because they could not honour him with any vain flattering honour like unto that wherewith the Heathens honoured their Emperours who manifested their affections to him by kindling fires in the midst of the streets and by changing as it were the face of the City into that of a Tavern c. Now let our English Apostatized Christians come forth and parallel their Bonefires which they used to make in the midst of the streets their causing the Conduits to run with wine and their setting up Scaffolds with Shews c. which they did when the King was proclaimed when he came into the Realm and at his Coronation let them I say come forth and compare their practises then with the practises of the Heathen and they may see how they resemble one another to their great shame that profess Christianity and are yet manifesting their publick joy by glorying in their publick thame which is neither comly decent nor profitable either to the King the kingdom or to the Subjects nor yet in any wise becoming Christians therefore are they now to be testified against as they were heretofore when they were up held by the Heathen and were witnessed against by the Antient Christians The Antient Christians confessed they were commanded to love their Enemies and that they were to hate none and that they were forbid to revenge injury received though the sword and sire was imployed against them and they were often by people assaulted with stones yet they endeavoured in no wise to ressent the evil treating they had received though they wanted not an occasion if it had been permitted them to render evil for evil but God forbid said they we should do so pag 132. The same mind is now found in the true Christians whose principle leadeth them to suffer injurie done unto them rather then to revenge themselves on such as injure them and therefore is it manifest that they are of the same spirit which the Antient Christians were of who suffered violence to be done unto them but did not with violence resist nor defend themselves like as the Apostatized Christians do now who at times assault the true Christians with stones with pistols with swords c all which they suffer patiently without rendring evil to them that thus intreat them and therefore may we conclude that they are found in the practise and condition of the Antient Christians The Christians suffered themselves willingly to be killed saying In their Religion it was rather lawful to let themselves be killed then to kill others nevertheless they were declared to be the Romans Enemies though they did them no hurt and thus much they confassed It 's true said they we are Enemies yet not of men but of their errors pa. 133. 134. The true Christians now that are of the pure Religion say yet the same though Apostatized Christians be imprisoning banishing and killing their fellow creatures about their Religion but so did not the Antient Christians who kept the Faith and abode in the Truth in which the true Christians are now found though at this day they are accounted Enemies both to Priests and Professors yet they hurt none neither are they Enemies to their persons as men but to their error and deceit which lodgeth in their hearts where it ought not In the Church of God there was nothing done saith Tert. by allurement of gifts for in the Assemblies of the Antient Christians every one contributed a little sum at the end of the month or when he would but it was if he would and could for none were constrained to give And if they got any Almes it was of good will and riches gathered in this manner they accounted them pledges of Piety and imployed them in feeding the poor and burying them in comforting children that were destitute of Parents and goods in helping old men that had spent their best days in the service of the Faithful and in assisting them that served in Mines and were banished into Islands and shut up in prisons because they confessed the Religion of the true God that so during the time they suffered for the confession of his Name they might be nourished with the Stock of the Church and these actions caused the Heathens to wonder and to cry out saying see how they love one another and how they are ready to die for one another pag. 137 138. This is also the practise of the true Christians now whose faith worketh by love and not by the allurement of gifts and rewards which have blinded the eyes of Apostatized Antichristians who have lost the charity and are departed from that faith which worketh by love and therefore must they often times â—…orce and constrain one another by a secular power not only to contribute to the relief of the poor fatherless and widdows but also to their Priests who is allured to preach among them by gifts and who without gifts and rewards will not preach and also by Sumes of mony may be allured from one place to another and that more out of love to the gifts then the souls of the people But it is not thus with the true Ministers nor yet with the true Christians who give freely that which they have received freely and are ready to serve the Lord with