we might declare it to others the flames disposing themselves into the resemblance of an Arch like the Sails of a Ship swelled with the Wind gently encircled the body of the Martyr Thâ—â—icem si quis medio miretur in igne flammas Emori extructo se reparare rogo Châ—iupeat POLYCARPE avi das tibi parcere Non ausas sacrâ te violare face Mille nitent tedae rutilantque hinc inde favillis Atque in te Dominum quem colis ipse colunt Praemia nunc majora tibi sed reddit Olympus Ignea qui pedibus subjicit astra suis who stood all the while in the midst not like rosted flesh but like Gold or Silver purified in the Furnace his body sending forth a delightful fragrancy which like frankincense or some other costly spices presented it self to our senses XIV Inscript Romae in Ecclesia S. Stephani in Coeliâ— suprascripta haec Siracidae sententia HOW blind and incorrigibly obstinate is unbelief The Infidels were so far from being convinced Ecclesiastic LI. 6. IN MEDIO IGNIS NON SUM AESTUATUS that they were rather exasperated by the miracle commanding a Spearman one of those who were wont to dispatch wild Beasts when they became outragious Vid. usser not 74. in Act. Polycarp p. 67. to go near and run him through with a Sword which he had no sooner done but such a vast quantity of bloud flowed from the wound as extinguished and put out the fire together with which a Dove was seen to fly from the wounds of his Body which some suppose to have been his soul clothed in a visible shape at the time of its departure though true it is that this circumstance is not mentioned in Eusebius his account and probably never was in the original Nor did the malice of Satan end here he knew by the innocent and unblamable course of his life and the glorious constancy of his Martyrdom that he had certainly attained the Crown of Immortality and nothing now was left for his spight to work on but to deprive them even of the honour of his bones For many were desirous to have given his body decent and honourable burial and to have assembled there for the celebration of his memory but were prevented by some who prompted Nicetes the Father of Herod and Brother to Alce to advise the Proconsul not to bestow his body upon the Christians lest leaving their crucified Master they should henceforth worship Polycarpus A suggestion however managed by the Heathens yet first contrived and prompted by the Jews who narrowly watched the Christians when they would have taken away his body from the place of Execution Little considering they are the very words of my Authors how impossible it is that either we should forsake Christ who died for the salvation of the whole World or that we should worship any other Him we adore as the Son of God but Martyrs as the Disciples and Followers of our Lord we deservedly love for their eminent kindness towards their own Prince and Master whose Companions and fellow-Disciples we also by all means desire to be So far were those Primitive and better Ages from that undue and superstitious veneration of the Reliques of Martyrs and departed Saints which after-ages introduced into the Church Prim. Christ Part. 1. chap. 5. as elsewhere we have shewed more at large XV. THE Centurion beholding the perversness and obstinacy of the Jews commanded the body to be placed in the midst and in the usual manner to be burnt to ashes whose bones the Christians gathered up as a choice and inestimable treasure and decently interred them In which place they resolved if possible and they prayed God nothing might hinder it to meet and celebrate the Birth-day of his Martyrdom both to do honour to the memory of the departed and to prepare and encourage others hereafter to give the like testimony to the Faith Both which considerations gave birth and original to the Memoriae Martyrum those solemn Anniversary Commemorations of the Martyrs which we have in another place more fully shewed Ibid. chap. 7. were generally kept in the Primitive Church Thus died this Apostolical man Ann. Chr. CLXVII about the hundredth year of his Age for those eighty six years which himself speaks of wherein he had served Christ cannot be said to commence from his birth but from his baptism or new-birth at which time we cannot well suppose him to have been less then sixteen or twenty years old besides his converse with the Apostles and consecration by S. John reasonably suppose him of some competent years for we cannot think he would ordain a Youth or a very young man Bishop especially of so great and populous a City The incomparable a Annot. in Ep. S. Polycarp p. 2. Primate from a passage in his Epistle conjectures him to have lived though not then converted to Christianity at the time when S. Paul wrote his Epistles which if so must argue him to have been of a greater Age nor is this any more improbable then what b Ap. Euseb l. 4. c. 3. p. 116. Quadratus the Christian Apologist who lived under Hadrian and dedicated his Apologetic to that Emperour reports that there were some of those whom our Lord had healed and raised from the dead alive even in his time and of Simeon successor to S. James in the Bishoprick of Jerusalem c Ibid. l. 3. c. 32. p. 104. Hegesippus expresly relates that he was CXX years old at the time of his Martyrdom Sure I am d Adv. Haeres l. 3. c. 3. ap Eus l. 4. c. 14. p. 127. Irenaeus particularly notes of our S. Polycarp that he lived a very long time and was arrived to an exceeding great age when he underwent a most glorious and illustrious Martyrdom for the Faith XVI HE suffered on the second of the Moneth Xanthicus the VII of the Kalends of May though whether mistaken for the VII of the Kalends of April and so to be referred to March XXVI as some will have it or for the VII of the Kalends of March and so to be adjudged to February XXIII as others is difficult to determine It shall suffice to note that his memory is celebrated by the Greek Church February the XXIII by the Latine January the XXVI The Amphitheatre where he suffered is in a great measure yet remaining as a late c Th. Smith Epist de VII Asiae Eccles p. 164. Eye-witness and diligent searcher into Antiquity informs us in the two opposite sides whereof are the Dens where the Lions were wont to be kept His Tomb is in a little Chappel in the side of a Mountain on the South-east part of the City solemnly visited by the Greeks upon his Festival day and for the maintenance and reparation whereof Travellers are wont to throw in a few Aspers into an Earthen Pot that stands there for that purpose How miserable the state of this City
Vit. Script Euseb and as Valesius conjectures some years after the Council of Nice though when not long before he expresly affirms that History to have been written before the Nicene Synod how he can herein be excused from a palpable contradiction I cannot imagine 'T is true Eusebius takes no notice of that Council but that might be partly because he designed to end in that joyful and prosperous Scene of things which Constantine restored to the Church as he himself plainly intimates in the beginning of his History which he was not willing to discompose with the controversies and contentions of that Synod according to the humour of all Historians who delight to shut up their Histories with some happy and successful period and partly because he intended to give some account of the affairs of that Council in his Book of the Life of Constantine the Great The Materials wherewith he was furnished for this great undertaking which he complains were very small and inconsiderable were besides Hegesippus his Commentaries then extant Africanus his Chronology the Books and Writings of several Fathers the Records of particular Cities Ecclesiastical Epistles written by the Bishops of those Times and kept in the Archives of their several Churches especially that famous Library at Jerusalem erected by Alexander Bishop of that place but chiefly the Acts of the Martyrs which in those Times were taken at large with great care and accuracy These at least a great many of them Eusebius collected into one Volume under the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Collection of the Ancient Martyrdoms which he refers to at every turn besides a particular Narrative which he wrote still extant as an Appendage to the Eighth Book of his Ecclesiastical History concerning the Martyrs that suffered in Palestin A great part of these Acts by the negligence and unfaithfulness of succeeding Times were interpolated and corrupted especially in the darker and more undiscerning Ages when Superstition had overspread the Church and when Ignorance and Interest conspired to fill the World with idle and improbable Stories and men took what liberty they pleased in venting the issue of their own Brains insomuch that some of the more wise and moderate even of the Roman Communion have complained not without a just resentment and indignation that Laertius has written the Lives of Philosophers with more truth and chastness then many have done the Lives of the Saints Upon this account a great and general out-cry has been made against Simeon Metaphrastes as the Father of incredible Legends and one that has notoriously imposed upon the World by the most fabulous reports Nay some to reflect the more disgrace upon him have represented him as a petty Schoolmaster A charge in my mind rash and inconsiderate and in a great measure groundless and uncharitable He was a person of very considerable birth and fortunes advanced to the highest Honours and Offices one of the Primier Ministers of State and as is probable Great Chancellor to the Emperour of Constantinople learned and eloquent above the common standard and who by the persuasions not onely of some great ones of that time he flourished under Leo the Wise about the Year DCCCC but principally wrote under the reign of his successor but of the Emperour himself was prevailed with to reduce the Lives of the Saints into order To which end by his own infinite labour and the no less expences of the Emperour he ransacked the Libraries of the Empire till he had amassed a vast heap of Volumes The more ancient Acts he passed without any considerable alteration more then the correcting them by a collation of several Copies and the enlarging some circumstances to render them more plain and easie as appears by comparing some that are extant at this day Where Lives were confused and immethodical or written in a stile rude and barbarous he digested the history into order and clothed it in more polite and elegant language Others that were defective in neither he left as they were and gave them place amongst his own So that I see no reason for so severe a censure unless it were evident that he took his accounts of things not from the Writings of those that had gone before him but forged them of his own head Not to say that things have been made much worse by Translations seldom appearing in any but the dress of the Latine Church and that many Lives are laid at his door of which he never was the Father it being usual with some when they met with the Life of a Saint the Author whereof they knew not presently to fasten it upon Metaphrastes But to return to Eusebius from whom we have digressed His Ecclesiastical History the almost onely remaining Records of the ancient Church deserves a just esteem and veneration without which those very fragments of Antiquity had been lost which by this means have escaped the common Shipwrack And indeed S. Hierom Nicephorus and the rest do not onely build upon his foundation but almost entirely derive their materials from him As for Socrates Sozomen Theodorit and the later Historians they relate to Times without the limits of my present business generally conveying down little more then the History of their own Times the Church History of those more early Ages being either quite neglected or very negligently managed The first that to any purpose broke the ice after the Reformation were the Centuriators of Magdeburg a combination of learned and industrious men the chief of whom were John Wigandus Matth. Judex Basilius Faber Andreas Corvinus but especially Matth. Flaccius Illyricus who was the very soul of the undertaking They set themselves to traverse the Writings of the Fathers and all the ancient Monuments of the Church collecting whatever made to their purpose which with indefatigable pains they digested into an Ecclesiastic History This they divided into Centuries and each Century into fifteen Chapters into each of which as into its proper Classis and Repository they reduced whatever concerned the propagation of Religion the Peace or Persecutions of the Christians the Doctrines of the Church and the Heresies that arose in it the Rites and Ceremonies the Government Schisms Councils Bishops and persons noted either for Religion or Learning Heretics Martyrs Miracles the state of the Jews the Religion of them that were without and the political revolutions of that Age. A method accurate and useful and which administers to a very distinct and particular understanding the affairs of the Church The four first Centuries were finished in the City of Magdeburg the rest elsewhere A work of prodigious diligence and singular use True it is that it labours under some faults and imperfections and is chargeable with considerable errours and mistakes And no wonder for besides that the Persons themselves may be supposed to have been sometimes betraid into an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the heats and contentions of those Times it was the first attempt in this kind and
learning His Writings His Hypotyposes Photius his account of them corrupted by the Arrians His Books yet extant and the orderly gradation of them His Stromata what the design of it His stile what in this what in his other Books A short Apology for some unwary assertions in his Writings His Writings enumerated Pag. 193. The Life of TERTULLIAN Presbyter of Carthage His names whence His Father who His education in all kinds of Learning His skill in the Roman Laws Different from Tertylian the Lawyer His way of life before his conversion enquired into His married condition His conversion to Christianity when The great cruelty used towards the Christians Severus his kindness to them Tertullians excellent Apology in their behalf His address to Scapula and the tendency of that discourse Severus his violent persecuting the Christians His prohibition of the Heteriae Tertullians Book to the Martyrs and concerning Patience His zeal against Heresies and Writings that way His Book De Pallio when written and upon what occasion His becoming Presbyter when His Book De Corona and what the occasion of it His declining from the Catholic Party Montanus who and whence His principles and practices Tertullians owning them and upon what occasion His morose and stubborn temper How far he complied with the Montanists and acknowledged the Paraclete How he was imposed upon His Writings against the Catholics The severity of the ancient Discipline Episcopus Episcoporum in what sense meant by Tertullian concerning the Bishop of Rome His separate meetings at Carthage His death His Character His singular parts and learning His Books His phrase and stile What contributed to its perplexedness and obscurity His un-orthodox opinions A brief plea for him Pag. 201. The Life of ORIGEN Presbyter Catechist of Alexandria Origen where and when born Several conjectures about the original of his name His Father who His juvenile education and great towardliness in the knowledge of the Scriptures His Philosophical Studies under Clemens Alexandrinus His Institution under Ammonius Ammonius who His fame and excellency confessed by the Gentile Philosophers Another Origen his Contemporary These two heedlesly confounded His Fathers Martyrdom and the confiscation of his Estate Origen's resolute encouragement of his Father His own passionate desire of Martyrdom His maintenance by an honourable Matron of Alexandria His zeal against Heretics His setting up a private School He succeeds Clemens in the Catechetic School at eighteen years of Age. The frequency of his Auditors Many of them Martyrs for the Faith Origen's resolution in attending upon the Martyrs His danger His couragious act at the Temple of Serapis His emasculating himself and the reasons of it The eminent chastity of those Primitive Times Origen's journey to Rome and return to Alexandria His taking in a Colleague into the Catechetic Office He learns the Hebrew Tongue The prudent method of his Teaching Ambrosius converted Who he was His great intimacy with Origen Origen sent for by the Governour of Arabia His journey into Palestin and teaching at Caesarea Remanded by the Bishop of Alexandria Alexander Severus his excellent Vertues and kindness for the Christian Religion Origen sent for by the Empress Mammaea to Antioch He begins to write his Commentaries How many Notaries and Transcribers imployed and by whom maintained Notaries their Original and Office Their use and institution in the Primitive Church His journey into Greece His passage through Palestin and being ordained Presbyter at Caesarea Demetrius of Alexandria his envy and rage against him Origen condemned in two Synods at Alexandria and one at Rome The resignation of his Catechetic School to Heraclas Heraclas who The story of his offering Sacrifice The credit of this story questioned and why His departure from Alexandria and fixing at Caesarea The eminency of his School there Gregorius Thaumaturgus his Scholar His friendship with Firmilian Firmilian who The Persecution under Maximinus Origen's Book written to the Martyrs His retirement whither He compares the Versions of the Bible His Tetrapla Hexapla and Octapla what and how managed A Specimen given of them His second journey to Athens His going to Nicomedia and Letter to Africanus about the History of Susanna His confutation of Beryllus in Arabia His answer to Celsus Celsus who Origens Letters to Philip the Emperour The vanity of making him a Christian Origens journey into Arabia to refute Heresies The Helcesaitae who What their Principles Alexanders miraculous election to the See of Jerusalem His Coadjntorship Government Sufferings and Martyrdom Origens grievous sufferings at Tyre under the Decian Persecution His deliverance out of Prison Age and Death His Character His strict life His mighty zeal abstinence contempt of the World indefatigable diligence and patience noted His natural parts incomparable learning His Books and their several Classes His stile what His unsound opinions The great Out-cry against him in all Ages The Apologies written in his behalf Several things noted out of the Ancients to extenuate the charge His assertions not Dogmatical Not intended for public view Generally such as were not determined by the Church His Books corrupted and by whom His own complaints to that purpose The testimonies of Athanasius and Theotimus and Haymo in his vindication Great errours and mistakes acknowledged What things contributed to them His great kindness for the Platonic Principles S. Hierom's moderate censure of him His repenting of his rash Propositions His Writings enumerated and what now extant Pag. 213. The Life of S. BABYLAS Bishop of Antioch His Originals obscure His education and accomplishments enquired into Made Bishop of Antioch when Antioch taken by the King of Persia Recovered by the Roman Emperour Babylas his fidelity in his charge The Decian Persecution and the grounds of it severely urged by the Emperours Edicts Decius his coming to Antioch His attempt to break into the Christian Congregation Babylas his bold resistance This applied to Numerianus and the ground of the mistake The like reported of Philip the Emperour Decius his bloudy act related by S. Chrysostom His rage against Babylas and his examination of him The Martyrs resolute answer His imprisonment and hard usage The different accounts concerning his death Three Youths his fellow-sufferers in vain attempted by the Emperour Their Martyrdom first and why Babylas beheaded His command that his chains should be buried with him The translation of his body under Constantius The great sweetness and pleasantness of the Daphne Apollo's Temple there S. Babylas his bones translated thither by Gallus Caesar The Oracle immediately rendered dumb In vain consulted by Julian The confession of the Daemon Julian's command for removing Babylas his bones The Martyrs Remains triumphantly carried into the City The credit of this Story sufficiently attested The thing owned by Libanius and Julian Why such honour suffered to be done to the Martyr Julian afraid of an immediate vengeance His Persecution against the Christians at Antioch The sufferings of Theodorus The Temple of Apollo fired from Heaven Pag. 241. The Life of
S. CYPRIAN Bishop of Carthage His Birth-place The Nobility of his Family exploded The confounding him with another Cyprian Bishop of Antioch These two vastly distinct S. Cyprian's education His professing Rhetoric His conversion to Christianity by the persuasions of Caecilius Their mutual endearment His great charity to the Poor His Baptism Made Presbyter and Bishop of Carthage His modest declining the honour His Proscription recess and care of his Church during that retirement The case of the Lapsed A brief account of the rise of the Novatian Sect. The fierceness of the Persecution at Carthage under Decius The courage and patience of the Christians Cyprian's return A Synod at Carthage about the case of the Lapsed and the cause of Novatian Their determination of these matters Ratified by a Synod at Rome and another at Antioch A second Synod about the same affair Moderation in the Ecclesiastic Discipline used in the time of Persecution The great Pestilence at Carthage The miserable state of that City The mighty charity of S. Cyprian and the Christians at that time These evils charged upon the Christians S. Cyprians vindication of them The time of baptizing Infants determined in a Synod Another Synod to decide the case of the Spanish Bishops that had lapsed in the time of Persecution The Controversie concerning the Rebaptizing those who had been baptized by Heretics This resolved upon in a Synod of LXXXVII African Bishops The immoderate heats between Cyprian Firmilian and Stephen Bishop of Rome about this matter Cyprian arraigned before the Proconsul His resolute carriage His banishment to Curubis His Martyrdom foretold him by a Vision His Letters during his exile The severe usage of the Christians His withdrawment and why His apprehension and examination before the Proconsul The sentence passed upon him His Martyrdom and place of burial His piety fidelity chastity humility modesty charity c. His natural parts His learning wherein it mainly consisted The politeness and elegancy of his stile His quick proficiency in Christian studies His frequent converse with Tertullian's Writings His Books The excellency of those ascribed to him The great honours done to his memory Pag. 251. The Life of S. GREGORY Bishop of Neocaesarea S. Gregory where born His Kindred and Relations The rank and quality of his Parents His youthful studies His study of the Laws His travels to Alexandria The calumny there fixed upon him and his miraculous vindication His return through Greece His studying the Law at Berytus and upon what occasion His fixing at Caesarea and putting himself under the tutorage of Origen The course of his studies His Panegyric to Origen at his departure Origen's Letter to him and the importance of it His refusal to stay at Neocaesarea and retirement into the Wilderness His stunning to be made Bishop of Neocaesarea Consecrated Bishop of that City during his absence His acceptance of the charge and the state of that place at his entrance upon it His miraculous instruction in the great mysteries of Christianity His Creed The miracles wrought by him in his return His expelling Daemons out of a Gentile Temple and the success of it His welcom entrance into the City and kind entertainment His diligent preaching to the People His erecting a Church for Divine Worship and its signal preservation An horrible Plague stopped by his prayers The great influence of it upon the minds of the People His judging in Civil Causes His drying up a Lake by his prayers which had been the cause of an implacable quarrel between two Brothers and his restraining the overflowings of the River Lycus The signal vengeance inflicted upon two Jews counterfeit Beggars The fame and multitude of his miracles and the authorities to justifie the credibility of them The rage and cruelty of the Decian Persecution in the Regions of Pontus and Cappadocia His persuading the Christians to withdraw His own retirement The narrow search made for him and his miraculous escape His betrayer converted His return to Neocaesarea and instituting solemnities to the memories of the Martyrs and the reasons of it The inundations of the Northern Nations upon the Roman Empire His Canonical Epistle to rectifie the disorders committed by occasion of those inroads His meeting with others in the Synod at Antioch about the cause of Paulus Samosatenus His return home age and death His solemn thanks to God for the flourishing state of his Church and command concerning his Burial The excellent Character given of him by S. Basil His Writings The charge of Sabellianism S. Basils Apology for him in that behalf Modesty to be used in censuring the ancient Fathers and why Pag. 267. The Life of S. DIONYSIUS Bishop of Alexandria The place of his nativity His Family and Relations His conversion how His studies under Origen Whether a professed Rhetorician His succeeding Heraclas in the Catechetic School His being constituted Bishop of Alexandria and the time of it Apreparatory Persecution at Alexandria how begun The severity of it The Martyrdom of Apollonia and the fond honours done her in the Church of Rome The Persecution continued and promoted by Decius his Edicts The miserable condition of the Christians The sudden Conversion and Martyrdom of a Guard of Souldiers Dionysius apprehended and carried into banishment there to be beheaded A pleasant account of his unexpected deliverance by means of a drunken rout His retirement into the Desarts His return to Alexandria The great number and quality of the Lapsed in the late Persecution The contests about this matter Dionysius his judgment and practice herein The case of Serapion His dealing with Novatian about his Schism and the copy of his Letter to him His being engaged in the Controversie about Rebaptization and great moderation in it His Letter to Pope Sixtus about a person baptized by Heretics Valerianus the Emperours kindness to Christians How turned to cruelty Dionysius brought before Aemilian His discourse with him and resolute constancy He is condemned to be banished His transportation into the Desarts of Lybia The success of his Ministry there Innumerable Barbarians converted to the Faith Gallienus his relaxing the Persecution His Letter to Dionysius granting liberty to the Christians Alexandria shut up by the usurpation of Aemilian The Divisions within and Siege without The horrible Pestilence at Alexandria and the singular kindness and compassion of the Christians there above the Heathens Dionysius his confutation of Sabellius His unwary expressions and the charge against him His vindication both by himself and by S. Athanasius His writing against Nepos Nepos who and what his Principles and Followers Dionysius his encounter with the heads of the Party his convincing and reducing them back to the Orthodox Church His engaging in the Controversie against Paulus Samosatenus The loose extravagant and insolent temper and manners of that man Dionysius his Letter to the Synod at Antioch concerning him The success of that affair Dionysius his death His Writings and Epistles The loss of them bewailed THE
Christ did all Nations believe Parthians Medes Elamites the inhabitants of Mesopotamia Armenia Phrygia and Cappadocia of Pontus Asia and Pamphylia those who dwell in Egypt Afric and beyond Cyrene strangers at Rome Jews at Jerusalem and other Nations as also now the Getuli and the Mauri the Spaniards and the Gauls yea and those places of Britain which were unapproachable by the Roman Armies are yet subdued to Christ the Sarmatae also and the Daci the Germans and the Scythians together with many undiscovered Countries many Islands and Provinces unknown to us which he professes himself unable to reckon up In all which places says he the name of Christ reigns as before whom the Gates of all Cities are set open and to whom none are shut before whom Gates of Brass fly open and bars of iron are snapt asunder To which g Lib. 2. p. 23. Arnobius adds the Indians the Persians the Serae and all the Islands and Provinces which are visited by the rising or setting Sun yea and Rome it self the Empress of all IX FROM Tertullians account we have a most authentic testimony how early Christianity stretched it self over this other World having before his time conquered the most rough and inaccessible parts of Britain to the banner of the Cross which may probably refer to the conversion of King Lucius the first Christian King that ever was a potent and considerable Prince in this Island who embraced the Christian Religion about the year CLXXXVI and sent a solemn Embassie to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome for some who might further instruct him and his people in the Faith who accordingly dispatched Faganus and Derwianus hither upon that errand Not that this was the first time that the Gospel made its way through the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens a Epist ad Corinth p. 28. calls the British Ocean and so the Ancients constantly stile it the unpassable Ocean and those worlds which are beyond it that is the Britannic Islands it had been here many years before though probably stifled and overgrown with the ancient Paganism and Idolatry St. Clemens b Ibid. p. 8. tells us of St. Paul that he preached both in the East and West and having instructed the whole world in righteousness made his way to the utmost bounds of the West by which he must either mean Spain or more probably Britain and it may be both Accordingly Theodoret c Comment in Psal 116. speaking of his coming into Spain says that besides that he brought great advantage to the Isles of the Sea and he reckons d De curand Graecor affect Serm. IX p. 125. the Cimbri and the Britains among the Nations which the Apostles and he particularly mentions the Tent-maker converted to the Christian Faith If after all this it were necessary to enter into a more minute and particular disquisition I might enquire not only in what Countries but in what Towns and Cities in those Countries Christianity fixed it self in what places Episcopal Sees were erected and what succession of Bishops are mentioned in the Records of the Church but that this would not well consist with the designed shortness of this Introduction and would be more perhaps than the Readers patience would allow X. THE shadows of the night do not more naturally vanish at the rising of the Sun than the darkness of Pagan Idolatry and Superstition fled before the Light of the Gospel which the more it prevailed the clearer it discovered the folly and impiety of their worship Their solemn Rites appeared more trifling and ridiculous their Sacrifices more barbarous and inhumane their Daemons were expelled by the meanest Christian their Oracles became mute and silent and their very Priests began to be ashamed of their Magic Charms and Conjurations and the more prudent and subtle heads among them who stood up for the Rites and Solemnities of their Religion were forced to turn them into mystical and allegorical meanings far enough either from the apprehension or intention of the vulgar The truth is the Devil who for so many ages had usurped an Empire and tyranny over the souls of men became more sensible every day that his Kingdom shaked and therefore sought though in vain by all ways to support and prop it up Indeed some time before our Saviours Incarnation the most celebrated Oracle at Delphos had lost its credit and reputation as after his appearance in the world they sunk and declined every day whereof their best Writers universally complain that their gods had forsaken their Temples and Oracular Recesses and had left the world in darkness and obscurity and that their Votaries did in vain solicit their Counsels and answers Plutarch who lived under Trajan wrote a particular Tract still extant concerning the ceasing of Oracles which he endeavours to resolve partly into natural partly into moral partly into political causes though all his Philosophy was too short to give a just and satisfactory account of it One cause he assigns of it is the death and departure of those Daemons that heretofore presided over these Oracles To which purpose he relates a memorable passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 419. concerning a voice that called three times aloud to one Thamus an Egyptian Ship-master and his company as they sailed by the Echinadae Islands commanding him when they came near to Palodes to make Proclamation that the great Pan was dead which he did and the news was entertained not with the resentment of one or two but of many who received it with great mourning and consternation The circumstances of this story he there reports more at large and adds that the thing being published at Rome Thamus was sent for by Tiberius to whom he gave an account and satisfied him in the truth of it Which circumstance of time Eusebius a Praepar Evang. l. 5. c. 17. p. 207. observes corresponds with our Lords conversing in the world when he began openly to dispossess Daemons of that power and tyranny which they had gained over mankind And if the calculation which some make hit right it fell in about the time of our Saviours Passion who led captivity captive spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Cross and by his Death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil XI HOWEVER that the silence of Oracles and the enervating the power of Daemons was the effect of the Christian Religion in the world we need no more then the plain confession of Porphyry himself truth will sometimes extort a confession out of the mouth of its greatest enemy who says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb ubi supr c. 1. p. 179. that now it s no wonder if the City for so many years has been overrun with sickness Aesculapius and the rest of the gods having withdrawn their converse with men For that since Jesus began to be worshipped no man hath received any public
our selves have been present and beheld it may be it would only make the Infidels merry supposing that we like themselves did forge and feign them But God bears witness with my conscience that I do not endeavour by falsly-contrived stories but by various powerful instances to recommend the Divine Religion of the Holy Jesus More testimonies of this kind I could easily produce from Minucius Faelix Cyprian Arnobius and Lactantius but that these are enough to my purpose XIII ANOTHER advantage that exceedingly contributed to the triumph of Christianity was the singular learning of many who became champions to defend it For it could not but be a mighty satisfaction especially to men of ordinary capacities and mean employments which are the far greatest part of mankind to see persons of the most smart and subtil reasonings of the most acute and refined understandings and consequently not easily capable of being imposed upon by arts of sophistry and plausible stories trampling upon their former sentiments and opinions and not only entertaining the Christian Faith but defending it against its most virulent opposers 'T is true indeed the Gospel at its first setting out was left to its own naked strength and men of the most unpolisht breeding made choice of to convey it to the world that it might not seem to be an humane artifice or the success of it be ascribed to the parts and powers of man But after that for an hundred years together it had approved it self to the world and a sharper edge was set upon the malice and keenness of its adversaries it was but proper to take in external helps to assist it And herein the care of the Divine providence was very remarkable that as miracles became less common and frequent in the Church God was pleased to raise up even from among the Gentiles themselves men of profound abilities and excellent learning who might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Julian c Theod. H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 8. p. 131. said of the Christians of his time beat them at their own weapons and wound them with arrows drawn out of their own quiver and it was high time to do so for the Gentiles did not only attaque the Christians and their Religion by methods of cruelty and by arts of insinuation not only object what wit and subtilty could invent to bear any shadow and pretence of reason but load them with the blackest crimes which nothing but the utmost malice and prejudice could ever suspect to be true This gave occasion to the Christian Apologists and the first Writers against the Gentiles who by their learned and rational discourses assoil'd the Christians from the things charged against them justified the reasonableness excellency and divinity of their Religion and expos'd the folly and falshood the brutishness and impiety the absurd and trifling rites of the Pagan Worship by which means prejudices were removed and thousands brought over to the Faith In this way they that rendred themselves most renowned and did greatest service to the Christian cause were especially these Quadratus Bishop of Athens and Aristides formerly a famous Philosopher of that City a man wise and eloquent dedicated each an Apologetic to the Emperor Adrian Justin the Martyr besides several Tracts against the Gentiles wrote two Apologies the first presented to Antoninus Pius the second to M. Aurelius and the Senate about which time also Athenagoras presented his Apology to M. Aurelius and Aurelius Commodus not to mention his excellent discourse concerning the Resurrection To the same M. Aurelius Melito Bishop of Sardis exhibited his Apologetic Oration for the Christians under this Emperor also flourished Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia and dedicated to him an incomparable discourse in defence of the Christian Faith besides five Books which he wrote against the Gentiles and two concerning the truth Not long after Theophilus Bishop of Antioch compos'd his three excellent Books for the conviction of Autolycus and Miltiades presented an Apology probably to the Emperor Commodus Tarian the Syrian Scholar to Justin Martyr a man learned and eloquent among other things wrote a Book against the Gentiles which sufficiently evidences his great abilities Tertullian a man of admirable learning and the first of the Latins that appeared in this cause under the Reign of Severus published his Apologetic directed to the Magistrates of the Roman Empire besides his Books Ad Nationes De Idololatria Ad Scapulam and many more After him succeeded Origen whose eight Books against Celsus did not greater service to the Christian cause than they did honour to himself Minucius Faelix an eminent advocate at Rome wrote a short but most elegant Dialogue between Octavius and Caecilius which as Lactantius a De Instit l. 5. c. 1. p. 459. long since observed shews how fit and able an advocate he would have been to assert the truth had he wholly applied himself to it About the time of Gallus and Volusian Cyprian addressed himself in a discourse to Demetrian the Proconsul of Afric in behalf of the Christians and their Religion and published his Tract De Idolorum vanitate which is nothing but an Epitome of Minucius his Dialogue Towards the close of that Age under Dioclesian Arnobius taught Rhetoric with great applause at Sicca in Afric and being convinc'd of the truth of Christianity could hardly make the Christians at first believe that he was real In evidence therefore of his sincerity he wrote seven Books against the Gentiles wherein he smartly and rationally pleads the Christian cause as not long after his Scholar Lactantius who under Dioclesian professed Rhetoric at Nicomedia set himself to the composing several discourses in defence of the Christian and subversion of the Gentile Religion A man witty and eloquent but more happy in attacquing his Adversaries then in establishing the Principles of his own Religion many whereof he seems not very distinctly to have understood To all these I may add Apollonius a man versed in all kind of learning and Philosophy and if St. Hierom say right a Senator of Rome who in a set Oration with so brave and generous a confidence eloquently pleaded his own and the cause of Christianity before the Senate it self for which he suffered as a Martyr in the Reign of Commodus XIV AND as they thus defended Christianity on the one hand from the open assaults and calumnies of the Gentiles so were they no less careful on the other to clear it from the errors and Heresies wherewith men of perverse and evil minds sought to corrupt and poyson it And the chief of those that ingaged in this way were these Agrippa Castor a man of great learning in the time of Adrian wrote an accurate Refutation of Basilides and his Principles in xxiv Books Theophilus of Antioch against Hermogenes and Marcion Apollinaris Philip Bishop of Gortyna in Crete Musanus Modestus Rhodon Tatian's Scholar Miltiades Apollonius Serapion Bishop of Antioch and hundreds more who engag'd against the
whom he hated for her free reproving his looseness and extravagancy and having first spoil'd her of all public honors and caused her to be openly disgraced and derided then thrice attempted her life by poison he at last sent an assassinate to stab her And the tradition then went that not content to do this he himself came and beheld her naked corps contemplating and handling its several parts commending some and dispraising others And if thus barbarous and inhumane towards his own Kindred and Subjects we cannot think he was overfavourable to Christians wanting this title says Eusebius a H. Eccles l. 2. â— 25. p. 67. to be added to all the rest to be styled the first Emperor that became an enemy to the Christian Religion publishing Laws and Edicts for the suppressing of it and prosecuting those that professed it with the utmost rigor in every place and that upon this occasion Among infinite other instances of this madness and folly he took up a resolution to burn Rome either as being offended with the narrowness of the streets and the deformity of the buildings or ambitious to become the author of a more stately and magnificent City and to call it after his own name But however it was he caused it to be set on fire about the XIX of July Ann. Christ LXIV The conquering flames quickly prevailed over that City that had so often triumphed over the rest of the world in six or seven days spoiling and reducing the far greatest part of it ten Regions of fourteen into ashes laying waste Houses and Temples and all the venerable Antiquities and Monuments of that place which had been preserved with so much care and reverence for many ages himself in the mean while from Mecaenas his Tower beholding the sad spectacle with pleasure and delight and in the habit of a Player singing the destruction of Troy And when the people would but have searched the ruines of their own houses he forbad them not suffering them to reap what the mercy of the flames had spared This Act as well it might expos'd him to all the hatred and detestation wherewith an injur'd and abused people could resent it which he endeavoured to remove by large promises and great rewards by consulting the Sibylline Books and by public supplications and sacrifices to the gods Notwithstanding all which Tacitus b Annal. l. 15. c. 44. p. 319. tells us the people still believed him to be the author of the mischief This not succeeding he sought to clear himself by deriving the odium upon the Christians whom he knew to be sufficiently hateful to the people charging them to have been the incendiaries and proceeding against them with the most exquisite torments Having apprehended some whom they either forced or persuaded to confess themselves guilty by their means great numbers of others were betrayed whom Tacitus confesses that not the burning of the City but the common hatred made criminal They were treated with all the instances of scorn and cruelty some of them were wrapt up in the skins of Wild Beasts and worried by Dogs others crucified others burnt alive being clad in paper coats dipt in pitch wax and such combustible matter that when day-light fail'd they might serve for torches in the night These spectacles Nero exhibited in his own Gardens which yet the people entertained with more pity than pleasure knowing they were done not for the public benefit but meerly to gratifie his own private rage and malice Little better usage did the Christians meet with in other parts of the Empire as appears from the inscription c Ap. Gratâ—◠〈…〉 citat found at Clunia in Spain dedicated to Nero in memory of his having cleared the Province of those that had introduced a new Superstition amongst mankind Under this Persecution suffered Tecla Torques Torquatus Marcellus and several others mentioned in the antient Martyrologies especially the Apostles Peter and Paul the one upon the Cross the other by the Sword XIX THE troublesome vicissitudes and revolutions of affairs that hapned under the succeeding Emperors Galba Otho and Vitellius and the mild and merciful disposition of Vespasian and Titus gave some rest to the Christians till Domitian succeeding began a SECOND PERSECUTION A man of a temper vastly different from that of his Father and his Brother for though at first he put on a plausible carriage yet he soon left off the vizor and appeared like himself lazy and unactive ill-natur'd and suspicious griping and covetous proud and insolent yea so vainly ambitious as to affect Divinity in all public Edicts assuming to himself and in all Petitions and Addresses requiring from others the titles of Lord and God He never truly loved any man and when he most pretended it it was a sure sign of that mans ruine His cruelty he exercis'd first upon flies thousands whereof he dispatched every day next upon men and those of all ranks and states putting to death the most illustrious Senators and persons of the greatest honour and nobility upon the most trifling pretences and many times for no cause at all In the fierceness and brutality of his temper he equall'd Nero Portio Neronis de crudelitate as Tertullian stiles him Loc. super citat nay in this exceeded him that Nero was content to command execution to be done at a distance while Domitian took pleasure in beholding his cruelties exercised before his eyes An argument of a temper deeper died in blood But the Christians alas bore the heaviest load of his rage and malice whom he every where persecuted either by death or banishment Under him S. John the Evangelist was sent for to Rome and by his command thrown into a Cauldron of boiling oil in the midst whereof when the Divine Providence had miraculously preserved him he immediately banished him into Patmos He put to death his cousin-german Fl. Clemens at that time Consul for being a Christian and banished his Wife Fl. Domitilla his own kinswoman also upon the same account into the Island Pandataria At length his brutish and bloody practices rendred him intolerable to his own friends and servants who conspir'd against him his own Wife Domitia being of the confederacy and slew him His successor Nerva abrogated his Acts and recalled those whom he had proscribed and banished among whom S. John taking the benefit of that Act of Revocation quitted Patmos and returned to Ephesus XX. THE THIRD PERSECUTION commenced under Trajan whom Nerva had adopted to be his Successor A Prince he was of excellent and incomparable virtues whose justice and impartiality gentleness and modesty munificence and liberality kindness and affability rendred him infinitely dear and acceptable to the people the extravagancies of his Predecessors not a little contributing to sweeten his Government to them He was mild and dis-passionate familiar and courteous he shewed a great reverence to the Senate by whose advice he usually acted and they to requite him gave him the title of Optimus
as whom they judged the best of all their Princes He conversed freely and innocently with all men being desirous rather to be beloved than than either fear'd or honour'd by the people The glory of all which is exceedingly stain'd in the Records of the Church by his severe proceedings against the Christians He looked upon the Religion of the Empire as daily undermin'd by this new way of Worship that the numbers of Christians grew formidable and might possibly endanger the peace and tranquillity of the Roman State and that there was no better way to secure to himself the favour of the gods especially in his Wars than to vindicate their cause against the Christians Accordingly therefore he issued out orders to proceed against them as illegal Societies crected and acting contrary to the Laws in which number all Colleges and Corporations were accounted that were not a L. 1. 3. ss de Colleg. corp Lib. 47. tit 22. settled either by the Emperors constitution or the Decree of the Senate and the persons b Ulplan de off procons l. 6. ib. l. 2. frequenting them adjudged guilty of High Treason Indeed the Emperors as we have elsewhere observed were infinitely suspicious of such meetings as which might easily conspire into Faction and Treason and therefore when Pliny c Lib. 10. Epist 42 43. interceded with Trajan in behalf of the City of Nicomedia that being so subject to fires he would constitute a corporation of Smiths though but a small number which might be easily kept in order and which he promised to keep a particular eye upon The Emperor answered By no means for we ought to remember says he that that Province and especially those Cities are greatly disturbed by such kind of Factions and whatever the title or the occasion be if they meet together they will be Heteriae though less numerous than the rest That they look'd upon the Christian Assemblies as in the number of these unlawful Corporations and that under this pretence Trajan endeavoured to suppress them will appear from Pliny's Letter to him In the mean time he commanded them either to offer sacrifice to the gods or to be punished as contemners of them The people also in several places by popular tumults falling foul upon them The chief of those who obtained the Crown of Martyrdom under him were S. Clemens Bishop of Rome S. Simeon Bishop of Jerusalem and S. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch whom Trajan himself condemned and sent to Rome there to be thrown to wild Beasts XXI THE Persecution rag'd as in the other parts of the Empire so especially in the Provinces of Pontus and Bithynia where Pliny the younger who had some time since been Consul then governed as Pro-Praetor with Consular power and dignity Who seeing vast multitudes of Christians indicted by others and pressing on of themselves to execution and that to proceed severely against all that came would be in a manner to lay waste those Provinces he thought good to write to the Emperor about this matter to know his pleasure in the case His Letter because acquainting us so exactly with the state of the Christians and the manner of proceeding against them and giving so eminent a testimony to their innocency and integrity we shall here insert C. PLINIUS to the Emperor TRAJAN IT is my custom Sir in all affairs wherein I doubt to have recourse to you For who can better either sway my irresolution or instruct my ignorance I have never been heretofore present at the examination and trial of Christians and therefore know not what the crime is and how far it is wont to be punished or how to proceed in these enquiries Nor was I a little at a loss whether regard be to be had to difference of age whether the young and the weak be to be distinguished from the more strong and aged whether place may be allowed to repentance and it may be of any advantage to him who once was a Christian to cease to be so Whether the name alone without other offences or the offences that go along with the name ought to be punished In the mean time towards those who as Christians have been brought before me I have taken this course I asked them whether they were Christians if they confessed it I asked them once and again threatning punishment if they persisted I commanded them to be executed For I did not at all doubt but that whatever their confession was their stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy ought to be punished Others there were guilty of the like madness whom because they were Roman Citizens I adjudged to be transmitted to Rome While things thus proceeded the error as is usual spreading farther more cases did ensue A nameless Libel was presented containing the names of many who denied themselves to to be or to have been Christians These when after my example they invocated the gods and offered Wine and Incense to your Statue which for that purpose I had commanded to be brought together with the images of the gods and had moreover blasphemed Christ which its said none that are true Christians can be compelled to do I dismiss'd others mentioned in the Libel confessed themselves Christians but presently denied it that they had indeed been such but had renounced it some by the space of three years others many years since and one five and twenty years ago All which paid their reverence and veneration to your Statue and the images of the gods and blasphemed Christ They affirmed that the whole sum of that Sect or error lay in this that they were wont upon a set solemn day to meet together before Sun-rise and to sing among themselves a Hymn to Christ as the God whom they worshipped and oblige themselves by an Oath not to commit any wickedness but to abstain from Theft Robbery Adultery to keep Faith and when required to restore any pledge intrusted with them Which done then to depart for that time and to meet again at a common meal to partake of a promiscuous and harmless food which yet they laid aside after I had published an Edict forbidding according to your order the Heteriae or unlawful Assemblies to be kept To satisfie my self in the truth hereof I commanded two Maidens called Deaconesses to be examined upon the Wrack But I perceived nothing but a lewd and immoderate Superstition and therefore surceasing any farther process I have sent to pray your advice For the case seemed to me very worthy to be consulted about especially considering the great numbers that are in danger for very many of all ages and ranks both men and women are and will be called in question the contagion of this Superstition having over-spreâ—d not only Cities but Towns and Country Villages which yet seems possible to be stopt and cur'd It 's very evident that the Temples which were almost quite forsaken begin to be frequented that the holy Rites and Solemnities of a long time neglected are set
entered into Covenant with him to give his posterity the Land of Canaan and that in his seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed he bound it upon him with no other ceremony but onely that of Circumcision as the Badge and Seal of that foederal compact that was between them that without any other fixed Rite but this the succeeding Patriarchs worshipped God for several Ages till the times of Moses a wise learned and prudent person to whom God particularly revealed himself and appointed him Ruler over his People to conduct them out of the House of Bondage a great and famous Prophet and who was continually inculcating this Lesson to their Ancestors A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall ye hear that is that God in the latter days would send amongst them a mighty Prophet who should do as Moses had done introduce new Rites and set up more excellent Institutions and ways of Worship to whom they should yield all diligent attention and ready obedience that when their fore-fathers had frequently lapsed into Idolatry God commanded Moses to set up a Tabernacle as a place of publick and solemn Worship where he would manifest himself and receive the addresses and adorations of his People which yet however was but a transient and temporary ministration and though erected by the immediate order of God himself was yet after some years to give place to a standing Temple designed by David but built by Solomon stately indeed and majestick but not absolutely necessary seeing that infinite Being that made the World who had the heaven for his throne and the earth for his footstool could not be confined within a material Temple nor tied to any particular way of worship and that therefore there could be no such absolute and indispensable necessity for those Mosaical Rites and Ceremonies as they pretended especially when God was resolved to introduce a new and better Scene and state of things But it was the humour of this loose and unruly this refractory and undisciplinable generation as it ever had been of their Ancestors to resist the Holy Ghost and oppose him in all those methods whereby he sought to reform and reclaim them that there were few of the Prophets whom their fore-fathers had not persecuted and slain them that had foretold the Messia's coming the just and the holy Jesus as they their unhappy posterity had actually betrayed and murdered him without any due reverence and regard to that Law which had been solemnly delivered to them by the ministry of Angels and which he came to fulfil and perfect XVIII THE holy man was going on in the Application when the patience of his Auditors which had hitherto holden out at this began to fail that fire which gently warms at a distance scorches when it comes too near their consciences being sensibly stung by the too near approach of the truths he delivered they began to fume and fret and express all the signs of rage and fury But he regardless of what was done below had his eyes and thoughts directed to a higher and a nobler object and looking up saw the heavens opened and some bright and sensible appearances of the divine majesty and the holy Jesus clothed in the robes of our glorified nature not sitting in which sense he is usually described in Scripture but standing as ready to protect and help to crown and reward his suffering servant at the right hand of God So easily can Heaven delight and entertain us in the want of all earthly comforts and divine consolations are then nearest to us when humane assistances are farthest from us The good man was infinitely ravished with the Vision and it inspired his soul with a fresh zeal and courage and made him long to arrive at that happy place and little concerned what use they would make of it he could not but communicate and impart his happiness the Cup was full and it easily overflowed he tells his adversaries what himself beheld Behold I see the heavens opened and the son of man standing on the right hand of God XIX THE Heavenly Vision had very different effects it encouraged Stephen but enraged the Jews who now taking it pro confesso that he was a blasphemer resolved upon his death without any further process How furious and impatient is mis-guided Zeal they did not stand to procure a Warrant from the Roman Governour without whose leave they had not power to put any man to death nay they had not the patience to stay for the judicial sentence of the Sanhedrim but acted the part of Zealots who were wont to execute vengeance upon Capital Offenders without staying for the ordinary formalities of Justice and raising a great noise and clamour and stopping their ears that they might hear no further blasphemies and be deaf to all cries for mercy they unanimously rushed upon him But Zeal is superstitious in its maddest fury they would not execute him within the Walls lest they should pollute the holy City with his blood but hurried him without the City and there fell upon him with a shower of stones Stoning was one of the four Capital punishments among the Jews inflicted upon greater and more enormous crimes especially Blasphemy Idolatry and strange Worship Vid. P. Fag in Exod. 21.16 and the Jews tell us of many particular circumstances used in this sort of punishment The Malefactor was to be led out of the Consistory at the door whereof a person was to stand with a Napkin in his hand and a man on Horse-back at some distance from him that if any one came and said he had something to offer for the deliverance of the Malefactor upon the moving of the Napkin the Horseman might give notice and bring the offender back He had two grave persons to go along with him to exhort him to confession by the way a Crier went before him proclaiming who he was what his crime and who the Witnesses being come near the place of execution which was two cubits from the ground he was first stripped and then stoned and afterwards hanged where he was to continue till Sun-set and then being taken down he and his Gibbet were both buried together XX. SUCH were their customs in ordinary cases but alass their greediness of St. Stephens bloud would not admit these tedious proceedings onely one formality we find them using which the Law required Deut. 17.7 which was that the hands of the Witnesses should be first upon him to put him to death and afterward the hands of all the People a Law surely contrived with great Wisdom and Prudence that so the Witness if forsworn might derive the guilt of the bloud upon himself and the rest be free so thou shalt put the evil away from among you Accordingly here the Witnesses putting off their upper garments which rendred them less nimble and expedite being loose and long according to the mode of those
been embraced by some of the most early Writers of the Church But whoever considers that the one was an Apostle and one of the Twelve the other a Deacon onely and one of the Seven chosen out of the People and set apart by the Apostles that they themselves might attend the more immediate Ministeries of their Office that the one was dispersed up and down the Countrey while the other remained with the Apostolical Colledge at Jerusalem that the one though commissionated to Preach and to Baptize could not impart the Holy Ghost the peculiar prerogative of the Apostolical Office will see just reason to force him to acknowledge a vast difference between them Our S. Philip was one of the Seventy Disciples and S. Stephens next Colleague in the Deacons Office erected for the conveniency of the Poor and assisting the Apostles in some inferiour Services and Ministrations which shews him to have been a person of great esteem and reputation in the Church endowed with miraculous powers full of Wisdom and of the Holy Ghost which were the qualifications required by the Apostles in those who were to be constituted to this place In the discharge of this Ministery he continued at Jerusalem for some moneths after his election till the Church being scattered up and down he was forced to quit his station as what wonder if the Stewards be dismissed when the Houshold is broken up II. THE Protomartyr had been lately sacrificed to the rage and fury of his Enemies but the bloudy Cloud did not so blow over but increased into a blacker tempest Cruelty and revenge never say it is enough like the temper of the Devil whose malice is insatiable and eternal Stephens death would not suffice the whole Church is now shot at and they resolve if possible to extirpate the Religion it self The great Engineer in this Persecution was Saul whose active and fiery genius and passionate concern for the Traditions of the Fathers made him pursue the design with the Spirit of a Zealot and the rage of a Mad-man Having furnished himself with a Commission from the Sanhedrim he quickly put it in execution broke open Houses seized whoever he met with that looked but like a Disciple of the crucified Jesus and without any regard to Sex or Age beat and haled them unto prison plucking the Husband from the bosom of his Wife and the Mother from the embraces of her Children blaspheming God prosecuting and being injurious unto men breathing out nothing but slaughter and threatnings where-ever he came H. Eccl. l. 2. c. 1. p. 39. whence Eusebius calls it the first and most grievous Persecution of the Church The Church by this means was forced to retire the Apostles onely remaining privately at Jerusalem that they might the better superintend and steer the affairs of the Church while the rest were dispersed up and down the neighbouring Countries publishing the glad tidings of the Gospel and declaring the nature and design of it in all places where they came so that what their Enemies intended as the way to ruine them by breaking the knot of their Fellowship and Society proved an effectual means to enlarge the bounds of Christianity Thus excellent perfumes while kept close in a box few are the better for them whereas being once whether casually or maliciously spilt upon the ground the fragrant scent presently fills all corners of the house III. AMONG them that were thus dispersed was our Evangelist so stiled not from his Writing but preaching of the Gospel He directed his journey towards the Province of Samaria and came into a City of Samaria as those words may be read probably Gitton the birth-place of Simon Magus though it's safest to understand it of Samaria it self This was the Metropolis of the Province had been for some Ages the Royal Seat of the Kings of Israel but being utterly destroyed by Hyrcanus had been lately re-edified by Herod the Great and in honour of Augustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by him stiled Sebaste The Samaritans were a mixture of Jews and Gentiles made up of the remains that were left of the Ten Tribes which were carried away captive and those Heathen Colonies which the King of Babylon brought into their room and their Religion accordingly was nothing but Judaism blended with Pagan Rites though so highly prized and valued by them that they made no scruple to dispute place and to vie with the Worship of the Temple at Jerusalem Upon this account there had been an ancient and inveterate pique and quarrel between the Jews and them so as utterly to refuse all mutual intercourse with each other Joh. 4.9 Hence the Samaritan Woman wondred that our Lord being a Jew should ask drink of her who was a Woman of Samaria for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans They despised them at the rate of Heathens devoted them under the most solemn execrations allowed them not to become Proselytes nor to have any Portion in the Resurrection of the Just suffered not an Israelite to eat with them no nor to say Amen to their Blessing nor did they think they could fasten upon our Saviour a greater Character of reproach then to say that he was a Samaritan and had a Devil But God regards not the prejudices of men nor always with-holds his kindness from them whom we are ready to banish the Lines of Love and Friendship 'T is true the Apostles at their first mission were charged not to go in the way of the Gentiles Matth. 1◠5 nor to enter into any City of the Samaritans But when Christ by his death had broken down the partition wall Eph. 2.14 15. seq and abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandments contained in ordinances then the Gospel came and preached peace as well to them that were afar off as to them that were nigh Philip therefore freely preached the Gospel to these Samaritans so odious so distastful to the Jews to which he effectually prepared his way by many great and uncontrollable miracles which being arguments fitted to the capacities and accommodate to the senses of the meanest do easiliest convey the truth into the minds of men And the success here was accordingly the people generally embracing the Christian Doctrine while they beheld him curing all manner of diseases and powerfully dispossessing daemons who with great horror and regret were forced to quit their residence to the equal joy and wonder of that place IV. IN this City was one Simon born at a Town not far off who by Sorcery and Magic Arts had strangely insinuated himself into the reverence and veneration of the People A man crafty and ambitious daring and insolent whose Diabolical sophistries and devices had for a long time so amazed the eyes of the Vulgar that they really thought him and for such no doubt he gave out himself to be the supreme Divinity probably magnifying himself as that divine Power that was to visit the Jews
to his discipline and institutions and as the nature of true goodness is ever communicative he presently went and acquainted his Sister Mary with the notice of the Messia who hastned to come to him and importuned him to come home to her house where our Lord afterwards as the Church continued to do after his decease was wont to assemble with his Disciples and that her Son Mark was that young man Mark 14 1â— who bore the Pitcher of Water whom our Lord commanded the two Disciples to follow home and there prepare for the celebration of the Passover III. BUT however that was he doubtless continued with our Lord to the last and after his Ascension stood fair to be chosen one of the twelve if it be true what is generally taken for granted though I think without any reason b Loc. supr citat Chrysostom I am sure enters his dissent that he is the same with Joseph called Barsabas who was put candidate with Matthias for the Apostolate in the room of Judas However that he was one of the LXX c Strâ—â— l. 2. P. 412. Euseb H. Eccl. l. 2. c. 1. p. 38. ex â—lâ—m Hâ—â—ot l. 7. 〈◊〉 Alex. pag. 〈◊〉 Clemens Alexandrinus expresly affirms as others do after him And when the necessities of the Church dayly increasing required more then ordinary supplies he according to the free and noble spirit of those Times having Lands of good value sold them and laid the money at the Apostles feet If it be enquired how a Levite came by Lands and Possessions when the Mosaick Law allowed them no particular portions but what were made by public provision it needs no other answer then to suppose that this Estate was his Patrimonial Inheritance in Cyprus where the Jewish Constitutions did not take place and surely an Estate it was of very considerable value and the parting with it a greater charity then ordinary otherwise the sacred Historian would not have made such a particular remark concerning it IV. THE Church being dispersed up and down after S. Stephens Martyrdom we have no certain account what became of him in all probability he staid with the Apostles at Jerusalem where we find him not long after S. Pauls Conversion For that fierce and active Zealot being miraculously taken off in the height of his rage and fury and putting on now the innocent and inoffensive temper of a Lamb came after some little time to Jerusalem and addressed himself to the Church But they not satisfied in the reality of his change and fearing it might be nothing but a subtle artifice to betray them universally shunned his company and what wonder if the harmless Sheep fled at the sight of the Wolf that had made such havock of the Flock till Barnabas presuming probably upon his former acquaintance entered into a more familiar converse with him introduced him to the Apostles and declared to them the manner of his Conversion and what signal evidences he had given of it at Damascus in his bold and resolute Disputations with the Jews V. THERE is that scattereth and yet increaseth the dispersion of the Church by Sauls Persecution proved the means of a more plentiful harvest the Christian Religion being hereby on all hands conveyed both to Jews and Gentiles Act. 11.20 Among the rest some Cyprian and Cyrenean Converts went to Antioch where they preached the Gospel with mighty success great numbers both of Jews and Proselytes wherewith that City did abound heartily embracing the Christian Faith The news whereof coming to the Apostles at Jerusalem they sent down Barnabas to take an account of it and to setle this new Plantation Being come he rejoiced to see that Christianity had made so fair a progress in that great City earnestly pressing them cordially and constantly to persevere in that excellent Religion which they had entertained himself like a pious and a good man undergoing any labours and difficulties which God was pleased to crown with answerable success the addition of multitudes of new Converts to the Faith But the work was too great to be managed by a single hand to furnish himself therefore with suitable assistance he went to Tarsus to enquire for S. Paul lately come thither Him he brings back with him to Antioch where both of them continued industriously ministring to the increase and establishment of the Church for a whole year together and then and there it was that the Disciples of the Holy Jesus had the honourable name of Christians first solemnly fixed upon them VI. IT hapned about this time or not long after that a severe famine foretold by Agabus a Christian Prophet that came down to Antioch pressed upon the Provinces of the Roman Empire and especially Judaea whereby the Christians whose estates were exhausted by their continual contributions for the maintenance of the Poor were reduced to great extremities The Church of Antioch compassionating their miserable case agreed upon a liberal and charitable supply for their relief which they intrusted with Barnabas and Paul whom they sent along with it to the Governours of the Churches that they might dispose it as necessity did require Ritual Graecor in promot Oeconom p. 281. This charitable Embassie the Greek Rituals no doubt respect when in the Office at the Promotion of the Magnus Oeconomus or High Steward of the Church whose place it was to manage and dispose the Churches Revenues they make particular mention of the Holy and most famous Barnabas the Apostle and generous Martyr Having discharged their trust Act. 12.25 they returned back from Jerusalem to Antioch bringing along with them John sirnamed Mark the son of Mary sister to Barnabas whose house was the sanctuary where the Church found both shelter for their persons and conveniency for the solemnities of their Worship VII THE Church of Antioch being now sufficiently provided of spiritual Guides our two Apostles might be the better spared for the conversion of the Gentile World As they were therefore engaged in the duties of Fasting and Prayer and other public exercises of their Religion the Spirit of God by some prophetic afflatus or revelation made to some of the Prophets there present commanded that Barnabas and Saul should be set apart to that peculiar Ministry to which God had designed them Accordingly having fasted and prayed hands were solemnly laid upon them to denote their particular designation to that service Imposition of hands had been a ceremony of ancient date Even among the Gentiles they were wont to design persons to public Functions and Offices by lifting up or stretching out the hand whereby they gave their Votes and Suffrages for those imployments But herein though they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stretch forth they did not lay on their hands which was the proper Ceremony in use and of far greater standing in the Jewish Church When Moses made choice of the seventy Elders to be his Co-adjutors in the Government it was say the Jews
by laying his hands upon them and when he constituted Joshua to be his Successor he laid his hands on him and gave him the charge before all the Congregation This custom they constantly kept in appointing both Civil and Ecclesiastical Officers and that not onely while their Temple and Polity stood but long after the fall of their Church and State For so a Itinerar p. 73. Benjamin the Jew tells us that in his time all the Israelites of the East when they wanted a Rabbin or Teacher in their Synagogues were wont to bring him to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Head of the Captivity residing at Babylon at that time R. Daniel the son of Hasdai that he might receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power by imposition of hands to become Preacher to them From the Jews it was together with some other Rites transferred into the Christian Church in ordaining Guides and Ministers of Religion and has been so used through all Ages and Periods to this day Though the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not of equal extent in the writings and practice of the Church the one implying the bare Rite of laying on of hands while the other denotes Ordination it self and the intire solemnity of the action Whence the b Lib. 8. c. 28. col 494. Apostolical Constitutor speaking of the Presbyters interest in this affair says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he lays on his hands but he does not ordain meaning it of the Custom then and ever since of Presbyters laying on their hands together with the Bishop in that solemn action VIII BARNABAS and Paul having thus received a divine Commission for the Apostleship of the Gentiles and taking Mark along with them as their Minister and attendant immediately entered upon the Province And first they betook themselves to Seleucia a neighbour City seated upon the influx of the River Orontes into the Mediterranean Sea hence they set sail for Cyprus Barnabas's Native Country and arrived at Salamis a City heretofore of great account the ruines whereof are two miles distant from the present Famagusta where they undantedly preached in the Jewish Synagogues From Salamis they travelled up the Island to Paphos a City remarkable of old for the Worship of Venus Divapotens Cypri the tutelar Goddess of the Island who was here worshipped with the most wanton and immodest Rites and had a famous Temple dedicated to her for that purpose concerning which the Inhabitants have a c Cotovic Itin. l. 1. c. 16. p. 100. Tradition that at S. Barnabas his Prayers it fell flat to the ground and the ruines of an ancient Church are still shewed to Travellers and under it an Arch where Paul and Barnabas were shut up in Prison At this place was the Court or Residence of the Praetor or President of the Island not properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Proconsul for Cyprus was not a Proconsular but a Praetorian Province who being altogether guided by the counsels and sorceries of Bar-Jesus an eminent Magician stood off from the Proposals of Christianity till the Magician being struck by S. Paul with immediate blindness for his malicious opposition of the Gospel this quickly determined the Governours belief and brought him over a Convert to that Religion which as it made the best offers so he could not but see had the strongest evidences to attend it IX Act. 13.13 LEAVING Cyprus they sailed over to Perga in Pamphilia famous for a Temple of Diana here Mark weary it seems of this itinerant course of life and the unavoidable dangers that attended it took his leave and returned to Jerusalem which laid the foundation of an unhappy difference that broke out between these two Apostles afterwards The next place they came to was Antioch in Pisidia where in the Jewish Synagogue S. Paul by an elegant Oration converted great numbers both of Jews and Proselytes but a persecution being raised by others they were forced to desert the place Thence they passed to Iconium a noted City of Lycaonia where in the Synagogues they preached a long time with good success till a conspiracy being made against them they withdrew to Lystra the inhabitants whereof upon a miraculous cure done by S. Paul treated them as gods come down from Heaven in humane shape S. Paul as being principal Speaker they termed Mercury the interpreter of the gods Barnabas they looked upon as Jupiter their soveraign deity either because of his Age or as a Homil. XXX in Act. App. p. 361. Chrysostom thinks because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the gravity and comeliness of his person being as antiquity represents him a very goodly man and of a venerable aspect wherein he had infinitely the advantage of S. Paul who was of a very mean and contemptible presence But the malice of the Jews pursued them hither and prevailed with the People to stone S. Paul who presently recovering he and Barnabas went to Derbe where when they had converted many to the Faith they returned back to Lystra Iconium and Antioch and so through Pisidia to Pamphylia thence from Perga to Attalia confirming as they came back the Churches which they had planted at their first going out At Attalia they took Ship and sailed to Antioch in Syria the place whence they had first set out where they gave the Church an account of the whole success of their travels and what way was made for the propagation of Christianity in the Gentile World X. THE restless enemy of all goodness was vexed to see so fair and smooth a progress of the Gospel and therefore resolved to attempt it by the old subtle arts of intestine divisions and animosities what the envious man could not stifle by open violence he sought to choke by sowing tares Act. 15.1 Some zealous Converts coming down from Jerusalem to Antioch started this notion which they asserted with all possible zeal and stiffness that unless together with the Christian Religion they joined the observance of the Mosaic Rites there could be no hopes of salvation for them Paul and Barnabas opposed themselves against this heterodox opinion with all vigour and smartness but not able to beat it down were dispatched by the Church to advise with the Apostles and Brethren at Jerusalem about this matter Whither they were no sooner come but they were kindly and courteously entertained and the right hand of fellowship given them by the three great Apostles Peter James and John and an agreement made between them that where-ever they came they should betake themselves to the Jews while Paul and Barnabas applied themselves unto the Gentiles And here probably it was that Mark reconciled himself to his Uncle Barnabas which a Alexand. Monach ubi supr n. XV. one tells us he did with tears and great importunity earnestly begging him to forgive his weakness and cowardice and promising for the future a
in awe of the words which thou hearest Thou shalt not remember evil against thy brother Thou shalt not be of a double and instable mind doubting whether thus or thus Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt love thy neighbor above thy life Thou shalt not destroy a child by abortion nor make it away when it is born Thou shalt not with-hold thy hand from thy son or from thy daughter but from their youth shalt teach them the fear of the Lord. Be not desirous of thy neighbours goods nor covet much Neither shalt thou heartily join with the proud but shalt be numbred with the just and the humble Entertain trials and temptations when they happen to thee as instruments of good Thou shalt not be double minded nor of a deceitful tongue for a double tongue is the snare of death Thou shalt be subject to the Lord and to Masters as Gods representatives in reverence and fear Thou shalt not command thy Maid or Man-servant with bitterness and severity those especially that hope in God lest thou thy self prove one that fearest not him who is over both For he came not to call men according to outward appearance but those whom his Spirit did prepare Thou shalt communicate to thy neighbour in all things and shalt not call what thou hast thine own For if ye mutually partake in incorruptible things how much more in things that are corruptible Be not rash with thy tongue for the mouth is the snare of death Keep thy soul as chast as thou canst stretch not forth thy hands to take and shut them when thou shouldst give Love all those that speak to thee the word of the Lord as the apple of thine eye Remember the day of judgment night and day Seâ—k out daily the faces of holy men and searching by the Word go forth to exhort and by it study to save a soul And with thy hands shalt thou labour for the redemption of thy sins Delay not to give nor begrutch when thou art charitable Give to every one that asks thee and thou shalt know who is the good recompenser of the reward Thou shalt keep the things which thou hast received neither adding to them nor taking from them Thou shalt ever hate a wicked person Judge righteously Make no Schism Make peace between those that are at difference reconciling them to each other Confess thy sins and come not to prayer with an evil conscience This is the way of Light XVI BUT now the way of darkness is crooked and full of curses For it is the way of eternal death attended with punishment wherein are things destructive to their souls idolatry audaciousness heighth of domination hypocrisie double-heartedness adultery murder rapine pride transgression deceit malice arrogance witchcraft magic covetousness want of the fear of God Persecuters of good men haters of the truth men who love but do not know the wages of righteousness Persons that adhere not to what is good nor who by righteous judgment regard the case of the Widow and the Orphan watchful not for the fear of God but for what is evil great strangers to meekness and patience Lovers of vanity greedy of revenge who compassionate not the poor nor endeavour to relieve the oppressed prone to detraction not knowing their Maker murderers of children defacers of Gods workmanship such as turn away themselves from the needy add affliction to the afflicted plead for the rich and unjustly judge the poor sinners altogether And having thus described these two different ways he concludes his discourse with a hearty and passionate exhortation that since the time of rewards and punishments was drawing on they would mind these things as those that were taught of God searching after what God required of them and setting themselves to the practice of it that they might be saved at the day of judgment I have no more to remark concerning this excellent person then to add the character given of him by a pen that could not err he was a good man full of faith Act. 11.24 and of the Holy Ghost The End of S. BARNABAS'S Life THE LIFE OF S. TIMOTHY THE APOSTLE and EVANGELIST S. TIMOTHEUS Michael Burghers sulpsit S. Timothies Countrey and Kindred His religious education The great advantages of an early piety Converted to Christianity by S. Paul and made choice of to be his companion Circumcised by S. Paul and why This no contradicting S. Pauls doctrine concerning Circumcision His travels with S. Paul for the propagation of the Faith His return from Thessalonica and S. Pauls two Epistles to that Church S. Timothy consecrated Bishop of Ephesus The consent of antiquity herein Ordination in those times usually done by prophetic designation and the reason of it Timothies age enquired into The importance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let no man despise thy youth the words shewed to be used by the best Writers for a considerable Age. S. Pauls first and second Epistle to him and the importance of them The manners of the Ephesians noted Their festival called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Timothies martyrdom The time of his death place of his burial and translation of his body His weak and infirm constitution His great abstinence and admirable zeal S. Pauls singular affection for him Different from Timotheus in S. Denys the Areopagite Another Timothy S. Pauls Disciple martyred under Antoninus I. S TIMOTHY was as we may probably conceive a Lycaonian born at Lystra a noted City of that Province He was a person in whom the Jew the Gentile and the Christian met altogether His Father was by birth a Greek by Religion a Gentile or if a Proselyte at most but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Proselyte of the Gate who did not oblige themselves to circumcision and the rites of Moses but onely to the observance of the seven precepts of the sons of Noah his Mother Eunice daughter to the devout and pious Lois 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Homil 1. in 2 Tim. p. 1627. was a Jewess who yet scrupled not to marry with this Greek An argument that the partition wall now tottered and was ready to fall when Jew and Gentile began thus to match together His Mother and Grandmother were Women very eminently vertuous and holy and seem to have been amongst the first that were converted to the Christian Faith Nor was it the least instance of their piety the care they took of his education instructing him in the knowledge of divine things and seasoning his tender years with vertuous and sober principles 2 Tim. 3.15 so that from a child he was acquainted with the holy Scriptures whereby he was admirably prepared for the reception of Christianity and furnished for the conduct of a strict pious life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de liber educ pag. 4. And indeed Religion never thrives more kindly then when 't is planted
at least they had continued at Corinth when S. Paul resolved upon a journy to Jerusalem where he staid not long but went for Antioch and having travelled over the Countries of Galatia and Phrygia to establish Christianity lately planted in those parts came to Ephesus where though he met with great opposition yet he preached with greater success and was so wholly swallowed up with the concerns of that City that though he had resolved himself to go into Macedonia he was forced to send Timothy and Erastus in his stead who having done their errand returned to Ephesus to assist him in promoting the affairs of Religion in that place V. S. PAVL having for three years resided at Ephesus and the parts about it determined to take his leave and depart for Macedonia And now it was as himself plainly intimates 1 Tim. 1.3 and the Ancients generally conceive that he constituted Timothy Bishop and Governour of that Church he was the first Bishop says a H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 4. p. 73. Eusebius of the Province or Diocess of Ephesus he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the b Martyr Tim. ap Phot. Cod. CCLIV col 1401. Author in Photius first act as Bishop of Ephesus and in the Council of Chalcedon XXVII Bishops are said successively to have sitten in that Chair whereof S. Timothy was the first c Conc. Chalced. Act. XI Conc. Tom. 4. col 609. In the d Lib. 7. c. 47. col 451. Apostolical Constitutions he is expresly said to have been ordained Bishop of it by S. Paul or as he in Photius expresseth it a little more after the mode of his time he was ordained and enthroned or installed Bishop of the Metropolis of the Ephesians by the great S. Paul Ephesus was a great and populous City and the Civil Government of the Proconsul who resided there reached over the whole Lydian or Proconsular Asia And such in proportion the Ancients make the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of that Church a Homil. XV. in 1 Tim. p. 1606. S. Chrysostom affirming it to be plain and evident that Timothy had the Church or rather the whole Nation of Asia committed to him to him says b Argum. in 1 ad Tim p. 462 Theodoret divine S. Paul committed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the care and the charge of Asia upon which account a little after c Com. in 1 Tim. 3. p. 475. T. 3. he calls him the Apostle of the Asians As for the manner of his Ordination or rather designation to the ministeries of Religion it was by particular and extraordinary designation God immediately testifying it to be his will and pleasure thence it is said to have been done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.18 1 Tim. 4.14 according to some preceding predictions concerning him and that he received it not onely by the laying on of hands but by prophesie that is as d Homil. V. in 1 Tim. p. 1545. Chrysostom truly explains it by the Holy Ghost it being part of the Prophetic Office as he adds and especially it was so at that time not onely to fore-tell future events but to declare things present God extraordinarily manifesting whom he would have set apart for that weighty Office Thus Paul and Barnabas were separated by the special dictate of the Holy Ghost and of the Governours of the Ephesine Churches that met at Miletus it is said that the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops or Over-seers of the Church And this way of election by way of prophetic revelation continued in use at least during the Apostolic Age e Epist ad Corinth pag. 54. Clemens in his Epistle to the Corinthians tells us that the Apostles preaching up and down Cities and Countries constituted their first-fruits to be the Bishops and Deacons of those who should believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making trial of them by the spirit and another f Clem. Al. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ap Euseb H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 23. p. 92. Clemens reports of S. John that visiting the neighbour Churches about Ephesus he ordained Bishops and such as were signified or pointed out to him by the spirit VI. THIS extraordinary and miraculous way of chusing Bishops and Ecclesiastic Officers besides other advantages begat a mighty reverence and veneration for the Governours of the Church who were looked upon as God's choice and as having the more immediate character of Heaven upon them And especially this way seemed more necessary for S. Timothy then others to secure him from that contempt which his youth might otherwise have exposed him to For that he was but young at that time is evident from S. Pauls counsel to him 1 Tim. 4.12 so to demean himself that no man might despise his youth the Governours of the Church in those days were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of their age as well as office and indeed therefore stiled Elders because they usually were persons of a considerable age that were admitted into the Orders of the Church This Timothy had not attained to And yet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 youth admits a greater latitude then we in ordinary speech confine it to g In Orator p. 266. Tom. 1. Cicero tells us of himself that he was adolescentulus but a very youth when he pleaded Roscius's cause and yet h Noct. Attic. l. 15. c. 28. p. 383. A. Gellius proves him to have been at that time no less then XXVII years old Alexander the son of Aristobulus is called i Joseph Antiq. l. 14. c. 13. p. 480. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a youth at the time of his death when yet he was above thirty Hiero in k Hist l. 1. p. 11. Edit 8. ubi vid. Casaub Comment p. 129. ejusd exercit ad Baron Appar n. 99 p. 154. Polybius is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very young man whom yet Casaubon proves to have been XXXV years of Age and the same Historian speaking of T. Flaminius his making War upon Philip of Macedon says he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very young man for that he was not above thirty years old it being as Casaubon observes the custom both of Greek and Latine Writers to extend the juventus or youthful age from the thirtieth till the fortieth year of a mans life To which we may add what Grotius observes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the Military Age Annot. in loc all that civil and manly part of a mans life that is opposed to Old Age so that Timothies youth without any force or violence to the word might very well consist with his being at least thirty or five and thirty years of age and he so stiled onely comparatively with respect to that weighty Function which was wont to be conferred upon none but grave and aged men But of this enough VII Acts 20.2 3 c. S. TIMOTHY thus
onely said that they sailed under it and passed by it and that Titus was then in the company whereof no footsteps or intimations appear in the Story Sailing therefore from some Port in Cilicia they arrived at Crete where S. Paul industriously set himself to preach and propagate the Christian Faith delighting as much as might be to be the first messenger of the glad tidings of the Gospel to all places where he came not planting in another mans line or building of things made ready to his hand But because the care of other Churches called upon him and would not permit him to stay long enough here to see Christianity brought to a due maturity and perfection he constituted Titus Bishop of that Island that he might nourish that infant-Church superintend its growth and prosperity and manage the Government and Administration of it This the Ancients with one mouth declare He was the first Bishop says d H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 4. p. 73. Eusebius of the Churches in Crete the Apostle consecrated him Bishop of it so e Praef. in Tit. p. 419. T. 5. S. Ambrose so f Doroth. Synops p. 148. Dorotheus and g Ap. Hier. de Script in Tit. Sophronius he was says h Homil. 1. in Tit. p. 1692. Chrysostom an approved person to whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Island was intirely committed that he might exercise power and jurisdiction over so many Bishops he was by S. Paul ordained Bishop of Crete though a very large Island that he might ordain Bishops under him says i Argum. Epist ad Tit. Tom. 3. Theodoret expresly To which might be added the testimonies of Theophylact Oecumenius and others and the subscription at the end of the Epistle to Titus which though not dictated by the same hand is ancient however where he is said to have been ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians And k Argum. in 1 ad Tim. p. 1519. S. Chrysostom gives this as the reason why of all his Disciples and Followers S. Paul wrote Epistles to Titus and Timothy and not to Silas or Luke because he had committed to them the care and government of Churches while he reserved the others as attendants and ministers to go along with himself IV. NOR is this meerly the arbitrary sense of Antiquity in the case but seems evidently founded in S. Pauls own intimation Tit. 1.5 where he tells Titus For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee that is I constituted thee Governour of that Church that thou mightst dispose and order the affairs of it according to the rules and directions which I then gave thee Ordain Elders he means Bishops says l Homil. 2. in Tit. p. 1700. vid. etiam Theoph. Occumen in loc Chrysostom as elsewhere I have oft explained it Elders in every City he was not willing as he adds that the whole administration of so great an Island should be managed by one but that every City might have its proper Governour to inspect and take care of it that so the burden might be lighter by being laid upon many shoulders and the people attended with the greater diligence Indeed Crete was famous for number of Cities above any other Island in the World thence stiled of old Hecatompolis the Island of an hundred Cities In short plain it is that Titus had power of Jurisdiction Ordination and Ecclesiastical Censures above any other Pastors or Ministers in that Church conferred and derived upon him V. SEVERAL years S. Titus continued at his charge in Crete when he received a summons from S. Paul then ready to depart from Ephesus The Apostle had desired Apollos to accompany Timothy and some others whom he had sent to Corinth but he chusing rather to go for Crete by him and Zenas he wrote an Epistle to Titus to stir him up to be active and vigilant and to teach him how to behave himself in that station wherein he had set him And indeed he had need of all the counsels which S. Paul could give him who had so loose and untoward a generation of men to deal with For the Countrey it self was not more fruitful and plenteous then the manners of the people were debauched and vicious Tit. 1 3â— S. Paul puts Titus in mind what a bad character one of their own Poets who certainly knew them best had given of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cretians are always Liars Evil Beasts Slow-bellies This Verse a Homil. III. in Tit. pag. 1707. S. Chrysostom supposes the Apostle took from Callimachus who makes use indeed of the first part of it charging the Cretians to be like themselves notorious Liars in pretending that Jupiter was not onely born but died among them and that they had his Tomb with this Inscription ΕÎΤΑΥΘΑ ΖΑΠΚΕΙΤΑΙ Here lies Jupiter when as the deity is immortal whereupon the good Father perplexes himself with many needless difficulties in reconciling it Whereas in truth S. Paul borrowed it not from Callimachus but Epimenides a native of Crete famous among the Ancients for his Raptures and Enthusiastic divinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as b In vit Solon pag. 84. Plutarch says of him From him Callimachus cites part of the Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Callim Hymn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vet. Schol. ibi and applies it to his particular purpose while S. Paul quotes it intire from the Author himself This witness says he is true And indeed that herein he did not bely them we have the concurrent testimonies of most Heathen Writers who charge the same things upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suid. in voc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eadem Mich. Apostol in eod verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psell de operat Damon p. 37. So famous for lying that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 became proverbial to lie like a Cretian and to cousen a cheat and nothing more obvious then mendax Creta c Histor l. 6. p. 681. l. 4. p. 386. Edit L Bataâ—â— Polybius tells us of them that no where could be found more subtle and deceitful Wits and generally more wicked and pernicious Counsels that their Manners were so very sordid and covetous that of all men in the World the Cretians were the only persons who accounted nothing base or dishonest that was but gainful and advantagious Besides they were idle and impatient of labour gluttonous and intemperate unwilling to take any pains farther then to make provision for the flesh as the natural effect of ease idleness and plenty they were wanton and lascivious and prone to the vilest and basest sort of lust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as d Deipnosoph l. 13. pag. 601. Athenaeus informs us outragiously mad upon that sin
Church of Corinth whether Titus had been with him and been sent upon this errand or had been commanded by him to take Corinth in his way from Crete is not known Not meeting him here away he goes for Macedonia 2 Cor. 7.5 6 7. 13 14 15. where at length Titus arrived and comforted him under all his other sorrows and difficulties with the joyful news of the happy condition of the Church of Corinth and how readily they had reformed those miscarriages which in his former Epistle he had charged upon them fully making good that great character which he had given of them to Titus and whereof they gave no inconsiderable evidence in that kind and welcom entertainment which Titus found amongst them Soon after S. Paul having received the Collections of the Macedonian Churches for the indigent Christians at Jerusalem 2 Cor. 8.6 15 16. sent back Titus and with him S. Luke to Corinth to excite their charity and prepare their contributions against his own arrival there and by them he wrote his second Epistle to that Church IX TITVS faithfully discharged his errand to the Church of Corinth and having dispatched the services for which he was sent returned we may suppose back to Crete Nor do we hear any further news of him till S. Pauls imprisonment at Rome whither he came if my a Pet. de Natal Hist SS lib. 7. c. 108. Author say true about two years after him and continued with him till his martyrdom whereat he was present and together with S. Luke committed him to his Grave An account which I confess I am the less inclined to believe 2 Tim. 4.10 because assured by S. Paul himself that before his death Titus had left him and was gone into Dalmatia a Province of Illyricum to plant that fierce and warlike Nation with the Gospel of Peace taking it probably in his way in order to his return for Crete And this is the last notice we find taken of him in the Holy Writings nor do the Records of the Church henceforward furnish us with any certain Memoirs or Remarques concerning him Indeed were the Story which some tell us true one thing alone were enough to make him memorable to posterity I mean his converting Pliny the Younger that learned and eloquent man Proconsul of Bithynia and intimate Privy Counsellor to Trajan the Emperour For so they tell us b Pet. de Natal loc cit ex Act. S. Titi à Zena uti sertur script Fl. Pseudo-Dext Chron. ad Ann. CCXX that returning from his Province in Bithynia he landed in Crete where the Emperour had commanded him to erect a Temple to Jupiter which was accordingly done and no sooner finished but S. Titus cursed it and it immediately tumbled to the ground The man you may guess was strangely troubled and came with tears to the Holy man to request his counsel who advised him to begin it in the name of the God of the Christians and it would not fail to prosper He did so and having finished it was himself together with his son baptized Nay some to make the Story perfect add that he suffered martyrdom for the Faith at Novocomum a City of Insubria in Italy where he was born The Reader I presume will not expect I should take pains to confute this Story sufficiently improbable in it self and which I behold as just of the same Metal and coined in the same Mint with that of his Master Trajans soul being delivered out of Hell by the prayers of S. Gregory the Great so gravely told so seriously believed by many not in the Greek Church onely but in the Church of Rome nay which the whole East and West if we may believe a Damascen Serm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascen held to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true and uncontrollable X. S. TITVS lived as the Ancients tell us to a great age dying about the ninety fourth year of his life He died in peace says b Ap. Hieron de Script in Tito Sophronius and c De vit ob SS c. 87. p. 542. Isidore and lies buried in Crete the d Ad diem IV Jan. p. 16. Roman Martyrology adds that he was buried in that very Church wherein S. Paul ordained him Bishop of that Island I understand him where a Church was afterwards built it not being likely there should be any at that time At Candia the Metropolis of the Island there is or lately was an ancient and beautiful e Cotovic Itin. lib. 1. c. 12. p. 60. Church dedicated to S. Titus wherein under the high Altar his remains are said to be honourably laid up and are both by the Greeks and Latins held in great veneration Though what is become of them since that famous City lately fell into the hands of the Turk that great Scourge of Christendom is to me unknown His Festival is celebrated in the Western Church on the IV day of January in the Greek Church August the XXV and among the Christians in Aegypt as appears by the Arabic Calendar published by f De Synedr Tom. 3. c. 15. p. 396. Mr. Selden the XXII of the Moneth Barmahath answering to our March the XVIII is consecrated to his memory The End of S. TITUS's Life THE LIFE OF S. DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE Micha Burgh deli et sculp S. DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA Dionysius born at Athens The quality of his Parents His Domestic studies His foreign Travels Egypt frequented as the staple place of all recondite Learning His residence at Heliopolis The strange and miraculous Eclipse at our Saviours Passion Dionysius his remarques upon it His return to Athens and being made one of the Judges of the Areopagus The nature of this Court the number and quality of its Judges S. Paul arraigned before it his discourse and its success Dionysius his conversion His further instruction by Hierotheus Hierotheus who Dionysius constituted Bishop of Athens A brief account of his Story according to those that confound him with Dionysius Bishop of Paris These shewn to be distinct The Original and procedure of the mistake enquired into A probable account given of it Dionysius his Martyrdom at Athens and the time of it A fabulous miracle reported of his Scull The description of his person and the hyperbolical commendations which the Greeks give of him The Books ascribed to him These none of his Apollinaris probably shewed to be the Author of them Several passages of the Ancients noted to that purpose Books why oft published under other mens names These Books the Fountain of Enthusiasm and mystical Theology A passage in them instanced in to that purpose I. S DIONYSIVS was born at Athens the Eye of Greece and Fountain of Learning and Humanity the only place that without competition had for so many Ages maintained an uncontrolled reputation for Arts and Sciences and to which there was an universal confluence of persons from all parts of the World to accomplish themselves
amongst them And indeed there seems to have been a more intimate and friendly intercourse between these two Churches in those times then between any other mentioned in the Writings of the Church The exact time of writing this Epistle is not known the date of it not being certainly determinable by any notices of Antiquity or any intimations in the Epistle it self The conjecture that has obtained with some of most note and learning is that it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem while the Temple and the Levitical ministration were yet standing Which they collect I suppose from a a Ibid. pag. 53. passage where he speaks of them in the present tense But whoever impartially considers the place will find no necessary foundation for such an inference and that S. Clemens his design was onely to illustrate his Argument and to shew the reasonableness of observing those particular Stations and Ministries which God has appointed us by alluding to the Ordinances of the Mosaic Institution To me it seems most probable to have been written a little after the Persecution under Domitian and probably not long before Clemens his exile For excusing the no sooner answering the Letters of the Church of Corinth he b Ib pag. 1. tells them it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of those calamities and sad accidents that had happened to them Now plain it is that no Persecution had been raised against the Christians especially at Rome from the time of Nero till Domitian As for Mr. Youngs conjecture from this place that it was written in the time of his banishment he forgot to consider that the Epistle was written not in Clemens his own name but in the person of the Church of Rome A circumstance that renders the place incapable of being particularly applied to him VI. BY a firm patience and a prudent care he weathered out the stormy and troublesom times of Domitian and the short but peaceable reign of Nerva When alas the clouds returned after rain and began to thicken into a blacker storm in the time of Trajan an excellent Prince indeed of so sweet and plausible a disposition of so mild and inoffensive a conversation that it was ever after a part of their solemn acclamation at the choice of a new elected Emperour MELIOR TRAJANO c Entrop H. Rom. l. 8. non longe ab initie better then Trajan But withall he was zealous for his Religion and upon that account a severe enemy to Christians Among several Laws enacted in the beginning of his reign he published one if d Ad. Ann. 100. ◠VIII Tom. 2. Baronius which I much question conjecture the time aright for e Epist 97. l. 10 Plinies Epistle upon which he seems to ground it was probably written at least nine or ten years after whereby he forbad the Heteriae the Societies or Colledges erected up and down the Roman Empire whereat men were wont to meet and liberally feast under a pretence of more convenient dispatch of business and the maintainance of mutual love and friendship which yet the Roman State beheld with a jealous eye as fit Nurseries for Treason and Sedition Under the notion of these unlawful combinations the Christian Assemblies were looked upon by their Enemies for finding them confederated under one common President and constantly meeting at their solemn Love-feasts and especially being of a way of Worship different from the Religion of the Empire they thought they might securely proceed against them as illegal Societies and contemners of the Imperial constitution wherein S. Clemens as head of the Society at Rome was sure to bear the deepest share And indeed it was no more then what himself had long expected as appears from his Letter to the Corinthians where having spoken of the torments and sufferings which the Holy Apostles had undergone he tells them a Ubi supr p. 9. that he looked upon himself and his people as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set to run the same race 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the same fight and conflict was laid up for them VII SIMEON the Metaphrast in the account of his b Habetur Graec. Lat. integrum ap Coteier loc cit p. 826. Martyrdom much what the same with that Life of S. Clemens said to be written by an uncertain Author published long since by Lazius at the end of Abdias Babylonius sets down the beginning of his troubles to this effect S. Clemens having converted Theodora a noble Lady and afterwards her Husband Sisinnius a Kinsman and favourite of the late Emperour Nerva the gaining so great a man quickly drew on others of chief note and quality to embrace the Faith So prevalent is the example of religious Greatness to sway men to Piety and Vertue But Envy naturally maligns the good of others and hates the Instrument that procures it This good success derived upon him the particular odium of Torcutianus Id. ibid. p. 832. a man of great power and authority at that time in Rome who by the inferiour Magistrates of the City excited the People to a mutiny against the Holy Man charging him with Magic and Sorcery and for being an enemy and blasphemer of the gods crying out either that he should do sacrifice to them or expiate his impiety with his blood Mamertinus Praefect of the City a moderate and prudent man being willing to appease the uproar sent for S. Clemens and mildly persuaded him to comply But finding his resolution inflexible he sent to acquaint the Emperour with the case who returned this short Rescript that he should either sacrifice to the gods or be banished to Cherson a disconsolate City beyond the Pontic Sea Mamertinus having received the Imperial Mandat unwillingly complied with it and gave order that all things should be made ready for the Voyage and accordingly he was transported thither to dig in the Marble Quarries and labour in the Mines Damnatio ad Metalla is a punishment frequently mentioned in the Roman Laws where it is said to be proxima morti poena c L. 28. ff de poen lib 48. Tit. 19. the very next to capital punishments Indeed the usage under it was very extreme and rigorous for besides the severest labour and most intolerable hardship the condemned person was treated with all the instances of inhumanity whiped and beaten chained and fettered deprived of his estate d L. 36. ubi supr l. 12. ff de jur fisc l. 49. Tit. 14. l. 1. de bon damnat l. 8. Quitest fac poss §. 4. which was forfeited to the Exchequer and the person himself perpetually degraded into the condition of a Slave and consequently rendred incapable to make a Will And not this onely but they were further exposed to the most public marks of Infamy and Dishonour e Cypr. Epist 77. ad Nemes p. 155 Euseb l. 8. c. 12. p. 307. their heads half shaved their right eye bored out their left leg disabled their
common Epithet yet is it sometimes used as a proper name It is written according to the different accents either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it notes a divine person a man whose soul is full of God and all holy and divine qualities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ignatius himself is said to explain it or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so in a passive signification it implies one that is born or carried by God And in this latter sense he is said to have derived the title from our Lords taking him up into his Arms. For thus we are told that he was that very Child whom our Saviour took into his arms Mark 9.36 Matt. 18.2 3 4. and set in the midst of his Disciples as the most lively instance of Innocency and Humility And this affirmed if number might carry it not onely by the a Maenaeon Graecor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeks in their public Rituals by b Metaphr ad Decembr 20. Graec. Lat. apud Cottler p. 991. Metaphrastes c Niceph. H. Eccl. l. 2. c. 35. p. 192. Nicephorus and others but as the Primate of Armagh d Annot. in Ignat Act. p. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men. Graec. loc citâ—t observes from the Manuscripts in his own possession by two Syriac Writers more ancient then they But how confidently or generally soever it be reported the Story at best is precarious and uncertain not to say absolutely false and groundless Sure I am e Homil. in S. Ignat. p. 506. Tom. 1. S. Chrysostom who had far better opportunities of knowing then they expresly affirms of Ignatius that he never saw our Saviour or enjoyed any familiarity or converse with him II. IN his younger years he was brought up under Apostolical Institution so f Ibid. p. 499. Chrysostom tells us that he was intimately conversant with the Apostles educated and nursed up by them every where at hand and made partaker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of their familiar discourses and more secret and uncommon Mysteries Which though 't is probable he means of his particular conversation with S. Peter and Paul yet some of the forementioned Authors and not they onely but the a Act. Ignat. p. 1. 5. Edit Usser Acts of his Martyrdom written as is supposed by some present at it further assure us that he was S. Johns Disciple Being fully instructed in the Doctrines of Christianity he was for his eminent parts and the great Piety of his life chosen to be Bishop of Antioch the Metropolis of Syria and the most famous and renowned City of the East not more remarkable among Foreign Writers for being the Oriental Seat of the Roman Emperours and their Vice-Roys and Governours then it is in Ecclesiastics for its eminent entertainment of the Christian Faith its giving the venerable title of Christians to the Disciples of the Holy Jesus and S. Peters first and peculiar refidence in this place Whence the Synod of b Ap. Theodâ—â—â— H. Eccl. l. 5. â—9 p. 211. Constantinople assembled under Nectarius in their Synodical Epistle to the Western Bishops deservedly call it the most ancient and truly Apostolic Church of Antioch in which the honourable name of Christians did first commence In all which respects it is frequently in the Writings of the Church by a proud kind of title stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the City of God That Ignatius was constituted Bishop of this Church is allowed on all hands though as to the time and order of his coming to it almost the same difficulties occur which before did in Clemens his succession to the See of Rome possibly not readily to be removed but by the same method of solution easily granted in this case by * Ad Ann. 45. n. 14. vid. Ad. Martyr Rom. Feb. 1. p. 88. Baronius himself and some other Writers of note in that Church I shall not need to prove what is evident enough in it self and plainly acknowledged by the Ancients that Peter and Paul planted Christianity in this City and both concurred to the foundation of this Church the one applying himself to the Jews the other to the Gentiles And large enough was the Vineyard to admit the joint-endeavours of these two great Planters of the Gospel it being a vast populous City containing at that time according to S. Chrysostoms computation no less then two hundred thousand souls But the Apostles who could not stay always in one place being called off to the Ministry of other Churches saw it necessary to substitute others in their room the one resigning his trust to Euodius the other to Ignatius Hence in the Apostolic Constitutions c Lib. 7. c. 47. p. 451. Euodius is said to be ordained Bishop of Antioch by S. Peter and Ignatius by S. Paul till Euodius dying and the Jewish Converts being better reconciled to the Gentiles Ignatius succeeded in the sole care and Presidency over that Church wherein he might possibly be afterwards confirmed by Peter himself In which respect probably the Author of the d Ad Ann. Tib. XIX p. 526. Alexandrine Chronicon meant it when he affirms that Ignatius was constituted Bishop of Antioch by the Apostles By this means he may be said both immediately to succeed the Apostle as e Orig. Hom. 6. in Lâ—c. p. 214. Origen f Easeb H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 36. p. 106. Eusebius g Athan. de Synod Arim. Seleu. p. 922. Athanasius and h Chrysâ—sâ— loc cit p. 500. Chrysostom affirm and withall to be the next after Euodius as i Hier. de script in Ignat. S. Hierom k Socr. H. Eccl. l. 6. c. 8. p. 313. Socrates l Metaphr ubi supr Metaphrastes and others place him However Euodius dying and he being setled in it by the Apostles hands might be justly said to succeed S. Peter in which sense it is that some of the Ancients expresly affirm him to have received his Consecration from S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says m De Immutab Dialog 1. p. 33. Tom. 4. Theodoret and so their own n Jo. Malel Chron. l. 10. ap Usser Not. in Epist ad Antioch pag. 107. Historian relates it that Peter coming to Antioch in his passage to Rome and finding Euodius lately dead committed the Government of it to Ignatius whom he made Bishop of that place though it will be a little difficult to reconcile the Times to an agreement with that account III. SOMEWHAT above forty years S. Ignatius continued in his charge at Antioch Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople assigns him but four years the figure μ for forty being probably through the carelessness of Transcribers slipt out of the account in the midst of very stormy and tempestuous times But a Act. Igâ—at p. 1 2. he like a wise and prudent Pilot sate at the Stern and declined the dangers that threatned them by his prayers and tears his fastings and the
holy Martyr longed to come as much desirous to be at the end of his Race as his Keepers weary of their voyage were to be at the end of their journey VIII THE Christians at Rome daily expecting his arrival were come out to meet and entertain him and accordingly received him with an equal resentment of joy and sorrow Glad they were of the presence and company of so great and good a man but quickly found their joy allayed with the remembrance how soon and by how severe a death he was to be taken from them and when some of them did but intimate that possibly the People might be taken off from desiring his death he expressed a pious indignation intreating them to cast no rubs in his way nor do any thing that might hinder him now he was hastening to his Crown Being conducted to Rome he was presented to the Praefect of the City and as 't is probable the Emperours Letters concerning him were delivered In the mean time while things were preparing for his Martyrdom he and the Brethren that resorted to him improved their time to pious purposes he prayed with them and for them heartily recommended the state of the Church to the care and protection of our blessed Saviour and earnestly solicited Heaven that it would stop the Persecution that was begun and bless Christians with a true love and charity towards one another That his punishment might be the more pompous and public one of their solemn Festivals the time of their Saturnalia and that part of it when they celebrated their Sigillaria was pitched on for his Execution at which times they were wont to entertain the People with the bloudy Conflicts of the Gladiators and the hunting of and fighting with wild Beasts Accordingly on the XIII of the Kalends of January that is December XX. he was brought out into the Amphitheatre and according to his own fervent desire that he might have no other grave but the bellies of wild Beasts the Lions were let loose upon him whose roaring alarm he entertained with no other concernment then that now as Gods own Corn he should be ground between the teeth of these wild Beasts and become White Bread for his heavenly Master The Lions were not long doing their work but quickly dispatched their Meal and left nothing but what they could not well devour a few hard and solid bones This throwing of persons to wild Beasts was accounted among the Romans a Paul JC. Sent. lib. 5. Tit. 23. L. 3. §. 5. ff ad leg Cornel. de Sicar Venef inter summa supplicia and was never used but for very capital offences and towards the vilest and most despicable Malefactors under which rank they beheld the Christians who were so familiarly destined to this kind of death that as * Apolog. c. 40. p. 32. Tertullian tells us upon any trifling and frivolous pretence if a Famin or an Earthquake did but happen the common out-cry was Christianos ad Leones Away with the Christians to the Lions IX AMONG other Christians that were mournful spectators of this Tragic Scene were the Deacons I mentioned who had been the Companions of his Journey who bore not the least part in the sorrows of that day And that they might not return home with nothing but the account of so sad a Story b Act. Ignat. p. 8. Metaphr loc cit Men. Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron de Script in Ignat. they gathered up the bones which the wild Beasts had spared and transported them to Antioch where they were joyfully received and honourably entombed in the Coemetery without the Gate that leads to Daphne A passage which Chrysostom according to his Rhetorical Vein elegantly amplifies as the great honour and treasure of that place From hence in the reign of c Euagr. H. Ecc. l. 1. c. 16. p. 274. Theodosius they were by his command with mighty pomp and solemnity removed to the Tychaeon within the City a Temple heretofore dedicated to the public Genius of the City but now consecrated to the memory of the Martyr And for their Translation afterwards to Rome and the miracles said to be done by them they that are further curious may enquire Bolland ad diem 1. Febr. p. 35. c. For indeed I am not now at leisure for these things But I can direct the Reader to one that will give him very punctual and particular account of them and in what places the several parcels of his Reliques are bestowed no less then five Churches in Rome enriched with them besides others in Naples Sicily France Flanders Germany and indeed where not And verily but that some men have a very happy faculty at doing wonders by multiplication a man would be apt to wonder how a few bones and they were not many which the Lions spared could be able to serve so many several Churches I could likewise tell him a long story of the various travels and donations of S. Ignatius his head and by what good fortune it came at last to the Jesuites Colledge at Rome where it is richly enshrined solemnly and religiously worshipped but that I am afraid my Reader would give me no thanks for my pains X. ABOUT this time or a little before while Trajan was yet at Antioch he stopped or at least mitigated the Persecution against Christians For having had an account from a Epist 97. l. 10. Euseb l. 3. c. 34. p 105. J. Malel Chron. l. 11. ap Usser not in Ignat. Epist p. 43. Pliny the Proconsul of Bithynia whom he had imployed to that purpose concerning the innocency and simplicity of the Christians that they were a harmless and inoffensive Generation and lately received a Letter from b Extat ap Jo. Malel loc cit ap Usser Appen Ignat. p. ◠vid. Excerpt er Jo. Antioch à Val. edit p. 818. Tiberianus Governour of Palestina Prima wherein he told him that he was wearied out in executing the Laws against the Galilaeans who crouded themselves in such multitudes to execution that he could neither by persuasions nor threatnings keep them from owning themselves to be Christians further praying his Majesties advice in that affair Hereupon he gave command that no inquisition should be made after the Christians though if any of them offered themselves execution should be done upon them So that the fire which had hitherto flamed and burnt out began now to be extinguished and onely crept up and down in private corners There are that tell c Sim. Metaphr Martyr Ignat. apud Coteler p. 1002. us that Trajan having heard a full account of Ignatius and his sufferings and how undauntedly he had undergone that bitter death repented of what he had done and was particularly moved to mitigate and relax the Persecution whereby as Metaphrastes observes not onely Ignatius his Life but his very death became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Procurer of great peace and prosperity and the glory and establishment of
Faithful in the whole Church of Antioch and that though it was his utmost ambition yet he did not know whether he was worthy to suffer for Religion I might in the last place enter into a discourse concerning his Epistles the true Indices of the piety and divine temper of his mind those seven I mean enumerated and quoted by Eusebius and collected by S. Polycarp as c Epist Polycar p. 23. edit Usser ap Euseb loc cit p. 108. himself expresly testifies but shall forbear despairing to offer any thing confiderable after so much as has been said by learned men about them onely observing that in the exceptions to the argument from S. Polycarps testimony little more is said even by those who have managed it to the best advantage then what might be urged against the most genuine writing in the World I add S. Polycarps character of these Epistles whereby he recommends them as highly useful and advantagious that they contain in them Instructions and Exhortations to Faith and Patience and whatever is necessary to build us up in the Religion of our Lord and Saviour His Writings Genuine Ad Ephesios Epistola I. Ad Magnesianos I. Ad Trallianos I. Ad Romanos I. Ad Philadelphenos I. Ad Smyrnaeos I. Doubtful Epistola ad Polycarpum Spurious Ad Mariam Cassobolitam I. Ad Tarsenses I. Ad Antiochenos I. Ad Philippenses I. Ad Heronem I. Ad B. Virg. Mariam I. Ad Joannem Apostolum II. The End of S. IGNATIUS'S Life THE LIFE OF S. POLYCARP BISHOP of SMYRNA Miachel Burghers delineavit et sculpsit S. POLYCARPUS The place of his Nativity The honour and eminency of Smyrna His education under S. John By him constituted Bishop of Smyrna Whether the same with the Bishop to whom S. John committed the young man S. Polycarp the Angel of the Church of Symyrna mentioned in the Apocalyps Ignatius his arrival at Smyrna His Letters to that Church and to S. Polycarp His Journey to Rome about the Quartodeciman Controversie The time of it enquired into Anicetus his succession to the See of Rome His reception there by Anicetus Their mutual kindness notwithstanding the difference His stout opposing Heretics at Rome His sharp treatment of Marcion and mighty zeal against those early corrupters of the Christian Doctrinâ— Irenaeus his particular remarques of S. Polycarps actions The Persecution under M. Antoninus The time of Polycarps Martyrdom noted The acts of it written by the Church of Smyrna their great esteem and value S. Polycarp sought for His Martyrdom foretold by a dream His apprehension Conducted to Smyrna Irenarchae who Polycarps rude treatment by Herodes His being brought before the Proconsul Christians refused to swear by the Emperours genius and why His pious and resolute answers His slightings the Proconsuls threatnings His sentence proclaimed Asiarchae who Preparation for his burning His Prayer before his death Miraculously preserved in the fire Dispatched with a Sword The care of the Christians about his Remains this far from a superstitious veneration Their annual meeting at the place of his Martyrdom His great Age at his death The day of his Passion His Tomb how honoured at this day The judgments happening to Smyrna after his death The Faith and Patience of the Primitive Christians noted out of the Preface to the Acts of his Martyrdom His Epistle to the Philippians It s usefulness Highly valued and publicly read in the ancient Church The Epistle it self I. S POLYCARP was born towards the latter end of Nero's reign or it may be a little sooner his great Age at the time of his death with some other circumstances rendring it highly probable if not certain Uncertain it is where he was born and I see no sufficient reason to the contrary why we may not fix his Nativity at Smyrna an eminent City of Ionia in the lesser Asia the first of the seven that entered their claim of being the birth-place of the famous a Strab. Geograph l. 14. p. 646. Homer in memory whereof they had a Library and a four-square Portico called Homereum with a Temple and the Statue of Homer adjoining to it and used a sort of brass Coin which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after his name and probably with his Image stampt upon it A place it was of great honour and renown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oxon. II. p 47. Evdem habâ—t Marm. â—XXVIII p. 129. CXLIII p. 277. Append. XV. p. 296. and has not onely very magnificent titles heaped upon it by the Writers of those Times but in several ancient Inscriptions set up by the public Order of the Senate not long after the time of Adrian it is stiled The chief City of Asia both for beauty and greatness the most splendid the Metropolis of Asia and the Ornament of Ionia But it had a far greater and more honourable Privilege to glory in if it was as we suppose the place of S. Polycarp's Nativity however of his Education the seat of his Episcopal care and charge and the Scene of his Tragoedy and Martyrdom The b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeks in their Menaeon report that he was educated at the charge of a certain noble Matron whose name we are told was Callisto a woman of great Piety and Charity who when she had exhausted all her Cranaries in relieving the Poor had them suddenly filled again by S. Polycarps prayers The circumstances whereof are more particularly related by Pionius who suffered if which I much question it was the same under the Decian Persecution to this a Pion. vit S. Polycarp ex MS. Graec. apud Bolland Januar XXVI p. 696. effect Callisto warned by an Angel in a dream sent and redeemed Polycarp then but a child of some who sold him brought him home took care of his education and finding him a Youth of ripe and pregnant parts as he grew up made him the Major-domo and Steward of her house whose charity it seems he dispenced with a very liberal hand insomuch that during her absence he had emptied all her Barns and Store-houses to the uses of the Poor For which being charged by his Fellow-Servants at her return she not knowing then to what purpose he had imployed them called for the Keys and commanded him to resign his trust which was no sooner done but at her entrance in she found all places full and in as good condition as she had left them which his prayers and intercession with Heaven had again replenished As indeed Heaven can be sometimes content rather to work a Miracle then Charity shall suffer and fare the worse for its kindness and bounty In his younger years he is said to have been instructed in the Christian Faith by Bucolus whom the same b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menaeon elsewhere informs us S. John had consecrated Bishop of Smyrna however c Act. Ignat. p. 5. Hieron de Script in Polycarp E. sib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 81 Authors of
who had not hitherto known him wondered to behold so venerable a person of so great age and so grave and composed a presence and what needed all this stir to hunt and take this poor old man He nothing concerned ordered a Table to be spread and Provisions to be set upon it inviting them to partake of them and onely requesting for himself that in the mean while he might have one hour for Prayer Leave being granted he rose up and betook himself to his devotions wherein he had such mighty assistances of divine grace that he continued praying near two hours together heartily recommending to God the case of all his friends and acquaintance whether great or little honourable or ignoble and the state of the Catholic Church throughout the World all that heard him being astonished at it and many of them now repenting that so divine and venerable an old man should be put to death VIII HIS prayer being ended and they ready to depart he was set upon an Ass and it being then the Great Sabbath though what that Great Sabbath was learned men I believe will hardly agree till the coming of Elias conducted into the City As they were upon the Road they were met by Herod and his Father Nicetes who indeed were the main Springs of the Persecution and had put the tamult into motion This Herod was an Irenarcha one of those ad quos tuendae publicae Pacis vigilantia pertinebat as a Epist CLIX. col 720. CLX c. 722. vid. l. 18. § 4. ff de maner honor Tit. 4. l. 6. §. 2. ff de custod exhib reor Tâ—â— 3. S. Augustin describes them their Office was most what the same with that of our modern Justices of the Peace they being set to guard the Provinces and to secure the public peace and quietness within their several Jurisdictions to prevent and suppress Riots and Tumults Robberies and Rapines and to enquire into the Companions and Receivers of all such persons and to transmit to the Magistrates the examinations and notices which they had received of such matters They were appointed either by the Emperour himself or the Praefecti Praetorio or the Decurio's and at this time the custom in the Provinces of the lesser Asia was that every City did yearly send ten of the names of their principal persons to the Governour of the Province who chose out one to be the Irenarcha the Keeper or Justice of the Peace Being afterwards found grievous and troublesom to the People they were taken away by a Law of the younger c C. Th. l. unic Tit. 14. de Hirenarch Theodosius though the Office remained under another name This Office at Smyrna was at this time managed by this Herod whom d Ad Ann. CLXIX n. 7. Baronius conjectures to be e A. Gell. noct Att. l. 1. c. 2. p. 2. J. Capit. in vit M. Anton. c. 3. p. 151. Herodes Atticus a man of consular dignity and of great learning and eloquence and who had been Tutor to the present Emperour Certain it is that that Herod governed in the free Cities of f Philastr de vit Sophist l. 2. in Herod p. m. 646. l. 1. in Polemon p. 642. Asia and resided sometimes at Smyrna though it cramps the conjecture that the name of that Herods Father was Atticus of this Nicetes unless we will suppose him to have had two names But whoever he be a great enemy he was to Polycarp whom meeting upon the way he took him up into his Chariot where both he and his Father by plausible insinuations sought to undermine his constancy asking him what great harm there was in saying My Lord the Emperour and in sacrificing by which means he might escape This was an usual way of attempting the Christians not that they made any scruple to acknowledge the Emperour to be their Lord none were so forward so earnest to pay all due subjection and reverence to Princes but because they knew that the Romans too apt to flatter the ambition of their Emperours into a fondly usurpt Divinity by that title usually understood God as g Apolog. c. 34 p. 28. Tertullian tells them in any other notion of the word they could as freely as any call him Lord though as he adds even h Vid. Sueton. in vit Aug. c. 53. p. 192. Augustus himself modestly forbad that title to be ascribed to him IX S. POLYCARP returned no answer to their demand till importunately urging him he replied that he would not at any rate comply with their persuasions Frustrated of the ends which they had upon him they now lay aside the Vizor of their dissembled friendship and turn their kindness into scorn and reproaches thrusting him out of the Chariot with so much violence that he bruised his thigh with the fall Whereat nothing daunted as if he had received no hurt he chearfully hastned on to the place of his execution under the conduct of his Guard whither when they were come and a confused noise and tumult was arisen a voice came from Heaven heard by many but none seen who spake it saying Polyearp be strong and quit thy self like a man Immediately he was brought before the public Tribunal where a great shout was made all rejoicing that he was apprehended The Proconsul whose name was L. Statius Quadratus this very year as * Orat. Sacr. 4. Aristides the Orator who lived at this time at Smyrna informs us the Proconsul of Asia as not long before he had been Consul at Rome asked him whether he was Polycarp which being confessed he began to persuade him to recant Regard said he thy great age swear by the genius of Caesar repent and say with us take away the impious These were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as my Authors truly observe their usual terms and proposals to Christians who stoutly refused to swear by the Emperours genius upon which account the Heathens generally traduced them as Traitors and Enemies to the State though to wipe off that charge they openly professed a Tert. Apol. c. 32. p. 28. Orig. contr Cels l. 8. p. 421. that though they could not swear by the fortune of the Emperour their genii being accounted deities whom the Christians knew to be but daemons and cast out at every turn yet they scrupled not to swear by the Emperours safety a thing more august and sacred then all the genii in the World X. THE Holy Martyr looking about the Stadium and with a severe and angry countenance beholding the croud beckned to them with his hand sighed and looked up to Heaven saying though quite in another sense then they intended Take away the impious The Proconsul still persuaded him to swear with promise to release him withall urging him to blaspheme Christ for with that temptation they were wont to assault Christians and thereby to try the sincerity of their Renegado's a course which b Epist ad Trajan Imp. Ep. 97. l.
S. Cyprian then in his retirement the Blessed Pope Cyprian in their Letter to them of Carthage To this Eleutherius then these Martyrs directed their Epistle For the Martyrs in those times had a mighty honour and reverence paid to them and their sentence in any weighty case was always entertained with a just esteem and veneration These Letters they sent to Rome by l Euseb ib. c. 4. Irenaeus whom they persuaded to undertake the journey and whom they particularly recommended to Eleutherius by a very honourable testimony desiring him to receive him not onely as their Brother and Companion but as a zealous professor and defender of that Religion which Christ had ratified with his blood I know a Annot. in â—useb p. 91 92. Mons Valois will not allow that Irenaeus actually went this journey that the Martyrs indeed had desired him and he had promised to undertake it but that the heat of the Persecution coming on and he being fixed in the Government and Presidency over that Church could not be spared personally to undergo it But since Eusebius clearly intimates and b De Script in Iren. S. Hierom expresly affirms that the Martyrs sent him upon this errand 't is safest to grant his journey thither though it must be while he was yet Presbyter for so they particularly say he was in their Epistle to the Bishop of Rome And there probably it was that he took more particular notice of Florinus and Blastus c Euseb ibid. c. 15. p. 178. who being Presbyters of the Church of Rome were about this time fallen into the Valentinian Heresie the first of whom he had formerly known d Id. ibid. c. 20. with S. Polycarp in Asia and noted him for his soft and delicate manners and to whom after his return home as also to Blastus he wrote Epistles to convince them of those novel and dangerous sentiments which they had espoused IV. AND now the Persecution at Lyons was daily carried on with a fiercer violence Vast numbers had already gone to Heaven through infinite and inexpressible racks and torments and to crown all e Epist Eccles Lugd. Vien ap Euseb ubi supr c. 1. p. 159. Pothinus their reverend and aged Bishop above ninety years old was seized in order to his being sent the same way Age and sickness had rendred him so infirm and weak that he was hardly able to crawl to his execution But he had a vigorous and sprightly soul in a decaied and ruinous body and his great desire to give the highest testimony to his Religion and that Christ might triumph in his Martyrdom added new life and spirit to him Being apprehended by the Officers he was brought before the Public Tribunal the Magistrates of the City following after and the common People giving such loud and joyful acclamations as if our Lord himself had been leading to execution The Governour presently asked him Who the God of the Christians was Which he knowing to be a captious and sarcastic question returned no other answer then Wert thou worthy thou shouldst know Instruction takes hold onely of the humble and obedient ear Truth is usually lost by being exposed to the vitious and the scornful 't is in vain to hold a Candle either to the Blind that cannot or to them that shut their eyes and will not see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen de Martyr p. 169. there is a reverence due to the Principles of Religion that obliges us not to cast Pearls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rend us Hereupon without any reverence to his age or so much as respect to humanity it self he was rudely dragged away and unmercifully beaten they that were near kicking him with their feet and striking him with their fists they that were farther off throwing at him what they could meet with making whatsoever came next to hand the instruments of their fury every man looking upon it as impious and piacular not to do something that might testifie his petulant scorn and rage against him For by this means they thought to revenge the quarrel of their gods But their savage cruelty thought it too much kindness to dispatch him at once it is like they intended him a second Tragoedy which if so Heaven disappointed their designs For being taken up with scarce so much breath as would entitle him to live he was thrown into the Prison where two days after he resigned up his soul to God V. THE Church of Lyons being thus deprived of its venerable Guide none could stand fairer for the Chair then Irenaeus a person honoured and admired by all who succeeded accordingly about the year CLXXIX in a troublesom and tempestuous time But he was a wise and skilful Pilot and steered the Ship with a prudent Conduct And need enough there was both of his courage and his conduct for the Church at this time was not onely assaulted by Enemies from without but undermined and betrayed by Heresies within The attempts of the one he endured with meekness and patience while he endeavoured to prevent the infection and poison of the other by a diligent and vigilant circumspection discovering their persons laying open their designs confuting and condemning their errours so that their folly was made manifest unto all The Author of the ancient a Edit Argent 1601. 4. pag. 2. Synodicon published by Pappus tells us of a Provincial Synod held at Lyons by Irenaeus where with the assistance and suffrage of twelve other Bishops he condemned the Heresies of Valentinus Marcion Basilides and the rest of that Antichristian crew Whence he derived this intelligence I know not it not being mentioned by any other of the Ancients However the thing it self is not improbable Irenaeus his zeal against that sort of men engaging him to oppose them both by word and writing and especially when 't is remembred what himself informs us of that they had invaded his own Province and were come home to his very door For having given us an account of Marcus one of those Gnostic Heresiarchs and his followers their beastly and licentious practices and by what ludicrous and sensless Arts what Magic and hellish Rites they were wont to ensnare and initiate their seduced Proselytes he tells us b Adv. Haeres l. 1. c. 9. p. 72. vid. Hieron Epist ad Theodor p. 196. they were come into the Countries round him all along the Roan where they generally prevailed which seems to have been observed as a Maxim and first principle by all Authors of Sects upon the weaker Sex corrupting their minds and debauching their bodies whose cauterized consciences being afterwards awakened some of them made public confession of their crimes others though deserting their Party were ashamed to return to the Church while others made a desperate and total Apostasie from any pretences to the Faith With some of these Ring-leaders c Praef. ad lib. 1. p. 2. Irenaeus
day it self some thinking that they were to fast but one day probably he means of the great or solemn week others two others more and some measuring the time by a continued fast of forty hours whether in memory of Christs lying so long in the Grave or in imitation of his forty days Fast in the Wilderness I know not and that this variety was of long standing and had crept into several places while the Governours of the Church took less care about these different Customs who yet maintained a sincere and mutual love and peace towards one another a thing practised by all his own pious Predecessors putting him in mind of Anicetus and Polycarp who though they could not so far convince each other as to lay aside their different usages did yet mutually embrace orderly receive the Communion together and peaceably part from one another And Letters to the same effect he wrote to several other Bishops for allaying the difference thus unhappily started in the Church VIII THE calm and quiet days which the Church had for some years of late enjoyed now expired and the wind changed into a more stormy quarter Severus the Emperour hitherto favourable began a bitter and bloody Persecution against the Christians prosecuted with great severity in all parts of the Empire Himself had heretofore governed g Ael Spartian in vit Sever. c. 3. p. 335. this very Province of Lyons and probably had taken peculiar notice of Irenaeus and the flourishing state of the Church in that City and might therefore give more particular Orders for the proceeding against them in this place The Persecution that in other parts picked out some few to make them exemplary here served all alike and went through with the Work For so a Hist Franc. l. 1. c. 29. Gregory of Tours and the ancient b Martyr Rom. ad Jan. XXVIII Adon Martyr IV. Kalend. Jul. Martyrologies inform us that Irenaeus having been prepared by several torments was at length put to death beheaded say the Greeks c Men. Grâ—â—c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likely enough and together with him almost all the Christians of that vast populous City whose numbers could not be reckoned up so that the Streets of the City flowed with the bloud of Christians His Body was taken up by Zacharias his Presbyter and buried in a Vault laid between Epipodius and Alexander who had suffered in the Persecution under Antoninus It is not easie to assign the certain date of his Martyrdom which may with almost equal probability be referred to a double period either to the time of that bloudy Edict which Severus published against the Christians about the tenth year of his reign Ann. Chr. CCII. or to his expedition into Britain Ann. Chr. CCVIII when he took Lyons in his way and might see execution done with his own eyes And indeed the vast numbers that are there said to have suffered agree well enough with the temper of that fierce and cruel Prince who had conceived before a particular displeasure against the Citizens of Lyons and a worse against the Christians there IX HE was a true lover of God and of the souls of men for the promoting whose happiness he thought no dangers or difficulties to be great he scrupled not to leave his own Countrey to take so troublesom and tedious a journey and in stead of the smooth and polite manners of the Eastern Nations to fix his dwelling among a People of a wild and savage temper and whom he must convert to civility before he gained them to Religion Nor was it the least part of his trouble as himself e Praef. ad l. 2. p. 4. plainly intimates that he was forced to learn the Language of the Countrey a rugged and as he calls it barbarous Dialect before he could do any good upon them All which and a great deal more he chearfully underwent that he might be serviceable to the great interests of men And because he knew that nothing usually more hinders the progress of Piety then to have mens minds vitiated and depraved with false and corrupt Notions and Principles and that nothing could more expose the Christian Religion to the scorn and contempt of wise and discerning men then the wild Schemes of those absurd and ridiculous opinions that were then set on foot therefore he set himself with all imaginable industry to oppose them reading over all their Writings considering and unravelling all their principles with incomparable patience as well as diligence whence he is deservedly stiled by f Adv. Valent. c. 5. p. 252. Tertullian Omnium doctrinarum curiosissimus explorator the most curious searcher into all kinds of Doctrines In the successful managery whereof he was greatly advantaged by the natural acumen and subtlety of his parts and those Studies of Philosophy and Humane Literature of which he had made himself Master in his younger days sufficient foot-steps whereof appear in the Writings which he left behind him For besides his Epistles he wrote many Volums though he g Volaterr Comment urban l. 16. col 590. that tells us that he composed an Ecclesiastical History which Eusebius made use of reckons up one more then ever he wrote and doubtless mistook it for his Work Adversus Haereses which are all lost except his five Books against Heresies intituled anciently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Confutation and Subversion of Knowledge falsly so called i.e. of Gnosticism those abstruse and mystical Heretics pretending that all sublime and excellent knowledge dwelt with them What his proper stile and phrase was in these Books is not easily guessed the far greatest part of the Original Greek being wanting the conjecture of those who will have them originally penned in Latine is not worth the mentioning probably it was simple and unaffected vulgar and ordinary embased it is like and he seems to confess as much Loc. titat with the natural Language of the Countrey where he lived nor had he studied the Arts of Rhetoric the ornaments of Speech or had any skill in the elaborate methods and artifices of persuasion as he modestly a Praefat. ut supr apologizes for himself However his Discourses are grave and well digested and as far as the Argument he manages would admit clear and perspicuous in all which he betrays a mighty zeal and a spirit prepared for Martyrdom For the Martyrs as b Praef. in Iraen Erasmus truly notes have a certain serious strenuous and masculine way of writing beyond other men X. AS for his Works themselves c Cod CXX col 301. Photius thus censures them that in some of them the accuracy of truth in Ecclesiastic Doctrines is sophisticated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with false and spurious reasonings which ought to be taken notice of In the Books yet extant there are some assertions that will not bear a strict rigorous examination the principal whereof are such as we have already remarked in the life of
the Metropolis of Lydia a great and ancient City the Seat of the Lydian Kings it was one of the Seven Churches to which S. John wrote Epistles and wherein he takes notice of some that durst own and stand up for God and Religion in that great degeneracy that was come upon it He was a man of admirable parts enriched with the furniture of all useful Learning acute and eloquent but especially conversant in the paths of Divine Knowledge having made deep enquiries into all the more uncommon parts and speculations of the Christian Doctrine He was for his singular eminency and usefulness chosen Bishop of Sardis though we cannot exactly define the time which were I to conjecture I should guess it about the latter end of Antoninus Pius his reign or the begining of his Successors He filled up all the parts of a very excellent Governour and Guide of Souls whose good he was careful to advance both by Word and Writing Which that he might attend with less solicitude and distraction he not onely kept himself within the compass of a single life but was more then ordinarily exemplary for his Chastity and Sobriety his self-denial and contempt of the World upon which account he is by Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus a Ap. Euseb l. 5. c. 24. p. 191. stiled an Eunuch that is in our Saviours explication one of those who make themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heavens sake who for the service of Religion and the hopes of a better life are content to deny themselves the comforts of a married state and to renounce even the lawful pleasures of this World And God who delights to multiply his Grace upon pious and holy souls crowned his other Vertues with the gift of Prophesie for so b Ap. Hieron de Script in Melit Tertullian tells us that he was accounted by the Orthodox Christians as a Prophet and Polycrates says c Loc. supr citat of him that he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was in all things governed and directed by the afflatus and suggestion of the Holy Ghost Accordingly in the Catalogue d Ap Eâ—seb l. 4. c. 26. p. 147. of his Writings we find one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the right way of living and concerning Prophets and another concerning Prophesie II. IT was about the year CLXX and the tenth e Eâ—sâ—b Chron. ad Ann. CLXXI. of M. Antoninus his Brother L. Verus having died the year before of an Apoplexy as he sate in his Chariot when the Persecution grew high against the Christians greedy and malicious men taking occasion from the Imperial Edicts lately published by all the methods of cruelty and rapine to oppress and spoil innocent Christians Whereupon as others so especially f Eâ—seb H. Eccl. loc supr citat S. Melito presents an Apology and humble Supplication in their behalf to the Emperour wherein among other things he thus bespeaks him If these things Sir be done by your Order let them be thought well done For a righteous Prince will not at any time command what is unjust and we shall not think much to undergo the award of such a death This onely request we beg that your self would please first to examine the case of these resolute persons and then impartially determine whether they deserve punishment and death or safety and protection But if this new Edict and Decree which ought not to have been proclaimed against the most barbarous Enemies did not come out with your cognizance and consent we humbly pray and that with the greater importunity that you would not suffer us to be any longer exposed to this public rapine III. AFTER this he put him in mind how much the Empire had prospered since the rise of Christianity and that none but the worst of his Predecessors had entertained an implacable spight against the Christians This new Sect of Philosophy says he which we profess heretofore flourished among the Barbarians by which probably he means the Jews Afterwards under the reign of Augustus your Predecessor it spread it self over the Provinces of your Empire commencing with a happy omen to it since which time the Majesty and Greatness of the Roman Empire hath mightily increased whereof you are the wished-for Heir and Successor and together with your Son shall so continue especially while you protect that Religion which begun with Augustus and grew up together with the Empire and for which your Predecessors had together with other Rites of Worship some kind of reverence and regard And that our Religion which was bred up with the prosperity of the Empire was born for public good there is this great Argument to convince you that since the reign of Augustus there has no considerable mischief happened but on the contrary all things according to every ones desire have fallen out glorious and successful None but Nero and Domitian instigated by cruel and ill-minded men have attempted to reproach and calumniate our Religion whence sprang the common slanders concerning us the injudicious Vulgar greedily entertaining such reports without any strict examination But your Parents of Religious Memory gave a check to this Ignorance and injustice by frequent Rescripts reproving those who made any new attempts in this matter Among whom was your Grandfather Adrian who wrote as to several others so to Fundanus the Proconsul of Asia and your Father at what time your self was Colleague with him in the Empire wrote to several Cities particularly to Larissaea Thessalonica Athens and all the Cities of Greece that they should not create any new disturbance about this affair And for your self who have the same opinion of us which they had and a great deal better more becoming a good man and a Philosopher we promise our selves that you will grant all our Petitions and Requests An Address managed with great prudence and ingenuous freedom and which striking in with other Apologies presented about the same time did not a little contribute to the general quiet and prosperity of Christians IV. NOR was he so wholly swallowed up with care for the general Peace of Christians as to neglect the particular good of his own or neighbour Churches During the Government of Servilius Paulus Proconsul of Asia Sagaris Bishop of Laodicea had suffered Martyrdom in the late persecution a Ipse Milet. ap Euseb l. 4. c. 26. p. 147. at what time the controversie about the Paschal solemnity was hotly ventilated in that Church some strangers probably urging the observation of the Festival according to the Roman usage celebrating it upon the Lords-day contrary to the custom of those Churches who had ever kept it upon the fourteenth day of the Moon according to the manner of the Jews For the quieting of which contention Melito presently wrote two Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the Passover wherein no doubt he treated at large of the celebration of Easter according to the observation of the Asian Churches and therefore Polycrates
renown and accordingly came thither while Pope Zephyrin sate Bishop of that See where he staid not long but returned back to Alexandria and to his accustomed Catechetic office Demetrius earnestly importuning him to resume it But finding the imployment c Ibid. c. 15. p. 217. grow upon him and so wholly to engross his time as not to allow him the least leisure for retirement and contemplation and the study of the Scriptures so fast did auditors press in upon him from morning to night he took in Heraclas who had been his Scholar a man versed both in divine and humane Studies to be his Partner dividing the work between them the younger and more untutored Catechumens he committed to him the maturer and those who had been of a longer standing he reserved to be instructed by himself And now he gave up himself to a closer and more accurate Study of the holy Scriptures which that he might manage with the better success he set himself to learn the Hebrew Tongue the true Key to unlock the Door wherein as d Apolog. adv Ruffin Tom. 2. p. 201. S. Hierom probably intimates he was assisted by the help of Huillus the Jewish Patriarch at that time at least in the Rabbinic Exposition of the Scripture a thing little understood in those times and the place he lived in and to him who was now in the prime of his age and the Flower of more pleasing and delightful Studies no doubt very difficult and uneasie But nothing is hard to an industrious diligence and a willing mind X. NOR did his pains in this interrupt his activity in his other imployments where he perceived e Eus ib. c. 18. p. 218. any of his Scholars of more smart and acute understandings he first instructed them in Geometry Arithmetic and other preparatory Institutions and then brought them through a course of Philosophy discovering the Principles of each Sect and explaining the Books of the Ancients and sometimes himself writing Comments upon them so that the very Gentiles cried him up for an eminent Philosopher The ruder and more unpolished part of his auditory he would often exhort to the Study of humane Arts assuring them that they would not a little conduce to the right understanding of the holy Scriptures Many flocked to him to make trial of his famed Skill and Learning others to be instructed in the Precepts both of Philosophy and Christianity Great numbers of Heretics were his Auditors some of whom he converted from the errour of their way and among the rest * Euseb ib. Hieron de Scrip. in Ambros Suid. in Voc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph ubi supr p. 228. Ambrosius a man of Nobility and Estate at Alexandria having been seduced into the Errours of Marcion and Valentinus being convinced by Origen's Discourses renounced his former Heresies and returned to the Catholic Doctrin of the Church and ever after became his intimate Friend his great Patron and Benefactor He was a man of neat elegant parts and was continually prompting Origen to explain and interpret some part of the Scripture as oft as they were together as a Epist ap Suid. ubi supr p. 390 vid. Hieron Ep. ad Marcell p. 129. Tom. 1. Origen himself informs us he suffered not a Supper time to pass without discourses to this purpose nor their very walks and recreations to be without them a great part of the night besides their morning studies were spent upon these pious exercises their meals and their rest were ushered in with continual Lectures and both night and day where Prayer ended Reading began as after reading they again betook themselves to Prayer Indeed this Ambrose was a pious and good man and though so great a person did not disdain to take upon him the Office of a Deacon in the Church nay to undergo great hardships and sufferings becoming an eminent Confessor for the Faith And there is onely this blot b Hieron de Script in Ambrof that I know of that sticks upon his memory that when he died rich he remembred not his dear and ancient Friend whose low and mean condition might well have admitted as his pains and intimacy might deservedly have challenged a bountiful legacy to have been bequeathed to him XI ABOUT this time came a c Euseb ibid. c. 19. p. 221. Messenger from the Governour of Arabia with Letters to Demetrius the Bishop and to the Praefect of Egypt desiring that with all speed Origen might be sent to impart the Christian Doctrin to him so considerable had the fame of this great man rendred him abroad in foreign Nations Accordingly he went into Arabia where having dispatched his errand he came back to Alexandria Not long after whose return the Emperour Caracalla drew his Army into those parts intending to fall severely upon that City To avoid whose rage and cruelty Origen thought good to withdraw himself and not knowing any place in Egypt that could afford him shelter he retired into Palestin and fixed his residence at Caesarea Where his excellent abilities being soon taken notice of he was requested by the Bishops of those parts though but then in the capacity of a Laic publicly in the Church and before themselves to expound the Scriptures to the People The news hereof was presently carried to Alexandria and highly resented by Demetrius who by Letters expostulated the case with Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea and Alexander of Jerusalem as a thing never heard of before in the Christian Church who in their answer put him in mind that this had been no such unusual thing whereof they give him particular instances All which satisfied not Demetrius who by Letters commanded Origen to return and sent Deacons on purpose to urge him to it whereupon he came back and applied himself to his wonted charge XII ALEXANDER SEVERVS the present Emperour in order to his expedition against the Persians was come to Antioch attended with his mother Mammaea a wise and prudent and says d Ibid. c. 21. p. 223. vid. excerpt ex Jo. Antioch p. 830. Eusebius a most pious and religious Princess a great influence she had upon her Son whom she engaged in a most strict and constant administration of Justice and the affairs of the Empire that he might have no leisure to be debauched by Vice and Luxury Indeed he was a Prince of incomparable Vertues Historians representing him as mild and gentle compassionate and charitable sober and temperate just and impartial devout and pious one advanced to the Empire for the recovery and happiness of mankind He was no enemy to Christians whom he did not onely not persecute but favour at every turn and in his private Oratory he had among other Heroes the Images of Abraham and of Christ and was once minded to have built a Temple to him and publicly admitted him into the number of their gods He highly admired some precepts of the Christian Religion and from their Discipline learned some Rites
Embassie and to render him more serviceable to the affairs of the Church However the thing was infinitely resented by Demetrius as an affront against his jurisdiction and a contempt of his authority and now the wind is turned into a blustring quarter and nothing but anathema's are thundred out against him from Alexandria Demetrius had for some time born him a secret grudge and he takes this occasion to fall upon him The truth is he * Euseb ib. c. 8. p. 109. envied the honour and reputation which Origen's Learning and Vertue had raised him in the thoughts and mouths of all men and wanting hitherto an opportunity to vent his emulation he had now one put into his hand and accordingly charges him with all that spight and spleen can invent publicly accusing him what before he admired in him for making himself an Eunuch and severely reflecting upon the Bishops that ordained him Nay so high did he raise the storm that he procured Origen to be condemned a Paâ—phil Apolog ap Phot. Cod. CXVIII col 297. in two several Synods one of Bishops and Presbyters who decreed that he should be banished Alexandria and not permitted either to live or teach there the other under Demetrius who with some Bishops of Egypt pronounced him to be degraded from his Priesthood his greatest favourers subscribing the Decree b Apud Ruffin Invect II. in Hieron inter oper Hier. T. 4. p. 225. S. Hierom adds that the greatest part of the Christian World consented to this condemnation and that Rome it self convened a Synod against him not for Heresie or Innovations in Doctrin but meerly out of envy as not able to bear the glory and renown of his Learning and Eloquence seeing while he taught they were looked upon as mute and dumb as the Stars disappear at the presence of the Sun And yet all this combustion vanished into smoke Origen still retaining his Priesthood publicly preaching in the Church and being honourably entertained where-ever he came by the wiser and more moderate party of the Church XV. WEARIED out with the vexatious assaults of his enemies he resolved to quit Alexandria where the sentence of the Synods would not suffer him long to abide having first resigned the Government of his Catechetic School intirely to his Colleague Heraclas c Euseb ib. c. 26. p. 228. This Heraclas was a Gentile born brother to Plutarch who as before we noted suffered Martyrdom for the Faith together with whom he became Origen's Scholar by whom he was converted and built up in the Faith then taken in as his Vsher or Partner in the Catechetic Office afterwards his successor and last of all Bishop of Alexandria A man of unwearied diligence and a strict life learned and eloquent a great Master in Philosophy and all humane but especially versed in divine Studies He retained his Philosophic habit even after he was made Presbyter of Alexandria and ceased not with a mighty industry still to read over and converse with the Writings of the Gentiles indeed arrived to that singular fame and reputation that Julius Africanus one of the most learned men of those times came d Ibid. c. 31. p. 230. on purpose to Alexandria to see and hear him No wonder therefore if Origen committed this great care and trust to him whose personal merit and particular obligation as his Scholar might seem to challenge it Before his departure for they that refer it to the time of Decius speak at random Origen not being then at Alexandria an accident fell out which if true hastned his flight with more shame and sorrow then all the malice of his bitterest enemies could create him Thus then we are told e 〈◊〉 â—bi sâ—p p. 22â— Lâ—â—nt de Sect. Act. X. p. some Gentiles that were his mortal enemies seized upon him and reduced him to this strait that either he should abuse his body with a Blackmoor or do sacrifice to an Idol Of the two he chose to sacrifice though it was rather their act then his for putting Frankincense into his hand they led him up to the Altar and forced him to throw it into the fire Which yet drew so great a blot upon his name and derived so much guilt upon his conscience that not able to bear the public reproach he immediately left the City The credit of this Story is not a little shaken by the universal silence of the more ancient Writers in this matter not so much as intimated by Eusebius Pamphilus or Origen's own contemporary Dionysius of Alexandria not objected by his greatest adversaries as is plain from the Apologies written in his behalf not mentioned by Porphyry who lived in those times and whom we cannot suppose either to have been ignorant of it or willing to conceal it when we find him falsly reporting of Ammonius that he apostatized from Christianity and of Origen himself that he was born and bred an Heathen In short not mentioned by any before Epiphanius and besides him not by any else of that time not S. Hierom Rufinus Vincentius Lerinensis or Theophilus of Alexandria some of whom were enemies enough to Origen So that it was not without some plausibility of reason that a Ad Ann. 253. n. CXXIII Baronius suspected this passage to have been foisted into Epiphanius and not to have been the genuine issue of his Pen. Though in my mind Epiphanius himself says enough to make any wise man ready to suspend his belief for he tells b Ibid. p 229. us that many strange things were reported concerning Origen which he himself gave no credit to though he thought good to set down the reports and how often he catches up any common rumours and builds upon them none need to be told that are acquainted with his Writings Nor is it likely he would balk any Story that tended to Origen's disgrace who had himself so bitter a zeal and spleen against him I might further argue the improbability of this Story from hence that this being a long time after his famous emasculating of himself which by this time was known all abroad it is not reasonable to suppose that the Heathens should make the prostituting himself in committing adultery one part of his choice which his self-contracted impotency and Eunuchism had long since made impossible to him However supposing the matter of fact to be true it sounds not more especially considering how much there was of force and compulsion in it to his disparagement then his solemn repentance afterwards made for his honour and when the desire to preserve his chastity inviolable is laid in the Scale with his offering Sacrifice XVI ANN. CCXXXIII c Euseb ib. c. 26. p. 228. Origen left Alexandria and directing his course for Palestin went to his good Friend and Patron Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea and from thence to Jerusalem to salute Alexander Bishop of it and to visit the venerable Antiquities of that place And here Epiphanius in pursuance of the
full and solid answer in eight Books wherein as he had the better cause so he managed it with that strength of Reason clearness of Argument and convictive evidence of truth that were there nothing else to testifie the abilities of this great man this Book alone were enough to do it It was written probably about the beginning of the reign of Philip the Emperour with whom Origen seems to have had some acquaintance who a Id. ibid. p. 233 wrote one Letter to him and another to the Empress From whence and some other little probabilities Eusebius first and after him the generality of Ecclesiastic Writers have made that Emperour to have been a Christian and the first of the Imperial line that was so The vanity of which mistake and the original from whence it sprung we have shewed elsewhere Nor is the matter mended by those who say that Philip was privately baptized by Fabian Bishop of Rome and so his Christian Profession was known onely to the Christians but concealed from the Gentiles which being but a conjecture and a gratis dictum without any authority to confirm it may with the same ease and as much justice be rejected as it is obtruded and imposed upon us Nor has the late learned publisher b Rod. Wetsteinius Praefat. in Orig. Dial. contr Marc. c. Ã se Edit Basil 1674. 4 of some Tracts of Origen who in order to the securing the Dialogue against the Marcionites to belong to Origen has newly enforced this argument said any thing that may persuade a wise man to believe a Story so improbable in all its circumstances and which must have made a louder noise in the World and have had more and better witnesses to attest it then an obscure and uncertain report the onely authority which Eusebius who gave the first hint of it pretends in this matter XXI THE good success which Origen lately had in Arabia in the cause of Beryllus made him famous in all those parts and his help was now again c Ibid. c. 37. desired upon a like occasion For a sort of Hereties were start up who affirmed that at death both body and soul did expire together and were resolved into the same state of corruption and that at the resurrection they should revive and rise together to eternal life For this purpose a general Synod of those parts was called and Origen desired to be present at it who managed the cause with such weighty Arguments such unanswerable and clear convictions that the adverse party threw down their weapons and relinquished the sentiments which they maintained before Another heretical crew appeared at this time in the East the impious and abominable Sect of the Helcesaitae against whom also Origen seems to have been engaged concerning whom himself d Homil. in Psal 82. ap Euseb ibid. c. 38. p. 233. gives us this account They rejected a great part both of the Old and New Canon making use onely of some few parts of Scripture and such without question as they could make look most favourably upon their cause S. Paul they wholly rejected and held that it was lawful and indifferent to deny the faith and that he was the wise man that in his words would renounce Christianity in a time of danger and Persecution but maintain the truth in his heart They carried a Book about with them which they affirmed to have been immediately dropt down from Heaven which whoever received and gave credit to should receive remission of sins though different from that pardon which our Lord Jesus bestowed upon his followers But how far Origen was concerned against this absurd and sensless generation is to me unknown The best on 't is this Sect like a blazing Comet though its influence was malignant and pestilential suddenly arose and as suddenly disappeared XXII PHILIP the Emperour being slain by the Souldiers Decius made a shift by the help of the Army to step into the Throne a mortal enemy to the a Ibid. â— 3â— p. 234. Church in whose short reign more Martyrs especially men of note and eminency came to the Stake then in those who governed that Empire ten times his reign In Palaestin Alexander the aged and venerable Bishop of Jerusalem was thrown into prison where after long and hard usage and an illustrious confession of the Christian Faith before the public Tribunal he died This Alexander whom we have often mentioned had been first Bishop in Cappadocia b Ibid. c. 11. p. 212. where out of a religious curiosity he had resolved upon a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to visit the holy and venerable Antiquities of that place whereto he was particularly excited by a divine revelation intimating to him that it was the will of God that he should be assistant to the Bishop of that place It happened at this time that Narcissus Bishop of Jerusalem being some years since returned to his See which he had deserted many years before was become incapable through his great age and infirmity being CXVI years old duly to manage his charge Alexander approaching near Jerusalem they were warned by a Vision and a Voice from Heaven to go out of the City and there receive him whom Heaven had designed to be their Bishop They did so and finding Alexander entertained and introduced him with all possible kindness and respect where by the importunity of the People and the consent of all the neighbour-Bishops he was constrained to become Colleague with Narcissus in the government of that Church This I suppose is the first express instance that we meet with in Church-antiquity of two Bishops sitting at once and that by consent in one See But the case was warranted by an extraordinary authority besides that Narcissus seems rather to have resigned and quitted the place retaining nothing but the title nor intermedling any further then by joining in prayers and devotions for the good of the Church surviving not above three or four years at most Alexander succeeding in the sole Presidency governed his Church with singular prudence and fidelity and among other memorable acts erected a Library at Jerusalem c Ibid. c. 20. p. 222. which he especially stored with Ecclesiastical Epistles and Records from whence Eusebius confesses he furnished himself with many considerable Memoirs and materials for the composing of his History He sate Bishop XXXIX years and after several arraignments and various imprisonments and sufferings died now in prison at Caesarea to the unconceivable loss and resentment of the whole Church and especially of Origen who had been ordained by him and whom he had ever found a fast Friend and Patron Nor did Origen himself who was at this time at Tyre escape without his share Eusebius does but briefly intimate his sufferings having given a larger account of them in another Book long since lost he tells d Ubi supr p. 234. us that the Devil mustered up all his Forces against him and assaulted him with all
in longo fas est obrepere somnum In a long Work each slip the Censors Rod Does not deserve Homer does sometimes nod Let us not imitate his Faults whose Vertues we cannot reach Others both Greeks and Latines have erred in the faith as well as he whom it 's not necessary to name lest we might seem to defend him not by his own merit but by the mistakes of other men To all that has been hitherto said I may add this that suppose him guilty of as pestilent and dangerous errours as the worst of his enemies lay to his charge yet he afterwards repented of what he had rashly and unadvisedly written as appears by his Epistle to Fabian a Ap. Hier. ubi supr p. 193. vid. Ruff. Invect I. in Hieron inter oper Hier. T. 4. p. 219. Primus faelicitatis gradus est non delinquere Secundus delicta cognoscere Illic currit innocentia integra illibata quae servet hîc succedit medela quae sanet Cypr. ad Cornel. Epist 55. p. 83. Bishop of Rome And is it not intolerable reudeness and incivility at least perpetually to upbraid and reproach a man with the faults of his past life and which he himself has disowned Sorrow for what is past in some measure repairs the breach and Repentance must be allowed next door to Innocence His Writings mentioned by the Ancients and which of them extant at this day Homiliarum mysticarum in Genes Lib. II. Commentar in Genes Lib. XIII Extant Latine Homiliae XVII Commentar Tomi in Exodum Ext. Latine Homiliae XII Scholia in Leviticum Ext. Homiliae XVI In Numeros extant Lat. Homiliae XXVIII In Deuteronomium Homiliae In Libr. Jesu Nave ext Homil. XXVI Lat. In Libr. Judicum ext Hom. IX Lat. In I. Lib. Regum Homil. IV. In Lib. II. extat Homilia una In Lib. Paralipom Homil. I. In duos Esdrae Libros Homiliae In Libr. Job Tractatus In Psalmos Commentarii In Psalmos Homiliae In Psalmos Scholia Ext. Lat. in Psalm 36. Hom. V. in Psal 37. Hom. II. in Psal 38. Hom. II. In Proverbia Salom. Commentar Explicatio Ecclesiastis In Canticum Cantic Commentarii Ext. Lat. Homiliae II. In Esaiam Commentar Libri XXX In Esaiam Homiliae XXV In Esaiam Scholia Ext. Lat. Homiliae IX In Jeremiam Homiliae XLV Extant Gr. Lat. Homil. XVII In Threnos Tomi IX In Ezechielem Tomi XXV Ext. Lat. Homil. XIV In Danielem Expositio In XII Prophetas Tomi XXV In Matthaeum Comment Lib. XXV In Matthaeum Homiliae XXV In Matthaeum Scholia Ext. Gr. Lat. Tomi VII In Lucam Commentar Tomi V. Ext. Lat. Homiliae XXXIX In Joannem Commentar Tom. XXXII Ext. Gr. Lat. Tom. IX In Acta Apostolorum Homil. aliquot In Epistolam ad Romanos Explanationum Lib. XX. Ext. Lat. Libri X. In I. ad Corinthios Commentarii In Epist ad Galatas Commentarii In Epist ad Galatas Homiliae In Epist ad Galatas Scholia In Epist ad Ephes Comment Lib. III. In Epist ad Coloss Commentarii In I. ad Thess Vol. ut minimum III. In Epist ad Titum In Epist ad Hebraeos Commentarii In Epist ad Hebraeos Homiliae Tetrapla Hexapla Octapla Commentarii in Veteres Philosophos De Resurrectione Libri II. De Resurrectione Dialogi Stromaτεων Libri X. Disputationes cum Beryllo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu de Principiis Lib. IV. Ext. Lat. Contra Celsum Lib. VIII Ext. Gr. L. De Martyrio Ext. Gr. L. Homil. de Engastrimytho Ext. Gr. L. De Oratione Ext. Gr. Ms. Philocalia de aliquot praecipuis Theologiae locis quaestionibus ex Origenis scriptis à S. Basilio Gregor Naz. excerptis cap. XXVII ext Gr. L. Epistolae fere infinitae ex his hodie ext Epistola ad Jul. Africanum de Histor Susannae Gr. L. Epistola ad Gregorium Thaumaturgum Ext. Gr. L. in Philocalia Doubtful Dialogus contra Marcionitas de recta in Deum fide Ext. Gr. L. Supposititious In Libri Job Tract III. Comment in eundem Commentarius in Evangel S. Marci Homiliae in diversos De Philosophorum Sectis dogmatibus Lamentum Origenis Scholia in Orationem Dominicam in Cantica B. Virginis Zachariae Simeonis The End of ORIGEN 's Life THE LIFE OF S. BABYLAS BISHOP OF ANTIOCH Micha Burgh sculp S. BABYLAS ANTIOCHENUS His Originals obscure His education and accomplishments enquired into Made Bishop of Antioch when Antioch taken by the King of Persia Recovered by the Roman Emperour Babylas his fidelity in his charge The Decian Persecution and the grounds of it severely urged by the Emperours Edicts Decius his coming to Antioch His attempt to break into the Christian Congregation Babylas his bold resistance This applied to Numerianus and the ground of the mistake The like reported of Philip the Emperour Decius his bloudy act related by S. Chrysostom His rage against Babylas and his examination of him The Martyrs resolute answer His imprisonment and hard usage The different accounts concerning his death Three Youths his fellow-sufferers in vain attempted by the Emperour Their Martyrdom first and why Babylas beheaded His command that his chains should be buried with him The translation of his body under Constantius The great sweetness and pleasantness of the Daphne Apollo's Temple there S. Babylas his bones translated thither by Gallus Caesar The Oracle immediately rendered dumb In vain consulted by Julian The confession of the Daemon Julian 's command for removing Babylas his bones The Martyrs Remains triumphantly carried into the City The credit of this Story sufficiently attested The thing owned by Libanius and Julian Why such honour suffered to be done to the Martyr Julian afraid of an immediate vengeance His Persecution against the Christians at Antioch The sufferings of Theodorus The Temple of Apollo fired from Heaven I. SO great and general is the silence of Church-Antiquity in the Acts of this holy Martyr especially the former part of his life that I should wholly pass him over did not his latter times furnish us with some few memorable passages concerning him His Countrey Parents Education and way of life are all unknown as also whether he was born and bred a Gentile or a Christian No doubt he was trained up under the advantages of a liberal and ingenuous education living in places that opportunely ministred unto it and in times when none but men of known parts and eminency both for Learning and Piety were advanced to the Government of the Church and when great measures of Arts and Learning were not onely commendable but necessary both to feed and preserve the Flock of God to resist and convince gainsayers and to defend Christianity against the attempts both of secret and open Enemies For as the Christian Church never wanted professed Adversaries from without who endeavoured both by Sword and Pen to stifle and suppress its growth nor pretended Friends from within who by Schisms and Heresies disturbed its Peace and tore out its very Bowels so never were
passage to happen especially at this time to demonstrate the vanity of the Gentile Religion to correct the infidelity of the Emperour and to give testimony to that Religion which he scorned with so much insolence and sarcasm and pursued with so much vigour and opposition If any enquire why Julian should so far gratifie the Christians as to bestow the Martyrs bones upon them and suffer them to convey them with so much pomp and honour into the City and not rather scatter the ashes into the air throw them into the fire or drown the Coffin in the River c Ibid. p. 681. Chrysostom answers that he durst not he was afraid lest the divine vengeance should overtake him lest a thunderbolt from heaven should strike him or an incurable disease arrest him as such kind of miserable fates had overtaken some of his predecessors in the height of their activity against the Christians and he had lately seen sad instances of it that came very near him his Uncle Julian Praefect of the East a petulant scorner and apostate derider of Christians who having broken into the great Church at Antioch had treated their Communion Plate with the greatest irreverence and contempt throwing it upon the ground spurning and sitting upon it and after all carrying it away into the Emperours Exchequer was immediately seized with a loathsom disease which I am not willing to mention which within a few days in spight of all the Arts of Physic put an end to his miserable life And Faelix the Treasurer a man of the same spirit and temper and engaged with him in the same design coming up to the Palace on a sudden fell down upon the top of the steps and burst asunder Ammianus Marcellinus * Lib. 23. p. 1641. himself confessing that he died of a sudden Flux of bloud Others there were who about that time came to wretched and untimely ends but these two onely are particularly noted by Chrysostom Examples which 't is probable had put an awe and restraint upon him XI BUT evil men wax worse and worse Julian however awed at present yet his rage quickly found a vent which all his Philosophy could not stop Vexed d Socr. c. 19. p. 191. Sozom. Theod. ibid. to see the Christians pay so solemn a veneration to the Martyr and especially stung with the hymns which the Christians sung the very next day he gave order against the advice of his Privy Council to Salust the Praefect to persecute the Christians many of whom were accordingly apprehended and cast into Prison And among the rest one Theodorus a Youth was caught up in the streets and put upon the Rack his flesh torn off with iron Pincers scourged and beaten and when no tortures could shake his constancy or so much as move his patience he was at length dismissed Rufinus afterwards met with this Theodorus and asking him whether in the midst of his torments he felt any pain he told him at first he was a little sensible but that one in the shape of a young man stood by him who gently wiped off the sweat from his face refreshed him with cold water and supported his spirit with present consolations so that his Rack was rather a pleasure then a torment to him But to return XII HEAVEN shewed it self not well pleased with the proceedings of the Emperour For immediately the Temple of Apollo in the Daphne took fire which in a few hours burnt the famed image of the god and reduced the Temple excepting onely the Walls and Pillars into ashes This the Christians ascribed to the divine vengeance the Gentiles imputed it to the malice of the Christians and though the Priests and Warders of the Temple were racked to make them say so yet could they not be brought to affirm any more then that it was fired by a light from Heaven This conflagration is mentioned not onely by Christian Writers but by a Lib. 22. p. 1629. Ammianus Marcellinus and by b Loc. supr cit Julian himself but especially by Libanius the Orator who in an Oration on purpose made to the People elegantly bewails its unhappy fate whose Discourse S. Chrysostom takes to task and makes witty and eloquent remarques upon it If the Reader ask what became of Babylas his Remains after all this noise and bustle they were entombed within the City in a Church dedicated to his name and memory and in after-Ages are c Vid. Bolland ad Jan. XXIV p. 580. said to have been translated by some Christian Princes probably during their Wars in the holy Land to Cremona in Italy where how oft they have been honourably reposed and with how much pomp and ceremonious veneration they are still entertained they who are curious after such things may enquire The End of S. BABYLAS 's Life THE LIFE OF S. CYPRIAN BISHOP OF CARTHAGE Micha Burgh deli et sculp S. CYPRIANUS CARTHAGINIENSIS His Birth-place The Nobility of his Family exploded The confounding him with another Cyprian Bishop of Antioch These two vastly distinct S. Cyprian 's education His professing Rhetoric His conversion to Christianity by the persuasions of Caecilius Their mutual endearment His great charity to the Poor His Baptism Made Presbyter and Bishop of Carthage His modest declining the honour His proscription recess and care of his Church during that retirement The case of the Lapsed A brief account of the rise of the Novatian Sect. The fierceness of the Persecution at Carthage under Decius The courage and patience of the Christians Cyprian 's return A Synod at Carthage about the case of the Lapsed and the cause of Novatian Their determination of these matters Ratified by a Synod at Rome and another at Antioch A second Synod about the same affair Moderation in the Ecclesiastic Discipline used in the time of Persecution The great Pestilence at Carthage The miserable state of that City The mighty charity of S. Cyprian and the Christians at that time These evils charged upon the Christians S. Cyprians vindication of them The time of baptizing Infants determined in a Synod Another Synod to decide the case of the Spanish Bishops that had lapsed in the time of Persecution The Controversie concerning the Rebaptizing those who had been baptized by Hereties This resolved upon in a Synod of LXXXVII African Bishops The immoderate heats between Cyprian Firmilian and Stephen Bishop of Rome about this matter Cyprian arraigned before the Proconsul His resolute carriage His banishment to Curubis His Martyrdom foretold him by a Vision His Letters during his exile The severe usage of the Christians His withdrawment and why His apprehension and examination before the Proconsul The sentence passed upon him His Martyrdom and place of burial His piety fidelity chastity humility modesty charity c. His natural parts His learning wherein it mainly consisted The politeness and elegancy of his stile His quick proficiency in Christian studies His frequent converse with Tertullian 's Writings His Books The
Pen. XIX HE was highly honoured while he lived not onely by men consulted and appealed to in all weighty cases by foreign Churches but by frequent visions and divine condescensions as he was wont to call them whereby he was immediately warned and directed in all important affairs and exigences of the Church After his death his memory was had in great veneration the people of Carthage c Vict. de Persec Vandal l. 1. inter Oothod PP p. 801. Tom. 2. erecting two eminent Churches to it one in the place of his Martyrdom the other in the Mappalian way where he was buried The former was stiled Mensa Cypriani Cyprian's Table because there he had been offered up a Sacrifice acceptable unto God And here they had their anniversary commemorations of him Whether this was the Church mentioned by Procopius d De Bell. Vandal l. 1. vid. Niceph l. 17. c. 12. p. 751. I cannot tell who informs us that the Carthaginians above all people in the World honoured S. Cyprian building a magnificent Church to his memory without the City Walls near the Sea side and besides other expressions of honour done to him they kept a yearly festival which they called Cypriana This Church Honoricus King of the Vandals afterwards took from the Catholics casting out the Orthodox Clergy with disgrace and contempt and bestowed it upon the Arrians which XCV years after was recovered by the Emperour Justinian under the conduct of Belisarius who besieged and took Carthage and drove the Vandals out of all those parts His Writings Genuine Epistola ad Donatum statim à Baptismo conscripta Epistolae in Secessu toto biennio conscriptae XXXVIII Epistolae sub Pontificatu Cornelii Lucii XVIII Epistolae Miscellaneae in pace variis temporibus conscriptae VIII Epistolae sub Pontificatu Stephani de rebaptizandis Haereticis X. Epistolae in exilio scriptae sub finem vitae VII De disciplina habitu Virginum De Lapsis De Vnitate Ecclesiae Catholicae De Oratione Dominica Ad Demetrianum De Idolorum vanitate De Mortalitate De Opere Eleemosynis De Bono Patientia De Zelo Livore De exhortatione Martyrii ad Fortunatum Testimoniorum Adversus Judaeos Lib. III. Concilium Carthaginense de baptizandis Haereticis Supposititious De Spectaculis De Disciplina bono pudicitiae De Laude Martyrii ad Mosen c. Ad Novatianum quod Lapsis spes veniae non sit deneganda De Cardinalibus Christi operibus De Nativitate Christi De ratione Circumcisionis De Stella Magis ac innocentium nece De baptismo Christi manifestatione Trinitatis De jejunio tentationibus Christi De Coena Domini De Ablutione pedum De unctione Chrismatis aliis Sacramentis De Passione Christi De Resurrectione Christi De Ascensione Christi De Spiritu Sancto De Aleatoribus De montibus Sina Sion contr Judaeos Carmen Genesis Carmen Sodoma Carmen ad Senatorem Apostatam Hymnus de Pascha Domini Oratio pro Martyribus Oratio in die Passionis suae De singularitate Clericorum In Symbolum Apostolorum Expositio De Judaica incredulitate Adv. Judaeos qui Christum insecuti sunt De revelatione Capitis B. Joan. Baptistae De duplici Martyrio ad Fortunatum De XII Abusionibus Saeculi Dispositio Coenae The End of S. CYPRIAN 's Life THE LIFE OF S. GREGORY BISHOP OF NEOCAESAREA Micha Burgh deli et sculp S. GREGORIUS THAUMATURGUS S. Gregory where born His Kindred and Relations The rank and quality of his Parents His youthful studies His study of the Laws His travels to Alexandria The calumny there fixed upon him and his miraculous vindication His return through Greece His studying the Law at Berytus and upon what occasion His fixing at Caesarea and putting himself under the tutorage of Origen The course of his studies His Panegyric to Origen at his departure Origen 's Letter to him and the importance of it His refusal to stay at Neocaesarea and retirement into the Wilderness His shunning to be made Bishop of Neocaesarea Consecrated Bishop of that City during his absence His acceptance of the charge and the state of that place at his entrance upon it His miraculous instruction in the great mysteries of Christianity His Creed The miracles wrought by him in his return His expelling Daemons out of a Gentile Temple and the success of it His welcome entrance into the City and kind entertainment His diligent preaching to the people His erecting a Church for divine worship and its signal preservation An horrible plague stopped by his prayers The great influence of it upon the minds of the people His judging in civil causes His drying up a Lake by his prayers which had been the cause of an implacable quarrel between two Brothers And his restraining the overflowings of the River Lyeus The signal vengeance inflicted upon two Jews counterfeit beggars The fame and multitude of his miracles and the authorities to justifie the credibility of them The rage and cruelty of the Decian Persecution in the Regions of Pontus and Cappadocia His persuading the Christians to withdraw His own retirement The narrow search made for him and his miraculous escape His betrayer converted His return to Neocaesarea and instituting selemnities to the memories of the Martyrs and the reasons of it The inundations of the Northern Nations upon the Roman Empire His Canonical Epistle to rectifie the disorders committed by occason of those inroads His meeting with others in the Synod at Antioch about the cause of Paulus Samosatenus His return home age and death His solemn thanks to God for the flourishing state of his Church and command concerning his burial The excellent character given of him by S. Basil His Writings The charge of Sabellianism S. Basil 's Apology for him in that behalf Modesty to be used in censuring the ancient Fathers and why I. S GREGORY called originally Theodorus was born at a Greg. Nyss in vit Gr. Thaâ—m p. 969. Tom. 2. Neocaesarea the Metropolis of Cappadocia situate upon the River Lycus His Parents were Gentiles but eminent for their birth and fortunes He had a Brother called Athenodorus his fellow-pupil and afterwards Colleague in the Episcopal Order in his own Countrey and one Sister at least married to a Judge under the Governour of Palestin His Father b Gr. Thaâ—m Panegyr ad Orig p. 182. was a Zealot for his Religion wherein he took care to educate him together with the Learning of the Gentile World When he was fourteen years of age his Father died after which he took a greater liberty of enquiring into things and as his reason grew more quick and manly and was advantaged by the improvements of education he saw more plainly the folly and vanity of that Religion wherein he had been brought up which presently abated his edge and turned his inclinations towards Christianity But though he had lost his Father his Mother c Ibid.
p. 184. took care to compleat his breeding placing him and his brother under Masters of Rhetoric and Eloquence By one of which who was appointed to teach him the Latin Tongue as a necessary piece of noble and ingenious education he was persuaded to the study of the Roman Laws as what would be a mighty advantage to him in what way soever he should make use of his Rhetorical Studies afterwards And the man himself being no inconsiderable Lawyer read Lectures to him with great accuracy and diligence which he as sedulously attended to rather to gratifie his humour and his fansie then out of any love to those Studies or design to arrive at perfection in them Which however sufficiently commends his industry those Laws as himself observes a Ibid. p. 171. being vast and various and not to be learned without trouble and difficulty And which above all encreased the labour was that they were all written in Latin a Language as he confesses great indeed and admirable and suited to the Majesty of the Empire but which he found troublesom enough to make himself but a competent Master of II. HAVING laid the foundations of his first and most necessary studies at home he designed yet further to accomplish himself by foreign travels going probably first for Alexandria grown more then ordinarily famous by the Platonic School lately erected there Indeed I am not confident of the precise assigning this period of his life but know that I cannot be much wide the mark Gregory of Nyssa b Ubi supr p. 972. assuring us that he came thither in his Youth where by the closeness of his Studies but especially by the admirable sobriety and strictness of his life he visibly reproached the debaucheries of his fellow-Students who were of more wanton and dissolute manners They presently fall a meditating revenge confederating with a common strumpet to put an abuse and affront upon him Accordingly dressed in a loose wanton garb she came to him one day as he was engaged in a serious and grave discourse with some learned and peculiar friends impudently charging him with over-familiar converses relating what she thought good to affirm had either been said or had passed between them charging him moreover with cheating her of the reward of their lewd embraces The company who knew him to be a person of quite another temper stormed at the boldness and impudence of the woman while he regardless of the affront said nothing to it calmly desiring a friend to give her the money that she asked that they might be no longer interrupted in their discourses But behold how ready Heaven is to vindicate the cause of injured innocence The money was no sooner paid into her hand but as if acted by a furious Daemon she fell into fits of the most wild and extravagant madness roaring out the most horrid noise throwing her self upon the ground pulling and tearing of her hair distorting her eyes and foming at the mouth nor could she be freed from the rude treatments of the merciless Daemon till he whom she had wronged had forgiven her and interceded with Heaven for her III. DEPARTING from Alexandria he came back as we may probably suppose through Greece and staid a while at Athens where c H. Ecâ—l l. 4. c. 27. p. 244. Socrates tells us he studied and thence returned to his own Countrey applying himself to his old study of the Law which he had now a great opportunity to improve by going to Berytus a City of Phoenicia and a famous University for the Profession of the Roman Laws whence Eunapius d In vit Preaeres p. 117. says of Anatolius 't was no wonder if he was incomparably skill'd in the Laws being born at Berytus the Mother of those Studies Hither he came upon this occasion a Panegyr ad Orig p. 186. The President of Palestin had taken his Brother-in-law an eminent Lawyer along with him to be his Assessor and assistant in governing the affairs of that Province who not long after sent for his Wife and a request that he also would come along with her All things conspired to make him willing to undertake this journey the gratifying his Sister with his company the importunity and persuasion of his friends the conveniency of residing at Berytus for the study of the Law and the advantage of conveyance and the public carriages that were sent to fetch his sister and her retinue into those parts Whether he actually studied at Berytus cannot be gathered from any account that he himself gives of it nay rather the contrary b Id. ibid. p. 188 though S. Hierom and others expresly affirm it If he did he staid not long quickly growing weary of his Law-studies being tempted with the more pleasant and charming speculations of Philosophy The fame of Origen who at that time had opened a School at Caesarea in Palestin and whose renown no doubt he had heard sufficiently celebrated at Alexandria soon reached him to whom he immediately betook himself where meeting c Gr. Nyss ib. p. 9â—4 accidentally with Firmilian a Cappadocian Gentleman and afterwards Bishop of Caesarea in that Countrey and finding a more then ordinary sympathy and agreeableness in their tempers and studies they entered into a League of friendship and jointly put themselves together with his Brother Athenodorus under the tutorage of that so much celebrated Master Where d Vit. Orig. Praef Orig. Oper. Erasmus his mistake must be pardoned making our Gregory and Theodorus two distinct Scholars of Origen when 't is so notoriously known they were but two names of the same person Though herein the more easily to be excused that e H. Eccl. l. 5 c. 20. p. 369. Nicephorus Callistus long before him had besides ours made another Theodorus Scholar also to Origen at that same time at Caesarea who was as he tells us an eminent Bishop in Palestin But herein there is an universal silence in all other Writers not the least intimation of it in Eusebius from whom he derives his accounts of things So plain it is that of two several names he made two different persons IV. GLAD he was to have fallen under so happy an institution Origen by the most apt and easie methods leading him through the whole region and circumference of Philosophy By how many Stages he brought him through the several parts of Discipline Logic Physics Mathematics Ethics Metaphysics and how he introduced him into the mysteries of Theology S. Gregory himself has given us f Paneg. p. 197. c. large and particular accounts which it is not material here to insist upon Above all he endeavoured to settle him in the full belief and persuasion of the Christian Religion whereinto he had some insight before and to ground him in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures as the best System of true Wisdom and Philosophy Five years he continued Origen's Disciple when he was recalled into his own Countrey Being to take
his leave he made an Oration before his Master and in a numerous Auditory wherein as he gives Origen his just commendations so he particularly blesses God g Ibid. p. 178 181. for the happy advantages of his instructions and return thanks to his tutelar and guardian Angel which as it had superintended him from his birth so had especially conducted him to so good a Master elegantly bewailing h Ibid. p. 218. 〈◊〉 his departure from that School as a kind of banishment out of Paradise a being turned like the Prodigal out of his Fathers house and a being carried captive as the Jews were into Babylon concluding that of all things upon earth nothing could give so great an ease and consolation to his mind as if his kind and benign Angel would bring him back to that place again V. HE was no sooner returned to Neocaesarea but Origen followed him with a Letter a Extat in Orig. Philoâ—â— c. 13. p. 41. commending his excellent parts able to render him either an eminent Lawyer among the Romans or a great Philosopher among the Greeks but especially persuading him to improve them to the ends of Christianity and the practice of Piety and Vertue For which purpose he lets him know that he instructed him mainly in those Sciences and parts of Philosophy which might be introductory to the Christian Religion acquainting him with those things in Geometry and Astronomy which might be useful for the understanding and explaining the holy Scriptures these things being as previously advantageous to the knowledge of the Christian Doctrin as Geometry Music Grammar Rhetoric and Astronomy are preparatory to the study of Philosophy Advising him before all things to read the Scripture and that with the most profound and diligent attention and not rashly to entertain notions of divine things or to speak of them without solemn premeditation and not onely to seek but knock to pray with faith and fervency it being in vain to think that the door should be opened where prayer is not sent before-hand to unlock it At his return b Gr. Nyss ib. p. 975. all mens eyes were upon him expecting that in public meetings he should shew himself and let them reap some fruit of all his studies and to this he was universally courted and importuned and especially by the wise and great men of the City intreating him to reside among them and by his excellent precepts and rules of life to reform and direct the manners of men But the modest young man knowing how unfit they generally were to entertain the dictates of true Philosophy and fearing lest by a great concourse and applause he might be insensibly ensuared into pride and vain-glory resisted all addresses and withdrew himself into the Wilderness where he resigned up himself to solitude and contemplation conversing with God and his own mind and delighting his thoughts with the pleasant speculations of nature and the curious and admirable works of the great Artificer of the World VI. NEOCAESAREA was a place large and populous but miserably over-grown with Superstition and Idolatry so that it seemed the place where Satans seat was and whither Christianity had as yet scarce made its entrance to the great grief and resentment of all good men who heartily wished that Religion and the fear of God were planted in that place c Id. ib. p. 976. Phaedimus Bishop of Amasea a neighbour City in that Province a man indued with a Prophetic spirit had cast his eye upon our young Philosopher as one whose ripe parts and piety did more then weigh down his want of age and rendred him a person fit to be a Guide of Souls to the place of his Nativity whose relation to the place would more endear the imployment to him The notice hereof being intimated to him he shifted his Quarters and as oft as sought for fled from one Desert and solitary shelter to another so that the good man by all his arts and industry could not lay hold of him the one not being more earnest to find him out then the other was vigilant to decline him Phaedimus at last despairing to meet with him resolved however to go on with his design and being acted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a divine and immediate impetus betook himself to this pious stratagem the like president probably not to be met with in the Antiquities of the Church not regarding Gregorius his absence who was at that time no less then three days journy distant from him he made his address and prayer to God and having declared that both himself and Gregory were at that moment equally seen by God as if they were present in stead of imposition of hands he directed a Discourse to S. Gregory wherein he set him apart to God and constituted him Bishop of that place and God who steers the hearts of men inclined him how averse soever before to accept the charge when probably he had a more formal and solemn Consecration VII THE Province he entered upon was difficult the City and parts thereabouts being wholly given to the worship of Daemons a Id. ubi supr p. 977. and enslaved to the observance of Diabolic Rites there not being above seventeen Christians in those parts so that he must found a Church before he could govern it and which was not the least inconvenience Heresies had spread themselves over those Countries and he himself though accomplished with a sufficient furniture of humane Learning yet altogether unexercised in Theological studies and the mysteries of Religion For remedy whereof he is said to have had an immediate assistance from Heaven For while one night he was deeply considering of these things and discussing matters of Faith in his own mind he had a vision wherein two august and venerable persons whom he understood to be S. John the Evangelist and the blessed Virgin appeared in the Chamber where he was and discoursed before him concerning those points of Faith which he had been before debating with himself After whose departure he immediately penned that Canon and rule of Faith which they had declared and which he ever after made the Standard of his Doctrin and bequeathed as an inestimable Legacy and depositum to his Successors the Tenor whereof we shall here insert together with the Original Greek which being very difficult to be exactly rendred into our Language the learned Reader if he likes not mine may translate for himself There is one God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of the living Word and of the subsisting Wisdom and Power and of Him who is his Eternal Image the perfect begetter of Him that is perfect the Father of the onely begotten Son There is one Lord the onely Son of the onely Father God of God the Character and Image of the Godhead the powerful Word the comprehensive Wisdom by which all things were made and the Power that gave Being to the whole Creation the true Son of the true
Father the Invisible of the Invisible the Incorruptible of the Incorruptible the Immortal of the Immortal and the Eternal of Him that is Eternal There is one Holy Ghost having its subsistence of God which appeared through the Son to mankind the perfect Image of the perfect Son the Life-giving Life the holy Fountain the Sanctity and the Author of Sanctification by whom God the Father is made manifest who is over all and in all and God the Son who is through all A perfect Trinity which neither in Glory Eternity or Dominion is divided or separated from it self To this Creed he always kept himself the Original whereof written with his own hand my Author assures us was preserved in that Church in his time VIII THUS incomparably furnished he began to apply himself more directly to the charge committed to him in the happy success whereof he was infinitely advantaged by a power of working miracles so much talked of among the Ancients bestowed upon him As he was a Ibid. p. 980. returning home from the Wilderness being benighted and overtaken with a storm he together with his company turned aside to shelter themselves in a Gentile Temple famous for Oracles and Divinations where they spent the night in prayers and hymns to God Early in the morning came the Gentile Priest to pay the accustomed devotions to the Daemons of the place who had told them it seems that they must henceforth relinquish it by reason of him that lodged there he made his lustrations and offered his Sacrifices but all in vain the Daemons being deaf to all importunities and invocations Whereupon he burst out into a rage and passion exclaiming against the holy man and threatning to complain of him to the Magistrates and the Emperour But when he saw him generously despising all his threatnings and invested with a power of commanding Daemons in and out at pleasure he turned his fury into admiration and intreated the Bishop as a further evidence of that divine authority that attended him to bring the Daemons once more back again into the Temple For whose satisfaction he is said to have torn off a piece of Paper and therein to have written these words Gregory to Satan enter Which Schedule was no sooner laid upon the Altar and the usual incense and oblations made but the Daemons appeared again as they were wont to do Whereby he was plainly convinced that it was an Authority superiour to all infernal powers and accordingly resolved to accompany him but being unsatisfied in some parts of the Christian Doctrin was fully brought over after he had seen S. Gregory confirm his discourses by another evident miracle whereupon he freely forsook house and home friends and relations and resigned up himself to the instructions of his divine Wisdom and Philosophy IX THE fame of his strange and miraculous actions had prepared b Id. ibid. p. 983. the People of Neocaesarea to entertain him with a prodigious reverence and regard the people generally flocking out of the City to meet him every one being ambitious to see the person of whom such great things were spoken He unconcerned in the applause and expectations of all the Spectators that were about him without so much as casting his eye on the one side or the other passed directly through the midst of the crowds into the City Whither being come his friends that had accompanied him out of his solitudes were very solicitous where and by whom he should be entertained But he reproving their anxiety asked them whether they thought themselves banished the divine Protection whether Gods providence was not the best and safest refuge and habitation that whatever became of their bodies it was of infinitely more importance to look after their minds as the onely fit and proper habitations which were by the Vertues of a good life to be trimmed and prepared furnished and built up for Heaven But there wanted not many who were ready enough to set open their doors to so welcom a guest among which especially was Musonius a person of greatest honour estate and power in the City who intreated him to honour his house with his presence and to take up his lodging there whose kindness as being first offered he accepted dismissing the rest with a grateful acknowledgment of that civility and respect which they had offered to him X. IT was no little abatement to the good mans joy to think in what a prophane and idolatrous place his lot was fallen and that therefore it concerned him to lose no time Accordingly that very day a Ubi supr p. 985. he fell to preaching and with so good success that before night he had converted a little Church Early the next morning the doors were crowded persons of all ranks ages infirmities and distempers flocking to him upon whom he wrought two cures at once healing both soul and body instructing their minds convincing their errours reclaiming and reforming their manners and that with ease because at the same time strengthening the infirm curing the sick healing the diseased banishing Daemons out of the possessed men greedily embracing the Religion he taught while they beheld such sensible demonstrations of its power and divinity before their eyes and heard nothing reported but what was verified by the testimony of their own senses Having thus prepared a numerous Congregation his next care was to erect a Church where they might assemble for the public solemnities of Religion which by the chearful contributions of some and the industrious labour of others was in a little time both begun and finished And the foundations of it seem to have been laid upon a firmer basis then other buildings seeing it out-stood not onely Earthquakes frequent in those parts but the violent storm of Dioclesian's reign who commanded the Churches of the Christians in all places to be demolished and was still standing in Gregory Nyssen's time who further tells us that when a terrible Earthquake lately happened in that place wherewith almost all the buildings both public and private were destroyed and ruined this Church onely remained entire and not the least stone was shaken to the ground XI S. Gregory Nyssen b Ibid. p. 1007. reports one more memorable passage then the rest which at his first coming to the place made his conversion of the people much more quick and easie There was a public festival held in honour of one of the gods of that Country whereto not onely the Neocaesareans but all the inhabitants of the neighbour-Countrey came in and that in such infinite numbers that the Theater was quickly full and the crowd so great and the noise so confused and loud that the Shews could not begin nor the solemn rites be performed The People hereupon universally cried out to the Daemon Jupiter we beseech thee make us room S. Gregory being told of this sent them this message that their prayer would be granted and that greater room would be quickly made them then they desired
his example The answer he returned was short and Apostolical that we must obey God rather then men openly assuring him that he would worship the true God and none but him from which resolution he would never start nor ever cease to be a Christian The Governour told them that both by word and writing he had acquainted them with the great clemency of the Emperours towards them permitting them to be safe if they would but act agreeably to nature and adore the Gods that were Protectors of the Empire and he hoped they would be more grateful then to refuse it The Bishop replied that every one worshipped those whom they thought to be gods that as for themselves they adored and served that one God who is the Creator of the World and who gave that Government to the Emperours and to whom they offered up dayly prayers for the permanency and stability of their Empire To which the other rejoined that if he were a god none hindred them from worshipping him together with them who were truly gods they being enjoined to worship not one but gods and those whom all men owned to be so Dionysius answered We cannot worship any other I see replied Aemilian that you are a company of foolish and ingrateful people and not sensible of the favour of our Lords the Emperours wherefore you shall stay no longer in this City but be sent to Cephro in the parts of Lybia for thither according to the Emperours command I resolve to banish you Nor shall either you or any of your Sect have leave to keep your meetings or to frequent your Coemeteria which if any dare to attempt it shall be at his peril and he shall be punished suitably to his crime Be gone therefore to the place allotted you X. THE sentence was speedily put into execution Dionysius though then sick not being allowed one days respite to recover himself or provide for his journey thither Indeed when he came distinctly to understand the place of his exile he was a little troubled knowing it to be a place destitute of the society of good men and perpetually exposed to the incursions of Thieves and Robbers but was better satisfied when told that it was near a great and populous City whose neighbourhood would furnish him with persons both for Converse and for opportunities of Conversion Cephro was the most rude and barbarous Tract of the Lybian Desart and Colythius which as * Lib. 6. c. 10. p. 402. Nicephorus tells us was that particular part of it to which Dionysius was designed the most uncomfortable it 's like of all the rest Thither therefore was he sent whom great numbers of Christians quickly followed partly from Alexandria and partly out of other parts of Egypt At his first arrival he was treated with rudeness and showrs of stones but had not been long there before he not onely civilized their barbarous manners but reclaimed them from idolatry and brought them to embrace the Christian Faith And as he met with success so he shifted his quarters preaching up and down those wild and disconsolate parts and turning the Wilderness into a Church Nor could all the malice and threatnings of the Governour hinder but that the Christians still assembled at Alexandria notwithstanding that their beloved Bishop was ravished from them and that Aemilian proceeded with the utmost rigour against all that were brought before him killing many with all the arts of cruelty keeping others for the rack and torment loading them with chains and thrusting them into squalid and nasty Dungeons forbidding any of their friends to come near them Though even in the height of these afflictions God supported their spirits and animated others to venture in and to administer comfort and necessaries to them not scrupling though with the peril of their heads to interr the bodies of the Martyrs XI HOW long Dionysius continued in his banishment I find not probably till Valerian was taken captive by the King of Persia Ann. CCLIX when Gallienus his Son ruled alone who from the unhappiness of his Father took the measures of his carriage towards the Christians he saw that while he favoured the Christians Heaven smiled upon his designs and things went on in a smooth and uninterrupted course but when once he began to bear hard upon them the Tide turned and the divine vengeance pursued and overtook them and that therefore nothing could be more prudent and reasonable then to give a check to the present fury and suffer them to go on securely in the exercise of their Religion which he did by this following Edict a Euseb l. 9. c. 13. p. 262. Emperour Caesar P. Licinius GALLIENUS Pius Felix Augustus to Dionysius Pinnas Demetrius and the rest of the Bishops WE have given Order that the Indulgence of our bounty shall be extended throughout the World that all Religious places shall be freed from force and violence Wherefore ye also may freely enjoy the benefit of our Rescript so as no man shall dare to vex or molest you and what you now may lawfully enjoy has been long since granted by Us. And for this end Aurelius Cyrenius Our High Steward shall keep the Copy of this Edict which we have now granted The like Rescript he also sent to other Bishops giving them the free leave of their Coemeteria the places where they bureid their dead and often assembled for their Religious Solemnities especially the memorials of the Martyrs XII SCARCE was Dionysius quietly resetled at home when he was alarum'd by another accident which forced him for a while again if not to retire at least to keep so close that he was not capable to execute his charge a Tr. Poll. in vit Aemil. p. 778. in vit Gall. c. 4. p. 715. Aemilianus the Praefect partly by his own ambition and partly forced by an unhappy accident wherein he was involved took the Empire upon him the Roman Army in Egypt joyning with him partly out of dislike to Gallienus partly out of affection to Aemilian who was a brisk active man Immediately he seized upon the Store-houses that Countrey being the common Granary of the Empire Gallienus being acquainted with the news ordered Theodotus his General to march with an Army into those parts who besieged Alexandria and reduced the City to great extremity For they were not more vigorously assaulted by the enemy from without then undermined b Dionys Epist ad Hierach ib. c. 21. p. 266. by Parties and Factions within the City being divided into two Factions one contending for Gallienus and the other for Aemilian So that there was no converse nor commerce between them Dionysius being compelled in all his private affairs and the public concernment of his Church to transact with his friends by Letters it being safer as he tells us for a man to travel from East to West then to pass from one part of Alexandria to another so barbarous and inhumane were the outrages committed there
he had bitterly quarrelled with Theophilus This notwithstanding he is not affrighted from undertaking him but treats him with all the freedom and ingenuity that became a Friend and a Philosopher tells e Ib. l. 1. p. 70. him that the cause was in himself why he did not discern and embrace the truth that his wickedness and impieties had depraved his mind and darkned his understanding and that men were not to blame the Sun for want of light when themselves were blind and wanted eyes to see it that the rust and soil must be wiped off from the Glass before 't would make a true and clear representation of the object and that God would not discover himself but to purged and prepared minds and such who by innocency and a divine life were become fit and disposed to receive and entertain him Then he explains to him the nature of God and gives him an account of the Origin of the World according to the Christian doctrin disproves and derides the ridiculous deities of the Heathens and particularly answers those black imputations usually laid upon the Christians and because Autolycus had mainly urged the lateness and novelty of the Christian Faith he shews shews at large how much superiour it was in many parts of it in point of Seniority and that by many Ages to any thing which the Heathen Religion could pretend to pressing him at every turn to comply with so excellent a Religion and assuring him the * Lib. 3. p. 127. People whom he invited him to were so far from being such as he represented them that they lived under the Conduct of Modesty and Sobriety Temperance and Chastity banished Injustice and rooted up all Vice and Wickedness loved Righteousness lived under Law and Rule exercised a Divine Religion acknowledged God served the Truth were under the preservation of Grace and Peace directed by a sacred Word taught by Wisdom rewarded by a life immortal and governed by God himself What the issue of his Discourses was we cannot tell but may probably hope they had a desired success especially since we find ⸫ Lib. 2. p. 80. Autolycus after the first conference a little more favourable to the cause abating of his conceived displeasure against Theophilus and desiring of him a further account of his Religion And certainly if Wisdom and Eloquence if strength of Reason and a prudent managing the Controversie were able to do it he could not well fail of reclaiming the man from his Errour and Idolatry V. NOR was he more sollicitous to gain others to the Faith then he was to keep those who already had embraced it from being infected and depraved with Errour For which cause he continually stood upon his guard faithfully gave warning of the approach of Heresie and vigorously set himself against it For notwithstanding the care and vigilance of the good and pious men of those days as a H. Eccl. l. 4. c. 24. p. 146. Eusebius observes envious men crept in and sowed Tares among the sincere Apostolic Doctrine so that the Pastors of the Church were forced to rise up in every place and to set themselves to drive away these wild Beasts from Christs Sheep-fold partly by exhorting and warning the Brethren partly by entering the lists with the Heretics themselves some personally disputing with and confuting them others accurately convincing and refuting their Opinions by the Books which they wrote against them Among whom he tells us was our Theophilus who conflicted with these Heretics and particularly wrote against Marcion who asserted two Deities and that the Soul onely as being the divine and better part and not the Body was capable of the happiness of the other World and this too granted to none but his Followers with many such impious and fond Opinions Another Book he wrote against Hermogenes one better skilled in Painting then drawing Schemes of new Divinity he forsook the Church and fled to the Stoies and being tinctured with their Principles maintained matter to be eternal out of which God created all things and that all evils proceeded out of Matter asserting moreover as Clemens of Alexandria b In excerpt Graec. Theod. ap Cl. Alex. p. 808. D. informs us that our Lords Body was lodged in the Sun ridiculously interpreting that place in them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sun Nor did our Theophilus neglect the weak and younger part of the charge he had not onely Physic for the Sick and strong meat for them of full age but milk for Babes and such as were yet unskilful in the word of righteousness composing many Catechetic Discourses that contained the first rudiments of the Faith VI. HE sate thirteen years c Niceph. C. P. Chronograph ap Scalig. p. 311. in his Bishoprick XXI says the Patriarch of Alexandria d Eutych Annal p. 359. and died about the second or third year of the Emperour Commodus for that he out-lived M. Antoninus is evident from his mentioning a Ad Autol. l. 3. p. 138. his death and the time of his reign in his Discourses with Autolycus after which he composed those Discourses but what kind of death it was whether natural or violent is to me unknown From the calmness and tranquillity of Commodus his reign as to any Persecution against the Christians we may probably guess it to have been a peaceable and quiet death Books he wrote many whereof b Hieron 〈◊〉 de Script in Theoph. S. Hierom gives this Character that they were elegant Tracts and greatly conducive to the edification of the Church And further adds that he had met with Commentaries upon the Gospel and the Proverbs of Solomon bearing his name but which seemed not to answer his other Writings in the elegancy and politeness of the stile His Writings Extant Ad Autolycum Libri III. Not Extant Contra Haeresin Hermogenis Adversus Marcionem Libri aliquot Catechetici Doubtful Commentarii in Evangelium Commentarii in Proverbia Solomonis The End of S. THEOPHILUS 's Life THE LIFE OF S. MELITO BISHOP of SARDIS M. Burg. sculp S. MELITO His Countrey and Birth-place His excellent Parts and Learning His being made Bishop of Sardis His coelibacy His Prophetic gifts The Persecution under Marcus Aurelius Melito his Apology for the Christians A fragment of it cited out of Eusebius The great advantages of Christianity to the Empire His endeavour to compose the Paschal Controversie His Book concerning that Subject His journey to Jerusalem to search what Books of the Old Testament were received by that Church The Copy of his Letter to his Brother Onesimus concerning the Canon of the Old Testament What Books admitted by the ancient Church Solomons Proverbs stiled by the Ancients the Book of Wisdom His death and burial The great variety of his works Vnjustly suspected of dangerous notions An account given of the titles of two of his Books most liable to suspicion His Writings enumerated I. S MELITO was born in Asia and probably at Sardis