eight dayes vnder Claudius also his successour And it appeareth by the historie of the Actes and the Epistles of the Apostles howe the churches were tossed and persecuted in Asia Antiochia Pisidia Iconium Lystra Galatia Ephesus Macedonia Philippi Thessalonia Corinthus Berrhoe Rome and many other places but all these persecutions were as yet particular and but in some one place or other God moderating and mitigating the hearts and hands of men and gouerning after a wonderful sorte his Churche in those Emperours dayes to the ende it mighte more blessedly and plentifully growe But omitting these let vs speake of the ten great and generall persecutions as they are called by which the Church was eagerly assaulted and cruely tormented on all sides The first persecution was vnder Nero the sixt Emperour who was called Claudius Domitius Nero. He was ordeined Emperour in the yeere 57. after the birth of Christe and reigned xiiii yeeres seuen monethes and certaine dayes And some say that the fiue first yeeres hee was a good man but that afterwards he so disordered himselfe and fell into suche excesse by incests murthers and all maner of wickednesses that hardly there is as yet any other Emperour to be found who was defiled with such filthinesses Tertullian rehearseth in his Apologetico that this Emperour was the first persecutor of the Church Tertul. Apolog. Cap. 5. Looke saith hee into your histories and registers and you shall finde that Nero was the first which exercised crueltie against the christians which were vnder the Emperours authoritie principalie against the church which was established at Rome Corne. Tacitus lib. 15. And Cornelius Tacitus declareth that the ocasiō which Nero toke to persecute the church for was this that he cōmāded secretly to set on fire the citie of Rome that he might see some forme or image as it were which might represent set out vnto him the fire of Troy And so the fire continued in the Citie sixe daies space which made such a destruction that he became hereby very odious among the people And seeing that hee could not put out this hatred and waiting of him to doe him som mischiefe for al the good turnes which he could do to the people he foūd out this deuise to sow abrode this bruite rumor and report that it was the Christians who had ben the blowers of that fire and the authours of that destruction and from that time forward he began to persecute them and to put them to death both because they were as he said the blowers of that fire and also because they were enimies of all mankinde by reason of that confession which they made of the name of Christ And to make them to die his vpholders put vpon their backes the skinnes of wild beasts that they might be torn and rent if it were possible in peeces with dogs where also they crucified them burned thē al aliue although the day failed thē yet they burned them that they might therby giue light to the night This first persecution began about the yeere of Christ 66. the x. yeere of Nero his raigne lasted 4. yeres somwhat more vntill the death of that tyrant Some say Eusebius amōgest those reciteth it that this Nero about the end of his daies or reigne caused S. Peter S. Paul to be put to death The 2. persecution was vnder Domitian the xii Emperour who was appointed Emperor in the yeere of Christ 83. reigned xv yeeres and vi monethes He was so lifted vp in crueltie and pride that he would haue his subiects call him God Lord caused images of his owne person to bee made of gold siluer He ordeined as his father Vespasiā had done before him that inquirie should be made against the race of Dauid that they which were foūd to be therof shold be put to death for he feared the comming of Christ about the 14. yere of his reigne the yeere of Christ 97. he caused by an Edict to be published and proclaimed a cruell persecution against the Christians insomuche that the Church was miserably and a long time tormented vnder him The third persecution was in the dayes of Traian the fourteenth Emperour who was appointed Emperor about the yeere of Christe 100. who gouerned the Empire nienteene yeeres sixe monethes and fifteene dayes Hee is greatly praised of the Historiographers as a courteous and gentle Prince and some say that hee was so renowmed and famous by reason of his iustice curtesie that euer after so often as any was created Emperour the people yeelded this blessed exclamation outcrie and consent Bee hee more happy then Augustus and better then Traian yet notwithstanding hee persecuted the Church and mark the occasion that he tooke so to doe Hee was brought vp from his infancie in the Paganish and Heathenish superstitions by reason whereof hee disdained and despised christiā religion because that it was contrary to these superstitions Besides that hee had about him certaine courtiers which were blowers of that fire in him augmented that disdain and dispite in him insomuch that diuers Historiographers recorde that hee was not so much of his owne nature inclined to shed blood as deceiued and stirred vp thereto by his councellers and principally by the Pagane Priestes Freculph lib. 2. Cap. 20. who as Freculphus witnesseth gaue good store of siluer to the gouernours and bribed freely to the end that they would put the christiās to death as their deadly enimies Some adde that the number of Christians was very much increased whereupon many inconueniences might come to the Romane Empire if the dāger were not preuēted which also was a cause that Traian was the more inflamed and kindled against them as also Sabellicus writeth Sabellicus that the great number of christians were more suspected of this Emperour then the religion After this sort then did they accuse the christians of sedition and blasphemie and for these causes they were cruelly persecuted insomuch as it appeareth by that which Plinie the second hath written Plinius secund That publik commandements were sent from the Emperour to the gouernours of all the Prouinces by which euery gouernour was inforced too persecute and so the persecution was spread abrod through out al the places of the Romā empire which at that time cōteined not only Europe but also a great parte of Asia Affrica And the said persecutiō indured about fourteene yeeres but yet in suche order that in the beginning of the reigne of Traian it was some what lesse sharpe but afterwards it flamed out and burst foorth more and more Tertul. Apologi Capt 2. Nowe the sayde Plinie the seconde had at that time the gouernment of a certaine Prouince to wit of Bethina and as Tertullian saith hee was appointed too persecute the Christians about the yeere of Christ 112. and of Traian the xiiii yeere Wherefore hee being astonished with the great number of martyres
and Iohn who being couetous and greedie of worldly honours and desiring to liue at their case and rest Mark 10.35 c. demaunded of Iesus Christ That hee woulde graunt vnto them to sit in his glorie the one at his right hande and the other at his left But the scripture teacheth vs altogether the cōtrarie that is to say that so long as we haue to walk here below it standeth vs in hand to battell or fight yea to passe thorow the thornes and to be tormented by the malice of the Deuill wicked men his instruments yea so much the more by how much wee shal indeuour and labour sincerely to serue God Which thing also Iesus Christ hath well and sufficiently declared to the abouesaid sonnes of Zebedeus when he answered them Mark 10. 38. Yee knowe not what yee aske Can ye drinke of the Cup that I shal drink of and be baptized with the baptisme wherwith I shal be baptized Meaning therby that the common state cōdition of Christiās is this that they should be exercised in this world by the crosse tribulations before that they can bee crowned And this is the cause wherfore the church is called militant or warfaring so long as it is here below on the earth euē as we haue seene and heard in the first Chapiter And for this verie selfe same cause also Mark 4.36 c. it is compared to a litle shippe altogether tossed vp and downe in the midst of the bellowes or surges and of the tempests of the sea also to grounde continually ploughed ouer Psal 129.3 and thorowe which men make the plough continually to goe to rent or cleaue it to turn it vpside down Therfore also S. Paul saith in the Acts Act. 14.22 That by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of God And in 2. Epistle to Tim. All those that wil liue godly in Christ Iesus 2 Tim. 3.12 shal suffer persecution Iesus Christ saith also vnto his Disciples Iohn 15.20 Remember the worde that I said vnto you that the seruaunt is not greater than his maister If they haue persecuted me Iohn 16.1.2 they wil persecute you also Also These things haue I said vnto you that yee should not be offended They shal excommunicate you yea the time shal come that whosoeuer killeth you wil thinke that hee doeth God seruice And this is the state and conditiō wherein God wil haue his Church to glorifie him here belowe on the earth And in deed the first lesson that Iesus Christ gaue to his Disciples was touching this matter of the Crosse and persecutions If any man saith he wil come after me Matth. 16.24 let him forsake him selfe take vp his Crosse and folow me The experience of all times and ages doth sufficiently shew vnto vs the truth of this matter whether we cōsider somwhat narrowly as well the estate of the auncient Church vnder the old Testament as the state of that which came afterward vnder the new Testament insomuch that it may rightly say Psal 129.1 They haue often afflicted mee frō my youth haue done mee a thousand euils as is saide in the Psalmes For euen from the beginning the Deuil hath alwayes beene like to himself that is to say a lier a murtherer Iohn 8.44 enuious a false and priuie accuser war hath alwayes continued betweene the womās seed the Serpents seed And howe can any man ioyne put together thinges which are of a cōtrarie nature Gene. 3.15 2. Cor. 6.14.15 How can any man make agreement betweene God and the Deuill betweene Christ and Belial betweene the faithfull and the vnbeleeuers Iesus Christ in the third Cap. of S. Iohn sheweth a reasō to declare why it is impossible that the good the wicked shuld suffer one with another agree together Iohn 3.19.20 to wit That all the workes which the worlde doeth are wicked and therefore lest they should bee discouered laide open by the light it hateth the light and loueth darknesse From hence is it that euen frō the beginning of the world enimites between the faithfull and the aduersaries of the trueth haue taken and had their originall and first foundation This is the cause why Cain slue his brother Abell that Lot the faithful seruant of the Lord was hated of the Sodomites that Ishmael mocked Isaac and persecuted him that Esaw went about to oppresse kill Iacob euen from his youth that Ioseph had his owne brethren for his enemies that the Prophetes could not agree with the wicked Kinges nor S. Iohn Baptist with the incestuous Herode nor Iesus Christ with the high Priestes Scribes Pharisees nor the Apostles and Martyrs with the infideles vnbeleeuers of their times And therefore it is meere follie to suppose and thinke that the children of God can euer bee beloued of the worlde Whereupon by good right for good cause S. Iames saith That the amitie of the world Iames. 4.4 is the enimitie of God and hee that will bee a friende of the worlde maketh himselfe the enimie of God Iohn 15.19 And for this cause also Iesus Christ hath saide to his Disciples If yee were of this worlde the worlde woulde loue his owne but because yee are not of this worlde but I haue chosen and separated you out of this worlde therfore the worlde hateth you To bee short if we woulde that the Church of God should bee without persecution then of necessitie must it bee that the worlde shoulde bee without hatred the Deuill without enuie and our nature without vice or sinne But to the ende that wee may specifie and declare certaine thinges A discourse of the ten great persecutions of the Church touching the persecutions of the Church let vs examine as it were one by one the ten persecutions which came vpon it after the death of Iesus Christ vnder the Emperors whereof the Ecclesiasticall historie maketh mention True it is that in the time of Augustus the seconde Emperour the church was muche persecuted vnder the greate Herode who thinking to put to death the King of the Iewes in the verie cradle commaunded men to slaie all the babes and litle children of Bethlehem and of all the borders thereof from two yeares olde and vnder Also vnder Tiberius the third Emperour by Herode Antipas the Tetrarch of Galilee who was the sonne of the first Herode who tooke away his brother Phillips wife and put to death Iohn Baptist because hee reprooued him for that sinne and offence And by Pilate also who condemned and caused to be put to death on the Crosse Iesus Christ the high Priests Scribes Pharises Elders of the people beeing the principall blowers of the fire and chiefe persecutors Moreouer vnder Caius Caligula that horrible monster who was appointed the fourth Emperor in the nine and thirtieth yeare after Christes birth raigned three yeares tenne monethes and
also it hath not bin begun in our time Euseb lib. 3. cap. 33. Tertull. Apolo Cap. 2. Behold the two letters whereof Eusebius maketh mention in his Ecclesiasticall Historie alleadging Tertullian in his Apologetico which Tertulliā censuring the Emperors answere speaketh after this maner O sentence confused and darkened by necessitie which decreeth that inquirie shall not be made of them because they seeme innocent people yet in the mean while commaundeth that they should bee punished as culpable and giltie It vseth pardon crueltie it dissēbleth punisheth Wherfore O Emperour doest thou abuse thy self in thy charge and Censure If thou condemne Christians why doest thou not make and put in also informations against them Or if thou make and put in no informations Wherefore doest thou condemne them The fourth persecution was vnder Marcus Antonius verus the xvi Emperor who was created in the yeere of Christ 162. He is otherwise called of the Historiographers Marcus Aurelius Verus and surnamed the Philosopher He gouerned the Empire the space of xviii or xix yeeres His vertues were great and wonderfull yet the true vertue was wāting in him to wit the feare of God For looke by how much more he was gentle towards his owne by so much he was the more rude and seuere againste the Christians as a Stoicall man nourished and brought vp from his infancie with the Priests of Satia his lawes edicts declare howe cruell hee was towardes the Christiās For in the booke of digestes we finde such a writing or law that hee made that those which woulde doe any thing against the religion of their Auncestours shoulde bee banished and sent into the Isles Euseb lib. 4. cap. 62. Eusebius reciteth certain things takē out of the Apologie of Melitus the bishop of Sardis amōgst which is this also to be shewed that the faithfull people suffered persecution by reason of some newe Edictes which were published in Asia wherewith the slaunderers making themselues strōg were prouoked and stirred vp to pill and robbe the faithful in euery place wheresoeuer they found them and to steale away the goods of the poore innocents Euseb lib. 5. cap. 1 The Epistle of the Martyres of Vienna and of Lions Cities of Fraunce sent to the faithful people of Asia Phrigia of which Eusebius maketh mention speaketh of a writing or law of the Emperour sent too the gouernour of Fraunce by which hee ordeined that they shoulde put to death the christians perseuering and continuing in their confession and that they shoulde let the other goe which woulde abiure forswere and forsake the same As touching the crimes and faultes whereof the Christians were accused the foresaide Epistle reciteth that the Pagans prouoked yea constrained them to confesse straunge matters and behold what it saith Some were founde amongest vs which were weake who beeing vanquished by Satan and very muche fearing tormentes which they sawe the Saintes suffer and abide being also pushed on by the souldiers haue alleadged against vs that in our bankettes wee should eate the flesh of litle children as was vsed in Thiests his banket and that we commit whoredomes and hortible incests like Oedipus and other thinges which are not lawefull for vs to name yea that so execrable abhominable that it is not possible to thinke that men shoulde euer haue committed such actes And as concerning the tormentes the selfe same Epistle rehearseth them That the Christians were spied and watched both within their houses and without that men cried out againste them in all publike and open places that they dyd beat and whip them drawe them vp and downe stoned them pilled and tooke away their goods and imprisoned them that they applied and layde vnto them burning blades of yron that they shut them together in an instrument of torture and torment euen vnto the fifth hole that they put them into obscure and darke dungeons that they strangled them within the prison that they cast them to beasts that they put thē with in cauldrōs of yron to burne them that they hanged them on Gibbets that they caste them to bulles which might pearse and gore them with their hornes and such other like things The 5. persecutiō was vnder Seuerus xxi Emperor who was established in the Empire in the yere of Christ 196. He raigned 18. yeres The state of the church was som what peaceable from the time of the Emperour Commodus who was the xviii Emperor created about the yeere of Christ 182. vntill Seuerus came who in the ix yeere of his raigne which was after Eusebius account in the yeere of Christe 205. moued stirred vp a terrible persecution against the christians by the gouerners of the Prouinces and countries And some thinke that hee was moued therto rather by the vices faultes which the furious common people did very fasly and wrongfully lay to the Christians charge then to say that of himselfe hee had his hearte inflamed against them Tertullian who was in his time saith Tertullian ad scapul that hee shewed him selfe for a certaine time not onely curteous gentle and full of beneficence liberalitie and good will but also did openly resist the rage of the people yet Eusebius proueth by diuers examples of the Martyrs that this Emperout was a terrible persecutor of the Church Touching the crimes falsly obiected alledged against the Christians Tertul. ad Scapu in Apologes Tertullian reciteth diuers of them saying That they were accused of sedition and treason that they had blamed and spoken euill of the Emperour his honor that they were murtherers Church robbers incestuous persons killers of infantes which they did eate the flesh being rawe that they committed whordome without hauing respect with whom after that they had put out the candles with which filthinesse the Gnostici were in deed spotted Also that they worshipped the head of an Asse in the steede of God that they worshipped the Sunne that they were in nothing profitable for others that they were enemies of mankinde and the greatest and chiefest crime that they laid against them or vpon them was this that they despised the gods which other men worshipped And touching the sortes and maners of torments we may gather it out of that which Eusebius hath written of it Eusebius that some were buffetted and beaten other some beheaded others burned others had boyling pitch powred ouer all the members of their bodies and so they were by litle and litle burned and put to death and besides all this that all their goods were pilled away robbed and confiscate The sixt persecution was vnder Iulius Maximianus the xxvi Emperour who succeeded Alexāder in the yeare of Christ 237. reigned onely about three yeares Hee was a sheepeheard in his young age but because hee was a great and mightie man beeing a Souldier hee was created Emperour without any authoritie of the Senate but by the onely good will and pleasure of the
an houre he yelded vp the Ghost Seuerus was blessed and happie in the beginning of his raigne Seuerus but so soone as he had moued persecution against the Christians then immediatly his prosperitie beganne also to faile and hee was distracted and drawne hither and thither by many daungers and diuers ciuile warres Platina as Platina saieth And as touching his ende although hee were not slaine or that his blood was not shead Victor notwithstanding as Victor hath left it in writing feeling a vehement griefe in all his members and specially in his feete hee asked and desired that some woulde giue him poison to cause him to die and so with a hastie and headlong death hee finished his dayes in England Maximinus Maximinus after he had begunne his persecution was so ouercouered with shame that there was neuer any Emperor more miserable than hee The Senat of Rome in despight of him This is found vvritten in Aurelius Victor and Capitolinus chose other Emperors while he liued His souldiers reuolted froÌ„ him in Affrica And at the last after that he had raigned whole three yeeres hee was slaine by his owne souldiers being threescore yeeres old and with his own sonne being nienteene yeres olde and the manner of his death was terrible and fearefull for hee was cut in peeces and cast into the Riuer and this scoffe or taunte trotted and was rise in the souldiers mouthes that it was not meet to keepe no not a little dogge of a naughtie rase or kinde Afterwardes all those fauourers which were ioyned with him and all those which had been his familiar friendes and acquaintaunce were slaine drawne vp and down and cast into the iakes and priuies Decius Concerning the Emperour Decius beholde that which wee finde of his end Nauclerus rehearseth that hee was drowned Nauclerus and that his body was neuer founde Pomponius hath written Pomponius that in a wicked war against the Gothes he was swallowed vp of a whirlepoole into which hee threwe himselfe headlong to the end that hee might not fal into his enimies hands Fasciculus Temporum saith Fasciculus tempo that hee was slaine in war his sonne also which also is in like sorte put downe set foorth by Eusebius saying that before hee had raigned two yeres Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 1. he was miserably slaine together with his children The vengeance of God likewise horrible was declared in against Valerian Valerianus punishing him for the christiaÌ„s blood which was spilte by his appointment and commandement For wee reade in the xxiii booke of Volateranus Volateran lib. 23 and in other historie writers that hee alittle before he beganne to persecute the Christians went to make war against the Persians and that in battell hee was taken by Sapores the king of the saide Persians who handeled him so vncourteously and intreated him so chourlishly that so often as this king Sapores woulde get vp on horse backe hee vsed the backe of this poore slaue to help him to mount vp and so this Emperour spent his olde age in this so miserable seruitude and bondage Eusebuis Eusebius in the Oration or Sermon which hee made to the assemblie of the Saints saith that Sapores at the last caused Valerian to bee fleied and these are his wordes And thou also Valerian because thou diddest exercise so greate crueltie of murthers againste the seruauntes of GOD the iust iudgement of God hath been declared on thee when beeing captiue and bounde and ledde with thy imperiall ornament haddest at the last thy skin pulled off by the commaundement of Sapores King of the Persians and salted thou hast set vp somewhat as a perpetuall remembraunce of thy wickednesse Henric. Erdford lib. 6. Cap. 27. Some say that Claudius Valerius his Lieuetenant was possessed with a Deuill that his tongue was cut out of his head and chopped in peeces and that at the last he was choaked Aurelian Aurelian was not exempted from Gods punishment for as he beganne his persecution against the Christians a thunderbolt fell nigh vnto him wherewith hee was sodeinly afraide as wee haue saide heretofore But he became not the better for that Wherefore pursuing his enterprise and attempt soone after hee was slaine by his owne people going the seconde time to warre against the Illyrians and this was done betweene Constantinople Heracleas about the yeare of Christ 272. Some affirme also of his Lieutenaunt Antiochus Henric. Erdford li. 6. Ca. 29. that while they were tormenting Agapitus the Martyre hee sodeinlie fell from his seate where hee satte in iudgement crying as though he dispaired that he burned in his bowels that he dyed crying out after that sort Diocletian and Maximianus Herculien Diocletian and Maximianus hauing raigned twentie yeares together and verie much tormented the Churche of GOD by the tenth persecution which they moued against it at the last came to so great a chaunge and alteration of their state and condition and to suche wilfulnesse and madnesse Nicepho lib. 7. Cap. 20. Euseb lib. 8. ca. 13 Volaterra lib. 23 both two of them that as we read in the histories for dispight which they had against Christ because they had not power to establish and blot out his name beeing letted by the constancie courage and might of the noble Martyres they deposed them selues from the Empire and leauing it to the gouernment of Galerius and Constantius Diocletian withdrewe him selfe to Nicomedia and Maximianus to Millain and both of them afterwardes liued as priuate men Dioclesian liued certaine yeeres after But at the last hauing receiued threatning letters from Constantine and Licinius because he would not be at a marriage banket or feast they hauing also inuited and bidden him thereto and fearing a shamefull death hee drunke poyson and died when he was seuentie three yeres old This is recited and reported by the Romane historiographers themselues Aurelius Victor Pomponius Laetus Volateranus Aurelius Victor and Pomponius Laetus Volateran and certaine others say that after his death hee was Deified that is to say put placed and established in the number of the goods Naueleâ—us Vespergensis in suo Cronic And as concerning Maximianus Heculien the Historie writers saye that Maxentius his sonne hauing beene ordeined created and called Emperour at Rome the father tooke courage to him againe purposed in his minde to recouer the Empire from which he had deposed him selfe together with Diocletian In this hope he came to Rome and assaied all the power hee had to put downe and cast out his sonne but hee was driuen backe and withstoode by the Citie and went from thence toward Constantine his sonne in lawe thinking to come vpon him at vnawares to catch him by treason and so to kyll him But his treason beeing discouered hee fledde away and being pursued he was slaine by Constantine nigh vnto Marsilles as Vincentius reciteth it in