mountains were firmly set and before all hills begat he me When he spread and prepared the Heavens I was present with him and when he bound in due order the depths under Heaven I was by composing all things I was she in whom he daily delighted rejoycing continually before his face when he rejoyced at the perfect finishing of the World That therefore the Word of God subsisted before all things and that to some he appeared though not to all men let thus much suffice at this time to have been by us briefly delivered Now for what cause he was not Preached of old unto all men and unto all Nations as now he is thus it shall evidently appear That antient generation of men was not able to receive the most wise and most excellent doctrine of Christ. For immediately in the very beginning after that primitive happy state of life the first man being careless of the commandment of God fell into this mortal and frail life and changed this cursed earth for those heavenly delights and pleasures of old And his posterity when they had replenished this world appeared fâ—r worse one or two excepted they gave admission to certain savage and bruitish manners and led a life not worthy to be called life And moreover they busied not their minds to erect either City or Common-wealth nor to profit in Arts or Sciences They had not amongst them so much as the name either of Laws or Statutes or moreover of Virtue or Philosophy But wandring in deserts they lived like wild and fierce Savages They corrupted their natural understanding and the seeds of Reason and gentleness sown in mans mind with their excessive willfull malice yielding up themselves wholly to all abominable wickednesses sometimes they defiled one anothers bodies sometimes they shed one anothers bloud and sometimes they spared not to devour one anothers flesh yea they audaciously undertook to wage war with God and attempted those Gigantiâ—k-combats so much talk't of determining in their minds to pile up the earth in manner of a Bulwark and so to Scale Heaven and such was their outragious madness they prepared to give Battel to God himself who is over all Wherefore they behaving themselves on this manner God the Overseer of all things came upon them with Floods and fiery destructions as if they had been a wild Thicket overspreading the whole earth also he cut them off with continual Famines and Pestilences with Wars and Thunderbolts from Heaven Repressing with most sharp Punishments that grievous and most pernicious malady as it were of their souls Moreover when this fullness of wickedness was now come to its height and had in a manner spread it self over all shadowing and darkning the minds almost of all men as it were a certain grievous and dead fit of drunkenness then that First begotten and Preexistent Wisedom of God and the same Word that was in the beginning with God out of his superabundant loving kindness unto Man appeared sometimes by Vision of Angels unto the inhabiters on earth sometimes by himself as the saving power of God unto some one or two of the Antients that were beloved of God in no other form or figure than that of Man for otherwise it could not have been After that by them the seeds of Gods Worship were now sown and scattered amidst the multitude of men and that whole Nation which originally descended from the Hebrews had now addicted themselves to the worship of God He by the Prophet Moses delivered unto them as unto a multitude yet corrupted and tainted with old Customs Figures and Signes of a kind of Mystical Sabbath and Circumcision and introductions unto other intelligible contemplations but not the perfect and plain initiation into the sacred Doctrines But when the Law famous among them was published abroad and diffused like a most sweet Odour amongst all men and thereby many of the Gentiles then had their mindes and manners civilized by Law-makers and Philosophers every where and their rude and bruitish savageness changed into a meek and mild temper and behaviour so that there ensued perfect Peace and friendship and mutual commerce amongst them then at the last to all men and to the Gentiles throughout all the world as it were now prepared and fitted to receive the knowledge of the Father the same Person again the School-master of Virtue his Fathers Minister in all goodness the Divine and Celestial Word of God manifested himself about the beginning of the Roman Empire in Humane shape for bodily substance nothing differing from our Nature and therein wrought and suffered such things as were consonant with the Oracles of the Prophets who foreshewed there should come into the world such a one as should be both Man and God a mighty worker of Miracles an Instructer of the Gentiles in the worship of his Father and withall they foretold his Miraculous Birth his New Doctrine his wonderfull Works moreover the manner also of his Death his Resurrection from the Dead and last of all his Glorious and Divine Return into Heaven The Prophet Daniel therefore by the Divine Spirit beholding his Kingdom that shall be in the latter Age of the World having been moved by the power of that Divine Spirit hath thus more after the manner of Man and to Mans capacity described the Vision of God For I beheld saith he untill the Thrones were placed and the Antient of days sat thereon his garments were as the white snow the hairs of his Head as pure wooll his Throne a flame of fire his wheels burning fire A fiery stream slided before his face Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the judgment was set and the Books were opened And afterwards I beheld saith he and beheld one coming in the clouds like the Son of Man and he came unto the Antient of days and he was brought before him and to him was given Principality and Honour and Rule and all People Tribes and Tongues shall serve him His Power is an everlasting Power which shall not pass and his Kingdom shall never be destroyed These things can manifestly be referred to none other than to our Saviour the Word that was in the Beginning with God God the Word termed the Son of Man by reason of his Incarnation in the latter times But because we have in proper and peculiar Commentaries collected the Oracles of the Prophets touching our Saviour Jesus Christ and have elsewhere confirmed by evident demonstrations those things which have been delivered concerning him at this present we will be content with the premisses CHAP. III. That the very Name of Jesus and also that of Christ was from the Beginning both known and honoured among the Divine Prophets NOw that the Name both of Jesus and also of Christ was of old honoured among the Prophets beloved of God it is now an opportune time to declare First of all Moses knowing the
therefore he rendred the whole time of his Reign even undisturbed and pacate and consecrated his whole Family his wife namely and children and all his servants to one God the supream King In so much that that Company which conversed together within the walls of his Pallace differed in nothing from a Church of God Amongst whom were Ministers of God also who performed uninterrupted Acts of worship to the Deity in behalf of the Emperour's safety when as commonly amongst the rest not so much as the bare name of those sort of men that were Religious was permitted to be mentioned CHAP. XVIII That after the Resignation of Diocletian and Maximian Constantius was the first Augustus and was adorned with a Numerous Issue FUrther in recompense of these things a reward from God attended him not long after in so much that he obtained the first and chiefest place of the Empire For those Augusti who were His Seniours by what means I know not divested themselves of their Imperial Dignity which sudden Change befell them on the first year after the demolishment of the Churches from whence forward only Constantius was declared the first and Chiefest Augustus Who at first was adorned with the Diadem of the Caesars together with Galerius and had obtained precedency but after he had given an Egregious Specimen of his own worth in that digniâ—y of Caesar he was invested with the highest honour amongst the Romans and was styled the First Augustus of those Four afterwards proclaimed Moreover he was the only person that excelled all the other Emperours in a numerous issue being surrounded with a great Quire of Children as well Males as Females Lastly after he had attained to a mature old Age and being ready to pay the Common debt of Nature was at the point of making his departure out of this life then did God again demonstrate himself to him the performer of wonderfull Works and by his providence took care that Constantine the eldest of his Sons should be present with him at his Death in order to his taking possession of the Empire CHAP. XIX Concerning his Son Constantine who when a young man came into Palestine together with Diocletian FOr he convers't with the Emperours who were his Father's Colleagues and made his Residence amongst them agreeable to that ancient Prophet of the Lord Moses as we have already said And having newly past over his years of childhood and arrived at those of his youth he was vouchsafed the highest honour and esteem amongst the foresaid Emperours At which Age of his we Our Selves saw him when he past through the Province of Palestine in Company with the Senior Augustus At whose right hand he stood and appeared a most excellent and glorious person to those who were desirous of seeing him and such a one as even then gave indications of an Imperial height of mind For as to the beautifull shape of his body and his tallness of Stature there was no other person that might be compared to him Moreover he so far excelled his equalls in strength and courage that he was a terrour to them But he was far more illustrious and eminent for the Virtues of his mind than for his bodily endowments and accomplishments And in the first place he beautified his mind with modesty after that with Polite Literature and as well an innate prudence as a wisdome infused from above adorned him in a most transcendent manner CHAP. XX. The departure of Constantine to his Father because of Diocletian's treacherous designes against him FUrther when the then Emperours perceived that the Young man was Couragious strong and Great and endewed with an height and vigour of mind they were wounded with fear and envy They watch't therefore in expectation of a fit opportunity wherein agreeable to their desire they might involve him in ignominy and disgrace Which the young man being sensible of for the treacherous designes which had been once and twice framed against him by the consent and appointment of God were discovered He opened away to his own safety by flying and herein likewise he imitated the great Prophet Moses Further God gave him his assistance in all things and by his Divine providence disposed affairs in such a manner that he should be present with his Father in order to his succeeding him in the Empire CHAP. XXI The Death of Constantius who left his Son Constantine Emperour WHen therefore he had avoided these Treacherous contrivances he made all imaginable hast to his Father into whose presence he came after a long space of time At that instant of his arrivall his Father was at the very point of dying When therefore Constantius beheld his Son present with him whom he did not in the least expect he leapt from his Bed and cast his arms about him and affirming that that only Grief which troubled him now ready to conclude his life to wit the absence of his Son was wholly removed out of his mind he put up a prayer of thanks to God and said that now he accounted Death to be better for him than Immortality Further when he had disposed of his affairs in a manner agreeable to his own mind and had taken leave of his Sons and Daughters who like a Quire surrounded him on every side He ended his life in his Pallace lying on his Royall Bed after he had surrendred the Administration of his Empire agreeable to the Law of Nature into the hands of his eldest Son CHAP. XXII How after the Death of Constantius the Army saluted Constantine Augustus NOr did the State continue deprived of an Emperour But Constantine was adorned with his Fathers Purple and proceeding forth of his Father's House gave all men a demonstration that by a resurrection as 't were the Father continued as yet to Reign in him his Son Then he lead out his Father's Funerall accompanied with the Friends of his Father some of whom went before others followed and with all the splendour imaginable celebrated the Obsequies of that Pious Prince All persons honoured the Thrice-blessed Emperour with Acclamations and Praises and agreed in an unanimous consent that the succession of the Son in the Empire was a Resurrection of the dead Father And forthwith even at the first word they Saluted the young Prince Emperour and Augustus with fortunate Acclamations Which expressions uttered in praise of the Son were an ornament indeed to the dead Emperour but they loudly proclaimed the Son Blessed who was declared the Successour to so great a Father Moreover all the Provinces subject to his Empire were filled with gladness and a joy that was inexpressible because they had not during the smallest moment of time been deprived of the assistance of an Imperiall Providence and inspection Thus in the Emperour Constantius God gave a demonstration to all persons of our Age that
Nestorius's deposition ibid. Chap. 6. Concerning Paulus Bishop of Emisa's journey to Alexandria and Cyrillu's commendation of Johannes on account of his Letter Page 405 Chap. 7. What the impious Nestorius writes concerning his own sufferings and how his tongue having at last been eaten out with worms he ended his life at Oasis ibid. Chap. 8. How after Nestorius Maximianus and after him Proclus then Flavianus were made Bishops of Constantinople Page 408 Chap. 9. Concerning the unfortunate Eutyches and how he was deposed by Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople and concerning the second to wit that theevish Synod at Ephesus ibid. Chap. 10. What was transacted by Dioscorus and Chrysaphius at the absurd Synod at Ephesus ibid. Chap. 11. This Wzitors Apology iâ— defence of the variety of Opinions amongst uâ—Christians and his derision of the Pagan Trifles Page 409 Chap. 12. In what manner the Emperour Theodosius prosecuted and expelled the Herefie of Nestorius Page 410 Chap. 13. Concerning Saint Symeon the Stylite ibid. Chap. 14. Concerning the Sâ—â—â— which appears frequently in the Piazza about the Pillar of Saint Symeon which this Writer and others have seen and concerning the same Saint's Head Page 412 Chap. 15. Concerning Saint Isidorus Peleusiots and Synesius Bishop of Cyrenae Page 413 Chap. 16. How the Divine Ignatius having been removed from Rome was deposited at Antioch ibid. Chap. 17. Concerning Attila King of the Scythae and how he destroyed the Provinces of the East and West And concerning the strange Earthquake and other dreadfull prodigies which hapned in the world Page 414 Chap. 18. Concerning the publick buildings in Antioch and who they were that erected them Page 415 Chap. 19. Concerning the several Wars which hapned both in Italy and Persia during the Reign of Theodosius ibid. Chap. 20. Concerning the Empress Eudocia and her daughter Eudoxia and how Eudocia came to Antioch and went to Jerusalem Page 416 Chap. 21. That Eudocia did many good actions about Jerurusalem and concerning the different Life and Conversation of the Monks in Palestine Page 417 Chap. 22. What Structures the Empress Eudocia built in Palestine and concerning the Church of the Proto-Martyr Stephen within which 〈◊〉 was piously buried moreover concerning the death of the Emperour Theodosius Page 419 Book II. Chap. 1. COncerning the Emperour Marcianus and what signes preceded declaring he should be Emperour Page 420 Chap. 2. Concerning the Synod at Chalcedon and what was the occasion of its being convened Page 421 Chap. 3. A description of the great Martyr Euphemia's Church which is in the City Chalcedon and a Narrative of the miracles performed therein Page 422 Chap. 4. Concerning thâ—se things which were agitated and established in the Synod and how Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria was deposed but Theodoret Ibas and some others were restored Page 423 Chap. 5. Concerning the Sedition which hapned at Alexandria on account of Proterius's Ordination likewise concerning what hapned at Jerusalem Page 426 Chap. 6. Concerning the Drought which hapned and the Famine and the Pestilence and how in some places the earth in a wonderfull manner brought forth fruits of its own accord Page 428 Chap. 7. Concerning the Murder of Valentimianus and the taking of Rome and concerning those other Emperours who governed Rome after Valentinianus's death ibid. Chap. 8. Concerning the death of Marcianus and the Empire of Leo. And how the Hereticks of Alexandria slew Proretius and gave that Arch-Bishoprick to Timotheus Aelurus Page 429 Chap. 9. Concerning the Emperour Leo's Circular Letters Page 431 Chap. 10. Concerning those things which the Bishops and Symeones the Stylite wrote in answer to the Emperour Leo's Circular Letters Page 432 Chap. 11. Concerning the Banishment of Timotheus Aelurus and the Ordination of Timotheus Salophaciolus and concerning Gennadius and Acacius Bishops of Constantinople Page 433 Chap. 12. Concerning the Earthquake which hapned at Antioch Three hundred fourty and seven years after that which had hapned in the times of Trajane ibid. Chap. 13. Concerning the Fire which hapned at Constantinople Page 434 Chap. 14. Concerning the universal Calamities Page 435 Chap. 15. Concerning the Marriage of Zeno and Ariadne ibid. Chap. 16. Concerning Anthemius Emperour of Rome and those Emperours who succeeded him ibid. Chap. 17. Concerning the death of Leo and the Empire of Leo Junior and also concerning Zeno his Father Page 436 Chap. 18. An Epitome of the Acts at the Synod of Chalcedon set at the end of the second Book Page 437 Book III. Chap. 1. COncerning Zeno's Empire and concerning his Life pag. 448 Chap. 2. Concerning the Incursions of the Barbarians both in the East and in the West ibid. Chap. 3. Concerning Bafiliscus's Tyranny and Zeno's Flight Page 449 Chap. 4. That Basilisâ—us recalled Timotheus Aelurus and induced thereto by him sent his Circular Letters to all places in order to the abrogating of the Chalcedon-Synod ibid. Chap. 5. Concerning those persons who consented to Basiliscus's Circular Letters and rejected the Synod of Chalcedon Page 450 Chap. 6. That Timotheus Aelurus recovered the Bishoprick of Alexandria and having restored the priviledge of a Paâ—â—iarâ—hate to the Church of Ephesus Anathematized the Chalcedon Synod Page 452 Chap. 7. That the Monks having raised a Sedition by the perswasion of Acacius Basiliscus was put into a fear and wrote and promulged Circular Letters contrary to those he had published before ibid. Chap. 8. Concerning Zeno's return Page 453 Chap. 9. That after Basiliscus's death the Bishops of Asia that they might appease Acacins sent him a Penitentiary-Libell craving pardon for their offence in rejecting the Synod of Chalcedon ibid. Chap. 10. Concerning those who governed the Bishoprick of Antioch ibid. Chap. 11. That the Emperour Zeno took a resolution of persecuting Aeâ—urus but by reason of his age he had compassion on him and let him alone And how after Aelurus's death Petrus Mongus was ordained by the Alexandrians But Timotheus Proterius's successour by the order of the Emperour obtained the Chair of the A 〈…〉 Page 454 Chap. 12. Concerning Johannes who obtained the Presidency â—ver the Alexandrian Church after Timotheus and how Zeno outed him in regard he had forsworn himself and restored the Chair of Alexandria to Petrus Moâ—gus ibid. Chap. 13. That Petrus Mongus embraced Zeno â— Henoâ—â—con and joyned himself to the Pâ—oâ—â—â—ians Page 455 Chap. 14. Zeno's Hâ—noâ—iâ—on ibid. Chap. 15. Thâ—â— Johannes Bishop of Alexandria coming to Rome perswades Simplicius to write to Zeno concerning what had hapned and what Zeno wrote back in answer to him pag. 456 Chap. 16. Concerning Calendion Bishop of Antioch and that he was condemned to be banished on account of the friendship he was suspected to have held with Illus and Leontius also that Petrus Fullo entred into an Union with Mongus and with the Bishops of Constantinople and Jerusalem ibid. Chap. 17. Concerning those things written by Petrus to Acacius who had embraced the Chalcedon-Synod Page 457 Chap. 18. In what manner Johannes Bishop of Alexandria perswades Felix Pope of Rome to
send a Deposition to Acacius Bishop of Constantinople Page 459 Chap. 19. Concerning Cyrillus Governour of the Monastery of the Acoemeti how he sent some persons to Felix at Rome inciting him to revenge what had been committed against the Faith ibid. Chap. 20. Concerning what Felix wrote to Zeno and Zeno to Felix Page 460 Chap. 21. That Symeones a Monk belonging to the Monastery of the Acoemeti went to Rome and accused those Bishops sent from the Romans to Constantinople as having held Communion with Hereticks and that these Legates and those persons who held Communion with Petrus were deposed by the Romans ibid. Chap. 22. Concerning the disturbances at Alexandria and in several other places on account of the Synod at Chalcedon Page 461 Chap. 23. Concerning Fravita and Euphemius Bishops of Constantinople and concerning Athanasius and Johannes Bishop of Alexandria also concerning Palladius and Flavianus Prelates of Antioch and concerning some other persons ibid. Chap. 24. Concerning the slaughter of Armatus who was kinsman to the Empress Verina Page 462 Chap. 25. Concerning the Rebellion of Theodoricus the Scythian and concerning the same person's death Page 463 Chap. 26. Concerning Marcianus's Insurrection and what hapned in relation to him ibid. Chap. 27. Concerning the Tyranny of Illus and Leontius Page 464 Chap. 28. Concerning Mammianus and the Structures built by him ibid. Chap. 29. Concerning Zeno's death and the proclaiming Anastasius Emperour ibid. Chap. 30. Concerning the Emperour Anastasius and how because he would not innovate any thing in relation to the Ecclesiastick Constitution the Churches over the whole world were filled with infinite disturbances and many of the Bishops for that reason were ejected Page 465 Chap. 31. The Letter of the Monks of Palestine to Alcison concerning Xenaias and some other persons ibid. Chap. 32. Concerning the Expulsion of Macedonius Bishop of Constantinople and of Flavianus Bishop of Antioch Page 467 Chap. 33. Concerning Severus Bishop of Antioch ibid. Chap. 34. Concerning the Libell of Deposition sent to the same Severus by Cosmas and Severianus Page 469 Chap. 35. Concerning the destruction of the Isaurian Tyrants ibid. Chap. 36. Concerning the Saracens that they made a Peace with the Romans Page 470 Chap. 37. Concerning the Siege of Amida and the building of the City Daras ibid. Chap. 38. Concerning the Long Wall ibid. Chap. 39. Concerning that Tax termed the Chrysargyrum and how Anastasius abolished it ibid. Chap. 40. Concerning what Zosimus hath written in relation to the Chrysargyrum and about the Emperour Constantine Page 472 Chap. 41. An Invective against Zosimus on account of the Reproaches and Calumnies he has cast upon Constantine and the Christians ibid. Chap. 42. Concerning The Chryso elia Page 474 Chap. 43. Concerning the Tyranny of Vitalianus Page 475 Chap. 44. That Anastasius being desirous to add these words Who hast been crucified on our account to the Hymn termed The Trisagium a Sedition and disturbance hapned amongst the people Which Anastasius fearing made use of dissimulation and soon altered the minds of the people And concerning the death of Anastasius Page 476 Book IV. Chap. 1. COncerning the Empire of Justinus Senior Pag. 4 7 Chap. 2. Concerning the Eunuch Amantius and Theocritus and in what manner Justinus put these persons to death ibid. Chap. 3. In what manner Justinus slew Vitalianus by treachery ibid. Chap. 4. How Justinus having Ejected Severus put Paulus into his place and that some little time after Euphrasius obtained the See of Antioch Page 478 Chap. 5. Concerning the Fires which hapned at Antioch and the Earth-quakes wherein Euphrasius was buried and ended his life Page 479 Chap. 6. Concerning Ephraemius who succeeded Euphrasius ibid. Chap. 7. Concerning Zosimas and Johannes who were Workers of Miracles Page 480 Chap. 8. Concerning the Universal Calamities Page 481 Chap. 9. How Justinus whilst he was yet living took Justinianus to be his Colleague in the Empire ibid. Chap. 10. That Justinianus favoured those who embraced the Chalcedon Synod But his Wife Theodora was a Lover of the contrary party ibid. Chap. 11. How Severus perverted Anthimus Bishop of Constantinople and Theodosius Bishop of Alexandria which Prelates the Emperour ejected and put others into their Sees Page 482 Chap. 12. Out of the History of Procopius Caesariensis concerning Cavades King of the Persians and his Son Chosroes Page 483 Chap. 13. Concerning Alamundarus and Azarethus and concerning that Sedition at Constantinople which had the name Nica given it ibid. Chap. 14. Concerning Hunericus King of the Vandals and concerning those Christians whose tongues were cut out by him ibid. Chap. 15. Concerning Cabaones the Moor. Page 484 Chap. 16. Concerning Belisarius's Expedition against the Vandals and their totall overthrow ibid. Chap. 17. Concerning the spoyles which were brought out of Africa Page 485 Chap. 18. Concerning those Phoenicians who fled from the face of Jesus the son of Nave ibid. Chap. 19. Concerning Theodoricus the Goth and what hapned at Rome under him till the times of Justinian and that Rome was again reduced to a subjection to the Romans after Vitiges had fled out of that City Page 486 Chap. 20. How those people termed the Eruli turned Christians in the times of Justinian ibid. Chap. 21. That Belisarius recovered the City Rome which had been again taken by the Goths ibid. Chap. 22. That the Abasgi turned Christians also in those times pag. 486 Chap. 23. That the Inhabitants of Tanais also at that time embraced the Christian Religion and concerning the Earthquakes which hapned in Greece and Achaia Page 487 Chap. 24. Concerning Narses a Master of the Milice and his piety ibid. Chap. 25. That Chosroes stimulated with envy at the prosperous successes of Justinian broke out into a War against the Romans and ruined many Roman Cities amongst which he destroyed Antioch the Great also ibid. Chap. 26. Concerning the Miracle of the pretious and Vivifick wood of the Cross which hapned at Apamia Page 488 Chap. 27. Concerning Chosroes's expedition against Edessa ibid. Chap. 28. Concerning the Miracle which was performed at Sergiopolis Page 489 Chap. 29. Concerning the Pestilential distemper Page 490 Chap. 30. Concerning Justinian's insatiable Avarice Page 491 Chap. 31. Concerning the great Church of Saint Sophia and that of The holy Apostles ibid. Chap. 32. Concerning the Emperour Justinian's madness rather then kindness shown towards the Faction of the Venetiani Page 492 Chap. 33. Concerning Barsanuphius the Asceta Page 493 Chap. 34. Concerning the Monk Symeon who for Christ's sake feigned himself a Fool. ibid. Chap. 35. Concerning the Monk Thomas who in like manner feigned himself a Fool. Page 494 Chap. 36. Concerning the Patriarch Menas and concerning the Miracle which hapned then to the Boy of a certain Hebrew ibid. Chap. 37. Who were Bishops of the Greater Cities at that time Page 495 Chap. 38. Concerning the Fifth Holy Oecumenicall Synod and on what account it was convened ibid. Chap. 39. That Justinian having forsaken the right Faith asserted the Body of
Name of Christ to be most especially Venerable and Glorious when he delivered Types and Symbols of heavenly things and mystical forms agreeable to the Divine Oracle that said to him See thou doe all things after the fashion that was shewed thee in the mount the Man whom he entitled as much as he lawfully might the High-Priest of God the same he stiled Christ and thus to the dignity of High-Priesthood which excelled in his judgment all other prerogatives among men he for honour and glory put-to the Name of Christ. So then he deemed Christ to be a certain Divine thing The same Moses also when being inspired by the Holy Ghost he had well foreseen the Name of Jesus judged again the same worthy of singular prerogative For this Name of Jesus which before Moses his time had never been named among men Moses gave to him first and to him alone whom he knew very well by type again and figurative sign was to receive the Universal principality after his death His Successour therefore before that time not called Jesus but by another Name to wit Ause which his Parents had given him he called Jesus giving him this appellation as a singular Title of Honour far passing all Royal Diadems because that same Jesus the Son of Nave bore the figure of our Saviour who alone after Moses and the accomplishment of the figurative service delivered by him was to succeed in the Government of the true and most pure Religion Thus to two men who surpassed all people of that Age in virtue and glory one being then High-priest the other to be chief Ruler after him Moses gave the Name of our Saviour Jesus Christ as an Ensign of the greatest Honour The Prophets also who came after Prophesied plainly of Christ by Name foretelling long before-hand the treacherous practice of the Jewish people against him and the calling of the Gentiles by him Both Jeremie saying thus The Spirit before our face Christ our Lord is taken in their nets of whom we spake under the shadow of his wings we shall be preserved alive among the Heathen and David also being very much perplexed speaking thus Why have the Gentiles raged and the people imagined vain things The Kings of the earth stood forth and the Princes assembled together in the same place against the Lord and against his Christ whereunto afterwards he addeth in the person of Christ The Lord said unto me Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession The Name of Christ therefore among the Hebrews hath not onely honoured those that were adorned with the High-priesthood being anointed with figurative and mystical oyl prepared on purpose but Kings also whom Prophets by the Divine appointment anointing made figurative Christs because they bore in themselves a resemblance of the regal and Princely power of the onely and true Christ The Word of God who governeth all things And moreover we have learned that certain of the Prophets also by being anointed have typically become Christs So that all these have a relation unto the true Christ the Divine and Heavenly Word the onely High-Priest of the whole World therefore onely King of all the Creation and the onely chief Prophet of the Father among all the Prophets The proof hereof is demonstrable For none of them that of old were typically anointed whether Priests or Kings or Prophets ever obtained so great a measure of Divine power and virtue as the Saviour and our Lord Jesus the onely and true Christ hath shewed Indeed none of them how famous soever they were among their own followers throughout many Ages by reason of their dignity and honour have caused by their being typically called Christs that such as were conform to them should be named Christians Neither hath the Honour of Adoration been exhibited by their subjects unto any of them neither after the death of any of them have the minds of any been so much affected towards him as to be ready to die for the maintenance of his Honour neither hath there been any so great stir and commotion among all the Nations throughout the whole World for any of them For the power of the figure and shadow was not of such efficacy in them as the presence of the truth exhibited by our Saviour Who though he received not from any the Ensigns and Badges of the High-priesthood nor indeed lineally descended according unto the flesh from the Priestly Race nor was advanced by a Guard of Armed men unto his Kingdom nor was made a Prophet after the manner of the antient Prophets nor obtained any preeminence or prerogative among the Jews yet for all this he was adorned by the Father with all these dignities though not in Types and Symbols yet in very truth And although he obtained all these Titles in another manner then those men did whereof mention hath been made yet hath he been more truly stiled Christ than they all And he as being the onely and true Christ of God hath by that truly venerable and Sacred Name of his filled the whole World with Christians Nor doth he deliver henceforth types and shadows unto his followers but naked virtues and an heavenly life accompanied with the undoubted Doctrine of verity And the oyntment He received was not corporal compounded of spices but Divine by the Holy Ghost and by participation of the unbegotten Deity of the Father The which thing again Esay declareth when as in the person of Christ he breaketh out into these words The Spirit of the Lord is upon me wherefore he hath anointed me to Preach glad tidings unto the poor he hath sent me to cure the contrite in heart to Preach deliverance unto the captives and recovering of sight to the blind And not onely Esay but David also directing his words to his Person saith Thy Throne O God lasteth for ever and ever the Sceptre of thy Kingdom is a right Sceptre Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity Wherefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows In which Text the Word of God in the first verse termeth Christ God the second honoureth him with a Royal Sceptre thence descending by degrees after the mention of his Divine and Royal Power in the third place he sheweth him to have been Christ anointed not with oyl of corporeal substance but of Divine that is of Gladness whereby he signifieth his Prerogative and surpassing Excellency above them which with corporeal and typical oyl had of old been anointed And in another place the same David speaketh of him thus saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool And Out of my Womb before the Day-star have I begotten thee The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest
Deacon with Stephen being one of them that were dispersed went down to Samaria and being full of the Divine power was the first that Preach't the Word to those inhabitants And the Grace of God did so effectually cooperate with him that by his Preaching he drew after him Simon Magus with many other men This Simon at that time very famous did so far prevail with those whom he had deceived by his imposture that they thought him to be the great power of God Then therefore this very person being greatly amazed at the Miracles Philip wrought by the power of God craftily insinuated himself and so far counterfeited a faith in Christ that he was baptized The same thing with admiration we see now done by the followers of his most filthy Sect who creeping into the Church as their fore-father did like some pestilent and leprous disease doe deeply corrupt all those into whom they are any way able to instil that pernicious and incurable poyson which lies concealed within them But many of them were cast out of the Church as soon as their vitiousness was discovered in like manner Simon himself being at length detected by Peter was deservedly punished Furthermore when the wholesome Preaching of the Gospel daily increased Divine providence brought out of the land of Aethiopia a man of great autority under the Queen of that Countrey for those Nations are according to their countrey fashion governed by a woman who being the first of the Gentiles that by Philip warned of God by a Vision was made partaker of the Mysteries of the Divine Word was also the first fruits of the faithfull throughout the world Returning into his own country he is reported to have been the first publisher of the Knowledge of the great God and of the comfortable Advent of our Saviour in the Flesh And so by him was really fulfilled that prediction of the Prophet Aethiopia shall stretch out her hand unto God At this time Paul that chosen vessel was made an Apostle not of men neither by men but by the revelation of Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead being vouchsafed this calling by a Vision and a voice from heaven which came to him at the Revelation thereof CHAP. II. How Tiberius was affected at the Relation Pilate sent him of those things concerning Christ. WHen the wonderfull Resurrection of our Saviour and his Ascension into Heaven was now divulged among all men because it was of old customary that the Governours of Provinces should communicate to the Emperour every strange and unusual accident that happened within their charge that so nothing that was done might escape his knowledge Pilate acquainted the Emperour Tiberius with the Resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ now much talk't of over all Palaestine giving him an account that he had also heard of many other Miracles of his and how that rising again after he had been dead he was now by many believed to be God And they say that Tiberius referred this matter to the Senate but the relation was rejected by them upon pretence that they had not first approved of the matter there being an old Law amongst the Romanes that no one should be deified but by the suffrage and decree of the Senate but in reality that the wholesome Preaching of the divine Doctrine might not stand in need of any humane approbation or assistance When therefore the Senate had rejected the Relation concerning our Saviour Tiberius persisted in his former judgment attempting nothing prejudicial to the Doctrine of Christ. Thus much Tertullian a man incomparably well skilled in the Roman Laws and every way famous and most renowned among the Latine Writers in the Apologie for the Christians written by him in Latine but afterwards translated into Greek does declare in these very words And that we may discourse concerning the Original of these Laws there was an old Decree that the Emperour should consecrate no God before he was approved by the Senate Marcus Aemilius knows this concerning his God Alburnus And this makes for our advantage because among you Divinity is weighed by humane approbation If God please not man he shall not be God Man now must be propitious to God Tiberius therefore in whose time the Christian Name made its entry into the world communicated to the Senate the account he had received out of Syria Palestine whereby the Truth of the Divinity of Christ was made apparent which he confirmed with his own suffrage But because the Senate had not approved of it it was rejected the Emperour persisted in his judgment threatning the accusers of the Christians with death Which opinion divine providence according to his dispensation instilled into the mind of Tiberius Caesar that the Preaching of the Gospel then in its infancy might without impediment spread over the whole world CHAP. III. How the Doctrine of Christ spread in a short time over the whole World ANd thus by the cooperation of Divine power the comfortable Word of God like the beams of the Sun on a sudden enlightned the whole world and presently agreeable to the Divine Scriptures the sound of the heavenly Evangelists and Apostles went out into all lands and their words into the ends of the earth And indeed in a short time there were throughout all Cities and Villages Churches gathered which like a Threshing-floor filled with Corn were thronged with infinite multitudes And they who deriving their ignorance from their Ancestours and their errours of old were ensnared as to their souls with the superstitious worship of Idols as in an inveterate disease being freed as it were from their cruel masters and loosned from their heavy bonds by the power of Christ and the Preaching and Miracles of his disciples did with scorn reject the multitude of gods brought in by devils and acknowledged there was one onely God the maker of all things And him they worshipped with the Holy Rites of true Religion by that divine and sober way of worship which our Saviour had spread among mankind When therefore the Grace of God diffused it self into the rest of the Nations and Cornelius of the City Caesarea in Palestine in the first place together with his whole household by a Vision from heaven and the Ministery of Peter embraced the Faith of Christ and many others of the Gentiles at Antioch did the same to whom the disciples dispersed upon the persecution that arose about Stephen Preached the word of God the Church at Antioch now increasing and prospering in which many were gathered together both Prophets from Jerusalem with whom were Paul and Barnabas and besides also other brethren in number not a few the appellation of Christians then and there first sprang up as from a pleasant and fertile soyle and Agabus also one of the Prophets there present fore-told the dearth that afterwards happened and Paul and Barnabas were sent to relieve the Brethren by their Ministration
and by wild beasts that those who were under seventeen years of age were carried captive and sold and that the number of these onely amounted to ninety thousand These things were done after this manner in the second year of the Reign of Vespasian agreeable to the presages and predictions of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who by his divine power foreseeing these things as if they had been present wept and lamented according to the History of the Holy Evangelists who have related his very words one while speaking as it were to Jerusalem it self If thou hadst known said he even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes For the days shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee Then speaking concerning the people For there shall be said he great distress in the Land and wrath upon this people And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all nations and Jerusalem shall be troden down of the Gentiles untill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled And again When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with Armies then know that the desolation thereof is nigh Now whosoever does compare the words of our Saviour with the rest of our Writers relations of the whole war he cannot but with admiration confess the prescience and prediction of our Saviour to have been truly divine and exceeding wonderfull Therefore concerning those things which befell the whole Jewish nation after the salutary passion of Christ and after those words whereby the multitude of the Jews desired a thief and a murderer should be released from his punishment of death and that the Prince of life should be destroyed it is needeless to add any thing to the relation given by Josephus So much onely is requisite furthermore to be annexed as may represent the endearing goodness of the most excellent providence of God deferring the destruction of these men full forty years after their most audacious villany committed against Christ. During which space many of the Apostles and disciples and James himself the first Bishop there he that was called the brother of the Lord being yet alive and making their abode in the City of Jerusalem continued to be a most impregnable fortification to that place divine visitation hitherto patiently forbearing them that if peradventure they would yet repent of what they had done they might obtain Remission and Salvation and to so great patience and forbearance adding wonderfull signes from heaven foreshewing what was about to befall them unless they repented Which signes having been accounted worthy to be recorded by the foresaid Writer nothing hinders but we may here propose to those that shall look upon this our work CHAP. VIII Concerning the Prodigies that appeared before the War LEt us then take the sixth Book of his History and rehearse what is therein related by him in these words Therefore those Impostours and such as feigned themselves to be sent of God by their false perswasions deceived the wretched people at that time So that they neither gave heed to nor believed those evident Prodigies which foreshewed their desolation to be at hand But being like persons thunderstruck and having neither eyes nor understanding they contemned and disregarded the forewarnings of God First a star in the likeness of a sword stood over the City and then a Comet continued a whole year Further also when before the revolt and the first beginnings of the war the people were gathered together to the feast of unleavened bread on the eighth day of the month April at the ninth hour of the night so great a light shined round about the Altar and the Temple that it seemed to be bright day and so continued for the space of half an hour And this was judged by those that were unskilfull a good sign but by the Scribes that were skilled in the Law it was immediately concluded to portend those calamities which afterwards happened And at the same Feast a Cow led to be sacrificed by the High-priest brought forth a Lamb in the midst of the Temple Also the Eastern gate of the inner Temple made all of brass exceeding massy and scarcely to be shut in the evening by twenty men being made also very strong by vast iron hinges on which it moved and having bolts that went into the ground a great depth was seen to open of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night Not many days after the Feast upon the one and twentieth of May was seen a Ghost for Prodigiousness wholly incredible But that which I am now about to say would seem an idle story were it not related by those that saw it and had not the subsequent calamities been answerable to such Prodigies For before Sun-set there was seen in the Air over the whole Country Chariots and whole companies of Armed men running up and down in the clouds and investing Cities Also at the Feast called Pentecost the Priests as it was their manner going by night into the Temple to perform their offices reported that they perceived at first indeed a motion and heard a noise but that afterwards they heard a voice as of a great multitude saying Let us depart hence But what was more dreadfull than all this one Jesus the son of Ananias a country man of the ordinary rank four years before the war the City being then in perfect peace and in a flourishing condition coming to the Feast in which it's customary for all to make tabernacles to the honour of God near the Temple on a sudden began to cry out with a loud voice A voice from the East a voice from the West a voice from the four winds a voice against Jerusalem and the Temple a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides a voice against all the people This he went up and down crying day and night throughout all the narrow streets and cross waies of the City But some of the chief of the people were very much disturbed at this ominous cry and being highly incensed took the man and beat him with many and also grievous stripes But he neither spoke any thing for himself nor said any thing in private to those that beat him but persisted crying those very words he did before Then the Magistrates supposing as indeed it was that the man was moved by divine impulse bring him to the Roman President where being beaten with stripes till his very bones were bare he neither intreated for himself nor shed a tear But to the utmost of his power changing his voice into a dolefull tone he answered every stripe Wo Wo to Jerusalem There is another thing also more wonderfull than this which
without any commiseration and afterwards when they were dead that they should be thrown on the ground and drag'd up and down For they ought not he said to take the least care of us but that all persons should so think of and behave themselves towards us as if we were not men This second torture after they had beaten us with stripes our Adversaries invented There were some also who after they had been scourged lay in the stocks both their feet being stretched to the fourth hole in so much that they were forced to lie in the stocks with their bellies upwards being unable to stand because of their fresh wounds caused by the stripes which they had all over their bodies Others threw themselves upon the ground where they lay by reason of the innumerable wounds made by their tortures yielding a more miserable spectacle to those that lookt on them than in the very time of their being tortured and bearing in their bodies the various and different sorts of tortures invented for them These things being thus performed some of the Martyrs expired under their tortures having made the adversary ashamed by their persevering constancy Others being half dead were shut up in prison where having been sorely afflicted with the smart of their wounds they ended their lives not many days after The residue having been refreshed with methods of cure became more stout and confident by time and their abode in prison Therefore when afterwards command was given that they should choose whether by touching the detestable sacrifices they would free themselves from all molestation and obtain from them an execrable liberty or whether refusing to sacrifice they would receive the sentence of death without any delay they chearfully proceeded forth to death For they well knew what was before prescribed to us by the sacred Scriptures for he says the word of God that sacrificeth to other Gods shall be utterly destroyed And again Thou shalt have no other Gods but me Such were the expressions of Phileas the Martyr a true Philosopher and also a sincere lover of God which he sent to the Brethren of his Church before his last sentence of condemnation being yet in prison whereby he informed them both in what condition he was in and also exhorted them stifly to retain their piety in Christ after his death which was now approaching But what need we spend many words in relating the conflicts of the divine Martyrs over the whole world whose new combats were succeeded by other conflicts that were as new and especially when as they were assaulted not in an ordinary way but in an hostile manner CHAP. XI Concerning what was done in Phrygia FOr at that time some armed Souldiers invested a whole City of Christians that was very populous in Phrygia and having set it on fire burnt the men together with the women and children whilst they called upon Christ the supream God The reason hereof was this the whole body of inhabitants of that City the Curator the Duumvir together with all the rest who were of the Magistracy and all the common people professing themselves to be Christians would in no wise obey those that commanded them to sacrifice to Idols Another person also by name Adauctus a man descended from a noble family in Italy that had obtained a Roman dignity a person that had passed through all degrees of honour in the Palace of the Emperours in so much that he had faithfully discharged the Office of Receiver General which amongst them is called The Master of the private Revenue and that of Rationalist besides all this he was famous for his virtuous performances in Religion and for his confessions of the Christ of God was adorned with the crown of Martyrdom having undergone the conflict upon account of Religion whilst he bore the Office of Rationalist CHAP. XII Concerning many other men and women who suffered Martyrdom in a various and different manner WHat need is there now of mentioning the rest by name or of recounting the multitude of men or delineating the various sorts of tortures endured by the admirable Martyrs of Christ Part whereof were beheaded as it happened to those in Arabia and part were killed by having their legs broken as it befell those in Cappadocia Some being hung up on high by the feet with their heads downwards a slow fire having been kindled under them were suffocated with the smoak that ascended from the combustible matter set on fire so it befell those in Mesopotamia others had their noses the tips of their ears and their hands cut off and the other members and parts of their bodies were mangled as it happened at Alexandria What need is there of renewing the remembrance of what was done at Antioch where some were broyled on Grid-irons set over the fire not till they were killed but that their punishment might be prolonged others were more ready to thrust their right hands into the fire than to touch the impious sacrifices Whereof some avoiding the being put to the test whether they would sacrifice before they would be apprehended and fall into the hands of those that laid wait for them threw themselves headlong from the tops of high houses having accounted death to be a gain because of the malitiousness of the impious Also a certain holy woman admirable for her virtuous soul and her comely body eminently famous beyond all at Antioch for riches descent and reputation had educated two daughters virgins that were eminent for beauty and in the flower of their age in the precepts of Religion when many moved thereto by envy used all manner of industry in inquiring out the place where they absconded and it being at length understood they lived in a forrein country they were with much diligence summoned to Antioch after the woman knew that she and her daughters were now incompassed with the Souldiers nets perceiving her self and daughters reduced to an inextricable state of perill she exhorted the virgins expresly declaring to them the mischiess that would befall them from the Souldiers and that of all evils ravishment was the most intollerable the meances whereof it was unlawfull for them to endure even to hear Moreover having said that to yield up their souls to the service of devils was worse than all sorts of death and all manner of destruction there was but one way she declared to avoid all these evils which was to flie to the Lord for refuge Immediately after these words having all agreed to embrace the same advice they adorned their bodies with a decent dress when they had gone half their journey having intreated their guard for a short recess out of the way and that being granted them they threw themselves into a River which ran hard by thus these persons drowned themselves At the same City of Antioch another pair of virgins in all points divine and truly Sisters eminent for descent splendid
Atheists and irreligious persons even these men are now acknowledged by this very Tyrant to profess Religion and are permitted to rebuild their Oratories nay further the Tyrant himself does acknowledge and attest that they ought to be partakers of some Rights and Priviledges Moreover when he made this publick acknowledgment as if he had hereby obtained some favour for this very reason his sufferings were less calamitous than he deserved they should be for being smitten by God with a sudden stroak he died in the second Engagement that happened in that War But he ended his life not like those Martial Generals who after they had often demeaned themselves gallantly in the field in defence of their honour and their friends happened couragiously to undergo a glorious death But he like an impious person and a Rebel against his Creatour whilst his Army stood in the field drawn up in Battalia staying at home and hiding himself suffered a condign punishment being smitten by God with a sudden blow over his body For being tortured with grievous and most acute paines he fell upon his face on the ground and was destroyed by want of food all his flesh being melted away by an invisible fire sent upon him from heaven In so much that when his flesh was wholly wâ—sted away the entire shape and figure of his former beauty quite disappeared his parched bones which lookt like a skeleton that had been long dried being all that was left of him So that those about him judged his body to be nothing else but the grave of his soul buried in a body already dead and wholly putrified And when the violent heat of his distemper scorched him with a greater vehemency even to the very marrow of his bones his eyes leaped out of his head and having deserted their proper station left him blind After all this he yet drew his breath and having given thanks and made his Confession to the Lord he called for Death At last acknowledging these his sufferings due for his contempt and presumption against Christ he gave up the Ghost CHAP. XI Concerning the final Destruction of the Enemies of Religion MAximin therefore being thus taken out of the world who was the only Enemy of Religion that hitherto surviv'd and declared himself the worst of them all the Churches by the grace of God Almighty were rebuilt and raised from the very foundation and the Gospel of Christ darting forth its beams of light to the great glory of the all-ruling Deity enjoyed greater liberty than it formerly had But the wicked and the Enemies of Religion were clouded with the highest disgrace and greatest shame immaginable For first of all Maximin himself was proclaimed by the Emperours a publick Enemy and was termed in the publick Edicts which were fixed upon Pillars a most impious detestable Tyrant superlatively odious to God Also the Pictures which were placed in every City in honour of him and his children were some of them broke in pieces and thrown down from on high to the very ground and others were defaced having their visages blackned with dark colours In like manner all the Statues which had been erected in honour of him were also thrown down broken in pieces and exposed as subjects of derision and scorn to all those that would abuse and insult over them After this the other Enemies of Religion were divested of all their dignities Moreover all Maximin's party more especially those whom he had preferred to places of the greatest power in the Provinces within his Empire who to flatter him had been insolently abusive towards our Religion were put to death One of this number was Picentius a person that was a great favourite of his highly esteemed by him and his dearest intimado whom he created Consul a second and a third time and also made him Prefect and Rationalist Another was one Culcianus who had born all Offices of dignity in the Magistracy and in the Government of Provinces he also was famous for his innumerable Massacres of the Christians in Aegypt There were a great many more beside these by whose endeavours most especially the barbarous Tyranny of Maximin was maintained and extended Further Divine vengeance required justice to be executed upon Theotecnus being in no wise forgetful of his practises against the Christians For he was look's upon as a deserving and successful person upon account of his consecration of the Image at Antioch and besides the Emperour Maximin conferred on him the Presidency of a Province But when Licinius came to Antioch and was resolved to make inquisition for the Impostours amongst others he tortured the Priests and Prophets of the New contrived Image enquiring of them how they palliated and put a mask upon their Imposture when they could no longer conceal the truth being by their tortures compelled to disclose it they declared that the imposture of the whole Mystery was compos'd by the cunning of Theotecnus when therefore Licinius had inflicted condign punishment on them all he gave order that Theotecnus himself should first be executed and afterwards the rest of his Associates that were conscious to and accomplices in the Cheat having first suffered innumerable tortures To all these were added Maximin's Sons whom he had now made Colleagues with himself in the Empire and partakers of the Pictures and Inscriptions dedicated to his honour In fine all the Tyrants relations who but just before had made their proud boasts and insolently exercised authority over all men most ignominiously underwent the same sufferings with those persons forementioned for they received not instruction nor did they know or understand this seasonable admonition uttered in the holy Scriptures O put not your trust in Princes nor in the children of men for there is no health in them The breath of man shall go forth and he shall return again to his earth in that day shall all their thoughts perish Thus therefore the impious being like filth wiped away from off the earth the Empire which by right belonged only to Constantine and Licinius continued firm and unobnoxious to Envy These persons after they had first of all cleansed the world from all impiety being sensible of those great benefits they had received from God did sufficiently demonstrate their love of vertue and of the Deity their piety and gratitude towards God by the Laws they made in favour of the Christians The End of the Ninth Book of the Ecclesiastical History THE TENTH BOOK OF THE Ecclesiastical History OF EUSEBIUS PAMPHILUS CHAP. I. Concerning the Peace which was procured by God for us THerefore glory be to God the Almighty and supream King for all things and manifold thanks to the Saviour and Redeemer of our souls Jesus Christ through whom we pray that we may have always preserved to us a firm and inviolable peace both from outward troubles and also from all internal molestations of mind Having by the assistance of your prayers added this tenth book
world which reaches from the rising Sun to the utmost Western Regions together with the Provinces that lie round about as well towards the North as the South Men therefore were now secure from all fear of them who formerly had oppressed them and celebrated splendid and solemn days of Festivity All things seemed to abound with fulness of light and they who heretofore beheld each other with dejectedness and sorrow then lookt upon each other with smiling countenances and chearful eyes In Dances also and Songs in every City and in the Fields they first of all glorified God the King of Kings for thus they were instructed to do and in the next place the pious Emperour together with his children which were beloved of God There was an oblivion of past afflictions no remembrance of any impiety but only an enjoyment of the present good things and expectations of more in future In all places the Edicts of the Victorious Emperour full of kindness and clemency and his Laws containing manifest tokens of his great bounty and true piety were proclaimed All Tyranny therefore being thus extirpated the Empire which did by right belong to Constantine and his Sons was preserved firm and secure from envie Who after they had cleansed the world from the impiety of their Predecessours being sensible of those great benefits which had been procured for them by God did by a most apparent and convincing testimony of their deeds declare to all men their love of vertue and of the Deity and also their piety and gratitude towards God The End by God's Assistance of the Tenth Book of Eusebius Pamphilus's Ecclesiastical History THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF Socrates Scholasticus Translated out of the GREEK according to the Edition set forth by VALESIUS and Printed at PARIS in the Year 1668. Together with VALESIUS'S Annotations on the said Historian which are also done into ENGLISH and set at their proper places in the Margin Hereunto also is annexed an account of the Life and Writings of the foresaid Historian Collected by VALESIUS and Translated into ENGLISH HINC LUCEM ET POCULA SACRA CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Hayes Printer to the University 1680. VALESIUS'S PREFACE To the Studious READERS AFter Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea whom we may deservedly Stile the Father of Ecclesiastick History many inflamed with a Pious Emulation undertook to Treat of the same Subject But Socrates Sozomen and Theodoret are in the Judgment of all Antiquity far more famous than all the other Writers who beginning from those times wherein Eusebius concluded his Ecclesiastick History brought their work down to the Times of Theodosius Junior And at first I was resolved to have published these three Writers together that as they had prosecuted one and the same Subject in their Writings so they might have also been comprehended and read in one and the same Volume But in regard this would hereby have been too large a Volume therefore I was forced to defer the Edition of Theodoret to another time To which I will add Evagrius Epiphaniensis's Ecclesiastick History as also the Excerptions of Philostorgius and Theodorus Lector that the Studious may in future read over the whole body of Ecclesiastick History publisht and explained by our Labour In the interim you have here Reader joyned together in this Volume Socrates and Sozomen Concerning what I have done about the Edition of these Authours take this account in short Above Eight years since when by the Command and advice of the most Illustrious Prelates belonging to the Gallican Clergy I publisht the History of Eusebius Caesariensis I made it my business to perform three things most especially in that Edition For first having from all places procured those Manuscript-Copies that were most remarkable and eminent I amended and differenced those passages which in the former Editions had been corrupted and disguised Secondly in regard the former Translatours had either by reason of their want of Manuscript-Copies or on some other account erred in many places that their Versions might not induce the Readers into mistakes I my self have Elaborated a new Translation with which the Studious will I hope be in future content Lastly I have added Annotations that I might therein both give an account of mine Amendments and also explain and illustrate all the more obscure and difficult places And this Edition being candidly received by all is now in the hands of the Learned Therefore what I then by the Divine Assistance performed in the History of Eusebius Caesariensis the same I have attempted now to do in the History of Socrates and Sozomen by the Command and advice of the same Prelates I mentioned For that I may in the first place speak concerning Socrates who first betook himself to write I have amended his History by the help and assistance of three Manuscript-Copies to wit the Sfortian the Florentine and the Allatian The Sfortian-Manuscript which is the best and ancientest is at this time kept in the Vatican Library This Copy the Learned Lucas Holstenius had sometime since in favour to the most illustrious Carolus Monchallus Arch-Bishop of Tolouse compared with the Geneva Edition and had transmitted the various readings together with the Emendations of Philostorgius transcribed from the Scoriacensian M. S. to the same Prelate at such time as the Gallican Clergy had committed to him the care of setting forth a new Edition of the Ancient Ecclesiastick History so the said Holstenius informs us in his Epistle to Peter Possinus a Divine of the Order of the Jesuites But afterwards when by the entreaty of the same Arch-Bishop of Tolouse who understood that by reason of his too much other business he could not be at leisure to take care of this Edition the Gallican Clergy had injoyned me that Province the same Holstenius sent me the various readings of the fore mentioned Sfortian-Manuscript written out with his own hand at the margin of the Geneva Edition together with those amendments of Philostorgius and had sent me more had a longer life been granted him For a little before his death he sent me some dissertations concerning certain passages in the Nicene and Chalcedon Councills and concerning Synesius's Episcopate Which dissertations shall God willing be published by us in the third Tome of our Ecclesiastick History that the Learned part of the world may be no longer defrauded of that most Accomplished Persons Labours The Florentine-Manuscript follows transcribed about five hundred years since which is now kept at Florence in Saint Laurence's Library The discovery and use of this Manuscript I owe to Emericus Bigotius a most skilfull searcher into Old Libraries by whose diligence it is contrived that we sitting still and idle here enjoy the riches and treasures of many and most remote Libraries For at his entreaty Michael Erminius a Senatour of Florence compared that Copy with the Geneva-Edition and transmitted the various readings thereof to me upon which account I do profess my self much oblieged to both
especially because Eusebius of Nicomedia had sorely threatned him saying that he would forthwith cause him to be deposed unless he would admit Arius and his followers to Communion But Alexander was not so sollicitous about his own deposition as he was fearful of the enervating of the Doctrine of Faith which they earnestly endeavoured to subvert For looking upon himself as the keeper and patron of the determinations made by the Nicene Synod he made it wholly his business to prevent the wresting and depravation of those Canons Being therefore reduced to those extremities he entirely bad farwell to the assistances of Logick and made God his Refuge He devoted himself to continued fasts and omitted no form or manner of praying Now he made this resolution within his own mind and what he had resolved he secretly performed Having shut up himself alone in the Church which is called Irene he went to the Altar laid himself prostrate on the ground under the holy Table and poured forth his prayers to God with tears he continued doing this for many nights and days together Moreover he asked of God and received what he had desired His petition was this that if Arius's opinion were true he might not see the day appointed for the disquisition thereof but if that Faith which he professed were true that Arius in regard he was the Authour of all these mischiefs might suffer condign punishment for his impiety CHAP. XXXVIII Concerning Arius's death THis was the subject of Alexanders prayer Now the Emperour desirous to make tryal of Arius sends for him to the Pallace and enquired of him whether he would give his assent to the determinations of the Nicene Synod He without any delay readily subscribed in the Emperours presence making use of evasive shifts to elude and avoid what had been determined concerning the Faith The Emperour admiring hereat compelled him to swear This he also did by making use of fraud and deceit Moreover the manner of artifice he made use of in subscribing was as I have heard this Arius they say wrote that opinion he maintained in a piece of paper and hid it under his arm-pit and then swore that he did really think as he had written What I have written concerning his having done this is grounded on hear-say only But I have collected out of the Emperours own Letters that he swore besides his bare subscribing Hereupon the Emperour believed him and gave order to Alexander Bishop of Constantinople to admit him to Communion It was then the Sabbath day and on the day following he expected that he should be a member of the assembly of believers But Divine vengeance closely followed Arius's audaciousness For when he went out of the Imperial Pallace he was attended by the Eusebian faction like guards through the midst of the City in so much that the eyes of all people were upon him And when he came neer that place which is called Constantines Forum where the pillar of porphyrie is erected a terror proceeding from a consciousness of his impieties seiz'd Arius which terrour was accompanied with a loosness Hereupon he enquired whether there were an house of office neer and understanding that there was one behind Constantines Forum he went thither A fainting fit seized him and together with his excrements his fundament fell down forthwith and a great flux of bloud followed and his small guts And bloud gushed out together with his spleen and liver He died therefore immediately But the house of office is to be seen at this day in Constantinople as I said behind Constantines Forum and behind the Shambles in the Piazza and by every ones pointing with their finger at the jakes as they go by the manner of Arius's death will never be forgotten by posterity This accident hapning a fear and an anxietie seized Eusebius of Nicomedia's faction and the report hereof quickly spread it self all over the City nay I may say over the whole world But the Emperour did more zealously adhere to Christianity and said that the Nicene Faith was now truly confirmed by God himself He was also very glad both at what had hapned and also upon the account of his three sons whom he had proclaimed Caesars each of them was created at every Decennalia of his Reign The Eldest of them called Constantine after his own name he created Governour over the Western parts of the Empire in the first tenth year of his Reign His second son Constantius who bore his Grandfathers name he made Caesar in the Eastern parts of the Empire in the twentieth year of his Reign The youngest called Constans he created Caesar in the thirtieth year of his Empire CHAP. XXXIX How Constantine falling into a distemper ended his life THe Year after the Emperour Constantine having just entred the sixty fifth year of his age falls sick He therefore left Constantinople and went by water to Helenopolis to make use of the medicinal hot springs situate in the vicinage of that City But when he was sensible that his distemper increased he deferred bathing And removed from Helenopolis to Nicomedia He kept his Court there in the Suburbs and received Christian Baptism He was hereupon very chearfull and made his will wherein he left his three sons heirs of the Empire allotting to every one of them their part as he had done in his life time He left many Legacies both to Rome and to Constantinople and he intrusted his Will with that Presbyter by whose intercession Arius was recalled of whom we spoke something before injoyning him not to deliver it into any mans hands except his Son Constantius's whom he had constituted Governour of the East After he had made his Will he lived some few days and then died Moreover none of his Sons were with him at his death Therefore there was one immediately dispatcht into the East to inform Constantius of his Fathers death CHAP. XL. Concerning Constantine the Emperours Funerall THey that were about the Emperour put his Corps in a Coffin of Gold conveighed it to Constantinople and placed it on a bed of State on high in the Pallace and there they paid their honorary respects to it and set a guard about it as when he was alive This course they continued till one of his Sons came But when Constantius arrived out of the Eastern parts he was honoured with an imperial Sepulture and deposited in the Church called The Apostles which he himself had erected for this reason that the Emperours and Prelates might not be far inferiour to the reliques of the Apostles The Emperour Constantine lived to the age of Sixty five years he Reigned One and thirty years And died in the Consulate of Felicianus and Titianus upon the twenty second day of May which was the second year of the Two hundredth seventy eighth Olympiad Now this Book contains in it the space of thirty one yeares THE SECOND BOOK OF THE Ecclesiastical History OF SOCRATES
things that are compounded The same Authour delivers these very words Every proposition says he has either a Genus which is praedicated or a Species or a Differentià or a Proprium or an Accidens or what is compounded of these but none of these can be supposed to be in the sacred Trinity Let that therefore which is inexplicable be adored with silence Thus argues Evagrius concerning whom we shall speak hereafter But although we may seem to have made a digression by relating these things yet we have mentioned them here in regard they are usefull and pertinent to the subject of our History CHAP. VIII Some passages quoted out of Athanasius's Apologetick concerning his own Flight AT the same time Athanasius recited the Apologetick he had formerly made concerning his own Flight in the audience of those that were present Some passages whereof being useful and profitable I will here insert and leave the whole Book in regard 't is large to be inquired out and perused by the Studious Behold says he these are the audacious villanies of those impious wretches These are their practises and yet they blush not at the mischiefs they have formerly contrived against us but do even at this time accuse us because we were able to escape their murdering hands Yea rather they are sorely troubled because they have not quite dispatcht us In fine under a pretence and colour they upbraid us with fear but are ignorant that whilst they make a noise about this they retort the crime upon themselves For if it be bad to fly it is much worse to pursue For the one absconds that he may not be murdered but the other pursues with a design to murder Yea the Scripture informs us that we must fly But he that seeks an occasion to murder violates the Law and does himself give others an occasion of flying If therefore they upbraid us with our flight they should rather be ashamed of their own pursuit Let them leave plotting and those that fly will soon desist from making their escape But they cease not from acting their own villanies but do all they can to apprehend being very sensible that the flight of such as are pursued is a great evidence against them that pursue For no body flies from a meek and good-natured person but rather from one that is of a barbarous and malitious disposition And therefore Every one that was discontented and in debt fled from Saul to David Wherefore these persons also endeavour to slay such as conceal themselves that there may seem to be no evidence to convince them of their wickedness But in this case also these mistaken persons seem to be blinded For by how much the more manifest the flight is by so much will the slaughters caused by their treacheries and the banishments be more evidently exposed to the view of all men For whether they kill death will make a greater noise against them or again whether they banish they do in every place erect monuments of their own injustice against themselves Were they therefore sound as to their intellectuals they might perceive themselves intangled herein and egregiously mistaken in their own measures But in regard they are infatuated for that reason they are incited to persecute and whilst they seek to murder others perceive not their own impiety For if they reproach such as conceal themselves from those that seek to murder them and calumniate such as fly from their pursuers what will they do when they see Jacob flying from his brother Esau and Moses retreating into the Country of Madian for fear of Pharaoh what answer will these Bablers make to David who fled from Saul when he sent Messengers from his own house to murder him hid himself in a Cave and changed his countenance untill he had passed by Abimelech and avoided the treachery Or what will these fellows who are ready to utter any thing say when they see the Great Elias who called upon God and raised a dead man hiding himself for fear of Ahab and flying because of Jezebels Menaces At which time the Sons of the Prophets also being sought for to be slain absconded concealing themselves in Caves with Abdia Or have they not read these passages in regard they are antient But they have also quite forgot what is related in the Gospel For the Disciples for fear of the Jews retreated and hid themselves And Paul when he was sought for at Damascus by the Governour was let down from the wall in a basket and escaped the hands of him that sought him Since therefore the Scripture records these things concerning the Saints what excuse can they invent for their rash precipitancy For if they upbraid them with timidity that audacious reproach recoyls upon themselves being madmen as it were But if they calumniate those Holy persons as having done this contrary to the will of God they demonstrate themselves to be altogether unskilled in the Scriptures For in the Law there was a command that Cities of refuge should be appointed to the intent that such as were sought for to be put to death might some way or other be enabled to secure themselves But in the consummation of ages when the Word of the Father he who spake to Moses came himself into the world he did again give this command saying But when they persecute you flee from this City to another And a little after he says When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place who so readeth let him understand then let them who be in Judea flee into the mountaines Let him who is on the house-top not come down to take any thing out of his house Let not him who is in the field return back to take his clothes When therefore the Saints understood these things they entred upon such a course of life as was agreeable hereto For the same commands which the Lord has now given he had delivered by the Saints before his coming in the flesh And this is a rule for all men which leads them to perfection that is To do what ever God hath commanded Upon this account the Word himself also made man for our sakes when he was sought for vouchsafed to conceal himself as we do and being persecuted again he was pleased to fly and avoid the conspiracy For it became Him that as by hungring thirsting and undergoing these afflictions so by this means also he should demonstrate himself to be made man At the very beginning as soon as he was made man he himself being as yet but a child gave this command to Joseph by an Angel Arise and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt For Herod will seek the young childs life And after the death of Herod it appears that for fear of his Son Archelaus he retired to Nazareth Afterwards when he had demonstrated himself
And again at another Session Juvenalis and Maximus made an agreement and it seemed good that the Bishop of Antioch should have the two Phoenicia's and Arabia and the Bishop of Jerusalem the three Palestines Subject to his See And after an Interlocution of the Judges and Bishops they confirmed this agreement And at the ninth Session Theodoret's Cause was discussed Who had Anathematized Nestorius in these words Anathema to Nestorius and to him who denies the Holy Virgin Mary to be Theotocos and to him who divides the one Only-begotten Son into two Sons moreover I have subscribed to the definition of the Faith and to Leo's Epistle After an Interlocution therefore made by them all he recovered his own See In another Session Ibas's Cause was examined and those things were read which had been transacted and pronounced against him the Judges whereof were Photius Bishop of Tyre and Eustathius Bishop of Berytus And Sentence was deferred to the following Session At the Eleventh Convention when many of the Bishops had voted Ibas to be restored to his Bishoprick some Bishops opposed it and said that his Accusers were without and they requested that they might be ordered to come in Those things therefore were read which had been transacted against Ibas And when the Judges by an Interiocution had given order that the Acts at Ephesus against Ibas should be read the Bishops said that all things which had been done at the Second Ephesine Synod were void and null except only the ordination of Maximus Bishop of Antioch And they made a request to the Emperour concerning this matter that by a Law he would decree that nothing of those things which had been done at Ephesus after the First Synod over which Cyrillus of Blessed memory Prelate of Alexandria had presided should be valid And Ibas had his Bishoprick adjudged to him At another Action the Cause of Bassianus Bishop of Ephesus was discussed and 't was Decreed that as well he as Stephanus should be deposed and another Substituted in their room And at another Session the same thing was put to the Vote and confirmed In the Thirteenth Action the Cause between Eunomius Bishop of Nicomedia and Anastasius Bishop of Nicaea was inquired into who were at strife amongst themselves concerning their own Cities Moreover there was a Fourteenth Action wherein the Cause of Sabinianus the Bishop was examined And in fine it was determined that the Constantinopolitane See should have precedency immediately after that of Rome The End THE THIRD BOOK OF THE Ecclesiastical History OF EVAGRIUS SCHOLASTICUS Epiphaniensis And one of the EX-PRAEFECTS CHAP. I. Concerning Zeno's Empire and concerning his Life BUT Zeno after the death of his own Son was invested with the sole Administration of the Empire supposing as it were that he could not be possest of the Dominion of the whole world unless with an uncontroulable Liberty he might prosecute all manner of pleasures which occurred at his first entrance he yielded himself so wholly up to the attempts and allurements of Lusts that no filthy or flagitious Fact could put a restraint upon him but in such a manner he wallowed in the commission thereof that he thought it vile and mean to commit these things in darkness and obscurity but to perpetrate them openly and in the sight of all was in his judgment Royall and becoming only an Emperour But his Sentiments in this matter were ill and absolutely servile For an Emperour is not taken notice of for this because he Rules over others but on this account in regard in the first place he governeth and moderateth himself permitting nothing that is extravagant or ill to creep into himself But continues so impregnable against intemperance that he may seem to be a living Image of Virtues instructing his Subjects to an imitation of Himself But he who has prostituted himself to Pleasures by degrees is imprudently made the vilest of Servants and becomes a Captive not redeemable frequently changing his Masters like the unusefullest sort of Slaves For innumerable pleasures are made his Mistresses which can never have an end of their Train and Coherence and of their succeeding one another the pleasure which is at hand never stopping but becomes the Incentive and Preface of another till such time as any person really and truly made an Emperour over himself can expell that turbulent and tumultuous Government of pleasures reigning in future and not opprest with Tyranny otherwise continuing a Slave to his last breath he must possess the infernall pit CHAP. II. Concerning the Incursions of the Barbarians both in the East and in the West SUch a person was Zeno at the beginning of his Government a man of an intemperate and dissolute life But those who were his Subjects as well in the Eastern as Western parts underwent most severe mischiefs and afflictions on this side the Saracens ruined all things on that a multitude of the Hunni heretofore termed the Massagetae made incursions into Thracia and passed the Danube no body making a resistance against them Zeno himself also in a Barbarick manner by force took away from the Provincialls what the Barbarians had left CHAP. III. Concerning Basiliscus's Tyranny and Zeno's Flight BUT When Basiliscus Verina's Brother made an Insurrection against him For even his own Relations were enemies to Zeno all persons equally abominating his debauch't life he had not so much as a thought in him that was manly and couragious For wickedness is a cowardly thing which breeds desperation and despondency and gives a sufficient indication of an unmanliness of mind from its being vanquished by pleasures but flies with all the hast imaginable and without a Battell yields so great an Empire to Basiliscus He endured also a tedious Siege in the Country of the Isaurians where he himself had been born having his wise Ariadne with him who after her husbands flight had left her mother and as many of his friends as had continued faithfull to him Basiliscus therefore having thus encircled himself with the Crown of the Romans and proclaimed his Son Marcus Caesar took a contrary course both to Zeno and to those who had been Emperours before Zeno. CHAP. IV. That Basiliscus recalled Timotheus Aelurus and induced thereto by him sent his Circular Letters to all places in order to the abrogating of the Chalcedon-Synod INduced thereto by an Embassy therefore of some persons sent to him from Alexandria he recalls Timotheus from Exile who had been banished eighteen years Acacius at that time administring the Bishoprick of Constantinople When therefore Timotheus was arrived at the Imperiall City he perswades Basiliscus to send his Circular Letters to the Prelates in all places and to Anathematize what had been done at Chalcedon and Leo's Book The Contents of the Circular Letters run thus Emperour Caesar Basiliscus Pius Victor Triumphator Maximus always Adorable Augustus
with prudence and modesty and not to raise Seditions Some of these people revering his admonitions desisted from being obstinate and perverse But he let alone others of them who were incurable in reference to their being brought to a soundness of mind and committed them to God having at no time designed any thing of severity against any one of them Hence it hapned as 't is probable that those who had raised a Sedition in the Region of the Africans proceeded to such an height of wickedness that they attempted some audacious facts the Devill as 't is likely envying that plenty of the present blessings and inciting those men to absurd practises that he might incense the mind of the Emperour against them But he reapt no advantage by his envy in regard the Emperour accounted what was done to be ridiculous and affirmed tha he acknowledged it the incitation of the Devil For he said that those were not the actions of sober persons but of such as were either altogether mad men or stimulated by the wickedest of Devils which sort of people ought to be pitied rather than punish't For it would not be such an height of justice to be incited against the fury of mad men as 't is a transcendency of Humanity to compassionate their condition CHAP. XLVI His Victories over the Barbarians THus the Emperour in all his Actions worshipped God the Inspectour of all things and with an indefatigable sollicitude made provision for his Churches But God rewarded him and subdued almost all Barbarous Nations under his feet in so much that he erected Trophies in all places against his Enemies He proclaimed him Conquerour amongst all men and rendred him formidable to his Enemies and adversaries although naturally he was no such man but rather the mildest meekest and most compassionate personage of all Mortalls what ever CHAP. XLVII The Death of Maximin and others whose Plots Constantine discovered God making them known to him IN the interim that he was doing these things the second of those two persons who had resigned the Empire framed a design to cut off Constantine and being discovered ended his life by a most ignominious death And this was the first person whose Pictures Statues and what ever other Monuments are usually erected in honour of the Emperours were defaced and thrown down in all parts of the world in regard he was an impious and wicked wretch After this man other persons also related to him who were contriving secret Plots against Constantine were detected God himself in a most miraculous manner being the discoverer of all their designs to his servant by Visions For he frequently vouchsafed him his own presence the Divine Likeness appearing to him in a most wonderfull manner and suggesting to him all manner of foreknowledge in relation to future affairs Indeed the Miracles shown him by divine Grace are inexpressible nor is it possible for a Narrative to comprehend what great blessings God himself vouchsafed to afford his Servant With which he was surrounded and spent the residue of his life in Repose and Safety highly pleased at the benevolence and good affection of his Subjects rejoycing because he saw all those under his Government leading peaceable and chearfull lives but above all extraordinarily delighted with the splendour and flourishing condition of God's Churches CHAP. XLVIII The Celebration of Constantine's Decennalia WHilst he was in this condition the Tenth year of his Empire was compleated On which account he celebrated publick and solemn Festivalls and put up Thanksgivings like some pure sacrifices without fire and smoak to God the supream King With which Holy Exercises he was highly delighted but he was not so well pleased with the account brought him by those Messengers from whom he received advice concerning the Ruine of the Provinces in the East CHAP. XLIX In what manner Licinius afflicted the East FOr a certain Savage Beast he was told had beset both the Church of God there and the rest of the Provincialls also the most impure Devil enraged with emulation as 't were striving to do the quite contrary to those things performed by the pious Emperour In so much that the Roman Empire divided into two parts seemed to all men to be like the night and the day For a darkness involved the Inhabitants of the East but a most bright day enlightned those who dwelt in the Western parts Whose enjoyment of those innumerable Blessings procured them by God was an intollerable spectacle to the Envy of the Devil that hater of good nor did the Tyrant who oppressed the other part of the world think that fit to be born with Who seeing the affairs of his Empire succeeding prosperously and being vouchsafed an affinity by marriage to so great an Emperour as Constantine was relinquished the imitation of that pious Prince and strove to embrace the instructions and wicked Moralls of the Impious And he made it his business rather to follow their advices whose calamitous end he had been an eye-witness of than to continue in a friendship and amity with him that was his Better CHAP. L. In what manner Licinius attempted to frame Treacheries against Constantine HE raises therefore an irreconcileable War against his Benefactour without calling to mind the Laws of friendship not considering his Oaths his affinity or the Leagues that were between them For the most Benigne Constantine that he might give him the surest evidence of his sincere Benevolence and affection made him partaker of his own paternall Lineage and of that Imperiall bloud he drew from his Ancestours by matching his Sister to him and permitted him to enjoy the Colleague-ship of the whole Roman Empire But Licinius's thoughts were contrary hereto being taken up in contriving Machinations and ill-designes against his Better inventing various sorts of Treacheries successively that with mischiefs he might reward his Benefactour And at the beginning he pretended friendship and performed all things with deceit and fraud hoping that his audacious designs might be kept concealed But God discovered those Treacheries of his hatch't in darkness to his Servant Constantine Whereupon Licinius because detected in his first attempts betook himself to second frauds sometimes pretending friendship at others procuring himself belief by the Religion of Oathes and Leagues then on a sudden he would violate what he had agreed to and again would crave pardon by an Embassie after which he would render himself infamous by Lyes But at length he proclaimed open War and instigated by a desperate madness of mind took a resolution in future to bear Arms against God himself of whom he well knew the Emperour Constantine was a Worshipper CHAP. LI. Licinius's Treacheries against the Bishops and his prohibitions of Synods ANd in the first place with great closeness and subtlety he made a strict inquiry into those Ministers of God that lived under his Dominions who had never committed any Crime against his Government
which the Emperour himself had dedicated to his God as the fairest sacred present CHAP. XXXIX A description of the Area Exhedrae and Porches HEnce at those passages which to them that goe out lie before the Church he interposed an Area or Court In which place there were first the Atrium then the Porticus's on both sides and last of all the Gates of the Atrium After which the Porches of the whole Structure placed in the very middle of the Street where there was a Market being most beautifully adorned gave such as were making a journey abroad a most amazing prospect of the things seen within CHAP. XL. Concerning the Number of the Donaria THis Church therefore which was a manifest evidence of the salutary Resurrection the Emperour erected and beautified it throughout with a furniture that was magnificent and truly Imperial He adorned it likewise in a various manner with inexpressible ornaments of innumerable consecrated Gifts consisting of Gold Silver and pretious Stones The Composure of which ornaments being wrought with the most curious workmanship and eminent for greatness number and variety we are not now at leisure to describe particularly CHAP. XLI Concerning the Building of the Churches at Bethlehem and on the Mount of Olives HAving likewise in the same Country found other places ennobled with two Sacred Caves he beautified them also with magnificent ornaments To that Cave wherein our Saviour first made his Divine appearance where also he endured to be born in the flesh he attributed a becoming Honour But in the other Cave he honoured the Memory of our Lord's Ascent into the heavens which had heretofore hapned on the top of a Mountain And these places he adorned most magnificently and at the same time eternized the Memory of His own Mother who had procured so great a Good for Mankind CHAP. XLII That Helena Augusta the Mother of Constantine going to Bethlehem on account of Prayer built these Churches FOr in regard she had resolved to pay the due debt of her pious affection to God the supream King and had determined that she ought to give thanks with Supplications for her own Son so glorious an Emperour and for his Sons the Caesars most dear to God her Grand-children though now very aged yet she hastned and came with a youthfull mind being a woman of a singular prudence that she might view that admirable Ground and with a care and sollicitude truly Royal might make a Visit to the Eastern Provinces Cities and people But after she had given a due Veneration to the Footsteps of our Saviour agreeable to that prophetick Expression which runs thus Let us worship at the place where his Feet have stood immediately she left the fruit of her own piety even to posterity CHAP. XLIII Again Concerning the Church at Bethlehem FOr she forthwith dedicated two Churches to that God whom she had adored the one at the Cave wherein Christ was born the other on the Mountain whence he had ascended into Heaven For Emanuel endured to be born for us under the earth and the place of His Nativity is by the Hebrews termed Bethlehem And therefore the Empress most dear to God adorned the place where the Theotocos was delivered with admirable Monuments and illustrated that Sacred Cave with all manner of Ornaments Not long after which the Emperour honoured it also with Imperial sacred Gifts increasing his Mother's Magnificence with Monuments of Silver and Gold and with various Curtains Further the Emperour's Mother in memory of his Ascent into the Heavens who is the Saviour of all raised stately Edifices in the Mount of Olives erecting a sacred House together with an holy Church upon the very top of the Mount Moreover here as the true History attests the supream Saviour in the very Cave informed his disciples in secret Mysteries But the Emperour himself in this place also reverenced the supream King with all manner of sacred Gifts and Ornaments And these two stately and most beautifull Monuments worthy of an eternal Memory erected at the two sacred Caves Helena Augusta the Religious Mother of a Religious Emperour dedicated to God Her Saviour being the indications of a pious affection Her Son reaching out to Her the right hand of His Imperial power Not long after which this aged woman received a reward worthy of her Labours For having passed the whole time of her Life unto the very Threshold of old age in all manner of felicity and having as well in words as deeds brought forth plentifull fruits of the saving precepts and having for that reason lead a Life void of trouble and grief in the greatest healthiness both of body and mind at length she obtained from God both an end befitting her piety and a reward also of her good works even in this life present CHAP. XLIV Concerning Helena's greatness of Mind and Beneficence FOr whilst she was taking her progress round the whole East with a Royal Magnificence she heapt innumerable benefits and favours both on Cities and on every private person also who approacht her and with a liberal hand she distributed numerous largesses amongst the Military Forces But on the poor naked and on such as were destitute of all help and comfort She bestowed very many Gifts making distributions of money to some plentifully supplying others with clothes to cover their bodies Othersome She set at Liberty from bonds as also them afflicted with the slavery of the Mines She likewise freed some that were opprest by the violence of persons more powerfull than themselves and again re-called others from banishment CHAP. XLV In what manner Helena was religiously conversant in the Churches HAving rendred her self eminent by such actions as these in the interim she in no wise neglected Her piety towards God For She was seen to come constantly into the Church of God and beautified the sacred houses with splendid ornaments not contemning the Churches even in the smallest Cities You might therefore have beheld this admirable woman in a modest and decent garb associating her self with the rest of the multitude and demonstrating her Reverence towards God by all manner of pious actions CHAP. XLVI How being eighty years old and having made her Will she ended her Life BUt at length when after she had lived a sufficient space of time she was called to a better allotment having prolonged her life till about the eightieth year of her age and being arrived at the very confines of death she composed ordained and declared her last Will and Testament constituting her only Son sole Emperour and Lord of the world Her heir together with his Sons the Caesars Her Grand-children and distributing to each of Her Grand-children those her own Goods whatever she was possest of throughout the whole world Having in this manner made Her
but that others in regard as to their Nature they were like irrational creatures would relye upon their own senses rather Wherefore that no person whether good or ill might be in doubt he performed it openly and hath exposed this Blessedness and admirable Cure to publick view restoring again to life those that were dead and commanding that such as had been deprived of their senses should again recover their former soundness of sense But that he rendred the Sea solid and in the midst of a Storm ordered a Calm to arise and in fine that after he had performed wonderfull works and from an incredulity had brought men over to a most strong Faith He ascended up into Heaven whose work was this save God's and a performance of a most transcendent power Nor did that time which was nearest to his Passion want those Sights that were highly admirable when the darkness of night obscured the brightness of day and totally eclips'd the Sun For a terrour had seized all people every where who believed that the end of all things was now come and that a Chaos such a one as had been before the Composure of the World would now prevail Moreover the Cause of so great a Calamity was inquired into and what horrid impiety that might be which had been committed by men against the Deity Till such time as with a pleasing greatness of mind God had with contempt look't upon the contumely of the Impious and had restored all things and beautified the whole Heaven with the usual course of the Stars The Face therefore of the world which in a manner had been wholly covered with mourning and sadness was again restored to its Native beauty CHAP. XII Concerning those who knew not this Mystery and that their ignorance is voluntary and what great blessings await those who know it and especially them who have died in Confession BUt some one of those with whom 't is usual to blaspheme will peradventure say that God was able to have made the will of men better and more tractable and mild I demand therefore what better method what more effectual attempt in order to the amendment of ill men than God's own speaking to them Has not He when present and rendred visible to all taught them modestie and sobriety of life If therefore the Command of a God who was present hath availed nothing how could the admonition of one absent and un-heard be of force What therefore was the Obstacle of that most Blessed Doctrine The perverse untractable and fierce humour of men For when with an angry and displeased mind we receive those things which are well and fitly enjoyned the acuteness of our understanding is dull'd as 't were and clouded Besides it was pleasure to them to neglect the commands and in a loathing and disdainfull manner to give ear to the Law that was made For had they not been negligent and careless they had received rewards befitting their attention not only in this life present but in that to come also which is really and truly The Life For the reward of those who obey God is an immortal and eternal Life The attaining whereof is possible to them only who shall know God and shall propose their own lives as some perpetual Exemplar for their imitation that have resolved to live by way of Emulation with a desire of excelling On this account therefore the Doctrine was delivered to the wise that what they shall command might in a pure mind be preserved with care by their companions and that the observance of God's Command might thus continue true and firm For from such an observance and from a pure Faith and a sincere Devotion towards God springs a fearlesness and contempt of Death Such a mind as this therefore gives a resistance to the Storms and Tumults of the world being fortified in order to Martyrdom by an inexpugnable strength of Divine Virtue And when with a magnanimity it has conquered the greatest Terrours it is vouchsafed a Crown from Him to whom with courage and constancy it hath born witness Nevertheless it does not boast in respect hereof For it knows I suppose that even this is the Gift of God that it has both endured Tortures and hath also chearfully fulfilled the Divine Commands Farther such a life as this is followed by an immortal Memory and an Eternal Glory and that most deservedly For both the life of a Martyr is found to be full of modesty and of a Religious observance of the Divine Commands and his death likewise appears full of magnanimity and Gallantry Wherefore Hymns Psalms commendations and praises are after this sung to God the Inspectour of all things and such a Sacrifice of thanksgiving as this is performed in memory of these persons a Sacrifice not polluted with bloud and void of all manner of violence Neither is the Odour of Frankincense required nor a kindling of the Funeral-pile but a pure Light only as much as may be sufficient for the enlightning them who pray to God Sober Feasts and Banquets are likewise celebrated by many made for the relief and refreshment of the indigent and to help them who have been deprived of their Estates and Country Which Banquets should any one think to be burthensome and inconvenient his Sentiment would be repugnant to the Divine and most Blessed Discipline CHAP. XIII That a difference of the parts of the Creation is necessary and that a propensity to Good and Evil springs from the will of men and therefore that the Judgment of God is necessary and agreeable to Reason BUt now some persons do boldly and inconsiderately presume to find fault with God even in this matter What was his meaning say they that he has not framed the nature of things one and the same but has commanded that even most things should be produced different and therefore should be endued with a nature and disposition that are contrary Whence springs a diversity of the Morals and Wills of us men It had peradventure been better both as to what respects an obedience to the Commands of God and as to an accurate Contemplation of Him and in reference to a confirmation of the Faith of every particular person that all men had been endued with one and the same disposition But we answer 't is altogether ridiculous to desire that all men should be of one and the same humour and disposition and 't is absurd not to consider and remark this that the constitution of the whole world is not the same with that of those things which are in the world or this that Natural things are not of the same substance with those that are Moral Or Lastly this that the Affections of the Body are not the same with those of the Mind For the rational Soul does far excel this whole world and is so
far better account 't is agreeable to reason we should assert that the Power of the Divine Word received no dammage from the sufferings of the Body in as much as neither that instance of Light which we have already made use of does any ways permit the Solar Rayes which are shot from Heaven upon the earth and do touch dirt and mire and all manner of filth to be polluted For though nothing hinders us from affirming that even these things are illustrated by the Rayes of Light yet we do not therefore say that the Light it self is also bemired or that the Sun is defiled by the mixture of Bodies albeit these things are not wholly disagreeable to Nature it self But whereas that Saviour and incorporeal Word of God is The Life it self and the intellectual Light it self whatsoever thing He shall have toucht by His divine and incorporeal Virtue that thing must afterwards of necessity live and be conversant in rational Light In like manner also whatever Body He shall have toucht that Body is forthwith sanctified and illuminated and immediately every disease sickness and Trouble departs from it And those things which before were empty receive some portion from His Fulness Wherefore He spent almost the whole Course of His Life in such a manner that He might sometimes shew His own Body to be lyable to the same passions that we are but at others that he might declare Himself to be God The Word whilst He performed Great and Wonderfull Works as God and foretold things future long before they hapned and demonstrated the word of God who was not seen by many by the things themselves namely by prodigious Works Miracles Signes and Stupendious Powers and moreover by Divine Doctrines whereby He incited the minds of men that they should prepare their souls for the Blessedness of that supernal Habitation which is beyond Heaven WHat remains now but that we give an account of the cause and reason of that thing which is the chief and principal of all I mean the much-talk't-of End of His Life and the manner of his Passion and the grand Miracle of his Resurrection after death After an explication of which particulars we will confirm the demonstrations of them all by most manifest Testimonies The Divine Word therefore having on account of those reasons mentioned by us made use of a mortal instrument as of a Statue most becoming the Majesty of God and in regard He is the Great Emperour having by its Ministery as 't were by that of an Interpreter been conversant amongst men He performed all things in such a manner as became the Divine Power Now if after that life spent amongst men He had by some other means become invisible on a sudden and gone away if He had conveyed away His Interpreter privately and by a flight had endeavoured to rescue His own Statue from the danger of death and if afterwards of Himself He had adjudg'd that very mortal Body to death and corruption doubtless all men would have believed Him to have been a meer Apparition or Ghost Nor would He Himself have performed those things which became Himself in regard although He was The Life and The Word of God and The Power of God yet He would have delivered up His own Interpreter to death and corruption Nor would those things which He had performed against the devil have been terminated by an illustrious conflict and Combat with Death Nor could it have been accurately known whither He had withdrawn Himself nor would He have been believed by those who had not seen Him with their eyes nor could it have been made apparent that He has a nature superiour to Death nor could He have freed Mortal Nature from the infirmity of it s own condition nor would He have been fam'd thorowout the whole habitable world nor could He have prevailed upon His own disciples to contemn death nor would He have procured for those who are followers of His doctrine the Hope of a life with God after death nor would He have fulfilled the Promises of His own Discourses nor would He have exhibited agreeable Events to the Prophetick Predictions concerning Himself nor in fine would He have undergone the last Combat of all which was against Death it self On account therefore of all these particulars in as much as 't was wholly necessary that His mortal Instrument after that sufficient service which it had performed to the Divine Word should have an end befitting God allotted to it therefore I say His death is in this manner dispenc'd and ordered For there remaining two things to be done by Him at the end of His Life either that He should surrender up His whole Body to Corruption and Ruine and so close His whole Life like a Play as 't were with a most disgracefull Catastrophe or else that He should manifest Himself to be superiour to Death and by the assistance of Divine Power should render His mortal Body immortal the first of these two was repugnant to His own Promise For 't is not the property of fire to cool nor of light to darken So neither is it the property of Life to die nor of the Divine Reason to act contrary to reason For how is it agreeable to reason that He who had promised life to others should be so negligent as to suffer His own instrument to be corrupted and should surrender up His own Image to destruction and that he who promised immortality to all that address themselves to Him should by Death ruine the Interpreter of His own Divinity The second thing therefore was necessary I mean that He should manifest Himself to be superiour to Death In what manner then was that to have been done Covertly and by stealth or openly and in the view of all But so glorious an Atchievement had it been performed by Him in the dark and in secret and had it been unknown to any one would have been advantagious to no body But when divulged and fam'd amongst all persons it would redound to the benefit and advantage of all by reason of the miracle of the thing Whereas then it was necessary that his Instrument should be manifested to be above Death and whereas this was not to have been performed in secret but in the view of men on account hereof it was that He avoided not Death For had He done that He would have been lookt upon as a Coward and inferiour to Death But by His conflict with death as with an Adversary He rendred that Body which was mortal immortal after He had undergone that Combat for the Life Immortality and salvation of all persons And as should any one have a mind to shew us a Vessel that can't be burnt and which is above the power of fire He could by no other means make out the strangeness of the thing than by taking the Vessel into
His hands by casting it into the fire and afterwards by pulling it out of the flames entire and unconsum'd in the very same manner the Word of God who confers life on all desirous to demonstrate that mortal instrument which He had made use of in order to the salvation of men to be superiour to Death and to render it a partaker of His own life and immortality underwent a most usefull and advantagious dispensation forsaking His Body during a very short time and surrendring up to Death that which was mortal that its own nature might hereby be proved then soon after rescuing it from Death again in order to the manifestation of His Divine Power by which power He made it apparent that that Eternal Life which He had promised was superiour to all the force of Death Now the reason of this thing is evident and perspicuous For whereas it was altogether necessary for His disciples that with their own eyes they should see a manifest and undoubted Reparation of life after death in which life He had taught them to place their Hopes in regard His design was to render them Contemners and Vanquishers of death not without reason it was that He would have them behold this with their own eyes For it behoved such persons who were about entring upon a pious Course of life by the clearest view to behold and imbibe this first and most necessary Lesson of all and much more those who were forthwith to Preach Him thoroughout the whole world and to declare to all men the knowledge of God the foundation of which knowledge had before been laid by Him amongst all Nations Which persons ought to rely and ground upon the firmest and most undoubted perswasion of a life after death to the end that without any fear or dread of Death they might with alacrity undertake the Combat against the errour of the Nations who worship many Gods For unless they had learnt to dispise Death they would never have been provided against those perils they were to undergo Wherefore when as 't was requisite He would arm them against the power of Death He did not deliver them a Precept in naked words and bare expressions nor as the usage of men is did He compose an Oration concerning the immortality of the soul made up of Perswasives and Probabilities but really and actually shewed them the Trophies erected against Death This then was the first and most Cogent reason of Our Saviour's engagement with Death For He shewed His disciples that death which is formidable to all was nothing and by a clear view rendred them eye-witnesses of that Life promised by Him which very life He made the First-Fruits of our common hope and of a future life and immortality with God A second reason of His Resurrection was the demonstration of that Divine Power which had dwelt in His Body For in regard men had heretofore deified mortal persons who had been vanquished by Death and had usually termed them Heroes and Gods whom Death had subdued on this very account the most Compassionate Word of God did even here manifest who He was shewing men that His own nature was above Death And He not only raised His Mortal Body after 't was separated from His Soul to a second Life but proposed that Trophy of immortality which by His conquest of Death He had erected to be viewed by all and in His very death taught that He alone was to be acknowledged the true God who had been crown'd with the Rewards of Victory over Death I could also assign you a third reason of Our Lord's death He was a Sacred Victim offered up for the whole Race of mankind to God the Supream King of the Universe A Victim sacrificed instead of the Flock of men a Victim which routed and destroyed the Errour of Diabolical Superstition For after that one Victim ad eximious sacrifice namely the most Holy Body of Our Saviour was slain for mankind and offered up as the Substitute to ransome the Life of all Nations who being before bound by the impiety of Diabolical Errour stood convict of Treason as 't were thenceforward all the power of impure and profane Daemons became extinct and all manner of terrestrial and fraudulent Errour was forthwith weakened dissolv'd and confuted The Salutary Sacrifice therefore taken from among men namely the very Body of the Divine Word was sacrificed in place of the whole Flock of men And this was the Victim delivered unto death concerning which mention is made in the Expressions of the Sacred Scriptures which are sometimes worded in this manner Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world sometimes they run thus as a sheep He was led to the slaughter and as a Lamb before His Shearer He was dumb And they likewise tell us the reason by adding these words He bears our sins and is tortured with pain for us and we esteemed Him to be in labour and in stripes and in affliction But He was wounded for our sins and He was bruised by reason of our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was upon Him with His stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray every one has wandered in His own way and the Lord hath delivered Him for our sins For these reasons therefore the Humane Instrument of God the Word was sacrificed But this Great High-Priest consecrated to God the Chief Governour and Supream King being something else besides a Victim namely The Word of God The Power of God and The Wisdom of God soon recalled His mortal Body from death and presented it to His Father as the First-fruits of Our common Salvation having erected this for all mankind as the Trophy of that Victory which He had gain'd over Death and over the Army of Daemons and made it the final Abolishment of those humane Victims which of old had been usually offered in sacrifice BUT whereas these things are thus 't is now seasonable we should come to the demonstrations if indeed the truth of these matters has any need of demonstration and if it be indeed necessary to produce testimonies in confirmation of deeds that are manifest and evident Take therefore these demonstrations having first prepared your ears in order to a candid hearing of our discourse All Nations upon the Earth were heretofore divided and the whole Race of men was minc't into Provinces into various dominions over each Nation and place into Tyrannies and manifold Principalities On which account fights and continued Wars Depopulations and Captivities as well in the Countries as Cities never left them Hence the numerous Subjects of Histories Adulteries and Rapes of women hence the calamitous destruction of Troy and those Tragedies of the Ancients whereof mention is made amongst all men The Causes of which calamities should any one ascribe to their errour in
worshipping many Gods 't is my sentiment He would not be mistaken But after the Salutary Instrument namely the most Holy Body of Christ which appeared superiour to all Diabolical fraud and Force and was a stranger to every fault as well in deeds as words was erected against the Daemons as some Trophy of Victory and the Abolishment of ancient Mischiefs immediately all the works of Daemons were dissolved and dissipated nor were there Dominions of places any more nor manifold Principalities nor Tyrannies nor Democracies nor which were wont to arise from thence Depopulations of Countries and Sieges of Cities But one God was Preach't amongst all men and at the same time one Empire also that of the Romans flourished over all and that irreconcileable and implacable hatred which the Nations had born one to another almost from the remotest Date of time became forthwith utterly extinct And as the knowledge of one God was delivered to all men and one way of Religion and Salvation namely the Doctrine of Christ so also at one and the very same time in regard One Monarch was constituted over all the whole Roman Empire a most profound peace prevailed over the whole world Thus by the appointment of One God two signal Blessings as 't were two Branches shot forth at one time amongst men to wit the Empire of the Romans and the Doctrine of Christian piety Before that Empire some in a separate and particular manner Governed Syria others Reigned over Asia others over Macedonia Also some were in possession of Egypt severed from the other Provinces and in like manner others of the Country of the Arabians Moreover the Nation of the Jews had reduced Palestine under their jurisdiction and power In every Village and City and in all places men were seiz'd with a kind of a madness as 't were and being really agitated by the Devil committed murders one upon another and made Wars and Fights their chief business But two mighty Powers starting together from the same Barriers as 't were on a sudden made all things calm and reduced them to an amicable Composure I mean the Empire of the Romans which from that time was under the Government of a single person and the Doctrine of Christ which two Powers flourisht together at one and the same time Our Saviour's Power utterly destroyed those manifold Principalities and numerous Deities of Daemons publishing and declaring One Kingdom of God to all men as well Greeks as Barbarians even to those who inhabit the remotest Regions of the Earth But the Empire of the Romans in regard the Causes of many Principalities were before hand taken away reduced those Principalities which as yet remained visible under its own Dominion making this its chief business to joyn together the whole Body of mankind in one common union and agreement And it hath already reconciled and knit together in one most Nations but within a short time it will reach even as far as the utmost Confines of the Earth in regard the Salutary Doctrine of Christ joyned with a Divine Power does before hand make all things easie to it and renders them smooth and plain Doubtless this will be acknowledged a great Miracle by them who induced thereto by a love of truth shall with attention weigh the thing and shall not be desirous of detracting from and reviling the eminentest Blessings For at one and the very same juncture the Errour of Daemons was confuted and at the same time that hatred and strife which from remote ages had raged amongst the Nations had an end put to it and again at the same time One God and One knowledge of that God was Preacht amongst all and at the same time One Empire was established amongst men and at the same time the whole race of men was reduced to peace and friendship and all persons mutually profest themselves Brethren and acknowledged their Own Nature Immediately therefore being as 't were children begotten by the same Father to wit one God and born of the same Mother namely true piety they began to salute and receive one another peaceably and affectionately in so much as from that time the whole world seem'd in no point to differ from one well-governed House and Family and any one might make a journey whither he listed and travel to what place he pleased withall imaginable security and some might without danger pass from the Western to the Eastern Parts again others might go from hence thither as 't were to their own Country And the Responses of the ancient Oracles were fulfilled as likewise numerous other predictions of the Prophets which at present we have not leisure to cite and moreover those Expressions concerning the Divine Word which run thus He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the ends of the Earth And again In His days righteousness shall rise and abundance of peace And in another place And they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning-hookes and nation shall not lay hand on sword against nation and they shall not learn war any more These things were predicted and many ages since proclaimed in the Hebrew tongue which appearing to be actually accomplished in Our days do confirm the Testimonies of those ancient Oracles But if besides these you desire plenty of other demonstrations take them not in words but in deeds and realities Open the eyes of your own mind and set open the Gates of thought Forbear speaking for some time and consider with your self Ask your self and enquire as 't were of some other person and make researches into the Nature of affairs in this manner What King from the utmost memory of men or Prince or Philosopher or Law-giver or Prophet whether Greek ro Barbarian ever attained to so much power and authority I do not say after death but whilst He was yet living and breathing and was able to perform many things as to fill the ears and tongues of all men upon earth with the Glory of His own name 'T is certain no person hath performed this except only Our One Saviour after that Victory gain'd over Death when He both gave His disciples a Command in words and also afterwards actually accomplished it Go therefore said He to them make disciples of all nations in my name And when He had foretold and affirmed to them that His Gospel should be Preacht thorowout the whole world for a Testimony to all Nations to His words He forthwith added the actual completion of the thing Immediately therefore and not after a long interval of time the whole world was filled with His Doctrine What then has He to return in answer hereto who at the beginning of this Oration blamed us especially in regard the Testimony of the eyes is superiour to all manner of reasoning But who hath chased away that always-noxious and destructive Tribe of
in his Rationarium Temporum Blondellus in his book de Primatu Ecclesiae and others do relate that Athanasius was recalled from banishment in the year of Christ 338 to wit the year after Constantines death who perceiving the foresaid prelate to be pressed on every side by the calumnies of his adversaries had for a time banished him into the Gallia's But I do maintain that Athanasius was restored in the year of Christ 337 when Felicianus and Titianus were Consuls in that very year wherein Constantine died which I can make evident as I suppose by a most demonstrable argument For Athanasius in his second Apology against the Arians pag. 805. relates that he was released from his banishment and restored to his Country by Constantine the younger who also wrote a Letter in his behalf to the populace and Clergy of the Alexandrian Church This Letter as Socrates does here so Athanasius there recites the inscription of it is this Constantinus Caesar to the people of the Catholick Church of Alexandria The subscription of this Letter is thus dated at Triers the fifteenth of the Calends of July As well the inscription as subscription of this Letter does attest what I say to wit that Athanasius was released from his exile soon after the death of Constantine the Great in the year of Christ 337. For if he had been restored on the year following then Constantine the younger would not have called himself Caesar but Augustus Nor would Athanasius have been restored by Constantine the younger but by Constantius to whom was allotted the Eastern part of the Empire Wherefore in regard Constantine stiles himself only Caesar in that Letter and since Athanasius attests that he was restored by Constantine the younger 't is apparent that that was done before the sons of Constantine the elder were by the Souldiers proclaimed Augusti For upon Constantines death there was a certain interregnum and the Roman world continued without an Emperour almost three months untill the brethren who under the name of Caesars Governed divers Provinces had met together in order to their making a division of the whole Roman Empire Constantine died on the eleventh of the Calends of June and on that very year there were three Augusti proclaimed to wit Constantinus Constantius and Constans on the fifth of the Ides of September as it is recorded in the Old Fasti which Jacobus Sirmondus published under the false name of Idatius This is that which Eusebius writes in his fourth book of Constantines Life chap. 71 to wit that Constantine retained his Empire after his death and that all Rescripts and Edicts bore his name as if he had been yet alive For this reason therefore Constantine the younger stiles himself Caesar only in his Letter to the Alexandrians in regard he was not yet proclaimed Augustus For the Letter was dated on the fifteenth of the Calends of July But he was created Augustus together with his brethren on the fifth of the Ides of September Moreover at that time whilst the brothers were stiled Caesars only Constantinus Junior was the chief in Authority because he was the eldest brother See Valesius's first book of Ecclesiastick observations on Socrates and Sozomen chap. 1. * Place a Socrates mistakes here and all those that follow him in placing the death of Alexander Bishop of Constantinople on the Consulate of Acindynus and Proclus in the year of Christ 340. In the second book of my Ecclesiastick Observations upon Socrates and Sozomen The Learned Reader will meet with Valesius's Ecclesiastick Observations on Socrates and Sozomen at the close of Valesius's second Volume of the Greek Ecclesiastick Historians he may find this matter discussed at the first chapter of the second book of those Observations I have by most evident arguments demonstrated that Alexander Bishop of Constantinople died in the Reign of Constantine the Great and that Paul succeeded him during the Reign of the said Constantine Baronius who places Alexanders death on the year of Christ 340 does manifestly contradict himself For he says that the Synod of the Bishops of Egypt which was summoned to confute the calumnies brought against Athanasius by the Eusebian faction was convened in the year of Christ 339. But those Bishops do expresly attest in their Synodick Epistle that at that very time Eusebius had left Nicomedia and had lept into the Constantinopolitan See 'T is needless to quote the words of that Epistle here in regard they are produced by Baronius himself at the year of Christ 340. Now if Eusebius had gotten the See of Constantinople in the year of Christ 339. Alexander must necessarily be supposed to have been dead before this year Vales. b This person was afterwards promoted to the degree of Presbyter under Paul Bishop of Constantinople and accused his own Bishop as Athanasius relates in his Epistle ad Solitar Vales. * Parts †That is those that owned Christ to be of the same substance or essence with the Father c There were two Churches of this name in Constantinople the one called the Old the other the New Irene as it is recorded in the Life of Paul the Constantinopolitan Bishop which Photius relates in his Bibliotheca Moreover the Old Church called Irene was contiguous to the Great Church which was afterwards named Sophia nor had it separate Clergy-men but the Clergy of the Great Church by turns ministred in that Church The Emperour Justinian informs us of this in the third Novell In the old description of Constantinople which is prefixt before the Notitia Imperii Romani this is called the Old Church and 't is placed in the second ward of the City together with the Great Church The Church Irene to wit The New Irene is recounted in the seventh ward of that City Socrates hath made mention of The Old Irene in his first Book chap. 37. It is termed the Church of Saint Irene after the same manner that the Church Sophia is called Saint Sophia not that there was a Virgin or Martyr called by that name Vales. a The Allatian M. S. inserts some words here after this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. and having through Eusebius's own ambition removed him from Nicomedia he constituted him Bishop of the Great City Constantinople Vales. * That is he means Constantiu◠and Constans sons to the Emperour Constantine the Great who had a little before this been proclaimed Augusti Constantine the other son of Constantine the Great was now dead See chap. 5. of this book a The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be expunged here and the whole clause read in this continued form having considered with himself how he had been circum vented that he might subscribe Athanasius's deposition For Maximus Bishop of Jerusalem had together with Paul and the rest subscribed Athanasius's deposition in the Council of Tyre In regard of his sorrow for doing this he refused afterwards to be present at the Council of Antioch as Sozomen relates in his
brought into the City that bore his own name Which the people of Rome were sorely troubled at in regard by his Arms Laws and mild Government they supposed the City Rome renewed as ' t were I know indeed that these words of Aurelius Victor may be understood concerning the Citizens of Rome who took it ill because Constantine's Body had been interred at Constantinople rather then at Rome Nevertheless I am of opinion that Victor thought otherwise to wit that all the Inhabitants of the Roman world were most sorely troubled at the death of Constantine Which meaning is plainly confirmed by the following words Quippe cujus armis legibus clementi imperio quasi novatam Orbem Romanum arbitraretur For so 't is to be read and not urbem Romanam Vales. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one of these words is useless The Fuketian Manuscript has only the Latter whereto agrees Turnebus's Book Vales. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon losty Benches or Seats b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reading in the Fuketian and Turnebian Copy is truer thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it must without doubt be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is above at book 3. chap. 10. Vales. * Generals or Commanders in chief a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning the manner of saluting the Roman Emperours consult the Learned D r Howells History Second Part pag. 52. This Adoration was little more than what is now a days used to Princes namely a kneeling to them and bowing the head b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the Honorati So the Latines termed those who bore honours as I have at large remarked at the 14 th Book of Amm. Marcellinus Whereto add a passage of Gaudentius Bishop of Brixia in his Letter to Benevolus Nam sicut Honoratorum nostrae urbis ita etiam dominicae plebis domino annuente dignissimum caput es Vales. * Or Their own carriage of him c After Constantine's death there was an Interregnum nor did any Augustus Reign in the Roman world Which interregnum i. e. a time when there was no Emperour continued not only till Constantine's Burial but to the fifth of the Ides of September as Idatius attests in his Fasti. So for the space of three months and an half the Roman world was without the Empire of an Augustus For during that whole time which is between the eleventh of the Calends of Jun◠and the fifth of the Ides of September his Sons were styled only Cae-sars 'T is certain Constantinus Junior in his Letter so the Alexandrians which bears date after his Fathers death in the Consulate of Felicianus and Titianus on the fifteenth of the Calends of July has the Title of Caesar only This Letter is extant in Atbanasius in his Second Apologie near the end Vales. * Or Turned into stone †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Stephens 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we have rendred it accordingly * Or Well known †Or Greatest Symbol of supream Empire * Or Of Rome a The same is attested by Aurelius Victor in those words of his which we quoted above at chap. 65. noto b. Vales. a Constantius Caesar whom his Father had made Governour of the East upon hearing of his Father's sickness had in great hast taken a journey that he might see his Father before he died But the vehemency of his disease frustrated the Son's desire For when he was arrived at Nicomedia he found his Father dead as Julian relates in his first Oration concerning the praises of Constantius pag. 29. With Julian the other Writers of History do likewise agree Zonaras is the only Authour who relates that Constantius Caesar who was then at Antioch arrived whilst his Father was yet living and that he honoured him when dead with a most magnificent Funeral Vales. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last word save one is added by the I earned from conjecture as I think Nevertheless there seems to be something more wanting and perhaps Eusebius wrote thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the City that bore his own name Hence it appears that Constantine's dead Body was kept at Nicomedia with all Imaginable honour and reverence till the coming of Constantius Caesar. Who after he was arrived at Nicomedia conveyed his Father's Corps to Constantinople Wherefore the Author of the Alexandrian Chronicle is mistaken who relates that Constantius came directly to Constantinople and there celebrated his Father's Funeral Vales. * Or The things of a becoming Sanctity * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred Assemblie †Or death a A twofold sense may be given of these words For either Eusebius means that Constantius Caesar when he had deposited his Father's Ark or Coffin in the Church went presently out of the Church with the Souldiers or else this is his meaning only that Constantius having done that withdrew out of the middle of the Church that he might give place to the Priests Which meaning is in my judgment truer For Constantius although he had not as yet been baptized was nevertheless a Catechumen as Sulpicius Severus tells us in the Second Book of his History Vales. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Gellius B. 13. Cap. 10. b Translatours thought that these words were spoken of God who gave the Empire to Constantine's Sons But after a more attentive examination of the matter I am of opinion that they are spoken concerning Constantine himself who even dead delivered the Empire to his Sons And this is confirmed by the following words Vales. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must I think be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constantine had wisht that after his death he might not like other Princes be consecrated and reckoned amongst the Divi but that being buried with the Apostles he might be a partaker of the prayers which are wont to be offered to God by the Faithfull in honour of them as Eusebius has said above at chap. 60. Whence it appears that here it must be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as it is in Moraeus's Book and at the margin of the Geneva-Edition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through his own most c. Nor will this place be perfect even this way unless these words be added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which Eusebius confirms in the foresaid 60 th chapter The point must also be blotted out which is set a little after as well in the Kings Copy as in the Common Editions and it must be read in one breath thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Than which there is nothing more certain which makes me admire that Translatours saw not this In the Fuketian Copy the reading of this place runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nor is it otherwise in the Books of Turnebus and S r Henry Savil save only that S r Henry has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But in the Kings Sheets I found this place written thus 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Which reading comes nearer to our Emendation Further those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are spoken in a Parenthesis and this is intimated by that punctation in the Fuketian Copy which I have shown above Vales. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which reading the following words do confirm And so I found it plainly written in the Fuketian Copy Vales. e Such was the Inscription usually perfixt before the Laws and Letters of Constantine as Eusebius does every where attest Victor Constantinus Maximus Augustus He took the Pronomen forename of Victor after his Victory obtained over the Tyrants His Sons also by an hereditary right as 't were retained that name as their Letters inform us Farther from this place it appears that after the death of Constantinus Maximus for about three months space that is during the whole time of the Interregnum all Laws and Edicts were inscribed with the Name of Constantine as if he had been living in regard there was no other Augustus in the Roman world as I have observed above This place may also be meant concerning the Sons of Constantine the Great who made use of the same Title and Name and in whom their Father seemed to be revived Which sense is confirmed by what follows Vales. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it may answer the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which occurs several lines above Further in the Kings Copy at the margin of this chapter the Greek Scholiast had written these words in honour of Constantine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Writer does in this work often besprinkle him with praises and good wishes In the Fuketian Copy the reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sr. Henry Savil at the margin of his Copy remarkes that the reading should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom I agree yet I had rather read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. * Is in use or is embraced * Representations were stamps on Coyns or Money a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The last word is in my judgment to be blotted out which in all probability crept out of the margin into the Text. For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been written in the margin which might explain the following word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that which occurs in the margin of the Geneva-Edition namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in my judgment most egregiously foolish For the propriety of the Greek Tongue admits not of that expression Besides in most Coyns Constantine appears with an Helmet on his Head Vales. †Or Other part ‖ Right hand a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Questionless it must be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is also to be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only Prince or at least those words are to be understood Further Eusebius excepts none of the Roman Emperours whilst he says that Constantine was the first of them all who was plainly and openly a Christian. Which doubtless is most true For although the Emperour Philippus is by some reported to have been a Christian yet he did not openly profess the Christian Religion as Constantine did Orosius Book 7. writes in a different sense concerning Constantine in this manner Primus Imperatorum Christianus the First Christian of the Emperours except Philippus who in my judgment was made a Christian during a very few years for this reason only that the thousandth year of Rome might be dedicated to Christ rather than to Idols Vales. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is How great a difference there was witâ— him or how great a difference he made Vales. * Or Adversary * Preach't †Or Had overthrown all the errour of c. a After his four Books concerning the Life and Piety of the Emperour Constantine Eusebius had added Two Orations the one whereof was the Emperour Constantine's Entitled To the Assemblie of the Saints or To the Church of God the other was written by himself concerning the Fabrick and Sacred Presents of the Jerusalem-Martyrium as Eusebius himself does attest in Chap. 32 and 46 of his Fourth Book But the Latter Oration of Eusebius is not now extant And that former one namely Constantine's abounds with so many faults that it would almost be better if it were not extant But whereas this is a singular monument of that Religious Prince and an illustrious proof of his Studies and Disposition I shall I think do what will be worth while if I shall â—mploy my care and diligence in mending and explaining it Vales b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In book 4. chap. 32 the reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he entitled which is in my judgment to be preferred This therefore was the Title of this Oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Victor Maximus Augustus Constantinus To the Convention of the Saints Vales. * Or The Word of God †Or Brighter Splendour both c. ‖ Or Joyning together a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Moraeus's Book as likewise in the margin of the Geneva-Edition 't is mended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word I doe not remember to have met with any where But in Scaliger's Copy 't is corrected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which comes nearer to the Reading of the Manuscript Copies Indeed in the Kings Copy 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence I conjectured that it should be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Foundation He does elegantly term the Resurrection of our Lord the foundation of the promise Nor has Christophorson done ill in rendring it pignus promissionis the pledge of the promise which is in a manner the same For a pledge is given for an assurance whence 't is by Graecians termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Fuketian and Savilian Copies I found it written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I assent not to Learned men who joyn these with the foregoing words and reade thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For if we read thus it will be a foolish repetition in regard Constantine had said before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which words Constantine salutes all the Catholick people in such a manner as Preachers are wont to do Wherefore those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the beginning of another period wherein Constantine sets forth the happiness of the Catholick people Further I would more willingly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye multitudes c that Constantine may be made to speak to the people Nevertheless in the Fuketian and Savilian Copies this place runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. * Or What manner of workmanship is thine c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thy Sanctitie At the margin of the Geneva-Edition there is a note set that 't is otherwise written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substance But having look't