Basilius Bishop of Casarea in Cappadocia the peaceable death of Athanasius which hapned in the verie time of the Persecution of this Arrian Emperour Valens together with the surie madnesse of the Arrian Bishop Lucius intruded in Alexandria All these thinges GOD willing shall bee touched in their owne places Amongst all the facts of vnspeakeable cruelty committed by Valens oâ—…e fact ouerwent all the rest While the Emperour was at Nicomedia fourescore Ambassadours were directed vnto him amongst whom Menedemus Urbanus and Theodorus were the chiefe These complained to the Emperour of the manifolde injuries done to the Homousians The Emperour gaue commandement to Modestus the Gouernour of his armie to embarke them into a ship as if they were to bee banished vnto some remote and far distant place but secret direction was giuen vnto the ship-men to set the ship on fire to retire themselues into a boat So it came to passe that these fourscore Martyrs circumuented by the craft of Valens glorified the NAME of CHRIST by patient suffering of many deathes at one time both tormented by fire and drowned in water Terentius and Traianus two worthie Captaines used some libertie in admonishing the Emperour to absteine from persecuting of innocent people because his fighting against GOD procured good successe to the Barbarians but the LORD was minded to destroy him therefore hee coulde receiue no wholsome admonition for a number of the nation of the Gothes whom he intertained as souldiers meet to defend his Dominions against the inuasion of forrainers and strangers they began to waste the countrey of Thracia and they faught against the Emperour Valens and preuailed against him so that he fled and was ouertaken in a certaine Village which the Gothes set on fire So this Emperour died miserably brunt with fire by his enemies without succession and left his name in curse and execration to all ages after he had reigned fifteene or sixteene yeeres as Sozomenus reckoneth Nowe to returne to the Emperour Valentinian Hee was a defender of the true faith and was so highly offended against his brother Valens that hee would make him no support against the inuasion of the Gothes for he said it was an impious thing to strengthen the hande of a man who had spent his dayes in warrefare against GOD and his CHURCH In his dayes the Sarmatians inuaded the bounds of the Romane Dominions Valentinian prepared a mightie armie to fight against them but they sent vnto him Ambassadours to intreate for peace When the Emperour sawe that they were but a naughtie people hee was moued with excessiue anger whereby he procured the ruptuâ—…e of some arters or vaines whereupoÌ„ followed great effusion of blood And so he himselfe died leauing behind him two sons Gratianus whose mother was Seuera and Valentinian the second whose mother was Iustina Gratianus Valentinianus the second and Theodosius GRATIANUS the sonne of Valentinian after the death of Valens his fathers brother had the gouernament both of West and East His brother Valentinian the second was his associate in the gouernement of the West But when hee perceiued that the weightie affaires of the kingdome required the fellowship of a man who was ripe in yeeres hee choosed Theodosius a man of Noble parentage in Spaine to whom hee committed the gouernement of the East contenting himselfe and his brother Valentinian with the gouernement of the West Gratianus in the beginning of his reigne reduced from banishment those Bisshops whom the Arrian Persecuter Valens had banished Hee was slaine by Andragathius Captaine of the armie of Maximus who usurped the Empire of the West This Andragathius not by valour and might but by circumuention falshood and treason ouerthrew the good Emp. Gratian for he made a report to passe in Lions where the Emp. Gratian had his remaining that his wife was comming to visite him and he in simplicitie went foorth to meete his wife beyond the riuer of Rhonne but Andragaâ—…hius who was couertly lurking in a chariot stepped out and slewe Gratianus after he had reigned with his father with his brother and with Theodosius 15. yeeres His brother Valentinian young in yeeres was seduced by the intising speeches of his mother Iustina after the death of her husband in whose dayes she durst not presume to auow the Arrian Heresie yet after his death she intised the flexible minde of her sonne to persecute Ambrose Bishop of Millane because hee would not consent to the Arriane doctrine The zeale of the people affectioned to their faithfull Pastor hindered the cruell purposes of Iustina Likewise the miracle wrought at the sepulchres of Protasius and Geruasius opened the mouthes of the people to glorifie GOD and to magnifie that Faith which Protasius and Geruasius had sealed vp with their blood these holie men of GOD were martyred in the second great Persecution moued by the Emp. Domitian The dolorous tithinges of the death of Gratianus and the neere approaching of the tyrant Maximus to Italie compelled Iustina to leaue the persecuting of Ambrose to fly to Illyâ—… for safety of her own life her sons life Theodosius being mindfull of the kindnes of Gratianus toward him led an army against the tyrant Maximus The captains of Maximus armie terrified with the rumor of he might of Theodosius armie deliuered him bound into the haÌ„ds of Theodosius he was justly punished vnto the death Andragathius who slew the Em. Gâ—…atian as said is seeing no way to escape threw himselfe headlonges into a riuer so ended his wretched life About the same time Iustina the mother of Valent. the II. she died her son was peaceably possessed in his kingdome Theodosius returned to the east againe But within few dayes he was compelled to gather a new army fight against the tyrant Eugenius his chiefe captaine A bogastus who had conspired against Valent. the II. strangled him while he was lying in his bed This battel went hardly at the beginning but Theodosius had his recourse to GOD by prayer the LORD sent a mighty tempest of winde which blew so vehemently in the face of Eugenius army that their dartes were ramueâ—…sed and turned backe by the violence of the winde in their owne faces Of which miraculous support sent from aboue the Poëâ—… Claudian writes these Verses O nimium dilecte Deo cui fundit ab antris Eolus armatas hiemes cui militat ather Et conjurati veniunt ad classica ventâ—… The tyrant Eugenius fell downe at the feete of Theodosius to beg pardon but the souldiours pursued him so straâ—…tly that they slew him at the Emp. feete Arbogastus the author of al this mischiefe hee fled being out of all hope of safetie slew himselfe Like as there was no sacrifice wherein dung was not fouÌ„d eueÌ„ so the life actions of this noble Emp. was spotted with some infirmities Against the inhabitants of
EVSEBIVS reckoneth onely 12. yeeres lib. 6. cap. 12. He stirred vp the fift persecution against the Christians The crimes objected against the Christians beside those that were objected in the former persecution were these Rebellion against the Emperour sacriledge murthering of infants worshipping of the sunne and worshipping the heade of an Asse which last calumnie was forged against them by the malice of the Jewes This persecution raged most seuerely in the townes of Alexandria and Carthage like as the former persecution had done in Lions and Vienne in France Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 1. LEONIDES the father of ORIGEN was beheaded his sonne being but yong in yeeres exhorted his father to perseuere in the faith of Christ constantly vnto the death POTAMIEA a yong beautiful virgin in Alexandria was by the judge condemned to death and deliuered to a Captaine called BASILIDES who stayed the insolencie of the people that followed her to the place of execution with outrage of slanderous and rayling worde crying out against her for this cause shee prayed to God for the conuersion of BASILIDES to the true faith and was heard of God in so much that he was not onely conuerted to the faith of Christ but also sealed it vp with his blood and had the honour of martyrdome Euseb. lib. 6. cap 5. ALEXANDER who was fellow-labourer with NARCISSVS in Ierusalem escaped many dangers yet was he martyred in the dayes of DECIVS the 7. great persecuter Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 39. Of this Emperour the Senat of Rome said Aut non nasci aut non mori debuisse that is Either hee should neuer haue beene borne or els should neuer haue tasted of death So it pleased the Lorde by his wise dispensation to suffer the dayes of TRAIAN ANTONINVS Philosophus SEVERVS Emperours renoumed in the world to be more cruell against his owne people then the dayes of NERO DOMITIAN CALIGVLA or COMMODVS to the ende the poore Church might learne to be content to be spoyled of all outward comfort and to leane vpon the staffe of the consolations of God alanerly Many that were brought vp in the schooles of ORIGEN suffered martyrdome such as PLVTARCHVS SERENVS HERACLIDES HERON and another hauing the name of SERENVS also Euseb. lib 6. cap. 4. Among women RHAIS was burned with fire for Christs sake before she was baptized with water in Christs Name Euseb. ibid. Innumerable moe martyrs were slaine for the faith of Christ whose names in particular no ecclesiasticall writer euer was able to comprehend therfore it shall suffice to heare the names of a few The rest whose names are not expressed enjoy the crownes of incorruptible glory as wel as those doe whose names are in all mens mouths It is the comfort of our hearts to remember that the Apostles and Euangelists sealed vp with their blood the doctrine which they taught and committed to writ and no other doctrine and the holy martyres immediatly after the Apostles dayes sealed vp with the glorious testimonie of their blood that same faith which we now professe which they receiued froÌ„ the hands of the Apostles but they were not so prodigall of their liues to giue their blood for the doctrine of worshipping of images inuocation of Saints plurality of mediators of intercession the sacrifice of the Masse both propitiatory and vnbloody expresly against the wordes of the Apostle Heb. 9. ver 22. and such other heades of doctrine vnknown to antiquitie The Romaine Church in our daies is a persecuting and not a persecuted Church more fruitfull in murthers then martyrdomes glorying of antiquitie and follow ing the forgerie of new inuented religion This Emperour SEVERVS was slaine at Yoâ—…ke by the Northerne men Scots Bassianus Geta. SEVERVS who was slaine at Yorke left behind him two sonnes BASSIANVS and GETA BASSIANVS slewe his brother reigned himselfe alone 6. yeres so that the whole time of his gouernment both with his brother and alone was 7. yeeres 6. months Euseb. lib 6. cap 21. He put to death also PAPINIANVS a worthie lawyer because he would not pleade his cause anent the slaughter of his brother before the people but saide that sinne might be more easily committed then it could be defended Bucolc Hee tooke to wife his own mother in law IVLIA a woman more beautifull then chaste In all his time as he confessed with his owne mouth hee neuer learned to doe good and was slaine by MACRINVS Macrinus with his son Diadumenus MACRINVS and his sonne reigned one yeere alanerly Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. Antoninus Heliogabalus ANTONINVS HELIOGABALVS reigned after MACRINVS 4. yeeres Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. He was a prodigious belly-god a libidinous beast an enemie to all honestie and good order Func Chron. So many villanous things are written of him that scarcely if the Reader can giue credite to the historie that euer such a monster was fashioned in the belly of a woman At his remouing in his progresse oftimes followed him 600. chariots laden onely with baudes and common harlots His gluttonie filthinesse excessiue riotousnes are in al mens mouthes Hee was slaine of the souldiers drawen through the citie and cast into Tiber. Alexander Seuerus ALEXANDER SEVERVS the adopted sonne of HELIOGABALVS reigned 13. yeeres Euseb lib. 6. cap. 28. Chron. Func He delited to haue about him wise and learned counsellers such as FABIVS SABINVS DOMITIVS VLPIANVS c. This renowmed Lawyer VLPIANVS was not a friend to Christians but by collecting together a number of lawes made against Christians in times bypast he animated the harts of judges against them And this is a piece of the rebuke of Christ that Christians haue borne continually to be hated of the wise men of the world hist. Magdeburg Cent. 3. Hereof it came to passe that in this Emperours time albeit hee was not so bloodie as many others had bene before him and therefore his Empire was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnbloodie yet not a few suffered martyredome euen in the dayes of ALEXANDER such as AGAPETVS a young man of 15. yeere old at Praeneste a towne of Italie Hee was assaied with many torments and finally with the sword he was beheaded The judge who gaue out a sentence of death against him fell out of his judiciall seat and suddenly died The martyredome of CECILIA if by her trauailes VALERIAN her espoused husband and TIBVRTIVS his brother 400. moe had bene conuerted to Christ secretly baptized by VRBANVS B. of Rome immediatly before her death I maruel that no mention should be made by EVSEBIVS of such a rare miraculous worke Senatours and noble men at Rome such as PAMMACHIVS SIMPLICIVS and QVIRITIVS with their wiues and children died for the faith of Christ with many others Hist. Mag. Cent. 3. The fauour that this Emperour shewed to Christians against whom the very sloobering cookes did contend challenging vnto themselues the right of a place whereinto Christians were accustomed to
MAXIMINVS but they were both cut off by CAPELLIANVS Captaine of the Mauritanians Within a short time the senate of Rome chused MAXIMVS PVPIENVS and BALBINVS to be Emperours and to resist the tyrannie of MAXIMINVS But this election displeased the people of Rome therefore they were compelled to associat GORDIANVS a young man of 13. yeeres olde in conjunct authoritie with them This GORDIANVS was the nephew of him who was Procâ—…nfull in Africke and the souldiers made out of the way MAX. PVPIENVS and BALBINVS So GORDIANVS reigned himselfe alone without associats sixe yeeres Chron Func Philippus PHILIPPVS a man borne in Arabia and his son reigned fiue yeeres Chron Func Bucolc EVSEBIVS saith 7. yeeres He was the first Emperour who became a Christian and was baptized by FABIANVS B. of Rome Hee was content to stand among the number of the penitents who made confession of their sinnes for his life was reproouable in some things before his conuersion Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 34. especially in slaying of GORDIANVS an Emperour inclined to peace DECIVS one of the Captaines of his armie conspired against him and slewe him and his sonne and reigned in his stead Decius DECIVS and his sonne obteiued the empire 2. yeeres Chron. Func Whether for hatred of PHILIP his master whome hee had slaine or for detestation of Christians or for couetous desire of the treasures of PHILIP left in the custodie of FABIAN B. of Rome or for some other cause it is not certaine Alwayes he mooued a terrible persecution against the Christians The martyrs who suffered death in the time of this persecution were innumerable Some few of the principall martyres I shall rehearse ALEXANDER Bishop ' of Jerusalem died in prison at Casarea BABYLAS B. of Antiochia died likewise in prison FABIAN B. of Rome suffered martyrdome DIONYSIVS ALEXANDRINVS by a wonderfull prouidence of God escaped the handes of persecuting enemies CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was banished and reserued to the honour of martyrdome vntill the dayes of VALERIAN the eight persecuter ORIGEN who from his childhood was desirous of the honour of martyredome in this persecution of DECIVS he fainted and his heart was so oucrset with feare to haue his chaste body defiled with an vgly Ethiopian that he choosed rather to offer incense to the Idole then to be so filthily abused For this cause hee was excommunicate by the Church of Alexardria and for very shame fled to Judea where hee was not onely gladly receiued but also requested publickely to preach at Ierusalem Neuerthelesse in stead of teaching hee watred his face with teares when he reade these words of scripture To the wak d man sath God What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinancse that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy month Ps. 50. ver 16. These words so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that hee closed the booke and sate downe and wept all the congregation wept with him Hist Mag. Cent. 3. cap. 10. No pitie nor compassion was had neither of sexe or age In this persecution APOLLONIA a virgine of good yeeres after they had dashed her face with battons till all her teeth were stricken out of her jawes they burned her quicke at the port of Alexandria This is that holy martyre whose teeth the Romaine church in our dayes say that they haue them as holy monuments kept in the treasures of their reliques vntill this time But the tryall that was taken of late dayes by HENRIE the eight king of England seeking for the teeth of APOLLONIA as a remedy of the toothach clearly prooueth that many teeth are supponed to be the teeth of APOLLONIA that were neuer fastened in her jaw bones Chemnisius dereliquiis The death of QVINTA AMMONARION MERCVRIA DIONYSIA clearly declareth what pitie was had of the weakenesses of women IVLIANVS an olde and gowtie man burned with fire testifieth what regard was had to the gray haires of ancient men DIOSCORVS a yong man not exceeding 15. yeres of age albeit they were ashamed to condemne him to death yet he escaped not many painfull torments was a glorious Confessour with patient expectation awaiting vntill the Lord should call him to the honour of martyrdome NEMESION was accused in Alexandria as a companion of brigants and was punished with stripes and fire vnto the death with greater seueritie then any brigant albeit his innocencie was sufficiently knowne AMMON ZENON PTOLEMEVS INGENVVS THEOPHILVS warriours and knights standing by the tribunall seate beckened with their hands to a certaine weake Christian who for feare was readie to incline and fall that hee should continue constant and stepped to the bench and professed themselues to be Christians This dayly increasing courage of Christians who were emboldened by the multitude of sufferings astonished and terrified the Iudges Euseb lib. 6. cap. 41. ISCHYRION was slaine by his owne master The number of martyres in Alexandria and Egypt of whome DIONYSIVS in his epistle written to FABIVS Bishop of Antiochia maketh mention clearely testifieth that if the names of all those who suffered martyrdome in the townes of Rome Carthage Antiochia Ephesus and Babylon were particularly set down ouer and beside others who suffered in other townes of Asia Africke and Europe subject to the dominion of the Romaine Emperour it were not possible in the volume of a litle booke to comprehend them all For mine owne part I presume not to do it but I reuerence the painfull trauelles of learned men who haue dipped deepely into such a fruitfull subject specially the writer of the booke of martyres Onely I find somethings in this seuenth persecution which the principall purpose wherefore I haue collected this compend will not permit mee to passe ouer with silence Namely these first let no man thinke that the veritie is weake and hath neede to bee strengthened by a lie as NICEPHORVS is accustomed to doe The seuen martyres of Ephesus whose names were MAXIMIANVS MALCHVS MARTINIANVS DIONYSIVS IOANNES SERAPION and CONSTANTINVS were lurking in a caue the entrie where of DECIVS commanded to be closed with great heapes of stones to the end that the forenamed Christians might be killed with famine which came to passe indeede Yet famine could not sâ—…parate these holy Martyres from Christ. But NICEPHORVS the father of many other fables also saith that they fell on sleepe in which they continued till the time of THEODOSIVS that is from the 250 vntill the 379. yeere of our Lord and then they did awake out of their sleepe saith NICEPHORVS lib. 5. cap. 27. But he who will giue hastie credite to NICEPHORVS fables writing of the 7. martyres who lurked in a caue of mount Caelius and to EVAGRIVS description of BARSANVPHIVS an Egyptian monke who enclosed himselfe in a cottage beside Gaza for the space of 50. yeeres and vsed no kinde of bodily refreshment to sustaine his earthly tabernacle he may be easily led to all kinde of errour The second thing worthy to be marked is that
Emperour intended to haue made warre against the Persians and by the way hee was purposed to haue beene baptized in Iordane where our Sauiour CHRIST was baptized by Iohn but the LORD had disposed otherwise for the good Em. fel sicke at Nicomedia was baptized in the suburbs of that principal towne of Bithynia not in Rome nor by â—…ilvester but in Nicomedia and by Eusebius Howe this Eusebius coosoned the Emperour and obscured the wicked purpose of his Hereticall heart from him and continued in good fauour and credite with the Emperour vntill the last periode of his life so that he had the honour to baptize the good Emperour it wil be declared hereafter GOD willing In his testamentall legacie he left his Dominions to his sonnes ended his life happily and was buried in Constantinople Constantius Constans and younger Constantinus CONSTANTIUS gouerned the East parts of the Romane Empire and he reigned 25. yeeres The other two brethren gouerned the West parts Constantine the younger was slaine at Aquileia after he had reigned with his brethren 3. yeeres The Emperour Constans reigned 13. yeeres and was slaine in France by the Tyrant Magnentius so after the death of Constans the whole gouernement of the Empire turned to the hands of Constantius He ouercame Magnentius in battell who fled to Lions and slew his mother his own brother and himselfe And so the Tyrant Magnentius brought himselfe and his kindred to a miserable ende Constantius was infected with the Heresie of Arrius by the meanes of an Arrian Priest who had beene in Court with CONSTANTIA the sister of the Emperour Constantine and relict of Licinius When shee was bounde to bedde by infirmitie and sickenesse whereof shee died Shee recommended this Arrian presbyter to Constantine her brother whereby it came to passe that hee had fauour and credite in the Emperours Court He procured the returning of Arrius from banishment and was the first reporter to Constantius of his fathers testamentall legacie And finally he peruerted Constantius from the true faith which his father had professed So pernicious a thing is it to haue deceitfull Heretiques lurking in the Courts of Princes During the lifetime of his brother Constans Arrianisme had no great vpperhande because Constans the Emperour of the West protected Paulus Bishop of Constantinople and Athanasiuâ—… Bishop of Alexandria and the rest of the Bishops whom the Arrians had most vnjustly accused deposed and persecuted But after the slaughter of Constans the Arrians were incouraged by the inconstancie of the Emperour whose flexible and instable mind like vnto a reede shaken with the wind was inclined to followe the course that the fore-mentioned Priest put in his head This Priest informed the Emperour Constantius that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Consubstantiall was not founde in holy Scripture and that the inserting of this worde in the sowme of faith set downe by the Nicene Councell was the occasion of many debates and contentions in the CHURCH of GOD and that the returning of Athanasius from banishment was the ground of a terrible tempest whereby not onely the estate of Aegypt was shaken but also the estate of Palestina and Phae-nitia and other places not far distant from Aegypt Moreouer he added that Athanasius had beene the author of intestine dissention betwixt the Emperour Constantius and his brother Constans so that Constans wrote minassing letters to his brother either to repossesse Paulus Athanasius into their places againe els if he linguered in so doing since their innocencie was cleared in the Councill of Sardica hee threatned to leade an armie to the East and to see them repossessed into their owne roomes againe The Emperour Constantius was easily incited to wrath against Athanasius and he sent Sebastianus one of his captaines accompanied with 5000 armed men to slay Athanasius but the LORD deliuered him miraculously out of their handes when there seemed to be no way of escaping because armed souldiers were planted rounde about the Temple yet hee went safely through the midst of them and was not discearned albeit manie Arrians were present of purpose to designe and point him out by the finger as a sheepe ordained for the slaughter Georgius an Arrian Bishop was seated in Alexandria in the place of Athanasius a wolfe in the chaire of a true Pastor whose fury and madnesse was helped by sebastianus who furnished vnto him armed souldiers to accomplish all his wicked and diuelish deuises A fire was kindled in the towne Christian Virgins were stripped naked and brought to the fire and commanded to renounce their faith but the terrour of the fire made them not once to shrinke When the sight óf the fire coulde not terrifie them hee caused their faces to be so dashed with strokes misfashioned their countenances that they could not be known by their familiar friendes but they like vnto victorious souldiours patiently indured all kind of rebuke for the NAME of CHRIST Thirty Bishops of Aegypt and Lybia were slaine in the furie of this Arrian Persecution Fourteene Bishops whose names are particularly mentioned by Theodoretus were banished of whom some died in the way when they were transported others died in the place of their banishment Fourtie good Christians in Alexandria were scourged with wandes because they would not communicate with the Arrian wolfe Georgius and so pitiously demained that some peeces of the wands were so deeply fixed in their flesh that they could not be drawne out againe and many through excessiue paine of their wounded bodies concluded their liues Here is a viue portrat of the mercies of the wicked which are cruell The like crueltie the Arrians practised in Constantinople Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was banished to Cucusus a little towne in Cappadocia where he was strangled by the Arrians Macedonius was placed in his roome a notable Heretique who used no lesse crueltie in compelling the Christians of Constantinople to communicate with him then was used of olde to compell Christians to sacrifice to the Idoles of the Gentiles The exquisite diligence of the Arrians in procuring Councels to bee gathered for establishing of their errour shall bee declared in the owne place GOD willing Now to returne to the ciuill estate of Constantius After that Magnentius had made an end of his owne life in most desperate maner as said is and his associate Britannio had humbly submitted himselfe to Constantius and obtained pardon yet was not the Emperours estate quiet and free of trouble for there arose another Tyrant called Silvanus whom the Captaines of Coastantius armie in France did hastily cut off and make out of the way Also the lewes of Diocaesaria a towne of Palestina rebelled against him who were ouerthrowne by Gallas the Emperours coosen and the Citie of Diocaesaria was leuelled with the grounde This good successe made Gallus somewhat insolent and he slew Domitiaâ—…us the Emperours great Treasurer in the East therefore the Emperour
trumpet was heard to these places I say did people bewitched by Satan resort in frequent numbers to bee taught by the mouth of him who was a liar from the beginning and who remaineth a liar albeit he speake at some time the trueth because he speaketh it animo fallendi vpon a purpose to deceiue It is very credible that the blessed Seede who came to breake the heade of the Serpent did stoppe his mouth also in the time of his blessed Natiuitie The countrie of Iudeâ—… at this time was subject to the Romanes and payed tribut to CAESAR Luc. 2. The deputies of AVGVSTVS in Iudea and Syria were CYRENIVS COPONIVS AMBIBVCHVS and ANNIVS RVFVS one succeeding to another Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. HEROD the sonne of ANTIPATER by fauour of ANTONIVS obtained this honour to be gouernour of the nation of the Iewes but the honourable name of a King hee receiued from AVGVSTVS CAESAR this was ratified for his further assurance by the Senat of Rome Ioseph Antiq. lib. 15. cap 10. for which cause HEROD to testifie his thankfull minde toward ANTONIVS builded a Castle in Ierusalem very neere to the temple called Arx Antonia And to the honour of AVGVSTVS he builded Caesarea Palestinae sometime called the towre of STRATON Now a forreiner and stranger of his fathers side an Idumean of his mothers side an Arabian Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 1. and an aliant both from the stocke of DAVID and also from the Commonwelth of Israel was reigning in Iudea and the scepter was sliding from Iuda now I say was it time that SHILOCH should come according to IACOBS prophecie to whome the people should be gathered Gen. 49. 10. Now was it time that the promised Mâ—…SSIAS should come and sit in the Throne of his father DAVID and of his Kingdome there should be none end And indeed how can the Kingdome of Christ haue an end who acquireth a new title and right of gouernement by death which is the last period of other Kings gouernements and in death they leaue a vacant roome to a successour but Christ Iesus by dying and rising againe hath a right to rule both ouer deade and quicke Rom 14. 9. Yea in verie death it selfe he was practising his kingly office in most effectuall maner and tramping Satan vnder feete and vndoing the power of death Hos. 13. 14. In AVGVSTVS time also IOSEPH was admonished in a dreame to take the babe and his mother and to flee into Egypt Mat. 2. 13. SOZOMEN not content with the certaintie of Scripture addeth a particular nomination of the towne Hermopolis in Thebaida whereinto Christ sojourned vntil the death of HEROD the great This he had by the vncertaintie of tradition The miracle of the hudge and high tree Prestis that bowed the top lowlie to the ground and worshipped her maker Christ and afterward had a medicinable vertue in fruit leafe and barke to cure diseases rather derogateth credit to that Egyptian tradition then assureth vs of the veritie of that report Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 21. HEROD before his departure from this life had put to death three of his sonnes ARISTOBVLVS ALEXANDER and ANTIPATER and by testamentall legacie had diuided his dominions amongst his remanent sonnes ARCHELAVS HEROD ANTIPAS and PHILIP which testament being ratified by AVGVSTVS Iudea Samaria and Idumea were alloted to ARCHELAVS the Tetrarchie of Galile to ANTIPAS and Iturea and Trachonitis to PHILIP Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 13. IOSEPH being returned from Egypt when he heard that ARCHELAVS did reigne in Judea in stead of his father HEROD feared to dwell in Iudea but beeing warned of God in a dreame went to the partes of Galile and dwelt in a citie called Nazaret Mat. 2. ver 22 23. All this was done in the dayes of AVGVSTVS After he had reigned 56. yeeres or as Iosephus writeth 57. yeeres viz. with ANTONIVS 14. yeeres and after he ouercame ANTONIVS and CLEOPATRA Queene of Egypt in sea-warfare ouer against Epirus he had the imperiall soveranitie himselfe alone all his dayes and died in the 77. yeere of his age Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. Tiberius AFter AVGVSTVS reigned TIBERIVS NERO 22. yeres 7 moneths 7. dayes Bucolc Index The Romane Deputies that were sent to Iudea in the time of his reigne were VALERIVS GRATVS PONTIVS PILAT and VITELLIVS VALERIVS GRATVS for loue of gaine remooued the Priests of the Iewes from their offices at his owne pleasure ANANVS ISMAEL ELEAZARVS SIMON the sonne of CAMITHVS all these were denuded of their priestly dignitie when as two of them viz. ELEAZARVS and SIMON had continued scarse one yeere in office In end IOSEPHVS CAIAPHAS is aduanced to the priesthood This is the cause wherefore the Euangelist Iohn calleth CAIAPHAS the high Priest of that same yeere Iohn 18. ver 13. Matters of religion were now come to an horrible abuse and were not ordered according to Gods holy ordinance but according to the appetite of the Romaine Deputies Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 3. After GRATVS PONTIVS PILAT was sent to be Deputie in Iudea a man vigilant and actiue in all civile adoes as the blood of the Galileans mixed with their sacrifices clearely prooueth Luc. 13. 1. but in the cause of Christ remisse negligent and slacke After the issue of ten yeeres VITELLIVS is appointed Deputie in Iudea and PONTIVS PILAT addresseth toward Rome By gratifying of the Iewes in a matter of small importance he conquessed great fauour The priestly garments were wont to be kept in the Castle called Antonia but VITELLIVS gaue commandement to the Captaine of the Castle to let the high Priest haue the vse of them when he pleased and to choose what place he liked best for the custody of the priestly garments He disauthorized CAIAPHAS following as appeareth the example of VALERIVS GRATVS and gaue his office to IONATHAN the sonne of ANANVS sometime high Priest Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap 6. In the 15. yeere of the reigne of TIBERIVS Christ our Lord and Sauiour was baptized by IOHN in Iordan was led to the wildernesse fasted fourtie dayes was tempted of the deuil and began to preach Euseb. hist. eccl lib. 1. cap. 10. Mat. 3. and 4. In the eighteenth yeere of TIBERIVS the Lord Iesus was crucified and offered a sacrifice for our sinnes which hath a perpetuall vertue to saue such as beleeue Heb. 7. He arose againe the thirde day from death The high Priestes and rulers of the people gaue money to the souldiers to obscure the glory of his resurrection yet it was sufficiently knowne not onely to Christes disciples by his frequent apparitions to them but also to PONTIVS PILAT the Romaine Deputie himselfe who had giuen out a sentence of death against Christ. PILAT by letters signified to TIBERIVS the miracles of Christ his resurrection and that he was supponed of many to bee God but the Senat of Rome refused to acknowledge the divinitie of Christ because hee was worshipped as God before
of Iudea bestowed by his predecessour CAIVS vpon HEROD AGRIPPA and added thereto all the dominions of HEROD ANTIPAS whom CAIVS had banished Ioseph antiq lib. 19. cap 4. This HEROD AGRIPPA when hee returned from ' Italie to Judea builded the walles of Ierusalem sparing for no cost so high and strong that if the worke had not beene hindered by the procurement of MARSVS gouernour of Syria hee had made them impregnable Hee was not so carefull to build the walles of the spirituall Jerusalem for he beheaded the holy Apostle S. IAMES the brother of IOHN and did cast PETER into prison whome the Lord miraculously deliuered Acts 12. This HEROD and the Iewes made hauocke of the glory of God and blood of his Saintes For hee gratified them by shedding the blood of the Apostles of Christ and againe they gratified him by giuing him the glorie that appertained to God alanerly For which cause he was stricken by the Angel of God and consumed with wormes Acts 12. In this Emperour CLAVDIVS dayes the famine foretolde by the Prophet AGABVS Acts II. afflicted the world One of the causes of this plague doubtlesse was the manifold abuses of the creatures of God in the middes of the aboundance of bread the contempt of the poore which faultes were so vniuersally ouerspread in the worlde that some of the Emperours themselues were not free of the foule spot of intemperancie as the scoffing speaches of the people did witnesse in stead of CLAVDIVS TIBERIVS NERO calling the Emperour CALDIVS BIBERIVS MERO Funct Chron. This is referred to the successour of AVGVSTVS In the yeere of our Lord 48. and in the sixt yeere of the reigne of CLAVDIVS as CHYTRAeVS reckoneth was gathered that famous Councill of Jerusalem described viuely by the Euangelist LVKE Acts 15. whereat were present the Apostles PETER and PAVL and IAMES and BARNABAS a reuerent man of God in whome Apostolike giftes were not inlacking with other worthie men IVDAS surnamed BARSABAS and SILAS notable Prophets and fellow-labourers of the Apostles likewise the Commissioners of Antiochia and Elders of Jerusalem with many others who were beleeuers What was concluded in this Councill I remit to the faithfull narration of the Euangelist LVKE Acts 15. Alwayes if votâ—…s bee pondered rather then numbred this is the Councill of Councils more worthie to be called O Ecomenicke then the Councils of Nice of Constantinople of Ephesus and Chalcedon In the Councill of Nice were worthy Bishops who came from all quarters of the world but in this Councill were holy Apostles who could not erre in matters of faith O Ecomenicke Bishops indeede and any one of the holy Apostles was illuminated with more aboundance of cleare light in things pertaining to the worship of God then all the 300. and 18. Bishops conveened at Nice in Bithynia Many Romaine Deputies were sent in the dayes of CLAVDIVS to keepe Syria and Iudea in subjection to the Romaines such as MARSVS LONGINVS CVSPIVS PHADVS TIBERIVS ALEXANDER CVMANVS and FELIX I leaue MARSVS and LONGINVS for desire to open vp in what Deputies time things mentioned in holy Scripture came to passe When CVSPIVS PHADVS was deputie there arose a deceitful man named THEVDAS to whom resorted a number of men about 400. who were slaine and all who followed him were scattered Acts 5. ver 36 IOSEPHVS writeth that PHADVS sent foorth a troupe of horsemen who suddenly charged the people that followed THEVDAS and slew them and tooke THEVDAS aliue and cutted off his head and brought it to Ierusalem Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 2 Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 11 After this man arose one IVDAS of Galile in the dayes of the tribute and drew away much people after him hee also perished and all that obeyed him were scattered Acts 5 37. If GAMALIEL in that narration keepe the order of time as these words After him would import of necessitie the words of the history of the Actes must be vnderstood of another THEVDAS then that man of whome IOSEPHVS writeth in the place aboue mentioned For IVDAS of Galite liued in the dayes of AVGVSTVS and when CYRENIVS was Deputie of Syria and Iudea Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 2. and likewise antiq lib. 20. cap. 3. But I am not certaine whether or no the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe absolutely import that IVDAS of Galile was posterior in time to THEVDAS When CVMANVS was Deputie who succeded to TIBERIVS ALEXANDER the insolencie of one Romaine souldier was the destruction of twenâ—… 〈◊〉 innocent people hee discouered the secret parts of his body vpon a solemne feast day neere vnto the Temple and in the sight of the Iewes they counted this a contempt done to God in the porch of his owne house CVMANVS drewe the Romaine souldiers to the Castle called Antonia verie neere the Temple and set them in order and the people of the Iewes fearing the inuasion of the souldiers fled and in the narrowe passages ouertro de one another and a great multitude of people were slaine Ioseph antiq lib. 20 cap. 4. After this the people of the Iewes came to Cesarea where CVMANVS was for the time and complained of a Romaine souldier who had casten a booke of holy Scripture into the fire whom CVMANVS beheaded and so pacified the Iewes Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 4. In end CVMANVS through his euill gouernement procured to himselfe the indignation of the Emperour CLAVDIVS he fauoured the wicked cause of the Samaritanes who had stopped the passages of the Galileans and slaine a great number of them They were accustomed yeerely to goe vp to Jerusalem to holy feastes and their way was through the townes and villages of the Samaritanes CVMANVS rather fauoured then punished this wicked fact of the Samaritanes therfore he was remoued from his place and FELIX was sent to be Deputie of Iudea Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 5. Whether CLAVDIVS was impoisoned by AGRIPPINA his wife to prepare an easie passage to NERO her sonne to be Emperour or not I leaue that to be read in authors who haue entreated the lifes of Emperours politickly It contenteth me to write of the estate of the Church in their time Nero. DOMITIVS NERO succeeded to CLAVDIVS hee reigned thirteene yeres and eight months Euseb. lib 3. cap. 5. His mother AGRIPPINA after the death of CNEVS DOMITIVS AENOBARBVS was joyned in mariage with the Emperour CLAVDIVS In the first fiue yeeres of his gouernement he abandoned the insolencie of his wicked disposition so that it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of men Neronis quinquennium in regard of his good cariage for the space of fiue yeeres But a fire long couered in end breaketh out into a mightie flame that no water can sloken it His crueltie against his mother his wife 's OCTAVIA and POPPEA his master SENECA the Poet LVCAN and the vile abuse of his body with persons of his neerest consanguinitie I remit to the reading of learned authors who haue written exactly the
to death Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 8. EVSEBIVS writeth that he was thrown down froÌ„ the pinacle of the Temple Euseb. eccl histlib 2. cap. 23. This crueltie of ANANVS albeit it displeased both king AGRIPPA and ALBINVS the deputie of the Romaines the people of Ierusalem yet wicked men are wiser in their owne generation then the children of light ANANVS sawe that if he had lingred vntill the Romaine Deputie had arriued he could not haue procured the death of a man counted so just and so welbeloued of the people as the Apostle IAMES was It is to be marked that EVSEBIV in the forementioned place describeth the martyrdome of IAMES surnamed IVSTVS before the edict of the persecution of NERO after which followed the martyrdome of PETER and PAVL in the 12. yeere of NERO his reigne Epiphan contrahares neuerthelesse the Romaine Church had forged epistles decretall whereinto CLEMENS Bishoppe of Rome writeth to IAMES surnamed IVSTVS after the death of PETER What credite these decretall epistles deserue it shall bee declared hereafter Godwilling But FLORVS who succeeded to ALBINVS was an avaritious and cruell man he exhausted the treasure that was in the Temple and tooke out of it sixteene talents of siluer And when the lewes at Ierusalem murmured against him hee came to the towne in great wrath and permitted the souldiers to slay and to spoyle the citizens of Ierusalem at their pleasure Likewise he afflicted with vnaccustomed crueltie men of noble birth by scourging crucifying them Ioseph de bello Iudaico lib. 2. cap 25. This was the ground of the warre betweene the Romanes and the Jewes wherin Ierusalem came to that lamentable ruine foretold by our Sauiour Christ Mat 24. Nowe to returne to the Emperour himselfe and forme of his death After he had reigned 13. yeeres and eight monethes the Senate of Rome proclaimed him to bee an enemie to mankinde and condemned him to be whipped with wands to the death to be harled through the citie For feare of which punishment he was forced to flie and by slaying of himselfe made an end of his most wretched life Iustin. Uespasian AFter NERO OTTO VITELLIVS and GALBA contended for the empire and were all hastely cut off and made out of the way and FLAVIANVS VESPASIAN was chosen Emperour by the Romaine armie he reigned 10. yeeres Bucol Index Chron. The nation of the Iewes at this time for the most parte was giuen ouer into a reprobate minde according as it was foretolde by the Prophet ZACHARIE Then saide I I will not feede you that that dieth let it die and that that perisheth let it perish and let the remnant euery one eate the flesh of his neighbour Zach. 11. 9. Like as the intollerable crueltle of FLORVS had irritat the nation of the lewes euen so on the other side the vnsupportable obstinacie of the Iewes had incensed the wrath of the Rom. unes against them They were now become so head-strong that they rejected the sacrifice that was wont to bee offered for CAESAR Ioseph de bello Iudsico lib. 2. cap. 30. The calamitie of the Iewes who dwelt in Alexandria and in Damascus was but the beginning of sorrowes fiftie thousand Iewes were slaine in Alexandria ten thousand in Damascus Ioseph debel Iud. lib. 2. cap. 36 41. Besides this many signes wonders both in heauen and earth did proclaime their future desolation and destruction A Comet was seene in heauen hanging ouer the towne of Ierusalem for the space of a yeere and hauing the similitude of a sword in the Temple at the mid time of the night a cleare light was sene shining round about the Altar in brightnesse not vnlike vnto the light of the day and the great brasen port of the Temple opened of the owne accord about the sixt houre of the night chariots of fire were seene compassing townes and a voyce was heard in the sanctuarie warning to flit and to transport with many other feareful signes and wonders Ioseph de bello Iud. lib 6 cap. 31. But a people senslesse whose eyes were dimme whose eares were dull of hearing whose heart was fatte and locked vp by Satan in infidelitie they could take no warning of the wrath to come because the Lord was minded to destroy them FLA. VESPASIAN and his sonne TITVS VESPASIAN leading an armie of threscore thousand armed men from Ptolemaida besieged the townes of Galile and Trachonitis so many as would not willingly be subject to the Romanes the townes of Gadara Tiberias Iotopata Tarithea Gamala all these were brought vnder the renerence of VESPASIAN and IOSEPHVS who had beene lurking in a caue after the towne of Iotopata was conquessed was taken aliue and kept in bands by the Romanes he foretolde that VESPASIAN should bee Emperour and saluted him CAESAR and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 while NERO was yet aliue de bâ—…llo Iud. lib. 3. cap. 27. When this prophecie came to passe indeede and hee was chosen to bee Emperour hee sent for IOSEPHVS and commanded that hee should be loosed from bands but TITVS his sonne thought more expedient that his bands should be cut off from him rather then loosed to the end he might be counted a worthy man who neuer deseuned captiuitie nor bands de bello Iud. lib. 4. cap. 39. FLAVIVS VESPASIAN returned to Rome and left behind him his sonne TITVS to sub due the Iewes to besiedge the towne of Ierusâ—…lem but the Christians who dwelt at Ierusalem were warned by God to depart out of the towne of Ierusalem so they left it and dwelt beyond Iordan in a towne of Decapolis called Pella Euseb eccles hist lib. 3. cap. 5. Separation of the corne from the chaffe goeth before the vnquenchable fire wherewith the chaffe shall be burnt TITVS began to besiege Ierusalem in the first yeere of the reigne of his father at the time when the people were gathered to celebrate the feast of the Passeouer Euseb. lib. 3. cap 7. The terrour of the sworde of the Romaines without the feare of mercilesse brigands within in the bowels of the towne preuailing the flewere of the dead wanting the honour of burial infecting the aire and devouring the liuing with contagious sickenesse theviolent plague offamine breaking asunder the bands of Nature and constraining women to eate the birth of their owne bellies Ioseph de bello Iud. lib. 6. cap. 21. AH these calamities seased vpon them at once in the just judgement of God They despised the father of eternitie and the Prince of peace saide to PILAT. We haue no King but CAESAR Ioh 19. 15. now they find that the mercies of CAESAR were cruell his sonne TITVS who was commended in all mens mouths as meeke merciful liberal and eloquent and was called amor delitiae humani generis that is the loue and most daintie thing of all mankinde yet God made him a terrible scourge to the nation of the Iewes who forsooke the Lord Iesus and preferred CAESAR
fashioned according to the similitude of this world Rom. 12. In doing great things by faith they surpassed mightie Monarches In patient suffering of cuil they ouerwent admired Philosophers In this persecution SIMON the sonne of CLEOPAS an ◅oly A postle suffered martyrdome being now an hundreth and twentie yeeres olde he was first scourged and then crucified but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the Name of Christ Euseb. eccl hist lib. 3. cap. 32 Of IGNATIVS martyrdome wee haue spoken in the first Centurie the time of his suffering was in the time of TRAIANVS Plin. 2. Deputie in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of them to the death In ende he was commoued and troubled in his owne minde considering both the number and patient suffering of Christians that were put to death hee wrote to the Emperour declaring that Christians were men of good conuersation and detested murther adulterie and such other vngodlinesse onely they had conuentions earely in the morning and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ whom they worshipped as God but they would not worship images here make the portrait of the ancient Apostolicke Church what conformitie the Romaine Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth This letter of PLINIVS mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue he no absolute commandement to stay the persecution but only that the judges should not search them out narrowly but if any happened to be presented before them then let them be punished Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 33 What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by TERTVLLIAN the one part of it repugneth to the other In forbidding to search them out narrowly he declareth their innocencie but in commanding to punish them when they were presented hee pronounceth them to be guiltie Tcrtul Apol. This is that Emperour for whose soule GREGORIE the first made supplications to God 400. yeeres after his death and was heard of God as DAMASCEN writeth serm de defunctis This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if hee supponed GREGORIE to be so full of charitie that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours to the ende that they being all deliuered from the condemnation of hel heauen might be counted a mansion both for Christes true disciples and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies Adrianus AFter TRAIAN AELIVS ADRIANVS reigned 21. yeeres Chytr Chron. In his time ARISTIDES and QVADRATVS the one a Bishop the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion and did so mitigate the Emperors mind that in his time no new commandement was set foorth to persecute Christians Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4 cap. 3. Ierom Catal. script eccles BARCOCHEBAS at this time peruerted the nation of the Jewes and called himselfe the promised MESSIAS whome the foolish Iewes followed to their owne ouerthrow and destruction TYNIVS RVFVS Deputie in Iadea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Jerusalem and destroyed him with all his adherents Also the whole nation of the I◅wes was banished from their natiue soyle and the towne of Jerusalem was taken from the Jewes and deliuered to other nations to be inhabitants of it and was called by the Emperours name Aelia Euseb. eccl hist lib. 4. cap 6. Thus we see that the Iewes who would not receiue Christ who came in his fathers name yet they receiued another who came in his owne name and like vnto babes who are easily deceiued with trifles they were bewitched with the splendor of a glorious name for BARCOCHEBAS signifieth the sonne of a starre and he saide to the Iewes that hee was sent as a light from heauen to succour their distressed estate but he might haue beene called more justly BARCHOSBA the sonne of a lie Here I giue warning againe that wee take heede to our selues lest we be circumveened with the deceitful snares of the deuill for it is an easie thing to fall but a difficill thing to rise againe The Christians who liued in the dayes of ADRIAN were glad to be refreshed with the crums of outward comfort which are denied to no accused persō in the whol world viz. that Christians shall not be condemned to death for the importunat clamors and cryes of a raging people accusing them except it be proued that they haue transgressed the Law and haue committed some fact worthie of death Reade the epistle of ADRIAN written to MINVTIVS FVNDANVS Deputie in Asia Euseb eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 9. The good intention of ADRIAN in building a Church for the honour of Christ voide of images because such was the custome of Christians was impeded and hindered by some of his familiar friendes who said that if he so did all men would for sake the temples of the gods of the Gentiles and become Christians Bucolc citing the testimonie of LAMPRIDIVS writing the life of ALEXANDER SEVERVS In this point good reader marke what Church is like vnto the ancient primitiue and Apostolicke Church whether the Church decked with images or the Church voide of images Antoninus Pius TO ADRIAN succeeded ANTONINVS PIVS his adopted sonne reigned 23. yeeres Chytr Chron. Hee was so carefull to preserue the liues of his subjects that he counted it greater honour to saue the life of one subject then to destroy the liues of a thousand enemies Carion lib. 3. Monarch 4. In this Emperours time IVSTINVS MARTYR wrote notable bookes of Apologie for the Christians which were presented and reade in the Senate of Rome and mollified the Emperours minde toward Christians as clearely appeareth by his edicts proclaimed at Ephesus in time of most solemne conuentions of all Asia Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 13 Antoninus Philosophus L. Uerus AFter ANTONINVS PIVS succeeded his sonne in law ANTONINVS Philosophus otherwise called MARCVS AVRELIVS with his brother L. AVRELIVS VERVS This is the first time whereinto the Romaine empire was gouerned by two Augusti Albeit TITVS had associated his brother DOMITIAN to be a fellow labourer with him in the worke of governement yet was not DOMITIAN counted or called AVGVSTVS vntill the death of his brother TITVS But nowe at one and the selfe same time two Emperours doe reigne ANTONINVS Philosophus reigned 19. yeeres LVCIVS VERVS his brother 9. yeeres And so after the death of VERVS the whole gouernement returned to ANTONINVS Philosophus alanerly Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 5. cap. 9. Bucolc He was called a Philosopher not onely in regard of his knowledge but also in respect of the practise of Philosophie Hee was neither greatly puft vp by prosperitie nor greatly casten downe by aduersitie yet he was a cruell persecuter of innocent Christians Now is the fuell added to the fornace the fourth time and the flame is great and the arme of wicked men who hated
the martyrdome of PETER and PAVL LINVS ANACLETVS and CLEMENS were teachers of the Romaine Church In the second Centurie followe EVARISTVS ALEXANDER 1. XISTVS 1. TELESPHORVS HYGINVS PIVS 1. ANICETVS SOTER ELEVTHERIVS and VICTOR This VICTOR must needes bee called the 13. Bishop of Rome if ELEVTHERIVS be the 12. according to the computation of IRENEVS lib. 3. cap. 3. ONVPHRIVS according to his own custome giueth more credite to olde parchments that he hath found in the Vatican bibliotheke then to any ancient father He beginneth earely to distinguish CLETVS from ANACLETVS that by taking libertie to thrust in one moe in the first Centurie he may haue the greater boldenesse to thrust out another of the feminine sexe in another Centurie For it grieueth him to the heart to heare this thing so vniuersally affirmed and to see the penne of PLATINA blushing when hee writeth of IOANNES the eight hee maketh litle contradiction to that settled and receiued opinion of the feminine Pope But I leaue ONVPHRIVS sporting with his owne conceits as a Pleasant doth with his owne fingers when no other body will keepe purpose with him EVARISTVS finished the course of his ministration in 8. yeres ALEXANDER who is in expresse words called the fist B. of Rome after the death of PETER and PAVL Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 1. gouerned 10. yeeres and suffered martyrdome in the dayes of ADRIAN as PLATINA writeth After him XISTVS 1. continued 10 yeeres Euseb. lib. 4 cap 5 and died a martyr Platin. TELESPHORVS the 7 Bishop of Rome after the daies of the Apostles liued in that ministration 11. yeeres and was honoured with martyrdome Euseb. lib. 4. cap 10. HYGINVS An. 4. And PIVS the 1. ministred 11. yeeres These two suffered not martyrdom because their lot was to liue in the calme dayes of a meeke Emperour ANTONINVS PIVS ANICETVS ministred in that office 11. yeeres with whome POLYCARPVS B. of Smyrna conferred at Rome anent the obseruation of the festiuitie of Easter day He concluded his life with the glorious crowne of martyrdome Euseb. eccl hist lib. 4. cap 14. To him succeeded SOTER An. 9. After him ELEVTHERIVS An. 15. In whose time LVCIVS King of the Britons desired that he and his people should be baptized receiâ—…ed into the fellowship of Christians to whom ELEVTHERIVS sent FVGATIVS and DAMIANVS who satisfied the desire of the King his people so they were baptized and counted Christians Platina de vita Eleutherii After him VICTOR An. 10. He intended to haue excommunicat all the Churches of the East because they kept not the festi uitic of Pasche day conforme to the custome of the Church of Rome but rather vpon the day wherinto the Iâ—…wes were accustomed to eat their Paschal lamb But this rashnes of VICTOR was somewhat abated by the graue prudent counsell of IRENEVS B. of Lions who admonished VICTOR that there was no lesse discrepance of customes anent keeping of Lent then was anent the keeping of Easter day yet was not the vnitie of the Church violated nor rent asunder for this discrepance And when POLYCARPVS B. of Smyrna came to Rome in his conference with ANICETVS neither of them could persuade the other to change the custome of keeping of daves which they had receiued by tradition of their predecessours Notwithstanding they kept fast the bande of Christian fellowshippe and ANICETVS admitted POLYCARPVS to the communion of the Romaine Church and they departed in peace one from another Euseb. eccl hist. lib 5. cap. 26. QVADRATVS B. of Athens liued in the dayes of ADRIAN This Emperour vpon a certaine time wintered in Athâ—…ns went to Eleusina and was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say initiat into all the mysteries of Grecia This fact of the Emperour gaue encouragement to those who hatâ—…d Christians without allowance of the Emperoures commandement to vexe the Christians Concerning his apologie for Christians giuen in to the Emperour together with the apologie of ARISTIDES a learned Philosopher and eloquent Orator in Athens we haue spoken already in the description of the life of ADRIAN Ierom. Catal script ecâ—…l AGRIPPAS CASTOR a very learned man answered to the bookes of the Heretique BASILIDES who with the noueltie of barbarous and vncouth wordes troubled the hearts of rude and ignorant people talking of a god whome hee called ARBRAXAS and of his prophets BARCAB and BARCOB words inuented by himselfe to terrifie simple people Euseb. lib 4 cap. 7. Such delusions of Satan Quintiâ—…sts in our dayes an ignorant race of braine-sicke fellowes haue vsed And so the blind led the blind and both fell into the ditch In this age HEGESIPPVS of the nation of the Iâ—…wes was connerted vnto the faith of Christ and came to Rome in the dayes of ANICETVS and continued vntill the dayes of ELEVTHERIVS Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 11. But for what cause he came to Rome or in what part of the world hee bestowed the trauels of his ministrie no mention is made neither by EVSEBIVS nor by any other ancient writer no not by IEROM himselfe a man most accurate explorator of all antiquities MELITO B. of Sardis a famous towne in Lydia wrote an apologie for the Christians to the Emperour ANTONINVS Philosophus whome EVSEBIVS calleth MARCVS AVRELIVS VERVS Euseb lib. 4. cap. 13. His apologie was written with Christian freedome and courage for he is not afraid to declare to the Emperour what good successe AVGVSTVS CESAR had in whose dayes Christe was borne and what vnprosperous â—…successe NERO and DOMITIAN had who persecuted the Christians hist. Magdeburg EVSEBIVS calleth him an Eunuch lib. 5. cap. 24. In the fourth persecution died IVSTINVS MARTYR accused and delated by CRESCENS He was conuerted to Christs religion by the trauels of an olde man whome he supponed for his grauitie to haue beene a Philosopher but hee was a Christian. This ancient man counselled IVSTINVS to be a diligent reader of the doctrine of the Prophets Apostles who spake by diuine inspiration who knew the veritie and were not couetous of vaine glory neither were they dashed with feare whose doctrine also was confirmed with miraculous works which God wrought by their handes Aboue all things willed him to make earnest prayers to God to open vnto him the portes of true light because the trueth cannot be comprehended except the father of light his sonne Christ Iesus giue vnto vs an vnderstanding heart Iustin. dialog cum Troph Hee wrote two bookes of apologie for Christians to the Emperour ANTONINVS PIVS and to his sonnes and the Senat of Rome In the second booke of his apologie he declareth that Christians were put to death not for any crime they had committed but onely for their profession In witnesse whereof if any of them would denie his Christian profession straightway hee was absolued because there was no other thing wherewith he was charged Iustin. apol 2. In this same persecution also suffered
the holy martyre of Christ POLYCARPVS B. of Smyrna He was willing to haue remained in the towne of Smyrna but by the earnest supplications of friendes was mooued to leaue the towne lurke secretly in the countrie Three dayes before hee was apprehended by his persecuters he dreamed that his bed was set on fire and hastely consumed which hee tooke for a diuine aduertisement that hee behooued to glorifie God by suffering the torment of fire His conference with the Romane Deputie and how he refused to deny Christ whom he had serued 80. yeres and euer found him a gratious Master also how he refused to sweare by the fortune of CAESAR and how patiently he suffered death for the Name of Christ this historie is set downe at length by Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 15. 16. IRENEVS B. of Lions in France and successor to PHOTINVS a martyr disciple of POLYCARPVS in his youth Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 5. flourished in the dayes of the Emperour GOMMODVS whose meeke conuersation peaceable cariage answering to his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is peaceable made his name to be in great account amongst Christians How he pacified the furie of VICTOR B. of Rome and the pernicious schisme springing vp in the Church of God vpon very small occasioÌ„ it hath bene alreadie declared He lacked not his own infirmities errours euen in doctrine He was intangled with the errour of the Chiliasts lib. 5. contra Valentin He supponed that as Christ being 30. yeere old was baptized so likewise he began to teach when he was 40. yeere olde and suffered when he was 50. because he came to saue all therefore he wold taste of al the ages of mankind Iren. lib. 2. cap. 34. Yet is this opinioÌ„ repugnaÌ„t to the narratioÌ„ of the 4. Euangelists CLEMENS ALEXANDRINVS liued in the dayes of the Emperour COMMODVS He was the disciple of PANTENVS These two seeme to be the authors of Vniuersities and Colledges For they taught the grounds of religion not by sermons Homilies to the people but by catechetical doctrine to the learned in the schooles Bucolc Chron. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 11. This CLEMENS esteemed too much of tradition like as PAPIAS did of whome we spake in the former Centurie wherby it came to passe that he fell into many strange absurde opinions directly repugnant to the written word of God affirming that after our calling to the knowledge of the truth possibly God may grant to them that haue sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if we sin ofter then once or twise there is no more renuing by repentance or pardon for sinne but a fearful expectation of judgmeÌ„t Strom. li. 2. And in his 4. book of Strom. as it were forgetting his owne rigorous sentence against these who sin ofter then once or twise after their illuminatioÌ„ with the light of God he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say whether here or else where viz. creatures doe repent for no place is void or the mercy of God In which words he wold in sinuat that these who repeÌ„t either in this world or else where that is in the world to come may possibly obtaine fauour at Gods hande nothing can bee written more repugnant both to the word of God and also to his owne fore-mentioned opinion Many other worthy preachers and learned men flourished in this Centurie whose names of purpose are pretermitted In Athens PVBLIVS and ATHENAGORAS In Corinth PRIMVS DIONYSIVS and BACCHILVS In the Isle of Candie PHILIPPVS and PINYTVS In Anticchia HIERON THEOPHILVS MAXIMVS SERAPION hist Mâ—…gdeburg In Jerusalem before the dayes of the Emperour HADRIAN the Bishoppes of Jerusalem were of the nation of the Iewes But after the dayes of HADRIAN who banished the Iewes from their natiue soile Christian preachers of other nations were bishops in Jerusalem such as MARCVS CASSIANVS PVBLIVS MAXIMVSIVLIANVS CAPITO VALENS DOLICHIANVS NARCISSVS Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 12. the most part of all these liued in this Centurie but NARCISSVS with some others are knowne to haue liued in the dayes of SEVERVS the fift persecuter and some space after him Euseb lib. 6. cap. 9. But to write of all other worthy preachers and doctours in particular it were an infinite labour and far surmounting the habilitie of these ecclesiasticke writers who wrote in ancient times and much more our habilitie who liue in a posterior age Chap. 3. IN this second Centurie Satan inuying the propagation of the Gospel sent foorth a pernicious swarme of Hetiques such as SATVRNINVS of Antiochia and BASILIDES of Alexandria the one of them through Syria and the other through Egypt dispersed the venome of their hereticall doctrine To whome EVSâ—…BIVS addeth CARPOCRATES most properly counted the father of the Heretiques callâ—…d Gnostici Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. They receiued this name because they profesled a knowledge of darke hid mysteries The golden age of the Apostles and Euangelists was now spent and false teachers tooke the greater incouragement to teach a doctrine of deuils disallowing mariage commanding fornication and practizing abominable and filthie things which mine heart abhorreth to thinke vpon What necessitie drone EPâ—…PHANIVS in particular to manifest to the worlde the detestable and execrable mysteries of those Heretiques I cannot tel One thing I know that it shuld not be comely in my person to offend the chaste eares of Christians by renuing the memorial of that beastly vncleannes wherof EPIPHANIVS expresly writeth Epiph contra haerâ—…s They were justly called Borboritae or Caenosi because they were filthily polluted in the mire of vncleannesse August index hares Ad Quodvultdeum The followers of CARPOCRATES had in secrete places images of golde and siluer which they called the images of Iesus and therewithal the images of PITHAGORAS PLATO and ARISTOTLE and they worshipped them all Epiph. contrahaeres So that the worshipping of images and the adoration of the image of Iesus himselfe is not a custome borrowed from the ancient fathers of the first three hundreth yeeres but rather a custome borrowed from olde Heretiques such as CARPOCRATES and his follower MARCELLINA By their vnhonest and filthie conuersation it came to passe that the true professours of the Gospell were vilely slandered by persecuting Pagans objecting to Christians the bankets of THYESTES the chamberiug of OEDIPVS Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. This superlatiue degree of excessiue vncleannesse could not endure long because euery one of these Heretiques SATVRNINVS BASILIDES and CARPOCRATES with augmentations of new inuented absurdities changed the fashion and countenance of their error and so in ende it euanished But the beautie of the true Church of Christ euer like vnto it selfe in gravitie sinceritie libertie temperancie and holinesse of vnreprouable conuersation brightly shined among the Gâ—…ecians and Barbarians Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 7. The countrie of VALENTINVS was vnknown to EPIPHANIVS Hee was brought vp in learning in the schooles of Alexandria In his foolish opinions
many persecuted preachers had wiues and children as the historie clearely recordeth CHEREMON B. of a citie in Egypt called Nilus fled to the mountaines of Arabia accompanied with his wife and returned not againe to Egypt neither was hee seene of those who sought him in the wildernesse Euseb. lib. 6. cap 42 DIONYSIVS B. of Alexandria who miraculously escaped the crueltie of persecuters maketh expresse mention of his children Deo mthi ut migrarem praecipiente viánque mirabiliter aperiente ego liberi multi fratres egressi sumus that is after that God had commanded me to remooue and had miraculously opened a passage vnto mee I and my children and brethren went forth Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 40. If antiquitie be regarded Bishops who doe marie are not Nicolaitan Heretiques but rather such as forbid to marie teach a doctrine of deuils 1 Tim cap. 4. ver 3. Thirdly it is to bee marked that in time of this vehement persecution many fainted fell backe from the open profession of Christian faith Others to prouide timous remedie against such defections gaue out a rigorous sentence against such as had fallen of infirmitie that they should not be receiued againe into the fellowship of the church In this opinion was NOVATVS his complices And by their example we should learne to beware of such men as vnder pretence of zeale pertur be the vnitie of the Church inuent remedies to cure the maladies of the diseased Church that are worse then the sicknes it selfe as the Nicolaitanes did Euseb lib. 6 cap. 43. Weaknes at somo time is to bee pitied but deuilish rigour pitying no man who falleth of infirmitie is a lesson that hath no allowance in the booke of God Gal. 6. ver 1. This cruell tyrant after he had reigned two yeeres made warre against the Scythians some call them the Gothes by whom hee was vanquished in battell and fearing to be ouertaken and to come vnder the reuerence of barbarous people hee cast himselfe into a deepe pit where hee ended his life and his body could not be found Bucolc Index Chron. Chron Func The great desolations that were made in the worlde about this time by the plague of pestilence the Hethnickes imputed the cause of them to the Christians But CYPRIAN whose pen the Lord guided better declared that the cause of all these calamities was the worshipping of Idoles the contempt of Gods true seruice and the persecuting of innocent Christians Cypr. ad Demetrianum Gallus Volusian AFter DECIVS GALLVS VOLVSIAN his sonne reigned 2 yeere He walked in the footsteps of DECIVS Euseb. lib. 7 cap. 1. He was slaine by EMILIAN who presumed to reigne but he was so hastely made out of the way that Euseb. and many other historitians misknow his name in the Catalogue of Emperours Valerianus Gallienus VALERIANVS and GALLIENVS his sonne reigned 15. yeeres Euseb. viz GALLIENVS with his father in coniunct authoritie 7. yeeres after his fathers captiuitie and death he reigned alone 8. yeeres in the first three or foure yeres of the Empire of VALERIAN he was favourable and friendlie to Christians and great numbers of them were found in the Emperours court But afterward he was seduced by an Egyptian sorcerer who hated Christians because that by them he was hindered from practising his magicall charmes So the eight persecution began vnder VALERIAN Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 10. In this persecution suffered three Bishops of Rome LVCIVS STEPHANVS and SIXTVS 2. and a Deacon Laurence who was laied vpon an hote boiling yron and patientlie endured the torment of fire This is that Deacon who called the poore the treasure of the Churche for then is the Church rich when it is rich in good works and feedeth clotheth and visiteth Christ in his hungrie naked and diseased members DIONYSIVS Bishop of Alexandria was banished to Cephro a place in the wildernesse of Lbya Euseb. lib. 7 cap. xi PRISCVS MALCHVS ALEXANDER were deuoured by beasts in Caesarea Palestinae Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 12 CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was beheaded Nazianz. in laudem Cypriani MARINVS a Romaine Captaine in Caesarea was invied for the dignity honour he was advanced vnto and he was accused to be a Christian and consequently to be vncapable of great preferments dignities he was encouraged by THEOTECNVS B. of Caesarea patiently to suffer death for the cause of Christ by taking him in into a secret chalmer and laying before him a drawen sworde and the booke of the Gospell and bidding him take his choice of one of these two which he liked best MARINVS liked better of the booke of the Gospell then of the sworde and was martyred for the faith contained in that sacred booke of holy Scripture Euseb. lib. 7 cap. 15. ASTYRIVS a noble Senatour caried the body of this holy martyr MARINVS vpon his own shoulders and buried it honourably Euseb. ibid. cap. 16. In end the Lord deliuered this persecuting Tyrant into the hande of SAPOR King of Persia who not only deteened him in strait captiuitie but also abused him most filthelie and made his body a footestoole trampled vpon his necke at such times as hee was about to mount on horsebacke Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 7. cap. 13. Bucolc Index chr This fearful captiuity of VALERIAN had into it a notable testimony of the wrath of God against persecuters For like as he trampled vnder his feet the Church of Christ so in like manner the Lord gaue his necke and backe to bee trampledvpon by the feete of his enemies This example of Gods heauie indignation somewhat terrified GALLIENVS his son and hee gaue out an edict for the fafe returning of such as were banished to their own dwelling p aces and for staying the rage of persecution Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 13. DIONYSIVS B. of Alexandria hauing liberty granted by the Emperours edict to returne from banishmēt came backe again to Alexandria wherein he found such terrible desolation by famine pestilēce that there remained not of men women children so many aliue as there were wont to be of ancient hoare headed men walking vpon their streets the Lord was so highly displeased with the vnthankful world that he was determined to cōsume thē who had cōsumed his people The good cariage of Christians at this time is worthie to be marked who were full of charitie loue and visited the sicke did all offices of humanitie to those who were diseased or dead whereas the Pagans by the contrarie forsooke their dearest friends left them comfortlesse and thrust out such as were halfe deade vnto the streetes left them there vuburied to be eaten with dogs This is written in the letter of DIONYSIVS insert in the historie of Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 21 22. so great difference is betweene Christians trained vp in the schoole of Christ others who haue not bene fed with the sincere milke of the worde Christians in time of sicknesse were
an vncleane thing it might haue debarred men from entering into holy offices but if it be a cleane thing it cannot exclude them after they haue entered The other decreet alledged out of Gratian dist 79. Oportebat ut haec c. that by the constitution of PETER and his successours it was ordained that one of the Cardinall Elders or Deacons should be consecrated to be Bishop of Rome no other Such stiles of preeminence are vnknowne to scripture and to the antiquitie of this time XISTVS or SIXTVS the 2. of that name and in number the 23. Bishop of Rome succeeded to STEPHANVS and gouerned 2. yeeres 10 months 23. dayes Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 27. And Func Chron 11. yeeres such vncertaintie is in counting the yeeres of their administration The chaire of Rome through the vehemencie of persecution was vacant without a successour one yere 11 months 15. dayes as DAMASVS granteth and ONVPHRIVS the corrector of PLATINA cannot denie If the Bishop of Rome be the head of the Church then was the Church headlesse almost for the space of two yeeres To XISTVS 2. succeeded DIONYSIVS the 24 Bishop of Rome and continued in his ministration 9. yeere according to the computation of EVSEBIVS DAMASVS assigneth vnto him 6. yeeres 2. months MARIANVS 6. yeeres 5. months such certaintie is in the maine and principall ground of the Romaine faith anent the succession of the Romaine Bishops that scarse two writers doe agree in one minde anent the time of their succession To DIONYSIVS succeeded FELIX 1. the 25. Bishop of Rome gouerned 5. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 32. Hee liued in the dayes of AVRELIAN the 9. persecuter and obtained the honour of martyrdome Platin. In the three supposititious decretall epistles assigned to him the second epistle written to the Bishops of the Prouinces of France very sollicitously careth for Bishops that they be not accused by secular men but with so many caueats as in effect exeemeth them from all accusation The language whereinto the epistle is dited cannot agree with the ornat stile of the Latin tongue in this age he being a Romaine borne as PLATINA writeth Pustquam ipse ab its charitativè conventus fuerit Adsummos primates causa ejus canonicè deferatar Concilium regularâ—…ter convocare debâ—…bunt c. The Galilean language manifested not more euidently that PETER was a man of Galile Mat. 26. ver 73. then the first of these three phrases manifesteth that the foresaide epistle was compiled into a time of great barbaritie EVTYCHIANVS the 26. B. of Rome followed after FELIX 1. He continued scarce ten months in his ministrie Euseb lib. 7. cap. 32. CAIVS the 27. B. of Rome succeeded to EVTYCHIANVS continued 15. yeeres Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 32. Func Chron He liued in the dayes of the persecution of DIOCLETIAN lurked for a time in subterraneall places In end he was found out by the persecuters and put to death and with him his brother GABINIVS his brothers daughter SVSANNA suffered martyrdome Platin de vit Here it is to be marked that many martyres died before the edict of horrible persecution was set forth in the 19. yeere of DIOCLETIANS reigne For MARCELLINVS succeeded to CAIVS Ann 298. Func but the cruel edicts of the persecutioÌ„ of DIOCLETIAN were not set forth before the 308. yere of our Lord. Wherby it appeareth euidently that many Christians were put to death before the edicts of horrible persecution were renued by the Emperour DIOCLETIAN So hard was the outward estate of Christians that they were put to death vpon the warrant of the edicts of VALEPIAN AVRELIAN before the edicts of DIOCLETIAN MAXIMIAN came forth To CAIVS is attributed the constitutioÌ„ of ecclesiasticall orders degrees by which men must mount vp to the dignitie of a Bishop First he must be Ostiarius next Lector 3. Exorcista 4. Acoluthus 5. Subdiaconus 6. Diaconus 7. Presbyter last of all Episcopus Platin decret Caii ex lib. Pontif. Damasi This order of ascending by degrees to the dignitie of a Bishop is confidently referred to the constitution of the Apostles but I say Beatus quinon crediâ—… that is happie is he who beleeneth it not Like as within scripture there is no lie so likewise without scripture there is no trueth in matters of faith ordering of maners appointing of ecclesiastical offices al that is necessarie is contained in the written Word of God But nowe to performe a part of that which I promised in the end of my treatise of Antiquitie and to let euery man see what vnlearned Asses they haue bene who haue set foorth the fained decretall epistles of the fathers of this age In the epistle written by CAIVS to the Bishop FELIX aboue-mentioned he saith If any man of what dignitie so euer he be delate such persons viz. Bishops Elders Deacons for faultes that cannot bee prooued let him vnderstand that by the authoritie of this constitution he shall be counted infamous This constitution hath three partes First that no ecclesiasticall person should be accused before a secular Iudge Secondly if any accusation be intended against Bishop Elder of Deacon it should be qualified by sufficient probation Thirdly if the accuser succumbe in probation he should be counted infamous how eminent so euer his dignitie and estate shall be The compiler of this supposititious decretall epistle had no consideration of the time whereinto CAIVS liued It was a time of persecution Christian Bishops were continually drawne before seculare Iudges accused of odious crimes wherof they were most innocent CAIVS himself was compelled to lurke a long time in a subterraneal caue At this time to bring in CAIVS as it were sitting in a throne coÌ„manding that no B should be accused before a secular Iudge c. what is this else but profusion of words without judgement and vnderstanding If this decretall epistle had beene attributed to BONIFACIVS 8. GREGORIVS 7. ALEXANDER 3. it had bene a more competent time and the constitution had seemed more probable to the reader Moreouer the language is like vnto the matter it selfe Intelligat jactur am infamiae se sustinere in place of jacturam famae MARCELLINVS the 28. B. of Rome succeeded to CAIVS ruled 9. yeeres Platin Func Chron he fainted in time of the persecution of DIOCLETIAN and sacrificed to idoles but afterward he repented as PETER did gaue his life for the testimonie of Christ. He who accuseth himselfe closeth all other mens mouths from accusation of him hee who truly repenteth by his repentance is restored to all the dignities of the children of God which were lost by sinne hee who suffered martyrdome for Christ and he whose body lacked the honour of buriall for the space of 30. dayes for the cause of Christ alanerly this man I say his name should be kept in reuerent remembrance as if he had not fallen After MARCELLINVS succeeded MARCELLVS
heauen Mat. 19. ver 12. these words I say spoken in an allegoricall sense he tooke in a simple and vnfigurat meaning and gelded himselfe to the ende he might liue without all suspition of vncleannesse Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 8. No learned man hath commended this fact of ORIGEN so far as my reading can extend for if a man might lawfully dismember his own body to the end that he might liue chastly why might not a man in like maner cut off his owne hand to the ende hee should not in hastie motion of anger kil his neighbour But the obedience of the commandements of God is seated in the heart and more commended for voluntarie subjection then for necessity of abstinence of committing euil because there is not an instrument in the body able to commit transgression Finally by seeking of diuinitie without the bounds of the holy scriptures of God in stead of true diuinitie he was intangled with foolish errours anent the creation of many worlds one succeeding to another anent the paines of deuils and wicked men after long torments to be finished and anent the possibilitie of mans nature to keepe the whole law of God For which opinions long after his death he was excommunicat in the 5 generall Council holden Ann 551. Concerning his weaknesse in offering to idols rather then to suffer his chaste body to be abused I haue spoken in the history of the 7. persecution He liued vntil the dayes of GALLVS VOLVSIANVS died in the 69. yeere of his age in the towne of Tyrus where he was also buried CYPRIAN was an African borne in Carthage in his youth altogether giuen to the study practise of Magical artes His cōuersion was by the means ofCECILIVS a preacher whose name after hee bare and through occasion of hearing the historie of the Prophet IONAH Ierom catal script eccles Ierom. comment in Ionam After his conuersion he distributed all his substance to the poore Ierom. ibid. and became first a preaching elder and afterward Bishop of Carthage He was banished in the persecution of DECIVS and martyred vnder VALERIAN Nazianz in laudem Cypriani The worthy D. I. FOXE thinketh that NAZIANZEN commendeth another Bishop of that same name borne in Antiochia and Bishop in Antiochia who suffered martyrdome in the dayes of DIOCLETIAN This CYPRIAN B. of Carthage was a man full of loue a great comforter of CORNELIVS B. of Rome He suffered martyrdome as IEROM writeth that same day albeit not in that same yeere that CORNELIVS concluded his life by glorious martyrdome Ierom Catal. script eccles He had great strife against two contrarie sectes viz. against NOVATVS who was excessiue rigorous against those who had fallen in time of persecution and against NOVATIANVS FELICISSIMVS who by the contrarie would haue had both Heretiques and Apostats receiued without all forme of ecclesiasticall discipline Hist. Magd Cent 3. cap. 10. He esteemed much of those who suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ he said of the mettall mines and those that were condemned for Christs sake to worke in them that whereas they were wont to deliuer golde and siluer and precious things vnto the world no we by the contrarie the mines receiued golde and siluer and the most precious things in the world counting the Confessours and martyrs of Christ the rich treasures of the earth of whom the world was not worthy His opinion anent rebaptizing such as were baptized by Heretiques albeit it was erroneous yet his modestie in not damning thē rashly who were of a contrary opinion is great ly praised by S. AVSTEN who saith that the modestie of CYPRIAN in his error was mo◅e to be regarded then a sound right opiniō anent baptisme without humility modesty August de Baptis contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 17. He was a faithfull builder of the house of God not by word onely but also by write and his bookes remaine vntill this day as a precious treasure in the Church of Christ. The booke de Revelatione capitis Ioannis Baptista is supposititious because in it mention is made of the reuerence that PIPINVS king of France did to the heade of IOHN Baptist when it was transported from Constantinople to France and it is knowne that PIPINVS was not borne three hundreth yeeres after the martyrdome of CYPRIAN how then could CYPRIAN write of a fact done so long time after his death The Church of Christ was multiplied vnder the persecutions of SEVERVS MAXIMINVS DECIVS VALERIAN AVRELIAN DIOCLETIAN All these sixe persecutions are comprehended in the third Centurie In Ierusalem was NARCISSVS against whome wicked men banded themselues together with forged accusations and false testimonies sealed vp with othes and imprecations to grieue the heart of NARCISSVS in so much that he left his calling and fledde to the wildernesse where he Iurked a long time But the false witnesses who bare testimony against him escaped not the punishment of God One of them and his whole familie and substance was burned with sudden fire another of them was stricken with an heauie disease such as hee himselfe in his imprecation had wished vnto himselfe the third was terrified with the sight of the judgements of God that lighted vpon the other two and hee repented and powred out the griefe of his dolorous heart in such aboundance of teares that hee became blinde All these false witnesses were punished Euseb. lib 6. cap 9. and hee who was penitent albeit the Lorde pardoned his sinne yet hee chastised him with temporal punishments The Bishops of the next adjacent Churches because they knewe not what was become of NARCISSVS they admitted another called DIOS who continued but a shorte time To him succeeded GERMANION and after GERMANION GORDIVS in whose time NARCISSVS manifested himselfe againe to the Church of Ierusalem who requested him to vndertake his office againe for they reuerenced him as a man raised from death to life againe and the punishment of God inflicted vpon his accusers increassed their reuerence toward him He was old and not able to discharge the weightie office of a Bishop theresore ALEXANDER a worthie man was joyned as fellow-labourer with him EVSEBIVS writeth that hee was admonished by a celestiall vision of the will of God that hee should be Bishop of Jerusalem with NARCISSVS for hee had beene Bishoppe of another parochin before in Cappadocia by the like celestiall vision NARCISSVS and others of the clergie were admonished that the day next following a Bishoppe should enter into Jerusalem whome God had appointed to be an helper to NARCISSVS Ierom Catal. scrip eccl He defended ORIGEN against the furie and madnesse of DEMETRIVS B. of Alexandria who set both himselfe and others to great businesse for a matter of no importance as said is Ierom ibid. In the persecution of DECIVS he was caried to Casarea closed into a darke prison and died a martyre as hath beene declared ALEXANDER is supponed till haue beene the 35. Bishop of Jerusalem
vnder the coÌ„duct of the SVLTAN of Babylon wherein an hundreth thousand men were slaine Thus was Ierusalem recouered out of the hands of the Saracens with great effusion of blood and GODFREY crowned king of Ierusalem But it was so deare bought and so soone lost againe for this kingdome continued not 100. yeeres that God gaue cleare testimonies to the world that he liked not that vnhappie Counciâ—…l of Claremontâ—… whereby the peace of the world was perturbed and blood was shed aboundantly like water powred out vpon the ground the mindes of the infidels so exasperat against Christians that albeit they haue payed vs home againe with the conquest of Thracia Bulgaria Macedonia Gracia Ploponesus and a great part of Hungaria and illyricum yet are not their hearts satisfied but set on edge through remembrance of the armie that came to besiege Ierusalem I leaue off to speake of the vnprosperous successe of CONRADVS 3. and howe his armie besieging Iconium was impoysoned by the falshood of EMANVEL Emperour of Constantinople and the successe of LEWES king of France and ROGERIVS duke of Sicil to whome all things succeeded not to their contentment as the siege of Damascus clearly declareth No better successe had PHILIP king of France and RICHARD king of England who enterprised likewise to recouer againe all that was lost but king RICHARDS shipwrack captiuitie ransome 〈◊〉 that the voyages to the holy lande seldome had a good succâ—…sse The calamitie of BARBAROSSA who seemed to prosper but was pitifully drowned in the passage of a riuer And finally the compelled returning of FRIDERICKE the 2. in the mids of his victories to saue his owne dominions from the outrage and oppression of the Pope the bad successe I say of all these expeditions and other moe declareth that God gaue not his blessing to the Councill of Claremont So that in very deede the aduancement of the Bishop of Rome tendeth to the calamitie of the whole world The second tragedie that followed the high aduancement of the B of Rome was bellum pontificium others call it bellum Imperatorium a cruell and hatefull warfare betweene the Emperours and Bishops of Rome wherein no sort of villanie falshood barbarous crueltie was left vnpractised against noble and worthy Emperours GREGORIE 7 caused the Emperour HENRY 4. at Canusium in sharpe winter weather to stand barefooted and to craue absolution from him He vttered a false prophecie of the Emperours death within yeere and day which when the issue declared to be a lying prophecie he took him to his shifting mental meaning that he spake of the spirituall death of the Emperours soule and not ofhis bodily deathPope PASCALIS 2. stirred vp HENRY 5. against his owne naturall father HENRY 4. and caused raise the body of the noble Emperour HENRY 4 out of his sepulchre so that it remained 5. yeeres vnburied Pope ADRIAN 4. was offended because the Emperour BARBAROSSA held his left stirrop in stead of the right stirrop when the Pope mounted vp vpon his horse Pope ALEXANDER3 trampled vpon the same Emperours necke Pope GREGORY 9. by his cursings compelled the Emperour FREDERICKE 2. to leade an armie to Asia against the Turkes and Saracens and in his absence like vnto a deceitfull traitor inuaded the kingdome of Naples and the rest of the dominions which in heritage belonged to the Emperour Thus we see clearly in this second tragedie that the B. of Rome was like vnto the melt in the body when it waxeth great by swelling and hardnesse all the rest of the noble parts are lessened and become weake euen so the excessiue preferment of the Bishoppes of Rome was the vndoing of the Emperours and princes of the earth The Bishops of Rome not contented with the two tragedies already mentioned to wit to haue filled the world with blood and to haue trampled the Emperouâ—…s princes vnder foot they added the third tragedie woâ—…st of all They would be lawgiuers sitting in the very chaire of Christ and making of none effect the ordinances of Christ to the ende that place might be giuen to their constitutions INNOCENTIVS 3 in the Councill of Lateran confirmed the blasphemous doctrine of transubstantiation Ann. 1215. In the generall Councill holden by GREGORIE 10. Ann. 1273. forgiuenes of sinnes was promised in most ample maner to those that would bee marked with the badge of the crosse and would goe and fight against the Saracens But Christ promiseth remission of sinnes to such onely as repent their sinnes beleeue in him in token of true repentance to these who beare the easie yocke light burden of Christ Mat. 11. ver 28 29. 30. In the generall Council gathered by CLEMENS 5. in Vienne Ann. 1311. it was ordained that the Pope should not be subject to the Emperour but rather the Emperor to the Pope that the Emperor shal giue his oth of alledgance to the Pope expresse contrary to the written word of God Let euery soule be subject vnto the hier powers Ro. 13 ver 1. Ioh 23. with aduise of SIGISMVND gathered a generall Councill at Constance Ann. 1414. wherein the very testamental legacie of Christ was altered and impaired by sacrilegious prelats in taking from the people the vse of the holy cup in the sacrament And the clause Non obstante set down in their act made the whole people of Christendome to tremble that they durst not set their mouthes against the heauen and correct the ordinance of Christ and that in such rude maner that notwithstanding that Christ instituted this sacrament vnder formes both of bread wine yet the church thought meete that the sacrament shal be giuen to laicke people vnder the forme of bread only The late Councils of Basil Florence are flat repugnant one to another in the head of supremacie And last of all the Councill of Trent wherein some piece of reformation was expected made it knowne to the world that the whore will neuer reforme the Borthell and the Antichrist will not be consumed with the breath of his own mouth but with the breath of the mouth of Christ which thing the Lord performe in his owne time Amen FINIS A SHORT COMPEND OF THE HISTORIE OF THE FIRST TEN PERSECVTIONS MOVED AGAINST CHRISTIANS DIVIDED INTO III. CENTVRIES WHEREVNTO ARE ADded in the end of euery Centurie treatises arising vpon occasion offered in the historie clearely declaring the noveltie of Popish Religion and that is neither flowed from the mouthes of Christs holy Apostles neither was it confirmed by the blood of the holy Martyrs who died in these ten persecutions IEREM 6. ver 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand in the Wayes and behold and aske of the old Way which is the good Way and Walke therein and ye shall find rest unto your soules but they said We will not walke therein LVC. 10. ver 42. Marie hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken a Way from her EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Hart
no mention of the fornication of Athanasius of the hande of Arsenius of the Table Cuppe and bookes aboue mentioned but they forged newe accusations against him whereunto the Emp. gaue too hastie credite and banished Athanasius to Triere Immediately after the Councill of Tyrus many bishops were assembled at Hierusalem for the dedication of the Temple which the Emp. Constantine had builded at the place of the LORDS sepulchre Anent the Councill of Antiochia wherein the Arrians deposed Eustatius and the Councill of Arles wherein Cecilianus was absolued from the accusation of the Donatists no further discourse is needefull then is conteined in the historie of the liues of these two Bishops Gangra is a towne of Paphlagonia In this towne were assembled certaine Fathers to the number of 16. about the yeere of our LORD 324. The occasion of their meeting was the Heretique Eustatius who admiring the Monasticke life or as others affirme fauouring the Heresie of Encratitae and the Manicheans he spake against Marriage against eating of fl◅sh he damned the publicke Congregations of GODS people in Temples and said a man could not be saued except he forsooke all his poss◅ssions and renounced the wo◅lde after the forme of monkish doing These opinions were damned in the Councill of Gangra The subscriptions of the Fathers of this Councill after their Canons are worthie to be remarked These things say they haue we subscribed not vituperating them who according to Scripture chooseth vnto themselues an holy purpose of a continent life but them onely who abuseth the purpose of their minde to pride extolling themselues against the simpler sort Yea and damne and cut off all those who contrary to Scripture and Eccl◅siasticall rules bring in new Commandements But we admire humble Virginity and wee approue continencie that is vndertaken with chastity and Religion And wee embrace the renounciation of seculare businesse with humilitie And we honour the chast band of Mariage And we despise not riches joined with righteousnesse and good workes And we commend a simple and cou◅se apparrell used for couering the body without Hypocrisie Likewise wee reject loos and dissolute g◅rments And we honour the houses of GOD and assemblies that are in them as holy and profitable Not debarring men from exercises of pietie in their owne priuate houses But places builded in the name of the LORD wee honour and Cong◅egations assembled in the same places for the common utilitie we approue And good workes which are done to poore brethren euen aboue mens habilitie according to the Ecclesiasticall traditions we blesse them And we wish all things to be celebrated in the Church according to holy Scriptures and the ordinances of the Apostles In the time of the reigne of Constantine in Eliberis a towne of Spaine were assembled 19. Bishops and of preaching Elders 36. The ende of their meeting was to reforme horrible abuses both in Religion and maners which in time of the tenne Persecutions had preuailed in Spaine And nowe in time of peace such enormities and festered maners co◅lde hard◅ly bee amended Manie Ecclesiasticall Canons were made in this Synode to the number of 81. Whereof wee shall rehearse but a fewe and such as clearely pointeth out the principall ende of their meeting They ordained that Heathnicke sacrificing Priests called of olde Flamines if they were content to absteine from sacrificing to Idoles and to learne the groundes of Christian R◅ligion after three yeeres repentance they shoulde bee admitted to baptisme Likewise they ordained that Christian Virgines shoulde not bee giuen in marriage to Pagans lest in the flou◅e of their youth they should bee entangled with spirituall whoredome In like maner that Bishops should receiue no rewarde from men that did not communicate with the Church They ordained that nothing that is worshipped shoulde be pictured on the wall And that in priuate houses no Idoles should be founde And incase the maisters of houses were afraide of the violence of their s◅ruantes at least they should keepe themselues pure and cleane which if they did not they shoulde bee counted strangers from the fellowship of the Church And that if any man happen to bee slaine in the action of breaking downe images his name shall not bee enrolled in the catalogue of Martyres because it is not written in the history of the Gospell that the Apostles used any such forme of reformation whereby they sig◅isie that by wholsome doctrine images should be castē out of the hearts of mē rather then broken with popular violence with the tumultuary attempts of priuate men Any judicious man may perceiue by these Canons both the time when and the cause wherefore this Council was assembled They who count the first Councill of Carthage to bee that Councill whereinto Cyprian with aduise of many other bishops of Numidia Lybia and other partes of Africke ordained men who were baptized by Heretiques to bee rebaptized againe they commit a great ouer-sight to recken the first Councill of Carthage to bee holden vnder the reigne of Constantine whereas it is certainely knowne that Cyprian was martyred in the dayes of Valeriane the eight persecuting Emperour But the first Councill of Carthage that was kept in CONSTANTINES dayes was that Councill whereinto the Donatistes condemned Caecil◅anus Bishop of Carthage whose innocencie afterwarde was tryed by manie Iudges In it there was no matter of great importance concluded and therefore I ouer-passe it with few wordes as an assemblie of li◅tle account All these Councils aboue mentioned were assembled in the dayes of CONSTANTINE the Great Now followeth Councils gathered in the dayes of his sonnes The cause pretended for the gathering of the Councill of A◅t ochi◅ in the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine was the dedication of the Church of Antiochia which albeit C◅nstantine had builded yet fiue yeeres after his death and in the seuenteenth yeere after the foundation of this Temple was laide CONSTANTIUS his sonne finished and perfected the worke And vnder pretence of dedication of this Temple as saide is this assemblie of Antiochia was gathered ANNO 344. but indeede of purpose to supplant the true Faith To this Assemblie resorted manie Bishops to the number of 90. But Maximus Bishop of HIERUSALEM and ◅ulius Bish◅p of Rome neither came they to the Councill neither sent they any me◅enger in their name fearing as the trueth was that they were gathered for euill and ◅ot for good At this time Placitus the s◅ccessour of Euphronius gou◅rned Antiochia Now when they were met together many accus◅tions were heaped vp against Athanasius First that hee had accepted his place againe without aduise of other Bishops Secondlie because at the time of his r◅turning backe againe to ALEXANDRIA there fell out great commotion amongst the people and some were slaine others were contumeliouslie beaten and violently drawne before justice seates Mention also was made of the decrete of the Councill of Tyrus against
conscience a great number of them entrea◅e this argument In like maner the factes and wordes of ancient Fathers are miserably abused When Papistes reade in the Epistles of Augustine that the Emperour went vnto the tombe of the Apostle Peter sometime a fisher and laide aside his Emperiall Diademe and humbly bowed his knees and prayed at the sepulchre of P◅ter they clap their handes and shout for joy as if their cause were wonne But such transparent visardes will blind no mans eyes except onely the eyes of simple ignorant people and the eyes of those who are wilfully blinded because the praying at the sepulchre of Peter will not proue that the Emperour prayed vnto Peter but onely to GOD. And this custome was the more tolerable because Christians for the space of three hundreth yeeres were accustomed to heare GODS worde preached to receiue the Sacramentes yea and to pray in such places whereinto Martyres had glorified GOD by patient suffering of death for CHRISTES sake In all these actions they worshipped GOD whose worde they hearde preached in that place whose blessed Sacraments they receiued also in that place and they bowed their knees and prayed to GOD and not to the Martyres in that place yea and when the persecution ceased and Temples were builded there was a reuerent commemoration of the names of the Martyres without any inuocation and praying vnto them as Augustine expresly declareth Nowe let this grounde bee deepely setled and rooted in our heartes that GOD is the onely Fountaine and giuer of all good giftes who also knoweth all our miseries and is Omnipotent and can support them at such time as his Majestie knoweth to be expedient For the vision of GOD as saith the Prophet hath the owne appointed time and at the last it shall speake and not lie though it tarie Waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay And so much the more let vs with patient expectation awaite vpon the support that commeth from the throne of the grace of GOD because the LORD neuer commeth to vs with an emptie hande and neuer visiteth vs out of season as earthlie Phisitions doe oft times but euen when hee findeth vs lying in our graues and rotting in the stinke of a tab◅rnacle forsaken by the ghost who was wont to dwell into it then can hee raise vs out of graues as hee did LAZARUS This grounde beeing deepely fixed in our heartes I proceede to the n◅xt heade to declare that no man can approach neere to GOD without a MEDIATOR and that CHRIST is the onely MEDIATOR both of our Redemption and also of our Intercession and none other except hee onelie As concerning the first assertion that wee haue neede of a MEDIATOR there is no man so voide of vnderstanding who will denie it Like as in the fabricke of the worlde fire and water are elementes of so discrepant qualities that the Lord would not set them contiguouslie together lest the one should haue comsumed the other Therefore the Lord in his vnspeakeable wisedome hath set an element of a mid nature betwixt them to wit the Aire In the vppermoste parte of it not abhorring from the qualities of the fire and in the lower region of it conforming to the qualities of the water Euen so there can bee no fellowship betweene the holy God and sinnefull man without a Mediator And it was well said by Iosua Yee cannot serue the Lord for hee is an holy God he will not pardon your iniquitie nor your sins Therefore necessitie driueth vs in the Treatise of Inuocation to speake of the Mediator I will not paine my selfe to proue the thing that is not denied Papistes themselues grant two thinges First that Christ is the onely Mediator of our redemption Secondly that Christ is the onely Mediator of intercession betwixt God and vs. But herewithall they affirme that the Saints are mediators betwixt Christ vs. Of that which is fully grāted that Christ is the only Mediator of our redemption I infer according to the grounds of holy Scripture that Christ is also the onely Mediator of intercession For these two are vnseparably lincked together and he who hath the one honour hath both In the Epist. to the H◅brues it is said that Christ is the onely Mediator of our redemption and hereof it is inferred that hee is the onely Mediator of our intercession the wordes of the Apostle are these speaking of Christ But this man because hee indure◅h for euer hath an euerlasting Priesthood In these wordes Christ is set downe as the onely Mediator of our redemption Now marke that which followeth as a necessary consequence vpon the fore-mentioned grounde Wherefore hee is able also perfectly to saue them that come to GOD by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them Heere Christ is pronounced to bee the onely Mediator of our intercession and this conclusion is gathered vpon this ground because hee hath saued vs by his euerlasting sacrifice which is as much as to say because hee is the Mediator of our redemption Againe holie Scripture will inuert this order and set intercession in the first place and vpon this ground that Christ is the only Mediator of our intercession will conclude that Christ is also the onlie Mediator of our redemption Marke the words of the holy Apostle My babes these thinges write I vnto you that yee sinne not and if any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father IESUS CHRIST the Iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the Whole Worlde In these wordes Christ is first called our Aduocate and hereof is inferred that hee is our propitiation which is all one as if hee had saide CHRIST is the onely Mediator of our redemption In the Law of Moses the high Priest was only but a type of the true Mediator of intercession yet while hee was presenting the blood of the sacrifice of propitiation into the most holy place all the people stood without and neither Priest nor people remained within the court where the Altar of brunt offering was vntill the high Priest came foorth out of the moste holy place Now seeing our Lord Iesus hath offered a sacrifice for our sins ◅nd hath caried the blood of the euer lasting Couenant vnto the moste holy place that is vnto Heauen and is actually performing the office of our great Aduocate and making intercession for vs let no man presume to step to the Alt◅r and to take vpon him to bee a Mediator of redemption or intercession our high Priest is doing that worke in his owne person tarie vntill hee come foorth out of the moste holy place and then there shall bee no more disputation anent Mediators of interc◅ssion Augustine vtterly excludeth Peter and Paul from this honour to bee counted Mediators of our intercession because like as they prayed for others euen so in like maner
Righteousnesse the affaires of their Kingdome Bambaâ—… King of Gothes which nation reigned in Spaine resigned the title of his Royall authouritie to Euringus and entred into a Monâ—…erie Sâ—…bbus King of the Orientall Saxons left his Kingdome and entred into a Monasterie to the end that it might seeme that GOD gaue allowance vnto this superstition false miracles were inuented to grace this fact of sebbus for the tombe whereinto his bodie was laide beeing â—…n length an hand brâ—… shorter then his corpes was miraculously enlarged and lengthened to the just proportion of his dead bodie so that in the seuenth CENTURIE and about the dayes of Pope Vitaliaâ—…s it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of the people that three adm rable thing s feil out in their age First innumerable Abbaciâ—…s were builded Secondly the heads of King were shauen and they entred into Monastries Thirdly that whoredome waâ—… canonized that is notable â—…arlots were counted Saintes So with the increasing number of Monastâ—…ies superstition false miracles and a lewde conuersation in like maner daily increased In the eight CENTURIE Rachis King of Lom-bardis entred into the Abbacie called Cassinerse in Italie and his brother Aistulphus gouerned the affaires of the Kingdome in the dayes of Pope Zachariâ—… Caralomannus the elder brother of Pipinus King of France was first in the Monasterie builded vpon the Mount Sarapte afterwarde in the Monasterie called Cassinâ—…nse whether voluntarily or against his will I dispute not and hee ended his life in the Monasterie of Vienne in France beeing transported thither against his heart by the violence of his brother Pipinus In the ninth and tenth CENTURIES the Bilshops of Rome finding that their estate was mightily aduanced by Abbacies and Nunneries they also on the other part endeuoured to aduance the Monasticke life in so farre that Kings Princes were allured to profefâ—… themselues to be of the order of Monkes with dispensation not the lesse to them from the Bisshop of Rome vnder whose souereignity all high powers began to stoupe to gouerne their owne Kingdomes prouiding alwayes that with liberall giftes they had enriched the chaire of Rome So it came to passe that the world saw a rare and vnquoth spectacle to wit Kingly Monks and Monkes Kinges Yea and Kings were so bewitched with seducing speaches that they who would not abase their Royall estate with participation of Monkish orders yet they thought it was so holy and meritorious a turne to build Monasteries that by so doing they might merite forgiuenes of hainous sins As Edgarus king of England a man contaminated with many vild spots of sinne such as adultery murther tyranny and an aâ—…tender vpon three notable harlots yet because hee was accustomed euery yeere to build an Abbacy this holy fact abolished the remembraÌ„ce of all his faultes and made him worthie afâ—…er his death to haue his name togâ—…ther with the name of Wâ—…frida an holy Nunne and yet the Kings whore the name of her daughter Edâ—…ha whom she did beare to the King All their names I say were counted worthie to bee enrolled in the Catalogue of Saintes Caziminus King of Poll beeing driuen from his Kingdome entered into a Monasterie of France in the dayes of Benedict the ninth and the Poloâ—…ian Ambassadours who came to France to entrait their king to returne againe to his Kingdome wâ—…re fore grieued at his negatiue an were Yet by the meanes of Pope Benedict the ninth at whose handes all thinges might haue beâ—…ne obtained for money they obtained their King againe with libertie to him to marrie and to procreate children If Monasticke vowes bee lawfull the loosing of the bandes of Monasticke vowes for money was not lawfull This Benedâ—…ctus the ninth is he of whom Platina writeth that after his death his effigie appeared vnto a câ—…rtaine man horrible and monstrous more like the similituâ—…e of a Beast then of a man which betokened the beastly conuersation of this vnhappie Pope in his lifetime The examples of late dayes that are recent in all mens memorie of Lordes Earles Dukes Ladies yea and of the Emperour Charles the fift in his olde dayes who entered into Monastries and Nunneries whether to leade or to conclude their lifetime I passe ouer with silence This was the glorie of Monkes since the six hundreth yeere of our LORD vntill our dayes that Kinges Monarches Popes and mightie men in the world magnified their estate by repairing olde Monasteries building new Abbacies and bestowing great reuenewes and rents vpon them and some times as saide is entering themselues into Monastries either to leade or to ende their liues Monasteries also of late dayes became places of imprisonment especiallie of Noble persons dejected from their anteriour dignities so that Pope Christophorus himselfe in the dayes of the Emperour LODOVICUS the thirde beeing dejected from his Papall dignitie was thrust into a Monasterie Unicum 〈◊〉 refugium as saieth Platina that is the onely refuge of men who were in calamitie Constantine the sonne of the Emperour Leo thrust his brethren into a Monasterie rendri gâ—…vnto them a just recompence of the like inhumanitie that they had practised against their owne father Likewise Monastries became places whereinto men entered to sorrowe for by-past offences imagining that by the strickt obseruation of the rules of the Monasticke life they might obtaine forgiuenesse of sins at the handes of GOD. Paulus Cyprius Bishop of CONSTANTINOPLE before the seconde Councill of NICE entered into a Monasterie and lamented for that hee had consented to the abolishing of Images in the Councill assembled by CONSTANTINUS COPRONYMUS This PAULUS CYPRIUS was a man of a base timorous and feeble spirite who neuer knewe what the Godlie sorrowe described by the Apostle PAULE did meane which causeth repentance to saluation not to bee repented for hee had great neede to haue repented this his repentance and his sorrowe was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Paul speaketh 2. Corint 7. This bastard glorie aboue specified whereof Monkes rejoiced when the firâ—…t ornamentes were lost did rather belong to the Conuentuall Monkes than to the Anachorites Wee reade not of Kinges who delited to exchange their Kingdomes with the solitarie liuing by themselues apart in the Wildernesse except Suatacopius King of Moravia who beeing ouercome in battell by the Emperour Arnulphus hee went to the Wildernesse wherin hee continued vntill the day of his death eating hearbes and drinking water with greater contentment of mind then hee liued before in the pleasures of his Kingdome As concerning â—…saphat King of India of whom Damascene writeth that hee forsooke his Kingdome and went to the Wildernesse and exercised himselfe continually in reading and praying for the space of fiue and thirtie yeeres it is but a fabulous narration and the writer of it cannot cite so much as one approued Author for confirmation of his alleadged Historie But the purpose of Damascene is to confirme a
Chastity seeing that Marriage is honourable among all and the bed vndefiled But the vow of Virginall chastitie is the sacrifice of fooles as if a man would vow to bee a Preacher before hee were perswaded that GOD had vouchsafed vpon him the gift of preaching Euen so it is a foolish thing to any man to binde himselfe by a solemne vow to Virginall chastitie before hee bee fully perswaded that GOD hath vouchsafed vpon him that rare gift Vnder pretence of the vow of pouertie a number of Monks especiallie Abbots Channons and Capitulare Monkes as it were Bishops chiefe Counsellers haue heaped vp infinite riches and in pompe wealth ciuile preheminence and splendor of worldly magnificence haue ouer-went Earles Lordes and Barons in many Countreys and in the meane time they were but a nest of idle bellies keeping for a fashion seuen Canonicall houres which they spent in reading singing oftener by their substitutes then by themselues as if they had beene ca◅led Canonici for keeping Canonicall houres and not for st◅dying holy Canonicke Scripture to the ende they might bee able to interprete it to the vtilitie of others Concerning the vowe of obedience kept in all Orders but more stricktly amongst the Layolites then all the rest The commandement of GOD should haue beene obserued whereinto the authoritie of the father must bee regarded in such sort that if hee ratifie not the vowe of his young daughter remaining as yet in his house then her vowe is vndone and cannot stande Euen so the vowes that mortall men doe make in earth if they bee not ratified by the allowance of our Heauenly Father they are vndone and cannot consist and stand Notwithstanding the commanders amongst the Layolites will trie the obedience of their disciples in maters vnhonest vncomly vngodly and deuilish such as to walter themselues into a filthie mire if so it please the commander to enjoine to violate the commandement of the Phis◅ion in rubbing that thing outwardly vpon the bodie which the Phisition commanded to bee eaten by the diseased person and in drinking that liquor of oile wherewith the Phisition appointed the bodie to be anointed Also in commanding ◅heir disciples to kill Christian Princes Hath GOD kept silence in his blessed word and by his taciturnitie giuen a secrete allowance to such vngodly commandementes Reade the Scriptures of GOD whereinto hee forbiddeth to touch the Anointed of the LORD but they haue touched the Anointed of the LORD euen betwixt the Porch and the Altar not ashamed to defile their holy sacrament of auricular confession with treasonable consultations against the Anointed of the LORD To conclude The Orders of Monkes from appearance of commendable beginninges haue degenerated so farre that they who seemed to bee Starres fixed in Heauen and shining with the splendor of Celestiall light in end they are become busie-bodies practisers of treasons vnder colour of late inuented sacraments whom the LORD in his owne time with the tempest of his wrath will scatter as dust and no man shall bee able to gather them againe FINIS CENTVRIE V. CHAP I OF EMPEROVRS Arcadius and Honorius THE good Emperour Theodosius left behind him two sonnes Arcadius to gouerne the East parts and Honorius the West Arcadius reigned 14. yeeres Hee was a meeke and godly Emperour but not couragious as his father had bene His simplicitie was abused by Eudoxia his wife Ruffinus his chiefe Counseller and Gania his chiefe Captaine Eudoxia was offended at the freedome that Chrysostome vsed in reprouing of sinne And by the meanes of Theophilus B. of Alexandria procured his deposition Theophilus had gathered a Synode at the oake of Chalcedon because Chrysostome beeing warned refused to compeare they conuict him of contumacie and deposed him after deposition followed banishment from which the affectioned minds of the people toward their Pastor constrained the Emperour to reduce him againe yet Eudoxia continued in her malice and procured by the meanes of Theophilus his second deposition and banishment with commandement to iourney his weake body with excessiue trauailes from place to place vntill he concluded his life Reffinus stirred vp Alaricus King of the Gothes to fight against Arcadius secretly presuming to the kingdome but his tre sonable interprises beeing espied he was slaine his head and right hand were hung vp vpon the port of Constantinople Gama of a simple souldier was made generall commander of Arcadius his armie he waxed insolent and proud affected the Kingdome beeing in blood a stranger of the Nation of the Gothes in religion an Arrian Hee craued a petition of the Emperour that he might haue one of the Churches of Constantinople whereinto hee might serue GOD according to his owne forme but this petition by the prudent aduise of Chrysostome giuen to the Emperour was reiected and the pride of Gaina for a time was something abated Honorius reigned in the West a'l the dayes of his brother Arcadius and 15. yeere after his death The whole time of his gouernment was very troublesome Gildo his lieuetenant in Africke vsurped the dominion of Africke and Maseelzer his brother who at the first detested treasonable interprises in his brother yet afterward followed his brothers footsteps and receiued the iust deserued reward of his vnconstancie for hee was slaine by his owne souldiers In like maner Stilico the Emperours father in law for Honorius maried his daughter and the Emperours chiefe Counseller presumed to drawe the Kingdome to Eucherius his sonne and stirred vp the Uandales Burgundians Almans and diuerso others to inuade the Kingdome of France to the end that Honorius beeing ouercharged with the multitude of vnsupportable businesses might permit Stilics to set forward to the designes of his own heart About this time Rhadagisus a S◅ythian accompanied with an armie of two hundreth thousand Gothes came to Italie And the helpe of Valdinus and Sarus captaines of the Hunnes and Gothes beeing obtained Rhadagisus was suddenly surprised himselfe was taken strangled many were slaine the most part were sold whereupon followed incredible cheapnesse of seruants so that flockes of seruants were sold for one piece of gold in Italie The next great trouble came by Alaricus King of the Westerne Gothes who inuaded Italie and camped about Ravenna with whome Honorius entred into a capitulation and promised to him and his retinue a dwelling place in France The Gothes matched toward their appointed dwelling place But Stilico the Emperours father in law followed after them and set vpon them at vnawares when they suspected none euill and slew a great number of them By this the Emperour clearely perceiued the treason of Stilico and caused him and his sonne to be slaine but to his owne great hurt he appointed no generall cōmander of the armie in his place Alaricus and his armie were inraged partly by their losse and partly by remembrance of the couenant made with them and incontinent violated Therefore they turned backe againe inuaded
Italie with all their might and besieged Rome two yeeres and tooke it in the yeere of our LORD 410 or as some reckone 412. In the mids of burning slaying robbing militare outrage some fauour was showne by the expresse commandement of Alaricus to such as fled to Christian Churches for safetie of their liues Alaricus led his armie from Rome and was purposed to saile to Africke there to settle his abode but beeing driuen backe with tempestuous windes hee wintred in Consentia where hee ended his life Alaricus in his lifetime had giuen in marriage Placidia the sister of Honorius to Ataulphus his neerest kinsman and Ataulphus after the death of Alaricus reigned ouer the Gothes The Gothes vnder the conduct of Ataulphus retarned backe againe to Rome Placidia through her intercession purchased great well to the towne of Rome the Gothes abstained from burning and shedding of blood and addressed themselues toward France and Spaine Theodosius 2. and Valentinian 3. AFter Arcadius reigned his sonne Theodosius the second 42. yeeres His vncle Honorius gouerned in the West After whose death the whole gouernment perteined to Yheodosius who associated vnto himselfe Valentinian the third the sonne of Placidia his fathers sister Theodosius in godlines was like vnto his grandfather in collecting a great labrarie of good bookes nothing inferiour to Ptolemaus Philadelphus In collecting in one short summe the lawes of kings princes he tread a path whereinto Iustinian walked following Theodosius example and benefited all men desirous of learning His house was like vnto a sanctuarie for exercises of reading of holy Scripture and deuote prayers He was of a meeke and tractable nature almost beyond measure his facilitie in subscribing vnread letters was corrected by the prudent aduise of his sister Pulcheria In these two Emperours time the estate was mightily crossed and troubled by strangers By the procurement of Bonifacius deputie of Africke the Vandales vnder the cōduct of Gensericus their King came into Africke tooke the towne of Carthage other principall townes and settled their abode in that countrie Valentinian 3. Emperour of the West was compelled to bind vp a couenant with the Vandales and to assigne vnto them a limited bounds in Africke for their dwelling place The Vandales were partly Pagans and partly Arrians whereby it came to passe that the true Church in Africke was persecuted with no lesse inhumanitie and barbarous crueltie by Gensericus King of the Vandales than it was in the dayes of the Emperour Dioclesiane Attila King of the Hunnes encombred the Romane empire with greater troubles Theodosius Emperour of the East bought peace with payment of a yeerely tribute of gold to Attila Valentinian the third by the meanes of Aëtius his chiefe Counseller allured Theodoricus King of the Westerne Gothes to take his part The parties fought in the fieldes called Catalaunici a great fight whereinto a hundreth and fourescore thousand men were slaine And Theodoricus King of the Gothes in this battell lost his life Attila was compelled to flee Thrasimundus the sonne of Theodoricus was very willing to pursue Attila for desire hee had to reuenge his fathers slaughter but hee was stayed by Aëtius This counsell seemes to bee the occasion of his death for Valentinian commanded to cutt off Aëtius Attila finding that the Romane armie was destitute of the conduct of so wise a gouernour as Aëtius was hee tooke courage againe and in great rage set himselfe against Italie tooke the townes of Aquileia Ticinum and Millane sacked and ruined them and set himselfe directly against Rome of intention to haue vsed the like crueltie also against it But Leo bishop of Rome went foorth and with gentle words so mitigated his mind that he left sieging of the towne of Rome Soone after this Attila died the terrour of the world and the whip wherewith GOD scourged many nations Valentinian the thirde after he had reigned in whole 30. yeeres was cut off for the slaughter of Aetius Maximus vsurped the Kingdome and violently tooke vnto himselfe Endoxia the relict of Valentinian but she was relieued againe by Gensericus King of Vandales who led an armie to Rome and spoyled the towne relieued Eudoxia and caried her and her daughters to Africke and gaue Honoricus his sonne in marriage vnto her eldest daughter Maximus was cut in pieces by the people and his body was cast into Tyber From this time foorth the Empire vtterly decayed in the West vntill the dayes of Carolus Magnus so that Auitus Richimex Maioranus Severus Anthemius Olybrius Glycerius Nepos Orestes and his sonne Augustulus they continued so shorte time and gouerned so vnprosperously that their names may bee left out of the rolle of Emperours Nowe to returne againe to Theodosius Emperour in the East a King beloued of GOD in so much that by praier he obtained of GOD a wonderfull deliuerance to Ardaburius captaine of his armie When his vncle had ended his life Ardaburius was sent against a tyrant Iohn who did vsurpe the Kingdome in the West The ship whereinto Ardaburius sailed by tempest of weather was driuen to Rauenna where the tyrant Iohn tooke him prisoner Aspar the captaines sonne beeing conducted by an Angell of GOD as Socrates writtteth entred into Rauenna by the passage of the loch which was neuer found dried vp before that time the portes of the towne were patent so that Aspar and his armie entred into the towne slew the tyrant Iohn and relieued Ardaburius his father This miraculous deliuerance is thought to bee the fruite of the effectuall prayers of the godly Emperour His death was procured by a fall from his horse after which hee was diseased and died an Emperour worthie of euerlasting remembrance Martianus MARTIANVS by the meanes of Pulcheria the sister of Theodosius was aduanced to the Kingdome with whome Valentinian the thirde of whome I haue already spoken reigned 4. yeeres Martianus albeit he obtained the gouernment in a time most troublesome when the Gothes Vandales Hunnes and Herulis had disquieted the estate of the Romane empire out of measure yet by the prouidence of GOD the short time of his gouernment was peaceable for he reigned not fully 7. yeere and he left behind him great griefe in the hearts of the people because a gouernement so good and godly endured so short time Anent the councell of Chalcedon assembled by him it is to be referred vnto the owne place Leo. AFTER Martianus succeeded Leo and gouerned 17. yeeres He was godly and peaceable not vnlike to Martianus his predecessor Hee interponed his authoritie to suppresse those who proudly despised the councell of Chalcedon and obstinatly maintained the heresie of Eutyches Notwithstanding the madnes and rage of Eutychian heretiques began in his time immediatly after the report of the death of Martianus Procerius B. of Alexandria was cruelly slaine by them in the Church harled through the streets and with beastly cruelty they chewed the intrals of his body hauing before ordained
Ierusalem to be disponed vpon according to the wisdome of Christian bishops in those bounds The third warfare against the Gothes for recouering Italie out of their handes was greatest of all the rest and indured longest time to wit 18. yeeres whereinto Belisarius and Mundus and after them Narses all valiant captaines were imployed It was brought on vpon this occasiō as Evagrius following Procopius in whose time this warfare was intended doth record Amalasunta the daughter of Theodoricus had the gouernement of Italie Astalarichus her sonne before he came to perfect age died Theodatus a kinseman of Theodoricus had the gouernment by the mariage of Amalasunta but he rendered vnto her euill for good and thrust her into prison slew her In Theodatus time came Belisarius to Italie to fight against the Gothes but seeing Theodatus was more meet for philosophie than for warfare hee gaue place to Vitiges to haue the gouernment Belisarius recouered the Isle of Sicile hee came to Rome and the ports were opened to him and he was gladly receiued hee tooke Vitiges King of the Gothes and caried him captiue to Canstantinople Mundus another captaine ouercame the Gothes in Dalmatia recouered the countrie to the Romanes but in the mids of his victorie he was slaine through too hastie furious persuing of his enemies who had slaine his sonne In absence of Belisarius for the Emperour had sent for him to fight against the Persians the Gothes choosed Theudebaldus and after him Attaricus who continued but short time Finally Totilas was chosen to bee their King who recouered againe the towne of Rome the most part of all the principall townes of Italie Belisarius albeit he was sent backe againe to Italie recouered Rome the second time yet the Persian warre continually was the cause of reducing him backe againe from Italie In end Narses a valiant man was sent to Italie who ouercame the Gothes draue them out of Italie brought it again vnder the soueraignity of the Romans What good recompense for great seruice was rendered to Belisarius Narses many writers haue recorded I passe it ouer with silence Narses mooued with indignation against the Emprice Sophia the wise of Iustinus the younger the successor of Iustinian hee sent for the Longobards who came out of Pannonia and possessed themselues in that part of Italie which is vnto this day called Lombardie It is one of Iustinians chiefe praises that he caused the great Ocean sea of the Romane lawes to bee abridged into a short compend to bee comprised within the compasse of 50. books vulgarly called Pandectis or digestis hauing short titles prefixed vnto them rather than prolixe and tedious commentaries subioyned vnto them Also he gathered a generall Councill in Constantinople about the 14. yeere of his reigne to pacifie if possible were the contentious disputations that were moued anent the writings of Origen T◅eodorus and Ibas but this I referre to the owne place Iustinus the younger IVSTINVS was nephew to Iustinian He gouerned 16. yeeres He gouerned himselfe alone 12. yeres and with Tiberius whom he associated 3. yeeres 11. months All things succeeded vnprosperously in his time Alboinus King of the Longobards possessed himselfe and his people in Italie Cosroes King of Persia with his captaine Adaarmanes tooke the towne of Apamia and burnt it with fire the towne of Circesium and put garisons into it and miserably wasted the bounds of the Romane dominions When these things were reported to Iustinus hee who would credite no true information before now he is stricken with madnes astonishment of mind being grieued for this that the estate of the Romane Empire should haue decayed in his time through his default For remedie whereof Tiberius a wise valiant man by the aduise of Sophia was associate to Iustinus to gouerne the affaires of the Kingdome Evagrius describeth at length the oration of Iustinus to Tiberius when hee clothed him with all Emperiall ornaments how hee exhorted him not to bewitched with the splendore of those garments as he had bene but with vigilancy wisdome to gouerne the estate of the Kingdome This hee spake after he was recouered of his disease in presence of all the noble men of his Court so that they were compelled to shed aboundance of teares when they heard at one time so cleare a confession of his owne miscariage and so prudent a counsell giuen to his associate Tiberius TIBERIVS reigned 3. yeeres 11. moneths in coniunct authoritie with IVSTINVS and after his death hee reigned foure yeeres himselfe alone so all the time of his gouernment was seuen yeere eleuen moneths In his time COSROES King of Persia was puft vp with such insolencie in regarde of his former victories that he would not admit the ambassadours of TIBERIVS to his presence but commanded them to followe him to Caesarea of Cappadocia there to receaue their answere for he had taken Daras a towne of Mesopotamia in the borders of the Romane Empire builded by the Emperour Anastatius and called Daras because about this place Darius had his last ouerthrow by Alexander of Macedonia After the taking of Daras hee marched toward Armenia in the Summer time and from thence intended to addresse toward Caesarea Cappadocie expecting none encounter or resistance of the Romane armie But Tiberius had prepared a well appointed armie consisting of moe than an hundreth and fiftie thousand men to resist Cosroes whose forces when Cosroes could not match hee fled and for very heart griefe hee died and gaue aduise to the Persians not to make warre against the Romane Empire in any time to come The estate of the Church was the more peaceable vnder his reigne because the Vandales in Africke and the Gothes in Italie were alreadie vtterly subdued The Longobards whom Narses brought out of Ponnonia to Italie were the more insolent to afflict Christians because Tiberius was occupied in the Persian warfare against Cosroes The nation of the Gothes had as yet full swey in Spaine they were miserably addicted to the Arrian heresie insomuch that Lemugildus King of Gothes caused his own naturall sonne Elmingildus to be slaine because he forsooke the Arrian faith Also their number was augmented by returning of many Vandales to Spaine who had escaped the hands of Belisarius Mauritius MAVRITIVS was captaine of the armie of TIBERIVS to whome Tiberius gaue his daughter in marriage with his kingdome for he found himselfe sicke vnto the death He reigned 20. yeeres hee fought against the Persians prospered in that warfare and after that peace was bound vp amongst them Chaianus King of Auares Hunnes and Slauonians fought against him and caried away many captiues and prisoners In redeeming of the captiues Mauritius was too niggard wherby it came to passe that Chaianus slew 12. thousand prisoners which might haue bene ransomed for a small summe of money This ouersight of the Emperour
imposition of hands which constitution he confirmed with a foolâ—…sh reason because none of the 70. disciples whom Christ adioyned as helpers to the Apostles had power by imposition of hands to coÌ„fer the gift of the holy Spirit Now the time is come wheÌ„ euery man endeuoureth with some nouelty and new toy which hath not bene heard before to goe beyond his predecessors Benedict 1. continued in his charge 4. yeres 1. months 28 dayes Hee had great griefe in his time because the preuailing power of the Lombards oppressed the countrie of Italie the town of Rome was sore pinched with famine The heart griefe he conceiued for the calamitie of the country is thought to haue hastned his death Neuerthelesse he had this comfort that the Emp. Tibâ—…rius 2. in whose time hee ministred sent shippes loadned with cornes froÌ„ Aegypt to support the distressed estate of the Romans Tiberius was indued with many good qualities princely gifts he was valiant godly and liberall and the more bountifull hee was to the poore his riches so much the more abounded for beside the treasures of Narses that were brought to him from Italie when Narses died he found also in his owne palace vnder a crosse of marble which he commanded to be raised and not to be tread vnder feet any longer but to be set in a more honorable place there I say he found an infinite treasure of siluer gold Finally when he ouercame the Persians such quantitie of gold siluer precious things were atchieued as none of his predecessors had obtained the like so that the prouerbe hee who soweth largely shall reape largely had viue performance in the person of the noble Emperour Tiberius After Benedict succeeded Pelagius 2. and ministred vnder the reignes of Tiberius Mauritius 10. yeeres 12. months 10. dayes Hee was elected without the foreknowledge of the Emperour contrare to the custome obserued in those dayes but he excused himselfe to the Emperour Mauritius by sending Gregorius ambassadour vnto him and declaring that the towne of Rome was besiâ—…ged by Lombardis so that no messenger could bee sent from Rome to Constantinople to acquaint the Emperour with his election The forme of the siege of Rome was this The Emperour Mauritius had hired Sigibertus King of France to make warre against the Lombards and to driue them out of Italie but his armie was ouerthrowne by Eucharis King of Lombards with this victorie the Lombards were puft vp and they besieged the towne of Rome they had also taken it if they had not bene hindered by great inundation of waters The inundation of Tiber was extraordinarie it ouerflowed the walles of the towne of Rome and brought with it a multitude of Serpents which afterward putrifying corrupted the aire whereof arose a vehement pest in Rome and Pelagius 2. in this contagious sicknes ended his life Gregorius 1. called Magnus succeeded to Pelagius 2 and ministred 13. yeeres 6. moneths 10 dayes He was chosen with consent of the Clergie and people but he was vnwilling to accept the office And hee wrote to the Emperour Mauritius that he should not assent neither to the desire of Clergie nor people but his letters were intercepted by the gouernour of the towne of Rome and rent in pieces And other letters were written vnto the Emperour requesting him to condescend that Gregorius might haue the office whom both Clergie and people had elected The Emperour agreed willingly to his election for he had beene acquainted with him in Constantinople when he came ambassadour from Pelagius 2. to excuse his ouersight in accepting the office of the bishop of Rome before the Emperour was foreseene of that purpose He brought into the Romane Church the forme of the Greeke Letanies and ordained that in their prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should bee nine times repeated This prayer is thought to haue beene vttered by multiplied repetitions in the dayes of the Emperour Iustinus when Antiochia was terribly shaken with a vehement earthquake the few number that were aliue saide LORD haue mercie LORD haue mercie which in Greeke Kyrie Eleison hee borrowed also from the Liturgie of the Iewes Allelu-iah and added these wordes vnto the Latine seruice Diesque nostros in pace disponas that is in peace dispone our dayes He was the first that deuised the stile of Seruus servoram Dei that is the seruant of the seruants of GOD taking occasion as appeareth so to doe by the arrogant attempt of Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or iciunator who had vsurped the stile of Oecumenick or vniuersall bishop to whom Pelagius 2. and Gregorius 1. mightily opponed themselues and called him the forerunner of the Antichrist who durst vsurpe such an arrogant stile But marke now I pray you how farre ambition preuailed both in the chaire of Constantinople and in the chaire of Rome The humilitie of Christ was now laide aside notwithstanding of their humble stiles servus servorum Dei and the first occasion that was presented vnto them of vsurpation of the stile of vniuersall bishop it was greedily embraced First Iohn called Ieiunator Patriarch of Constantinople saw that the Emperiall seate was in Constantinople and that the towne of Rome was besieged by the Lombards Now he thought it was time to stirre and to aduance his owne chaire aboue all chaires And incontinent after Bonifacius 3. finding himselfe in fauour with the Emp. Phocas gladly accepted that same preheminence in his owne person which his predecessors had damned in the person of Ioannes Ieiunator so they were all for the most part a nest of ambitious Prelats preaching the humilitie of CHRIST but hunting for the supremacie foretold of the Antichrist Read the Epistles which Gregorius writeth to Mauritius detesting and abhorring this supremacie whereat the Patriarch of Constantinople aimed Amongst other things he saith Exclamare compellor ac dicere O tempora ô mores ecce cuncta in Europae partibus barbarorum iurisunt tradita Destructae urbes euersa castra depopulatae prouinciae nullus terram cultor inhabitat tamen sacerdotes qui in pavimento cinere flentes tacere debuerunt vanitatis sibi nomina expetunt novis ac prophanis vocabulis gloriantar that is to say I am compelled to cry out O times O maners beholde in all the parts of Europe all things lye vnder the reuerence of barbarous people townes are destroyed castles are ouerthrowne provinces are spoyled no labourer inhabiteth the lande Notwithstanding the Priests who should lye in ashes vpon the ground weeping they are seeking vnto themselues nâ—…nâ—…s of vanitie and they glory in prophane stiles Nowe apply these wordes of Gregorius 1. to Bonifacius 3. and it shall be found that hee embraced the name of vanitie and the glory of prophane stiles at that same time when it became him better to be lying in sackecloth and ashes and to be mourning for the preuailing power of barbarous people and
17. dayes he was insected with the heresie of the Monothelites and was damned in the sixt generall Councell assembled in the dayes of the Emperour Constantinus Pogenatus and hath bene touched in the Treatise of succession To him succeeded Seuerinus the first and continued 1. yeere 9. monethes and 11. dayes He was confirmed in his Popedome by Isacius Exarche of Italie for at that time the election of the Clergie and consent of the people was not much set by Isacius also spoiled the treasures of the Church of Laterane being offended with this that the Church treasures were so rich and that they bestowed nothing to the support of Souldiers who were in great necesâ—…itie After him followed Pope Iohn the fourth who exceeded not the space of one yeere one moneth and nineteene dayes in his gouernement Theodoretus the successor of Iohn the fourth was the sonne of Theodorus Bishop of Ierusalem If the Romane Church so much detested Marriage in the persons of men in a spirituall calling how came it to passe that they admitted Theodoretus to be Pope who was the sonne of a married Bishop Hâ—…e â—…uled 6. yeerâ—…s 5. monethes and 18. dayes He excommunicated Pyrrhus Patriarch of Constantinople for the heresie of the Monothâ—…lites but after the death of the Emperour Heraclius Pyrrhus returned from Afrike where he had remained a space in banishment he came to Rome recanted his errour and was absolued from excommunication but like vnto a dogge hee returned againe to his vomite and was excommunicate of new againe by Theodoretus but Pyrâ—…hus was slaine by the Senators of Constantinople before hee was possessed into his former dignitie as partaker of the vile treason intended by Martina and Heracleonas her sonne against Constantine the sonne of the Emperour Heraclius After him succeeded Pope Martinus and gouerned 6. yeeres 1. moneth 26. dayes he sent Ambassadours to Paulus Patriarch of Constantinople exhorting him to forsake the errour of the Monothelites but he misused the messengers the more confidentlie because he saw the Emp. Constans altogether addicted vnto the heresie of the Monothelites Martinus on the other part assembled a Councell at Rome of 150. bishops wherin he renewed the excommunication of Syrus B. of Alexandria Sergius Pyrrhus bishops of Constantinople likewise he excommunicated Paulus bishop of Constantinople for the errour of the Monothelites The Emp. Conslans highly offended against Martinus sent first Olympius the Exarche of Italie either to take Pope Martinus prisoner or else to kill him but his attempts were frustrate not without a miraculous work of God as Platina recordeth And afterward hee sâ—…nt Theodorus Calliopas who vnder pretence of friendship came to salute the Pope cast him in bands and sent him to Constantinople where Constans the Emp. caused his tongue to be cut out and his râ—…ght hand cut off and banished him to Cheâ—…souesus Poâ—…ti The chaire of Rome was vacant for the space of fourteene monethes because they had no certaintie of the time of the death of Pope Martinus Next vnto him Eugenius the first was chosen Pope and gouerned two yeeres and nine monethes Hee was the first that made an ordinance that bishops shoulde haue prison-houses for correcting the enormitie and contumacie of the Clergie so that by degrees bishops are encrouching vpon the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate After him succeeded Vitalianus the 1. he continued 14. yeeres and 6. moneths in the Popedome to the singing of Psalmes in the Church by viue voyce he added Organes This was not an auncient custome in the Christian Church but a noueltie inuented by Vitalianus Next after Vitalianus followed Adeodatus and ruled foure yeeres two moneths and fiue dayes of a Monke he was made Pope In his time there was terrible apparitions in Heauen a great Comete continuing for the space of three monethes terrible thunders the like whereof had not beene heard in anie precâ—…eding time great abundance of raine fastning the cornes to the ground so that they grew againe and in some places of Italie came to maturitie and ripenesse Great incursions of Turks and Saracenes who spoyled the Isle of Sicile In all these calamities saieth Platina Adeodatus multiplied supplications for the preuenting the fore-signified wrath to come If repentance and abolishing of horrible Idolatrie which had nowe taken deepe roote had bene joyned with prayers the Lord might haue bene the more easilie entreated Donus or Domnus his successor ruled fiue yeeres ten dayes he reduced the Church of Rauenna after long reluctation to the obedience of the chaire of Rome It is to bee noted that all the time they were not subject to the Bishop of Rome they were called by the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so bent were they to vindicate all declining from their authoritie with opprobrious names of Heresies imposed to the decliners thereof Agâ—…ho successor to Donus ruled 2. yeeres 6. monethes and 15. dayes of whom Platina writeth that he cured a leprous man with a kisse as Pope Deus dedit had done before In his time Constantinus Pogonatus Emperour gathered the sixt generall Councell at Constantinople wherein the heresie of the Monothelites was condemned and Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia for his obstinate perseuering in that errour was excommunicate and Theophanius some time an Abbot was placed in his rowne But this I remit vnto the owne place The epistle of Agatho written to the 6. generall Councell is full of Antichristian pride wherein hee affâ—…meth that the chaire of Rome neuer erred and that it cannot erre that euerie soule that is to bee saued must professe the Romane traditions and all the constitutions of the Romane Church are to be receiued as if they had bene deliuered by the diuine voyce of Peter Likewise he damned the marriage of men in spirituall calling he commendeth the Masse impudentlie alledging a writing of Chrysostome concerning the Masse whereas in all the writinges of Chrysostome this word of the Masse is not to bee found After Agatho succeeded Leo the second who continued onelie tenne monethes and seuenteene dayes Hee was the first author of the kissing of the Pax. To him succeeded Benedictus the second and ruled 10. monethes and 12. dayes onelie In his dayes Constantinus Pogonatus Emperour ordained that in time to come the consent of the Emperour and Exarche of Italie should not be expected but he whom the Clergie and people did elect should foorthwith bee counted the Vicare of Christ. In so doing the Emp. very vnaduisedlie put an hurtfull weapon into the Popes hand whereby the estate of the Empire was encombered and hurt afterward Ioannes the fift his successor continued not aboue one yeere and nine dayes And Conon the first the successor of Iohn the fift ended his course after the issue of eleuen monethes and three dayes After the death of Conon the election of the Pope was like to be decided by weapons rather than by suffrages votes some
were possible they shoulde deceiue the verie Elect. The mindes of people in all ages haue beene mightilie transported with signes and wonders in so much that the GENTILES firmelie beleeued that there was a diuine power in IVPPITER because the LORD permitted the Deuill to raise a mightie storme of winde and to ouer-blowe with sande the armie of CAMBYSES which went to PENTAPOLIS of purpose to spoyle the Temple of IVPPITER AMMONIVS The GRECIANS likewise beleeued that there was diuinitie in APOLLO because GOD permitted the Deuill to shake the mountaine of PARNASSVS and to destroye a great number of the armie of ZERXES who came to spoyle the Temple of DELPHVS Heathen people were rauished with admiration of workes which seemed miraculous But Christians to whome the written worde of GOD belongeth they shoulde regarde no miracle which leadeth them from the forme of true worshipping set downe in the written worde of GOD DEVTRONOM CHAP. XIII for all such miracles are called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is miracles of falsehood or miracles confirming a false doctrine Nowe blessed bee our GOD who by the breath of His owne mouth hath begunne to remooue the mistie cloude of horrible darknesse and who hath made the beames of His trueth to shine vpon vs. And the LORD establishe our soules with His sauing Grace vnto the ende and in the ende Amen A TREATISE Of the Sacrifice of the Masse THE soule of the Antichristes kingdome is the Masse which beeing abolished the Antichristes kingdome cannot consist Now therefore it followeth by due order that I shoulde speake of the Sacrifice of the Masse keeping this method first to search out if it bee an auncient Seruice in the Church of God secondly to search out the definition of the Masse and thirdly to declare the absurdities of the Masse To prooue the Masse to bee an auncient Sacrifice vsed and approoued in the Primitiue Church they alleadge the liturgie of Sainct Iames the bookes of Abdias bishop of Babylon the bookes of Martialis bishop of Burdeaux and one of the seuentie Disciples the bookes of Clement and of Sainct Dionyse the liturgies of Basill and Chrysostome a booke founde in Verona a towne of Italâ—…e set foorth vnder the name of Amphâ—…lochius bishop of Iconium the head citie of Lycaonia which describeth the life and miracles of Sainct Basill But now it is time to bee ashamed of their supposititious bookes and legendes of lies wherewith they were accustomed to deceiue simple people These bookes for the moste part are so vnknowne to Antiquitie that there is no mention made of them in ancient Authors The liturgie of Chrysostome is a booke falsely shrowded vnder his name because in that liturgie there is a prayer conceiued for the prosperitie and well-fare of Nicolaus the first vniuersall bishop And it is knowne that Nicolaus the first was not borne three hundreth yeere and more after the death of Chrysostome And in the booke set foorth vnder the name of Amphilochius a description of the life of Thomas Bekket bishop of Canterburie is set downe who was at least seuen hundreth yeeres posteriour to the dayes of Aâ—…philochius Such legendes of lies doe verie well agree with the kingdome of the Antichrist Moreouer the forme of Church-discipline vsed of olde will proue that there was no such Church-seruice as the Masse for these who had committed great sinnes by the strict discipline of the Church were debarred some from hearing of Sermons others from the Prayers and some from the Communion but wee reade of no man for the space of fiue hundreth yeeres who was debarred from the sight of the Sacrifice of the Masse because there was no such Seruice in the Church for the space aforesaide For mine owne part I found nothing in the Historie that once seemed to countenance the Popish Masse before the sixe hundreth yeere of our Lord at what time the bishop of Centum-celle made a fabulous narration to Gregorie the first of a man tormented in purgatorie who requested a Church-man to offer to God consecrated hosties for his reliefe out of paines but this fable cannot prooue the Masse to bee an auncient Church-seruice Chrysostome clearly declareth the forme of approaching to dinine mysteries in his time After Sermon a deacon stoode vp and cried with a loude voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Holy thinges doe appertaine vnto holie persons by which wordes hee inuiteth holy men and such as are duely prepared to draw neare to the participation of holy mysteries others who in conscience sound not themselues purged from the filthinesse of their sinnes hee exhorteth to single out themselues and not to approach to the holy Table This hee amplifieth by a dissimilitude of the Olympiak playes and the holy Supper In the Olympiak playes saieth Chrysostome an harolde stoode vp and after hee had pointed out a mans name who offered to giue a proofe of his valour in the Olympiak exercises then the harolde cried with a loude voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Doeth aniâ—… bodie accuse this man can anie bodie accuse him of theft of lewde manners of a base and seruile condition whereby he may be found vncapable of this high honouâ—… But when a man is disposed to approach vnto the holy mysteries the Church deacon calleth not vpon others to accuse him but sendeth him to the secrete parlour of of his own heart to accuse himselfe and to trie if he be absolued from his sinne and if hee bee refreshed with thè earnest-pennie of the Holy Spirite and made rich in good workes This was the forme of communicating in Chrysostomes dayes If there was besides this forme of communicating a sacrifice also wherein a Priest stoode at the Altar and he only did eate and drinke and the rest were onely spectators and beholders of the sacriâ—…ce then let them produce testimonies of Scripture or ancient Fathers whereby it may bee prooued that such forme of seruice was in vse in the Church Master Harding foolishly singing the triumph before the victorie citeth a place of Chrysostome as a full and perfect confirmation of the Antiquitie of the Masse Chrysostome when hee was a fellow-labourer with Flauianus bishop of Antiochia hee complained of the slownesse of the people in approaching to the holy Communion in these wordes I see saieth hee great inequalitie of thinges amongst you At other times When as for the moste part yee are in cleane life yee come not to wit to the Communion but at Easter though yee haue done something amisse yet yee come O what custome is this O what presumption is this the daylie sacrifice is offered in vaine Wee stand at the Altar for nought there is not one that will communicate The verie purpose whereat Chrysostome aimeth should make him ashamed to cite this place as a defence of the Masse for Châ—…ysostome is reprehending the people for resorting at so fewe times and in so small companies vnto the holie Supper
Godefridus King of Denmarke a fearce aduersary against the Christians who dwelt in Saxonie Likewise he subdued the Sclavonians and Bohemians enemies to Christian Religion and was justly called Magnus for his great exploytes valiant acts which God prospered in his hand Pipinus the sonne of Emperour Charles was declared King of Italieâ—… who died before his father and after his death he appointed Bernard his nephew to reigne in Italie with expresse commandement That he should be obedient to his sonne Ludouieke whom hee ordained to be successour to himselfe in the Emperiall office So the Emperour Charles full of dayes died in the 71. yeere of his age and was buried in AKEN LVDOVICVS PIVS AFter Charles succeeded his sonne Ludouicus Pius and reigned 26. yeeres For his gentle and meeke behauiour hee was called Pius Hee receiued the Emperiall Diademe from Stephanus the fourth at Aken Bernard his brothers sonne forgetfull of the mandate of Charles the Great rebelled against Ludodouicus Pius and was beheaded at Aken Likewise his owne sonnes assisted with Hugobortus Bishop of Lions and Bernhardus Bishop of Vienne and other bishops who did excommunicate the Emperour for adherence to Iudith his wife they behaued themselues very vnduetifully towards their father Neuerthelesse hee freely pardoned his sonnes and accepted them againe into fauour Also Fredericke bishop of Wtrecht threatned to excommunicate the Emperour if he did not for sake the company of Iudith his welbeloued wife and daughter to the Duke of Bauaria because shee was his neare kinswoman to wit in degrees of consanguinitie forbidden in the Popish law The Empresse willing to be reuenged of the bishop she hired two gentlemen who set vpon him after Church seruice and slewe him in his Priestly garments In his time also the Saracenes in hudge numbers like vnto Locusts swarmed out of Aegypt and Africk and inuaded the Isle of Sicill By cutting down all fruitful trees burning Townes Temples and Monasteries and by killing bishops priestes and monks they brought the Isle to an vtter desolation Gregorie the fourth at this time was Pope and hee exhorted the Emperour and his sonne Lotharius to support the distressed estate of the Isle of Sicill They answered That albeit that matter duely belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople yet neuerthelesse they refused not to vndertake the worke vpon the common charges of the countrey Nowe whilest these thinges were in reasoning Bonifacius Count of Corsica and his brother Bertarius with support of the people of Hetruria arriued with a Nauie at Africke and betwixt Vtica and Carthage encountered with the Saracenes foure times and slew of them so great a number that they were compelled to recall their forces backe againe from Sicill Like as of olde the Carthaginians vexed by Scipio recalled Hanniball for the safety of his owne countrey So Bonifacius returned backe againe with an armie victorious and richly ladened with the spoyle of his enemies Nothing was more vnprouidently done by the good Emperour Ludouicus Pius than the ouer-giuing of that right voluntarily conferred to Charles his father by Adrian the first and Leo the third to wit That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour This fore-saide right Ludouicus gaue ouer to the Clergie and people of Rome onely the Romanes for keeping of friendship should sende an Ambassadour to the Kinges of Fraunce declaring whome they had elected to bee Pope Heereby a patent doore was opened to all mischiefe which after followed and to that horrible contention betwixt Emperoures and Popes concerning investment of Bishops In his time three Emperoures reigned in the East at Constantinople to wit Leo Armenius Michaell Balbus and Theophilus Leo Armenius reigned seuen yeeres Hee banished Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople for defending adoration of Images Michaell Balbus slew Leo his predicessour whilest hee was praising God in the Church and reigned in his steade nine yeeres In his time the Saracenes mightilie preuailed a number of them issued out of Spaine and tooke the Isle of Candie Another companie comming from Africke wasted the Isle of Sicill Theophilus reigned tenne yeeres and faught against the Saracenes who did oppresse the Countrey of Asia but hee had no good successe LOTHARIVS LOTHARIVS the sonne of LVDOVICVS PIVS was declared King of Italie and Augustus before his fathers death Hee was anointed by Pope Pascalis in the Church of Sainct PETER and hee reigned fifteene yeeres Great hostilitie and bloodie warres fell out amongst the children of Ludouicus Pius to wit Lotharius Lewes Charles and Pipinus for diuiding of their fathers Landes In this ciuill dissention the Nobilitie of Fraunce was so miserably weakened that the Normandes and Daines tooke boldnesse to inuade the Countreye of Fraunce which they vexed for the space of twentie yeeres In the East after Theophilus had concluded his life his sonne Michael with his mother Theodora gouerned the estate Michael reigned foure and twentie yeeres Theodora continued onlie eleuen yeeres Shee persecuted those who woulde not worship Images albeit her husband before his departure from this life had seriously admonished her that shee should not trouble the Church for restoring of Images LVDOVICVS the second LVDOVICVS the seconde and sonne of Lotharius reigned twentie yeeres and one The intestine dissention betwixt him and his brother Charles seemeth to bee like vnto an hereditarie sicknesse Howsoeuer the Emperour Ludouicke had dishonour thereby because the reballes of Charles desired the Emperoures protection against his owne brother which when hee had graunted the rebelles were reconciled againe with their owne King Charles and the Emperour with dishonour was compelled to retire from his brothers Dominions In the East Michael Emperour of Constantinople slew his brother Theoctistus and thrust his mother Theodora and her sisters into a Monasterie and reigned himselfe alone after his mothers deposition thirteene yeeres So the whole time of the gouernement of Michael was twentie and foure yeeres Hee faught against the Saracenes but very vnprosperously and was slaine by Basilius who reigned in his steade seuen yeeres CAROLVS CALVVS LVDOVICVS the second dying without children his brother Carolus Caluus king of Fraunce obtained at the handes of the Bishop of Rome by many liberall giftes to bee annointed Emperour He continued Emperour not aboue two yeeres and was poysoned by one Sedekias a Iewe whome hee vsed for his Physition CAROLVS CRASSVS CAROLVS CRASSVS was the sonne of Lewes king of Germanic he reigned 10. yeere Carolus Balbus the son of Carolus Caluus was incontinent cut off by death Therefore I haue ouer-passed his name with silence In this Emperoures time the Normandes and Daines made such horrible excursions and desolations in FRAVNCE that the Emperour who came with a great Armie to support the distressed estate of Fraunce was compelled to make peace with them anno 888. and assigned vnto them that part of Fraunce which lieth beyonde Seane towardes the Britannicke Ocean to bee their habitation which hath the name of Normandie vntill