tell you Li. Decret de consuetud c. 4. Immediately after Christ's death all the Presbyters ruled in common but after a while the Apostles caused that Bishops should be created for the appeasing of Schismes If any shall not agree that this is St. Hierome's sense let him compare that passage in his Epistle to Evagrius 85 Quod autem posteà That after this i. in the Apostles age as appears both by what goes before and by what follows concerning St. Mark one was chosen and set over the rest was done for a Remedy against Schisme lest every one drawing a part of the Church to himself should destroy the whole for in the Church of Alexandria from the days of St. Mark the Evangelist unto Heraclas and Dionysius Bishops there the Presbyters choosing one of their number and setting him in a Higher degree called him Bishop and in his Dialogue ad Luciferianos Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur schismata quot sacerdotes So then St. Hierome's testimony is express for the Antiquity of Bishops for as to the original institution I shall not now discourse that they were in the Apostles days particularly in the Church of Alexandria in St. Mark 's days and in the Church of Corinth ever since the People began to say I am of Paul and I of Apollo for the ending of which controversie one was preferred above the rest and the Scholiast tells us on Titus 1. that Apollo was the Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Bishop of Corinth and the same was decreed in all the Christian World That the care of the Church was committed to them and the welfare of the Church depended on their dignity to whom if there were not an eminent and peerless power given by all there would be as many schismes in the Church as there were Priests and lastly that it was a principal duty of theirs though it be now accounted their crime to prevent the growth of schisms in their several Churches And this is that which I have according to my mean capacity endeavour'd in these Papers wherein I have only applyed that gentle Remedy which hath been approved by Ancient and Modern Divines who agree that The means to confute schisme is to reduce it to its first Original for howsoever it comes to pass that factious persons are in love with their own they cannot but abhor the actions of their Progenitors And now Reverend Sir If I have said any thing unworthy of your Name I know that as your judgment will discern it so your candor will pardon it since nothing hath moved me to this attempt but my duty to the Church and my particular esteem of your great Merits who are a chief Ornament of the same for though you have been placed in an eminent station yet that you have rather honour'd that dignity than been dignified by it is the judgment of all that know you and not only the private opinion of Your Humble Servant THO. LONG Exon Febr. 1. 1676 7. THE PREFACE IT hath been sometime known that when divers learned Physicians after all their regular methods of Physick have given over their Patients as desperate a mean Empirick by an easie and gentle application hath effected the Cure And having often considered with my self how fruitless and ineffectual the many excellent Discourses and unanswerable Arguments of such as have opposed the Separation from our Church have been and that the contumacious humor still spreads it self to the infection and ruine of many precious Souls I thought it might be expedient to apply another remedy viz. A true representation of the Opinions and practices of such Schismaticks as have been condemned in the Primitive times of the Church whereby as in a Glass such as are guilty of the present Separation may reflect on their own deformities and the evil consequence of their dividing practices Some Women who have been too well conceited of their beauty when they have unawares beheld in a clear Glass the deforming and destructive effects of a loathsome Disease have been so surprised with the change that is visibly made on their Faces that they have immediately fallen sick and dyed And who knows but when those fanciful persons who are so highly conceited of their purity and tenderness of their Consciences shall be convinced as by a serious reflection on this History of the Donatists they may be what unclean spots and visible defects the Souls and Consciences of such as live in Separation from a well established Church have contracted they may immediately grow sick of their Sins and apply themselves to the mortification of them that their Souls may be saved It is the Opinion of some learned Men that the Cardinal Baronius hath raised more Prejudices against the Reformed Churches by his Annals than Cardinal Bellarmine by all his Arguments And indeed upon supposition that the Relation which he gives of the Primitive Doctrine and Discipline is true the contrary whereof hath been sufficiently evinced by Bishop Jewel and many others he hath done more to prove our Churches guilty both of Heresie and Schism than all the Polemical Divines of the Church of Rome Accordingly when it shall appear by the Authentique Records of the Church of God that those Persons who held the same Opinions and followed the same practices as some in this present Age do were frequently condemned by the best Christian Emperors and Catholick Councils as schismatical and dangerous and upon what small and inconsiderable grounds they have run themselves into such great confusions as have overturned all things Sacred and well setled in Church and State it may be rationally hoped that though the most cogent arguments have not perswaded them â—et such horrible Spectres may affright them from their sullen and unchristian apartment and make them choose to live rather with peaceable and humble Christians in a conformity to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Primitive and present Church than among such turbulent spirits as revive the Opinions and practices of the most dangerous and condemned Schismaticks And it is both a more civil and facile way of insinuating instructions and reproofs to the minds and consciences of such as are averse from plain dealing to teach them by pertinent instances and examples by Historical allusions and wise Apologues such as the Parable of Trees used by Jotham and of the Ewe-Lamb by the Prophet Nathan and this method was familiarly used by our Saviour especially when he would convince the Pharisees as he doth in the Parable of the unthankful Husband-men Luke 21.33 and divers others wherein he proves them to be worse than those who persecuted the Prophets by their malice against the Son of God and v. 45. it is said They perceived that he spake of them In the days of the late Vsurpation The History of Andronicus the unfortunate Politician of Massonello and
Doctrine for a long time until they began to Rebaptize upon an Opinion that there were no true Ministers in the Catholick Church and by consequence no true Sacraments St. Augustine says that in his time they were Pares Doctrinâ Ritibus agreed in the chief points of Doctrine and in the Ecclesiastical Rites And when Optatus wrote against Parmenian Optat. p. 72 They had generally One Creed One Testament and One Baptism viz. in the Name of the Blessed Trinity they prayed to One God and used the Lord's Prayer alike The Controversie was not de Captie but de Corpore concerning the Head but the Body of the Church But their Schism which divided that Body was sufficient to condemn them Opt. p. 72. St. August cum Emerito Extra Ecclesiam omnia possunt habere praeter salutem possunt habere honorem possunt habere Sacramentum possunt cantare Hallelujah possunt respondere Amen possunt Evangelium tenere possunt in nomine patris filii Spiritus sancti fidem habere praedicare sed nusquam nisi in Ecclesiâ Catholica salutem possunt invenire He granted they had the Scriptures the Sacraments the Prayers and Preaching materially the same as in the Church but yet Salvation was not to be had but within the Church All which is true upon the grounds of St. Paul as well as St. Augustine because without Charity all these gifts and exercises do profit nothing 1 Cor. 13. And therefore the Primitive Fathers did so passionately declaim against Schisme not only because it was the Occasion of greater confusion in the Church than Heresies ordinarily were but because it did equally endanger the Salvation of those that obstinately persisted in it fitting them for any Error Dionysius Alexandrinus wrote to Novatian Quisquis ab Ecclesia Catholica separatus est quanquam laudabiliter se vivere existimet hoc solo scelere quod à Christi unitate disjunctus est non habebit vitam Epist 152. that he might rather do any thing than rent the Church of God by Schismes which saith he you ought to avoid as much as Idolatry for when you flye from Idolatry you consult only your own safety but when you avoid Schisme you consult for the benefit of the Universal Church I shall therefore only mention that great Error in the chief Article of Faith wherein Donatus himself and many of his Followers agreed with the Arians as divers of the * Aug ad quod vult Deum Ancients have recorded viz. That the Son was less than the Father and the Holy Ghost than the Son This being a Consequent of the Schisme And it is usual for such as first desert the Unity of the Church to deny the faith and verity therein professed within a short time It is my intent to speak chiefly of such Opinions as led them to it or hardned them in it that others may see and avoid them There was a strict Canon in the Catholick Church forbidding Christians to hold any Communion with such as had in times of Persecution turned Apostates or Traditors until they had undergone the censure of the Church and manifested their repentance but as if this Canon were not strict enough the Novatians first and then the Donatists made themselves wiser than the Laws and would not on any termes admit such Persons accounting that by Communion with them the whole Congregation was defiled and such as had been of the Clergy they accounted of as lay Persons and the lay People they esteemed of as Heathen their Baptisme being frustrated upon this ground they withdrew from the Communion of Cecilian and other Catholick Bishops pretending they had been Traditors and that all the People adhering to them were polluted and that the Bishops and Clergy of the Church could not lawfully rule or teach the People nor administer the Sacraments the efficacy of all these Ordinances depending oâ— the Holiness of the Minister and that there were no such true Ministers but among themselves For this Opinion they urge Acti 19.4 where St. Paul gives order that they who had been baptized by St. John should be baptized again in the Name of Jesus Now if John's Baptism say they who was a Friend of the Bridegroom was made void much more ought the Baptism of those that are Enemies and Apostates to be so accounted Against this Opinion Optatus argueth thus Non dotes Ministri sed Trinitatem in Sacramento operari cui concurrit fides professie credentium The efficacy of the Sacrament depends not on the endowments of the Minister but the grace of the blessed Trinity in whom if they that are baptized do believe and make profession accordingly their Baptisme will doubtless have its effect for the believer is regenerate not according to the abilities of the Minister but the power of the Sacrament Nascitur Credens non ex Ministri sterilitate sed ex Sacramentorum fertilitate This is handsomely expressed by Gregory Nazianzene in the allusion of an Image ingraven on two Seals one of Iron another of Gold where the Image being the same the Iron Seal makes the same impression as that of Gold But St. Augustine observes also the difference between the Baptisme of St. John and that of our Saviour Chriâ—â— which was in the Name of the Holy Trinity and therefore both Optatus and St. Augustine charge the Donatists with no less sin than Blasphemy when as their practice was they would exorcise those whom they had rebaptized with this form of words Maledicte exi for as calling the whole Trinity in whose Name they had been baptized accursed Optatus therefore farther urged Opt. p. 86 Si datis alterum baptisma date alteram fidem date alterum Christum It is superfluous to renew the Baptisme where there is no alteration of the Faith He adds Etsi hominum litigant mentes non litigant Sacramenta The Sacrament is the same although the judgment of those that administer it may differ The Bishops of the Catholick Church did therefore admit of those that were baptized by the Donatists although the Donatists would by no means approve of the Catholicks Baptisme Which plainly argues as well their excess of Pride as their defect of Charity both which St. Augustine observed in a Donatist Bishop that Preached in his City of Hippo who used this comparison that the Church of God was like Noah's Ark it was pitched both within and without without Nè admitteret baptisma alienum and within Nè emitteret suum that it might not admit of those that were baptized by others nor baptize any but such as were of their own perswasion They uâ—ged the bare Authority of St. Cyprian for their rebaptizing which as St. Augustine says theâ—â— despised when he pleaded for the unity of thâ—â— Church Cyprianus tolerandos in Ecclesia malos potius quam propter cos Ecclesiam deserendam exemplo consirmavit praecepto admonuit though his arguments weâ—â— inforced with Scripture
things sacred and civil brought to confusion Non solum affinitates cognationes Domus verum etiam Vrbes Provinciae Nationes imo Vniversum Romanum Imperium funditus concussum emotum est And St. Hierome says All the Eastern Churches except Athanasius and Paulinus were corrupted Among the Bishops Eusebius Nicomediensis was a chief Defender of the Arian Heresie and Eusebius of Caesarea was tainted also for he refused for a while to subscribe the Anathema against them though the next Day he was better perswaded and did it But notwithstanding all the Learning and care used by this Council the Arians increased for Constantine dying his Son Constantius succeeded him in part of the Empire who being of the Arian perswasion did so countenance those Hereticks that many of the Catholick Bishops were banished and wandred up and down in remote Parts among whom Athanasius whom they wickedly called Sathanasius was forced to flee as far as Triers and there lay obscure several Years until the Storm was over Of which the good Leontius a Catholick Bishop did foretel when putting his hand on his gray Hairs he said When this Snow shall be melted much filth will be dissolved with it Multum Luti sequetur meaning great Persecution and Impiety would shortly befall the Church To these Hereticks the Donatists joyned themselves many of whom defended the same Opinions and they that did not yet agreed in the Persecution of the Catholicks as their common Enemy To this Heresie saith St. Augustine those who are called Circumcellians in Africa do belong De Haeres c. 69. And St. Hierome saith that Donatus wrote a Book De Spiritu Sancto agreeable to the Doctrine of the Arians For before Arius was well known Ebion and Cerinthus and Corpocrates while St. John lived troubled the Churches of Asia with the like Opinions against which St. John at the desire of those Churches wrote his Gospel to assert the Eternal Deity of our Saviour And Eusebius and others say that Origen was the Father of Arius for he taught That As much as the Apostles were inferior to Christ to much was Christ inferior to God and that the Son was not to be prayed unto with the Father seeing he was not the Author of granting our requests but onely a Supplicator or Mediator And among these Hereticks the Gloria Patri was altered which they used in this form Gloria Patri per Filium in Spiritu Sancto Glory be to the Father by the Son in the Holy Ghost To this Council we find that Cecilian was called as appears by his Subscription but none of the Donatists they being excluded from the Communion of the Catholick Church The Donatists taking occasion of these troubles abroad did with the more violence prosecute their good old cause at home and now they take the confidence to petition the Emperor Constantine to rescind and abrogate the Laws made against them And whereas some of them had been denied the liberty of exercising their Functions either publickly or privately and others banished for transgressing the Laws and inforced to return to secular imployments they urge that their banished may be recalled particularly that Silvanus one of their Bishops of whom we have spoken before might return He was banished upon the accusation of Nundinarius for selling the Ornaments of his Church but his Party reported that he was banished for refusing to communicate with Vrsacius and Zenophilus two Catholick Officers under the Emperor who as they said did persecute him This slander St. Augustine refuteth l. 3. contra Cresconium c. 30. where he shews that the cause of his banishment was not as they pretended for denying to communicate with the Catholicks only but Quia cum jam traditor fuit permanere haereticus voluit ut falsum honorem in parte Donati haberet qui habere in Catholicâ nullum potuit tam manifestis traditionis suae gestis publico judicio reseratis because being evidently proved a Traditor he would continue in the Schisme hoping to find a false honor among the Donatists who could have none among the Catholicks It hapned that this Vrsacius being imployed in the Emperor's Wars lost his life at whose Death the Donatists rejoyced as a token of Divine vengeance against a Capital Enemy of theirs I may not omit another clause of their Petition which was that they might enjoy Libertatem Arbitrii that is as Valesius c. 17. interprets it Liberty of Conscience but St. Augustine calls it more fitly Licentiam agendi a Licence to do what they pleased and that they might no more be constrained to communicate Antistiti ipsius i.e. Constantini Nebuloni with that Prelatical Knave of his Cecilian Colloq Carth. l. 3. c. 54. Brevic. August c. 21. Declaring that neither by threats nor promises they would be thereunto induced bus would rather suffer a Thousand Deaths These demands of theirs how insolent soever were proposed in such a juncture of time that the Emperor could noâ— deny them but grants what they desired leaving them to the Divine vengeance which had begun to be revenged on them The consideration of this restless temper of theirs puâ—â—â— St. Augustine into so great a passion that hâ— said Epistle 167. Puto quod Diabolus ipseâ— I think that if the Devil himself had been so often condemned by Judges of his own choosing he would not have been so impudent as to persist in such a cause Now that this indulgence was extorted from the Emperor may appear by his consolatory Epistle written to the Catholick Bishops which I shalâ— here insert from the Appendix to Optatus p. 287. You well know that I have endeavoured by all the Offices of humanity and moderation which either faith requireth oâ— prudence and purity would admit that the most holy peace of that fraternity wherewith the grace of God hath indued the hearts of his Servants might in all things be kept inviolate But for as much as our good endeavours have not been effectual to subdue that power of wickedness which adheres to the judgment of those who still rejoyce in the mischiefs which they have acted we must expect until by the mercy of Almighty God the malice of these Men which from a few hath infected many be again mitigated for from thence we must expect a remedy from whence every good work proceeds and until this heavenly Medicine be applyed our counsels are to be moderated that we may give an Honourable testimony of our patience and by the virtue of true tranquillity we may endure whatever their wonted insolence shall do or attempt For it is a folly to usurp that revenge which we ought to leave to God especially when by faith we ought to be confident notwithstanding all that the fury of such Men may cause us to suffer that God will esteem it as Martyrdom for what else is it at such a time as this to overcome in the Name of God and with a constant heart no endure the insolent affronts of
Another Engine which they employed was the maintaining of Emissaries in all places where there was hope of advancing their cause and Party They had their Confederates in Rome who scrued themselves into the favour of great Men nor wanted they their Advocates in the Emperor's Court for being many of them inriched by the spoils of others they were very free in their Bribes and Presents to Men in Power to purchase liberty to themselves and being Men of smooth Tongues and soft discourse as well as of crafty and complying conversation they did insinuate themselves to the acquaintance and counsels of some good Men with a design to betray them and not unlike our Jesuits could personate all sorts and degrees of Men that by all means they might increase the Number of their Proselytes and support their Cause To which we may add the familiar and constant correspondence which they held among themselves advising not only what was done but what was most facile and probable to be effected no◠did they only meet frequently to consult o◠such means but did as unanimously agree and resolve on them and having resolved as vigorously act and prosecute their designs with great secresie and constancy for as our Saviour observed of the unjust Steward Th◠Children of this World are wiser in their generation than the Children of light Luk. 16.8 i. e. according to the Hebrew phrase in rebus sui◠agendis in prosecuting those worldly affairs wherein they are concerned for the Hebrews call the actions of Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Vatablus sheweth from Gen. 6.9 and 37.2 And the reason of it is because when Men are conscious to themselves of unjust dealing with others their own just fears do excite them to advise warily and act speedily and industriously for their security Whereas the righteous Man having also an honest cause supposeth his innocency to be a sufficient guard and therefore is less studious and solicitous for his own preservation Lastly And the great countenance they gave to the Vices of their Proselytes was no small advantage to the Faction for they were better than their words to them they promised only liberty but they allowed all manner of licentiousness they counted it no sin in them to rob and deceive the Catholicks nor to defile themselves with fleshly lusts Vnde tantae turbae convivarum ebriosorum innuptarum sed non incorruptarum innumerabilia stupra foeminarum Aug. l. 3. contra Parmen They had Principles and Doctrines that incouraged them to live more lewdly than others as that all their sins were already pardoned and that they could never fall from the grace of God In so much as their sins as well as their Opinions had a Toleration Greges ebrios sanctimonialium suarum cum gregibus ebriis circumcellionum die noctuque permixtos vagari turpiter sinunt cont Parm. l. 2o. Their Teachers permitted the unclean Circumcellians to wander up and down Day and Night with young Women who pretended vows of Chastity and more holiness than others as the Gnosticks had done before them but lived in all Uncleanness If any Bishop or Priest were cast out of the Catholick Communion for scandalous offences and fled to them they received and defended him and he that was in his own account unworthy of the Office of a Deacon in the Catholick Church is accounted fit not only to be a Presbyter but to create Presbyters too among the Donatists as Splendonius did Extant innumerabilia documenta in iis qui vel Episcopi vel alterius gradus Clerici fuerunt l. 3. contr Petil. tunc degradati vel pudore in alias terras abierunt vel ad vos ipsos vel ad alias haereses saith St. Augustine And when any Bishop or private Person deserted them to joyn in Communion with the Catholick Church they did not only defame him but by open violence and secret conspiracies sought his utter ruine to which the People were incouraged by their Priests who taught them that therein they should do God good service as they did concerning St. Augustine It was a difficult matter to find any one among them that had a good opinion of any that were of another Communion or that did think soberly of himself but his proud conceit did generally swell and poyson their souls that they were the most excellent Christians and others reprobates Qui se à Christs anitate discindunt se solos Christianos esse jactant damnant caeteros Aug. contra Crescon l. 4. c. 59. By these and other such arts they increased their Faction and made it formidable not only to the Bishops but to the Emperor himself by whose care and good government though the limbs of the Faction were cut off yet the heads and the heart remained still and with innumerable affronts and vexations did they grieve that good Emperor whom as much as in them lay they had slain in * In the Language of Optatus they did occidere Oleum slew him with the sword of their tongues and handled him as if he had not been the Lords anointed his reputation and tantum non with violent hands brought down his gray Hairs with sorrow to the Grave in the 65. Year of his Age and the 31th of his Empire But their malicious spirits survived to the perpetual trouble of the Church and of the Emperor's Sons which succeeded him whereof Constantine was slain shortly after by his Brothers Souldiers Constans who lived longer and was Heir to his Father's Vertues as well as his Dominions was also made the object of the Donatists malice for during these revolutions of the Empire they recruited their Faction and had spawned a mad fry of Fanatick Persons called Circumcellians to be their Champions for though they did not always own them to be of their Communion yet did they on all occasions imploy them to fight against the common Enemy These Circumcellians were incouraged by Donatus who pretended that an Angel had appeared to him and assured him of the confirmation of his Faction and that he had immediate answer of his Prayers from God Oravit Donatus respondit ei Deus è coelo and that as many as suffered violent Deaths in defence of the good old cause should have a Crown of Martyrdome and for their encouragement white Altars or Memorials were erected to their honour and great commendations of them were celebrated i◠publick Assemblies Anno 348. Now Constans the Emperor being mindful of his Father's charge and in imitation of his Example sent Paulus and Macarius with some Gifts and Almes to the Churches of Africa but with a Commission also to endeavour the unity of those Churches Whereof Donatus having intelligence although those Legates whom Optatus calls operarios unitatis did in a friendly manner apply themselves to him first offering him to partake of the Emperor's bounty and then perswading him to imbrace peace and unity with the Catholick Bishops
as the Emperor had given them instructions he not only refused to accept of the Emperor's Largess but returned many opprobrious speeches Quid est imperatori cum Ecclesia What hath the Emperor to do with the Church aut quid est Ecclesiae cum Regibus Seculi quos nunquam nisi invidos Christianitas sensit multa maledicta effudit or what hath the Church to do with the Kings of this World who have been always adversaries to Christianity and so he rejected the Emperor's propositions for peace with as much pride and contempt as the Emperor did with Humility and Charity offer them There was at this time another Donatus Bishop of Bagaia who gathered great Troops of the Circumcellians to oppose the Emperor's Legates to intercept the Gifts and Moneys which they were dispersing for the relief of the several Churches Of which the Legates being advised and apprehending themselves in great danger by reason of the flocking together of those desperate persons They sent to Silvester who had then the command of the Souldiers to send them a Guard of Souldiers not that they intended to be Aggressors but only vim vi repellere to defend themselves against those furious Persons that were in an extraordinary manner assembled And the event proved that they did but what was necessary for the People were stirred up to Sedition by jealousies and prejudices against the Emperor which the Donatists had scattered through all Africa perswading them that Paulus and Macarius had brought with them certain Images which they intended to set upon the Altars and to command a Superstitious Worship and Sacrifice to them whereas they came only as Ambassadors of Peace and Instruments of Union And notwithstanding all the affronts which they received from that furious and desperate Party who often set upon the Guards of Souldiers to their own destruction the Legates at the request of the Catholicks did forbear any farther acts of Hostility nor did they act any thing prejudicial to the true Religion Nulli dictum est Nega Deum Incende testamentum c. Opt. p. 62. None were required to deny God to burn their Bibles or destroy the Churches Sola fuerunt ad pacem hortamenta ut Deus Christus ejus à Populo in unum conveniente pariter rogaretur They only endeavoured according to the Emperor's instruction to exhort them to peace and unity that they would worship God and Christ with one consent in an uniform manner But these exhortations to peace did more offend them than the tidings of War they loved the inheritance of Schisme more than the Legacy of Christ Nunciatâ unitate omnes fugistis at the very name of peace they all desert the Legates Opt p. 64. and become their Enemies and both by open violence and secret plots by their slanders and Swords too are always provoking them And yet these Donatists did not only complain of Persecution by the Legates but imputed it to the Catholicks as if they had procured those Bands of Souldiers with a purpose to destroy them p. 69. to which Optatus answereth Quod ab aliis vobis provocantibus factum est nobis non debet imputari quicquid objecistis vos fecistis that if it were true that the Donatists were slain by the Souldiers yet it was false that it was done by the procurement of the Catholicks who always mediated with the Officers to spare them And that in truth the Emperor's Officers never used violence but when they were first provoked Nullus erat primitùs terror nemo vidit virgam nemo custodiam there was no terror against any but evil doers no punishment or Prison threatned to any peaceable Christian the Emperor only preserved peace in the State And about the end of Constans his Reign there was a Council held at Carthage Anno 349. Gratus being then Bishop to restore peace to the Church in which they decreed divers Canons against rebaptizing and to prevent that desperate practice of the Circumcellians to cast themselves from high precipices and by other violent practices to destroy themselves And thus for a while the fury of the Donatists was abated and the hopes of peace and settlement comforted the Church But this good Emperor is untimely slain by divers Military men who conspired against him thinking to divide the Empire among themselves One Marcellinus invites him to a Supper and continuing with him late at Night Magnentius one of the Conspirators begins to affright him whereupon the Emperor fled to Helena whither they sent a selected Company of Souldiers and murthered him But Constantius his Brother succeeded him who at his entrance on the Government did seem to favour the Orthodox against the Arians and Donatists but being setled in the Empire he declares himself an Arian and consequently an Enemy to the Orthodox Christians whereby the Arians and Donatists rage every where against them Donatus himself and many of his Faction joyned themselves with the Arian Hereticks although they had formerly declared their abhorrence of them in hope of obtaining the greater power against the Catholicks by the Emperor's favour And to this end Donatus wrote a Book de Spirit◠Sancto as St. Hierome hath observed agreeable to the Arian Doctrine And others of the Faction joyned with the Macedonians and as St. Ambrose * De Spiritu Sancto l. 3. c. 11. says blotted out of their Books those words of St. John God is a Spirit Maximus Bishop of Neapolis was deprived of his dignity and function for not complying with the Arians who placed one Zosimus in his See Maximus keeps to his charge and function until they ejected him by force and then he denounceth an Anathema against the Intruder whereof the Intruder taking no notice applyed himself to the discharge of his new Office and endeavouring to speak unto the People his Tongue hung out of his Mouth so that he could not speak nor draw it in again until he went out of the Church and then he recovered the use of it and this befell him a second and a third time whereupon he forsook his new Dignity And now lived that famous Ecebolius a Sophist of Constantinople who while Constantius was a Catholick professed himself so too and with him turned Arian and when Julian was Emperor was an Idolater and in the days of Jovianus would become a Catholick again and lay at the Church Doors crying to the Faithful Me salem infatuatum pedibus conculcate to trample on him as unsavory Salt fit for nothing But it is more worthy our observation that within a short time that Constantius had declared against the Deity of the Son of God the Empire was taken from him and given to Julian This Julian the Apostate who had from his Childhood been instructed in the Christian Religion l. 3. c. 1. and as Socrates says had been a Reader in the Church at Nicomedia being of an unstable wit declares himself an open Enemy to the Christians forbidding