Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	dead_a	holy_a	pilate_n	2,163	5	11.4686	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38749	The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.; Ecclesiastical history. English	Eusebius, of Caesarea, Bishop of Caesarea, ca. 260-ca. 340.; Socrates, Scholasticus, ca. 379-ca. 440. Ecclesiastical history. English.; Evagrius, Scholasticus, b. 536? Ecclesiastical history. English.; Eusebius, of Caesarea, Bishop of Caesarea, ca. 260-ca. 340. Life of Constantine. English.	1683 (1683)	Wing E3423; ESTC R6591	2,940,401	764

Deacon with Stephen being one of them that were dispersed went down to Samaria and being full of the Divine power was the first that Preach't the Word to those inhabitants And the Grace of God did so effectually cooperate with him that by his Preaching he drew after him Simon Magus with many other men This Simon at that time very famous did so far prevail with those whom he had deceived by his imposture that they thought him to be the great power of God Then therefore this very person being greatly amazed at the Miracles Philip wrought by the power of God craftily insinuated himself and so far counterfeited a faith in Christ that he was baptized The same thing with admiration we see now done by the followers of his most filthy Sect who creeping into the Church as their fore-father did like some pestilent and leprous disease doe deeply corrupt all those into whom they are any way able to instil that pernicious and incurable poyson which lies concealed within them But many of them were cast out of the Church as soon as their vitiousness was discovered in like manner Simon himself being at length detected by Peter was deservedly punished Furthermore when the wholesome Preaching of the Gospel daily increased Divine providence brought out of the land of Aethiopia a man of great autority under the Queen of that Countrey for those Nations are according to their countrey fashion governed by a woman who being the first of the Gentiles that by Philip warned of God by a Vision was made partaker of the Mysteries of the Divine Word was also the first fruits of the faithfull throughout the world Returning into his own country he is reported to have been the first publisher of the Knowledge of the great God and of the comfortable Advent of our Saviour in the Flesh And so by him was really fulfilled that prediction of the Prophet Aethiopia shall stretch out her hand unto God At this time Paul that chosen vessel was made an Apostle not of men neither by men but by the revelation of Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead being vouchsafed this calling by a Vision and a voice from heaven which came to him at the Revelation thereof CHAP. II. How Tiberius was affected at the Relation Pilate sent him of those things concerning Christ. WHen the wonderfull Resurrection of our Saviour and his Ascension into Heaven was now divulged among all men because it was of old customary that the Governours of Provinces should communicate to the Emperour every strange and unusual accident that happened within their charge that so nothing that was done might escape his knowledge Pilate acquainted the Emperour Tiberius with the Resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ now much talk't of over all Palaestine giving him an account that he had also heard of many other Miracles of his and how that rising again after he had been dead he was now by many believed to be God And they say that Tiberius referred this matter to the Senate but the relation was rejected by them upon pretence that they had not first approved of the matter there being an old Law amongst the Romanes that no one should be deified but by the suffrage and decree of the Senate but in reality that the wholesome Preaching of the divine Doctrine might not stand in need of any humane approbation or assistance When therefore the Senate had rejected the Relation concerning our Saviour Tiberius persisted in his former judgment attempting nothing prejudicial to the Doctrine of Christ. Thus much Tertullian a man incomparably well skilled in the Roman Laws and every way famous and most renowned among the Latine Writers in the Apologie for the Christians written by him in Latine but afterwards translated into Greek does declare in these very words And that we may discourse concerning the Original of these Laws there was an old Decree that the Emperour should consecrate no God before he was approved by the Senate Marcus Aemilius knows this concerning his God Alburnus And this makes for our advantage because among you Divinity is weighed by humane approbation If God please not man he shall not be God Man now must be propitious to God Tiberius therefore in whose time the Christian Name made its entry into the world communicated to the Senate the account he had received out of Syria Palestine whereby the Truth of the Divinity of Christ was made apparent which he confirmed with his own suffrage But because the Senate had not approved of it it was rejected the Emperour persisted in his judgment threatning the accusers of the Christians with death Which opinion divine providence according to his dispensation instilled into the mind of Tiberius Caesar that the Preaching of the Gospel then in its infancy might without impediment spread over the whole world CHAP. III. How the Doctrine of Christ spread in a short time over the whole World ANd thus by the cooperation of Divine power the comfortable Word of God like the beams of the Sun on a sudden enlightned the whole world and presently agreeable to the Divine Scriptures the sound of the heavenly Evangelists and Apostles went out into all lands and their words into the ends of the earth And indeed in a short time there were throughout all Cities and Villages Churches gathered which like a Threshing-floor filled with Corn were thronged with infinite multitudes And they who deriving their ignorance from their Ancestours and their errours of old were ensnared as to their souls with the superstitious worship of Idols as in an inveterate disease being freed as it were from their cruel masters and loosned from their heavy bonds by the power of Christ and the Preaching and Miracles of his disciples did with scorn reject the multitude of gods brought in by devils and acknowledged there was one onely God the maker of all things And him they worshipped with the Holy Rites of true Religion by that divine and sober way of worship which our Saviour had spread among mankind When therefore the Grace of God diffused it self into the rest of the Nations and Cornelius of the City Caesarea in Palestine in the first place together with his whole household by a Vision from heaven and the Ministery of Peter embraced the Faith of Christ and many others of the Gentiles at Antioch did the same to whom the disciples dispersed upon the persecution that arose about Stephen Preached the word of God the Church at Antioch now increasing and prospering in which many were gathered together both Prophets from Jerusalem with whom were Paul and Barnabas and besides also other brethren in number not a few the appellation of Christians then and there first sprang up as from a pleasant and fertile soyle and Agabus also one of the Prophets there present fore-told the dearth that afterwards happened and Paul and Barnabas were sent to relieve the Brethren by their Ministration

them whether they would agree to the Nicene faith They having readily given their assent the Emperour commanded them to deliver in a Libel containing the Articles of their faith CHAP. XXVI How Arius being recalled from exile and having given up a Libell of Repentance to the Emperour did therein hypocritically pretend himself an assertour of the Nicene Creed HAving therefore composed a Libell they present it to the Emperour the contents whereof are as followeth Arius and Euzoïus to our most Religious and most pious Lord Constantine the Emperour According to the order of your piety most acceptable to God our Lord the Emperour we do declare our Faith and in writing profess in the presence of God that we and all our adherents do believe as followeth We believe in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Jesus Christ his Son who was made by him before all worlds God the Word by whom all things were made that are in heaven and that are in earth who came down from heaven and was incarnate and suffered and rose again and ascended into the heavens who also shall come again to judge the quick and the dead We also believe in the Holy Ghost and in the Resurrection of the flesh and in the life of the world to come and in the kingdom of heaven and in one Catholick Church of God which is spred from one end of the world to the other This faith we have received from the holy Gospels the Lord saying to his disciples Go ye and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost If we do not thus believe these things and if we do not truly admit of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost in such manner as the whole Catholick Church and the Scriptures which we believe in all things do teach God is our Judge both now and in the Judgment to come We therefore beseech your piety O Emperour most acceptable to God! that we being Ecclesiastical persons and holding the Faith and sence of the Church and the holy Scriptures may by your pacifick and religious piety be united to our mother to wit the Church all questions and superfluous disputations being wholly taken away and suppressed that so both we and the Church enjoying a mutual peace and union may joyntly offer up our usual prayers for the peaceable Reign of your Imperial Majesty and for your whole Family CHAP. XXVII How Arius returned to Alexandria by the Emperours order and upon Athanasius's refusal to admit him Eusebius's faction framed divers accusations against Athanasius before the Emperour ARius having thus perswaded the Emperour returned to Alexandria But this specious covert was not prevalent enough to suppress the silenced and hidden truth For when Athanasius denied him reception upon his arival at Alexandria in regard he detested the man as an abomination he attempted to stir up new commotions in Alexandria by disseminating his heresie Moreover at that time Eusebius did both himself write Letters and also induced the Emperour to write that Arius and his complices might be received into the Church But Athanasius did wholly refuse to grant them reception And he acquainted the Emperour by his Letters that it was impossible for those who had once rejected the faith and were anathematized to be entirely readmitted again to their degrees in the Church at their return But the Emperour highly incensed at this return thus threatned Athanasius in a Letter Part of the Emperours Letter Having therefore received the knowledge of our will doe you afford a free ingress to all such as are desirous of entring into the Church For if we shall receive information that you have prohibited any of those that are desirous to be united to the Church or have hindred their admission We will immediately send one who shall be impowred by Our order to depose you and banish you your Countrey Thus wrote the Emperour having a regard to the good of the publick and being unwilling that the members of the Church should be rent asunder For he laboured to reduce them all to a perfect union At that time therefore the Eusebians who were deadly haters of Athanasius supposing they had gotten a fair opportunity made use of the Emperours indignation as instrumental for the execution of their own design Upon which account they made great disturbances labouring by that meanes to effect Athanasius's deposition from his Bishoprick for they hoped that the Arian opinion would become absolutely prevalent by these means only to wit by a removal of Athanasius There was therefore by a joynt consent an attack made against him by Eusebius of Nicomedia Theognis of Nice Maris of Chalcedon Ursacius of Singidunum a City of the Upper Maesia and Valens of Mursa in the Upper Pannonia These persons hire some of the Melitian Hereticks who bring in several accusations against Athanasius And first they frame a complaint against him by Ision Eudaemon and Callinicus who were Melitians as if Athanasius had ordered the Aegyptians to pay a linnen garment under the notion of tribute to the Church of Alexandria But Alypius and Macarius Presbyters of the Church of Alexandria who were then accidentally at Nicomedia extinguished this accusation having informed the Emperour that what they reported against Athanasius was false Wherefore the Emperour by his Letters sharply reproved those that informed against him but he advised Athanasius in a Letter to repair to him But the Eusebian faction before his arival and in order to their preventing of it tack another accusation to the first far worse than the former as if Athanasius entring into a conspiracy against the Emperours affaires had sent a little chest full of gold to one Philumenus But the Emperour having taken cognizance hereof at Psamathia which is the Suburbs of the City Nicomedia and finding Athanasius innocent dismissed him with honour and wrote to the Church of Alexandria that their Bishop Athanasius had been falsly accused It would indeed have been comely and decent to have passed over in silence those calumnies which the Eusebians afterwards framed against Athanasius lest Christs Church should be condemned by those that do not embrace his doctrine But in regard they have been committed to writing and exposed to the view of all men I therefore judged it necessary to treat of these matters as compendiously as may be which if particularized would require a peculiar volume Wherefore I will give a short account whence both the subject of the calumny it self and also the contrivers of the false accusation had their original Mareotes is a region of Alexandria There are in it a great many and those very populous villages and in them many and stately Churches All these Churches are under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Alexandria and subject to his City like Parishes In this Country of Mareotes there was a man by name Ischyras who had committed a fact

called Sophia It was joyned to that Church named Ire●●● which being before a little one the Emperours Father had very much beautified and enlarged And both of them are to be seen at this present time encompassed within one and the same wall and called by the name of one Church CHAP. XVII That Athanasius being afraid of the Emperours menaces returned to Rome again AT the same time there was another false accusation patcht together against Athanasius by the Arians who invented this occasion for it The Father of the Augusti had heretofore given a yearly allowance of Bread-corn to the Church of Alexandria for the relief of those that were indigent It was reported by the Arians that Athanasius had usually sold this Bread-corn for money and had converted the money to his own gain The Emperour therefore having given credit to this report threatned Athanasius with death He being made sensible of the Emperours menaces made his escape and absconded But when Julius Bishop of Rome understood what the Arians had done against Athanasius having also received Eusebius's Letter who was now dead he invites Athanasius to come to him being informed of the place where he lay concealed At the same time arrived the Letter which those Bishops that before that had been convened at Antioch wrote to him Another Letter also was sent to him by the Bishops in Egypt informing him that those things objected against Athanasius were false These Letters so directly contradicting one another having been sent to Julius he returned an answer to those Bishops convened at Antioch wherein he blamed them first for the bitterness of their Letter then he told them they had done contrary to the Canons because they had not called him to the Synod it being commanded by the Ecclesiastick Rule that the Churches ought not to make Sanctions contrary to the Bishop of Rome's Sentiment He complained also that they had clandestinely adulterated the faith And moreover that what was heretofore done at Tyre had been fraudulently and corruptly transacted in regard the memorials of the Acts done at Mareotes had been made up of one side only Further that what had been objected concerning Arsenius's murther was apparently demonstrated to have been a false accusation These and such like passages as these Julius wrote at large to the Bishops convened at Antioch Moreover we had inserted here the Letters to Julius and his answer also had not the prolixity thereof hindred that design of ours But Sabinus a follower of the Macedonian Heresie whom we have mentioned before has not put Julius's Letters into His collection of the Acts of Synods Although he has not left out that Epistle written from those convened at Antioch to Julius But this is usually done by Sabinus For such Letters as either make no mention at all of or reject the term Homoöusios those Epistles I say he carefully inserts But the contrary hereto he voluntarily and on set purpose omits Thus much concerning these things Not long after this Paulus pretending a journey to Corinth arrived in Italy Both the Bishops therefore make their condition known to the Emperour of those parts CHAP. XVIII How the Emperour of the Western parts requested of his brother that such persons might be sent as could give an account of the deposition of Athanasius and Paulus And that they who were sent published another form of the Creed BUt the Emperour of the Western parts being informed of their sufferings sympathized with them And he sends a Letter to his brother signifying his desire to have three Bishops sent to him who might give an account of Paulus's and Athanasius's deposition The persons sent were Narcissus the Cilician Theodorus the Thracian Maris the Chalcedonian and Marcus the Syrian Who being arrived would in no wise admit of a congress with Athanasius But having suppressed the Creed published at Antioch and patched up another form they presented it to the Emperour Constans the words whereof were these Another Exposition of the Faith We believe in one God the Father Almighty the Creatour and maker of all things Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named And in his only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ who was begotten of the Father before all worlds God of God Light of Light By whom all things in heaven and earth visible and invisible were made Who is the Word and the Wisdome and the Power and the Life and the true Light Who in the last days was for our sakes made man and was born of the holy Virgin He was crucified and died and was buried and arose from the dead on the third day and ascended into the heavens and was seated at the right hand of the Father and shall come at the end of the world to judge the quick and dead and shall render to every person according to his works whose Kingdom being perpetual shall continue unto infinite ages For He shall sit at the right hand of the Father not only in this present world but in that also which is to come And we believe in the holy Ghost that is in the Paraclete whom Christ having promised to the Apostles after his assent into the heavens he sent him That he might teach them and bring all things to their remembrance By whom also those souls who have sincerely believed in him shall be sanctified But those who say that the Son existed of things which are not or of another substance and not of God and that there was a time when he was not these persons the Catholick Church hath determined to be Aliens from it Having delivered these things and exhibited many other to the Emperour they departed without doing any thing further Moreover whilst there was hitherto an inseparable communion between the Western and Eastern Bishops another Heresie sprang up at Sirmium which is a City of Illyricum For Photinus who presided over the Churches there a person born in Galatia the Less a disciple of that Marcellus who had been deposed following his masters steps asserted the Son of God to be a meer man But we will speak concerning these things in their due place CHAP. XIX Concerning the large Explanation of the Faith THe space of three years being compleatly passed after these things the Eastern Bishops having again assembled a Synod and composed another form of Faith send it to those in Italy by Eudoxius at that time Bishop of Germanicia Martyrius and Macedonius who was Bishop of Mopsuestia in Cilicia This form of the Creed being written a great deal more at large and containing many more additions than those forms published before was set forth in these very words We believe in one God the Father Almighty the Creator and maker of all things Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named And in his only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord begotten of the Father before all ages God of God Light of

Light By whom all things in the heavens and in earth visible and invisible were made Who is the Word the Wisedom the Power the Life and the true Light Who in the last daies was for our sakes made man and was born of the holy Virgin He was crucified and died and was buried and rose again from the dead on the third day and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father He shall come at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead and shall render to every man according to his works Whose Kingdom being perpetual shall continue unto infinite ages For he sitteth at the right hand of the Father not only in this present world but in that also which is 〈◊〉 come We believe likewise in the holy Ghost that is in the Paraclete Whom Christ having promised to the Apostles after his ascent into heaven he sent him That he might teach them and bring all things to their remembrance By whom also those souls that sincerely believe in him are sanctified But those who assert that the Son existed of things which are not or of another substance and not of God and that there was a time or age when he was not the holy Catholick Church hath determined to be aliens from it In like manner also those that affirm there are three Gods or that Christ is not God before all ages or that he is not Christ or the Son of God or that the same Person is the Father Son and holy Ghost or that the Son is not begotten or that the Father begat not the Son of his own will and pleasure these persons the Holy and Catholick Church Anathematizes For neither is it safe to assert that the Son existed of things which are not in regard this is no where declared concerning him in the divinely inspired Scriptures Nor have we learned that he had his essence from any other pre-existing substance besides the Father but that he was truly and genuinely begotten of the Father only For the divine Word teacheth that there is one unbegotten principle which is without beginning to wit the Father of Christ. Nor must they who without authority of Scripture doe dangerously assert this proposition there was a time when he was not preconceive in their minds then any foregoing interval of time but God only who begat him without time For both times and ages were made by him Nor must it be thought that the Son is without an original or unbegotten as the Father is For no Father or Son can properly be said to be co-inoriginate and counbegotten But we have determined that the Father being alone without an original and incomprehensible hath incomprehensibly and in a manner to all men imperceptible begotten but that the Son was begotten before ages and that he is not unbegotten like the Father but hath a beginning to wit the Father who begat him For the head of Christ is God Nor although we acknowledge three things and persons to wit of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost according to the Scriptures do we therefore make three Gods For we know that there is one only God perfect of himself unbegotten inoriginate and invisible that is the God and Father of the only begotten who of himself only hath his own existence and who only does abundantly and freely give existence to all other things But although we do assert that there is one God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who only is unbegotten we do not therefore deny Christ to be God before ages as the Followers of Paul of Samosata do who affirm that after his incarnation he was by a promotion deified whereas by nature he was a meer man For we know that he although he hath been made subject unto the Father and unto God yet nevertheless was begotten of God and is by nature true and perfect God and was not afterwards made God of man but was for our sakes made man of God and that he hath never ceased to be God Moreover we abominate and anathematize those who falsely stile him the bare and meer word of God and affirm that he has no real existence but hath his Essence in another one while terming him as it were that word called by some The Word outwardly uttered by the mouth at another as it were the mental or internal Word being of opinion that before ages he was not Christ nor the Son of God nor the Mediatour nor the Image of God but that he was made Christ and the Son of God from such time as he took our flesh from the Virgin four hundred years agoe For from that time they assert Christ to have had the beginning of his Kingdom and that it shall have an end after the consummation and the judgment Such manner of persons as these are the followers of Marcellus and Photinus the Ancyro-Galatians who reject the eternal existence and deity of Christ and his endless Kingdom in like manner as do the Jews upon a pretence of seeming to constitute a monarchy For we understand him to be not barely The word of God outwardly uttered by the mouth or his mental or internal Word but the Living God the Word and subsisting of himself and the Son of God and Christ who existed with his Father and was conversant with him before ages not by fore-knowledge only and ministred unto him at the Creation of all things whether visible or invisible but is the Word of God really subsisting and is God of God For it is he to whom the Father said Let us make man in our image after our likeness who in his own Person appeared to the Fathers gave the Law and spake by the Prophets and being at last made man he manifested his Father to all men and reigns unto perpetual ages For Christ hath attained no new dignity but we believe him to have been perfect from the beginning and in all things like unto his Father We also deservedly expel out of the Church those who affirm that the Father Son and holy Ghost are the same Person impiously supposing the three names to mean one and the same Thing and Person because by an incarnation they make the incomprehensible and impassible Father subject to be comprehended and to suffer Of which sort of Hereticks are those termed amongst the Romans Patropassians but amongst us they are called Sabellians For we know that the Father who sent continued in the proper nature of his own immutable Deity but the Son who was sent fulfilled the Oeconomie of his incarnation In like manner we determine those to be persons most impious and strangers to truth who irreligiously assert that Christ was begotten not by the will and pleasure of the Father to wit attributing to God an unwilling and involuntary necessity as if he had begotten the Son by constraint because they have

him from cares and the troubles that accompany a Crown and said that he himself did not do well because he would not enjoy that happiness which he had bestowed upon him Thus far concerning these things At the same time the Emperour Constantius having created Gallus his Fathers Brothers Son Caesar and given him his own name sent him to Antioch of Syria designing that he should guard the Eastern parts Whilst he was making his entry into Antioch the Sign of our Saviour appeared in the East For a Pillar in the form of a Cross appearing in the heavens struck the beholders with a great amazement The rest of his chief commanders he sent against Magnentius at the head of a very great Army In the interim he himself made his residence at Sirmium expecting the issue of affaires CHAP. XXIX Concerning Photinus the Arch-Heretick MOreover at that time Photinus who presided over the Church in that City did more openly divulge that opinion which he had invented Wherefore when there arose a disturbance occasioned thereby the Emperour ordered that a Synod of Bishops should be convened at Sirmium Therefore there met together in that City of the Eastern Bishops Marcus of Arethusa Georgius of Alexandria whom the Arian party having removed Gregorius as we said before put into his See also Basilius who presided over the Church at Ancyra Marcellus having been ejected Pancratius Bishop of Pelucium and Hypatianus of Heraclea Of the Western Bishops there met there Valens Bishop of Mursa and Hosius Bishop of Corduba in Spain a person eminently famous at that time was present against his will These Prelates being convened at Sirmium after the Consulate of Sergius and Nigrinianus in which year by reason of the tumults caused by the Wars no Consul published the solemn Shews and Playes usually exhibited at their entrance upon their Consulate and having upon examination found that Photinus asserted the opinion of Sabellius the Libyan and Paul of Samosata they immediately deposed him And this determination of theirs was by all men both then and afterwards approved of as good and equitable But those Bishops who stayed behind at Sirmium did that which was not gratefull to all men CHAP. XXX Concerning the forms of the Creed published at Sirmium in the presence of the Emperour Constantius FOr as if they would condemn what they had heretofore determined concerning the Faith they again composed ratified and published other draughts of the Creed one whereof was dictated in the Greek tongue by Marcus of Arethusa two more were drawn up in the Latine tongue which neither agreed one with the other either in the expressions or in the composure nor yet with that Greek one which the Bishop of Arethusa dictated Moreover the one of those Creeds drawn up in Latine I will here subjoyn to that composed by Marcus the other which they afterwards recited at Sirmium we will set at it's proper place where we shall declare what was done at Ariminum But you must know that they were both translated into the Greek language The draught of the Creed dictated by Marcus runs thus We believe in one God the Father Almighty the Creatour and Framer of all things Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named and in his only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ born of the Father before all worlds God of God Light of Light by whom all things which are in the Heavens and which are upon the Earth visible and invisible were made Who is the Word and the Wisedom and the true Light and the Life Who in the last days was for our sakes incarnate and born of the holy Virgin and was Crucified and died and was buried and arose again from the Dead on the third day and was taken up into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father and shall come at the end of the world to judge the quick and dead and shall render to every man according to his works Whose Kingdom being perpetual continueth unto infinite ages For he is sitting on the right hand of the Father not only in this present world but in that also which is to come And We believe in the holy Ghost that is the Paraclete whom our Lord having promised he would send him to the Apostles after his ascent into the heavens that he might teach and put them in mind of all things sent By whom also those souls which have sincerely believed in him are sanctified But those who affirm that the Son exists of things which were not or of another substance and not of God and that there was a time or an age when he was not the Holy and Catholick Church hath certainly known to be Aliens from Her We say it therefore again if any one doth affirm the Father and the Son to be two Gods let him be Anathema And if any one affirming Christ to be God the Son of God before ages shall not profess him to have ministred to the Father in order to the framing of all things let him be Anathema If any one be so audacious as to say that the Unbegotten or part of him was born of Mary let him be Anathema If any one shall say that the Son was of Mary according to prescience and that he was not with God born of the Father before ages and that all things were made by him let him be Anathema If any one shall affirm the Essence of God to be dilated or contracted let him be Anathema If any one shall affirm the dilated Essence of God to make the Son or shall term the Son the enlargement of his Essence let him be Anathema If any one shall affirm the internal or outwardly-uttered Word to be the Son of God let him be Anathema If any one shall affirm the Son who was born of Mary to be man only let him be Anathema If any one asserting him that was born of Mary to be God and man shall understand the unbegotten God himself let him be Anathema If any one shall understand this Text I am the first God and I am the last and besides me there is no God which is spoken in order to the destruction of Idolls and those which are not Gods in the same sense which the Jews take it in to wit as if it were spoken upon account of the subversion of the only begotten God before ages let him be Anathema If any one hearing these words The word was made flesh shall suppose that the Word was changed into flesh or that he assumed flesh by having undergone any change let him be Anathema If any one hearing that the only begotten Son of God was crucified shall assert that his Deity underwent any corruption or passion or mutation or diminution or destruction let him be Anathema If any one shall affirm that the Father spake not these words Let us make man to

mountains were firmly set and before all hills begat he me When he spread and prepared the Heavens I was present with him and when he bound in due order the depths under Heaven I was by composing all things I was she in whom he daily delighted rejoycing continually before his face when he rejoyced at the perfect finishing of the World That therefore the Word of God subsisted before all things and that to some he appeared though not to all men let thus much suffice at this time to have been by us briefly delivered Now for what cause he was not Preached of old unto all men and unto all Nations as now he is thus it shall evidently appear That antient generation of men was not able to receive the most wise and most excellent doctrine of Christ. For immediately in the very beginning after that primitive happy state of life the first man being careless of the commandment of God fell into this mortal and frail life and changed this cursed earth for those heavenly delights and pleasures of old And his posterity when they had replenished this world appeared f●r worse one or two excepted they gave admission to certain savage and bruitish manners and led a life not worthy to be called life And moreover they busied not their minds to erect either City or Common-wealth nor to profit in Arts or Sciences They had not amongst them so much as the name either of Laws or Statutes or moreover of Virtue or Philosophy But wandring in deserts they lived like wild and fierce Savages They corrupted their natural understanding and the seeds of Reason and gentleness sown in mans mind with their excessive willfull malice yielding up themselves wholly to all abominable wickednesses sometimes they defiled one anothers bodies sometimes they shed one anothers bloud and sometimes they spared not to devour one anothers flesh yea they audaciously undertook to wage war with God and attempted those Giganti●k-combats so much talk't of determining in their minds to pile up the earth in manner of a Bulwark and so to Scale Heaven and such was their outragious madness they prepared to give Battel to God himself who is over all Wherefore they behaving themselves on this manner God the Overseer of all things came upon them with Floods and fiery destructions as if they had been a wild Thicket overspreading the whole earth also he cut them off with continual Famines and Pestilences with Wars and Thunderbolts from Heaven Repressing with most sharp Punishments that grievous and most pernicious malady as it were of their souls Moreover when this fullness of wickedness was now come to its height and had in a manner spread it self over all shadowing and darkning the minds almost of all men as it were a certain grievous and dead fit of drunkenness then that First begotten and Preexistent Wisedom of God and the same Word that was in the beginning with God out of his superabundant loving kindness unto Man appeared sometimes by Vision of Angels unto the inhabiters on earth sometimes by himself as the saving power of God unto some one or two of the Antients that were beloved of God in no other form or figure than that of Man for otherwise it could not have been After that by them the seeds of Gods Worship were now sown and scattered amidst the multitude of men and that whole Nation which originally descended from the Hebrews had now addicted themselves to the worship of God He by the Prophet Moses delivered unto them as unto a multitude yet corrupted and tainted with old Customs Figures and Signes of a kind of Mystical Sabbath and Circumcision and introductions unto other intelligible contemplations but not the perfect and plain initiation into the sacred Doctrines But when the Law famous among them was published abroad and diffused like a most sweet Odour amongst all men and thereby many of the Gentiles then had their mindes and manners civilized by Law-makers and Philosophers every where and their rude and bruitish savageness changed into a meek and mild temper and behaviour so that there ensued perfect Peace and friendship and mutual commerce amongst them then at the last to all men and to the Gentiles throughout all the world as it were now prepared and fitted to receive the knowledge of the Father the same Person again the School-master of Virtue his Fathers Minister in all goodness the Divine and Celestial Word of God manifested himself about the beginning of the Roman Empire in Humane shape for bodily substance nothing differing from our Nature and therein wrought and suffered such things as were consonant with the Oracles of the Prophets who foreshewed there should come into the world such a one as should be both Man and God a mighty worker of Miracles an Instructer of the Gentiles in the worship of his Father and withall they foretold his Miraculous Birth his New Doctrine his wonderfull Works moreover the manner also of his Death his Resurrection from the Dead and last of all his Glorious and Divine Return into Heaven The Prophet Daniel therefore by the Divine Spirit beholding his Kingdom that shall be in the latter Age of the World having been moved by the power of that Divine Spirit hath thus more after the manner of Man and to Mans capacity described the Vision of God For I beheld saith he untill the Thrones were placed and the Antient of days sat thereon his garments were as the white snow the hairs of his Head as pure wooll his Throne a flame of fire his wheels burning fire A fiery stream slided before his face Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the judgment was set and the Books were opened And afterwards I beheld saith he and beheld one coming in the clouds like the Son of Man and he came unto the Antient of days and he was brought before him and to him was given Principality and Honour and Rule and all People Tribes and Tongues shall serve him His Power is an everlasting Power which shall not pass and his Kingdom shall never be destroyed These things can manifestly be referred to none other than to our Saviour the Word that was in the Beginning with God God the Word termed the Son of Man by reason of his Incarnation in the latter times But because we have in proper and peculiar Commentaries collected the Oracles of the Prophets touching our Saviour Jesus Christ and have elsewhere confirmed by evident demonstrations those things which have been delivered concerning him at this present we will be content with the premisses CHAP. III. That the very Name of Jesus and also that of Christ was from the Beginning both known and honoured among the Divine Prophets NOw that the Name both of Jesus and also of Christ was of old honoured among the Prophets beloved of God it is now an opportune time to declare First of all Moses knowing the

Jesus Christ being every where famous by reason of his wonderfull power by which he wrought miracles drew together an innumerable company even of forreigners and inhabitants of Countreys far remote from Judea who were sick and troubled with all sorts of pains hoping to be recovered Therefore King Agbarus the then worthy Governour of the Nations lying beyond Euphrates being much weakened with a sore disease incurable by humane skill as soon as he heard of the great Name of Jesus and of his wonderfull works attested by all sent a Letter to him by a Letter-carrier humbly beseeching him to vouchsafe to cure his distemper Now though he did not then hearken to his request yet he vouchsafed to give him answer by his own Letter wherein he promised to send one of his disciples who should both cure him and also bring salvation to him and his relations and friends Soon after therefore this promise was exactly fulfilled For after his Resurrection from the dead and Ascension into heaven Thomas one of the twelve Apostles moved thereto by Divine impulse sent Thaddaeus chosen one of the eventy disciples of Christ to Edessa to be a Preacher and Evangelift of the Doctrine of Christ. By whom all that which our Saviour had promised was fulfilled The written evidence of this matter we have taken out of the Office of Records within the princely City of Edessa in which Agbarus then was Governour For among the publick Records there wherein the antiquities of the City and the Acts of Agbarus are contained are found these things there preserved to our days Nothing hinders but that we may hear the very words of the Letter which we have taken out of the antient Rolls and faithfully translated out of the Syriack Tongue in these words thus A Copy of a Letter written by King Abgarus to Jesus and sent to him to Jerusalem by Ananias the Courier Abgarus Prince of Edessa to Jesus the good Saviour who hath manifested himself within the confines of Jerusalem sendeth greeting I have heard of thee and of the Cures wrought by thee without Herbs or Medicines for as it is reported thou dost restore sight to the Blind thou makest the Lame to walk thou cleansest the Leprous and thou dost cast out devills and unclean spirits and thou healest those that are tormented with diseases of a long continuance and thou dost raise the dead When I heard all this of thee I was fully perswaded to believe one of these two things either that thou art very God and art come down from heaven to doe such things or else the Son of God and so performest them Wherefore I have now written to thee beseeching thee to come to me and cure my disease For I have heard that the Jews murmur against thee and contrive to doe thee mischief I have a City a little one indeed but it is beautifull and capable of receiving us both Thus wrote Agbarus as then but a little enlightned from above It is also worth while to hear the Answer of Jesus returned to him by the same Courier short indeed it is but it has much of power and efficacy in it It was thus The Answer of Jesus to Agbarus the King sent by Ananias the Courier Blessed art thou Agbarus who hast believed in me whom thou hast not seen For it is written of me that they which have seen me should not believe in me that so they which have not seen me may believe and be saved But as concerning what thou writest about my coming to thee Know that all things for which I am sent must be here by me fulfilled which being finished I shall be taken up and return to him that sent me But after I am ascended I will send thee one of my disciples who shall cure thy distemper and give life to thee and to them that are with thee To this Letter there is this farther added in the Syriack Language After Jesus was ascended Judas called also Thomas sent Thaddaeus the Apostle who was one of the Seventy disciples to Agbarus When he was come thither he abode with Tobias the son of Tobias As soon as it was heard that he was come having manifested himself by the miracles he wrought Agbarus was told that the Apostle of Jesus was come thither according to his promise in his Letter Now Thaddaeus began to cure every disease and distemper by the power of God to the wonder of all When Agbarus heard of the great and wonderfull works wrought by him and how in the Name and by the power of Jesus Christ he cured diseases he had some suspicion that this was the person about whom Jesus wrote to him saying when I am taken up I will send thee one of my disciples who shall heal thy distemper Having therefore called for Tobias with whom Thaddaeus abode I have heard said he that there is a certain powerfull man come from Jerusalem who lodges at thy house that performs many Cures in the name of Jesus There is a stranger Sir replied he come to my house who does many miracles Bring him said Abgarus to me Tobias went home to Thaddaeus and told him Agbarus the Governour of this City having sent for me commands me to bring thee to him that thou mayest cure his distemper I will go replied Thaddaeus for it is chiefly upon his account that I am with power sent hither Tobias therefore getting up early next morning took Thaddaeus along with him and went to Agbarus When he was come to Agbarus his Nobles being present and standing round him there appeared a wonderfull sight in the face of the Apostle Thaddaeus as he came in to him and therefore he worshipped him All that were present wondred at that for they saw nothing of that sight which appeared onely to Agbarus Then he asked Thaddaeus art thou in truth a disciple of Jesus the Son of God who wrote thus to me I will send thee one of my disciples who shall cure thy distemper and give life to thee and to all with thee Thaeddaeus answered for as much as thou hast firmly believed in the Lord Jesus who sent me therefore am I sent to thee and if thy Faith in him does still increase according to thy Belief thou shalt have the desires of thine heart fulfilled Agbarus made him answer I did so firmly believe in him that I would have raised Forces to have destroyed the Jews who crucified him had I not been inhibited from that purpose by the Roman Empire Jesus Christ replied Thaeddaeus our Lord God fulfilled the will of his Father and having finished that was taken up to his Father Agbarus said unto him I believed both in Him and in his Father Therefore said Thaddaeus I lay my hand on thee in the name of the same Lord Jesus Christ and having done so he was presently cured of the disease and distemper that he had Agbarus wondred greatly when he saw that really accomplished which he had

heard concerning Jesus by his disciple and Apostle Thaddaeus who without the help of Herbs or Medicines restored him to his former soundness And not onely him but one Abdus also the son of Abdus who had the Gout he coming and falling down at Thaddaeus's feet received a blessing by prayer and the laying on of his hands and was healed Many others also of the same City with them were cured by the Apostle who wrought wonderfull Miracles and Preached the Word of God After all this Agbarus spake thus We believe Thaddaeus whatever thou dost thou performest by the power of God and therefore we greatly admire thee But We pray thee moreover give us some farther account of the Advent of Jesus How and after what manner it was of his power also and by what virtue he wrought those mighty Works we have heard I shall now be silent replied Thaddaeus because I am sent to publish the Word of God But assemble all the men of thy City together to me to morrow and I will Preach the Word of God to them and will disperse the Word of life among them and expound the Advent of Jesus after what manner it was his Commission and for what reason his Father sent him the power of his Works the Mysteries he declared to the world by what power he wrought so great Miracles his new Preaching the slender and mean reputation he made himself of the despicableness of his outward man how he humbled himself even unto death how he lessened his Divinity how many and great things he suffered of the Jews how he was Crucified how he descended into Hell and rent asunder that Inclosure never before severed how he rose again and together with himself raised those from the dead who had layn buried many ages how he descended from heaven alone but ascended to his Father accompanied with a great multitude how with glory he is set down at the right hand of God his Father in Heaven and how he will come again with power and glory to judge both quick and dead Agbarus therefore commanded the men of his City to come together very early and hear Thaddaeus Preach After this he commanded that Gold and Silver should be given to Thaddaeus But he refused it saying how shall we who have left all that was our own take any thing that is anothers These things were done in the Three hundredth and fortieth year All this being translated word for word out of the Syriack Tongue and not unprofitable to be read we have thought good to set down opportunely in this place THE SECOND BOOK Of the Ecclesiastical History OF EUSEBIUS PAMPHILUS The PREFACE WHatsoever was necessary to be premised by way of Preface to Our Ecclesiastical History both concerning the Divinity of the comfortable Word the Antiquity of the points of our doctrine and Evangelical Politie and also moreover concerning the Manifestation our Saviour lately made of himself his Passion and the Election of the Apostles we have Treated of in the foregoing Book and briefly summed up the proofs thereof Now therefore in this we will diligently look into what followed upon his Ascension partly from what we find noted in Holy Writt and partly from other Records which we will mention in due place CHAP. I. Of those things which were instituted by the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ. FIRST of all therefore Matthias who as before hath been manifested was one of the Lords disciples by lot was elected into the Apostleship of the Traitour Judas Then seven approved men were by prayer and imposition of the Apostles hands Ordained Deacons for the publick Administration of the Churches affairs of which number Stephen was one who immediately after his Ordination as if he had been made Deacon onely for this was the first that after the Lord was slain by those very Jews that had been the Lords murtherers who stoned him to death And thus he being the first of the worthily victorious Martyrs of Christ gained a Crown answerable to his Name Then James also who was termed the brother of the Lord because he also was called the Son of Joseph for Joseph was the father of Christ to whom Mary being Espoused before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Ghost as the Sacred History of the Gospel doth declare This same James I say who for his eminent virtue the Antients surnamed the Just was as they relate the first that had the Episcopal seat of the Church at Jerusalem delivered to him So Clemens affirms in the sixth Book of his Institutions For he says That after our Saviours Ascension Peter James and John although our Lord had preferred them before the rest did not contend for the Dignity but chose James the Just Bishop of Jerusalem The same Author in the seventh Book of the same work says this farther of him The Lord after his Resurrection conferred the gift of Knowledge upon James the Just John and Peter which they delivered to the rest of the Apostles and those to the Seventy Disciples one of whom was Barnabas But there were two James's the one surnamed the Just who was cast head-long from the Battlement of the Temple and beaten to death with a Fullers Club the other was beheaded Paul makes mention of this James the Just writing thus Other of the Apostles saw I none save James the Lords brother At this time also all that our Saviour had promised to the King of the Osdroënians was fulfilled For Thomas moved thereto by Divine impulse sent Thaddaeus to Edessa to be a Preacher and Evangelist of the Doctrine of Christ as from a Record there found we have a little before manifested He when he was come thither did in the Name of Christ both cure Agbarus and also astonished all the Inhabitants of the country with the wonderfulness of his Miracles And when he had sufficiently prepared them with such Works and brought them to an adoration of Christs power he made them disciples of his wholesome Doctrine From that very time untill now the whole City of the Edessens has continued to be Consecrated to Christs Name enjoying no trivial evidences of our Saviour's graciousness towards them And these things are said as from the History of the old Records We will now return again to Holy Writ After the Martyrdom of Stephen when the first and sorest persecution of the Church at Jerusalem by the Jews arose all the disciples of Christ except the Twelve onely being scattered throughout Judea and Samaria some of them travelling as far as Phoenice and Cyprus and Antioch as Holy Scripture testifieth were not able to be so bold as to communicate the Word of Faith to the Gentiles but Preach't to the Jews onely At that time Paul also untill then made havock of the Church entring into every house of the faithfull haling men and women and committing them to prison Moreover Philip one of those who was ordained

Hebrews the rest they made small account of They observed also the Sabbath and all other Judaical rites in like manner as the Jews doe but on Sundays they performed the same things with us in remembrance of the Lords Resurrection From whence because of such opinion● by them held they got this name to wit the appellation of Ebionites a name that betokens the poverty of their understanding For by this name a begger is called amongst the Hebrews CHAP. XXVIII Of the Arch-Heretick Cerinthus WE have heard that at the same time there was one Cerinthus a Founder of another Heresie Caius whose words I before quoted in that disputation of his now extant writes thus concerning him But Cerinthus also who by Revelations written by himself as it were by some great A postle hath feigned monstrous narrations as if they had been shewed him by Angels and sets them abroach amongst us saying that after the Resurrection the Kingdom of Christ will be terrestriall and that men living again in the flesh at Jerusalem shall be subject to desires and pleasures He also being an enemy to divine Scripture and desirous to induce men into errour says that there shall be the number of a thousand years spent in a nuptial feast And Dionysius also who in our time was chosen Bishop of the Church of Alexandria in his second book concerning promises speaking something of the Revelation of John as from antient tradition mentions this man in these words But Cerinthus the Founder of the Heresie called from him the Cerinthian Heresie was they say the authour of that book being desirous to put a creditable name upon his own Forgery For this was one of the tenets of his doctrine that the Kingdom of Christ should be terrestrial and those things which he being a lover of his body and altogether carnally minded earnestly lusted after in them he dreamt the Kingdome of Christ consisted to wit in the satiety of the belly and of those parts beneath the belly that is in meats drinks and marriages and in those things whereby he thought these might with a greater pretence and shew of piety be procured that is in feasts sacrifices and in the ●laying of offerings Thus far Dionysius But Ireneus in his first book against Heresies does recite some more secret false opinions of this mans and in his third book he delivers in writing a certain story unworthy to be forgotten as from the tradition of Polycarpe saying that John the Apostle going on a time to the Bath to bathe himself and understanding that Cerinthus was within retired in great hast from that place and fled out at the door not enduring to goe under the same roof with him and that he perswaded those who were with him to doe so also saying Let us be gone least the Bath fall Cerinthus that enemy of the truth being within it CHAP. XXIX Of Nicholas and those Hereticks who bear his name AT this time the Heresie called the Heresie of the Nicholaites continued for a very short time of which also the Revelation of John makes mention These boasted of Nicholas one of the Deacons who together with Stephen were Ordained by the Apostles to minister to the poor as the Authour of their Sect. Now Clemens Alexandrinus in the third of his Stromatw̄n relates thus much of him word for word He they say having a beautifull wife being after our Saviours ascension blamed by the Apostles for his jealousie brought his wife forth and permitted her to marry whom she had a mind to For this deed they report is agreeable to that saying of his to wi● That we ought to abuse the flesh Those therefore who follow his Heresie simply and rashly assenting to this saying and imitating this deed doe most impudently give themselves over to fornication But I am given to understand that Nicholas made use of no other woman besides her he married and that those of his children which were daughters remained virgins when they were old and his son continued undefiled by women Which things being thus his bringing of his wife over whom he was said to be jealous forth before the Apostles was a sign of his rejecting and bridling his passion and by those words of his that we ought to abuse the flesh he taught continence and an abstaining from those pleasures which are with so much earnestness desired by men For I suppose he would not according to our Saviours commandment serve two masters pleasure and the Lord. Moreover they say that Matthias taught the same doctrine that we should war against the flesh and abuse it allowing it nothing of pleasure but that we should inrich the soul by Faith and Knowledge Let thus much therefore be spoken concerning those who endeavoured about that time to deprave the truth but on a sudden were wholly extinct CHAP. XXX Concerning those Apostles that are found to have been married BUt Clemens whose words we even now recited after that passage of his before quoted does reckon up those Apostles that are found to have been married upon account of such as despise marriage saying what will they reprehend even the Apostles also For Peter and Philip begat children and Philip matcht his daughters to husbands Paul also in one of his Epistles fears not to name his wife whom he carried not about with him that he might with more expedition perform his Ministration But because we have mentioned these things it will not be troublesome to produce also another story of his worthily memorable which he hath set forth in the seventh of his Stromatw̄n after this manner Now they say that S t Peter seeing his wife led to be put to death rejoyced because she was called by God and because she was returning home and that calling her by her name he exhorted and comforted her saying O woman Remember the Lord. Such was the wedlock of the Saints and such the entire affection of most dear friends And thus much being pertinent to the subject now in hand we have here seasonably placed CHAP. XXXI Of the Death of John and Philip. INdeed both the time and manner of the death of Paul and Peter and moreover the place where after their departure out of this life their bodies were deposited we have before manifested concerning the time of John's death we have already also in some sort spoken but the place of Sepulchre is demonstrated by the Epistle of Polycrates who was Bishop of the Ephesian Church which he wrote to Victor Bishop of Rome wherein he mentions both him and also Philip the Apostle and his daughters after this manner For also in Asia the great Lights are dead which shall be raised again at the last day the day of the Lord 's coming wherein he shall come with glory from heaven and shall find out all his Saints I mean Philip one of the twelve Apostles who died at Hierapolos and two of his daughters who

he was either sitting or standing should he have heard such words as these And this may be manifested from those Epistles of his which he wrote either to the neighbouring Churches to confirm them or to some brethren to admonish and exhort them Thus far Irenaeus CHAP. XXI How Apollonius suffered Martyrdom at Rome AT the same time of Commodus's Empire our affairs were converted into a quiet and sedate posture peace by the divine grace encompassing the Churches throughout the whole world In which interim the saving Word of God allured very many of all sorts of men to the religious worship of the universal God So that now many of those at Rome who were very eminent both for riches and descent did together with their whole housholds and families betake themselves to the attaining of salvation But this could not be born with by the envious devil that hater of good being by nature malicious Therefore he arms himself again inventing various Stratagems against us At the City Rome therefore he brings before the judgement seat Apollonius a man who was at that time one of the faithfull and very eminent for his Learning and Philosophy having stirred up one of his ministers who was fit for such a wicked enterprize to accuse this person Now this wretch having undertaken this accusation in an unseasonable time for according to the Imperial Edict the informers against those that were Christians were to be put to death had his legs forthwith broken and was put to death Perennis the Judge having pronounc't this sentence against him but the Martyr most beloved by God after the Judge had earnestly beseeched him by many entreaties and requested him to render an account of his Faith before the Senate having made a most elegant defence before them all for the faith he profest was as it were by a decree of the Senate condemn'd to undergoe a capital punishment For by an ancient Law 't was establisht amongst them that those Christians who were once accused before the judgment-seat should in no wise be dismist unless they receded from their opinion Moreover he that is desirous to know Apollonius's speeches before the Judge and the answers he made to the interrogatories of Perennis the oration also which he spoke before the Senate in defence of our faith may see them in our collection of the sufferings of the antient Martyrs CHAP. XXII What Bishops flourisht at that time MOreover in the tenth year of Commodus's Reign Eleutherus having executed the Episcopal office thirteen years was succeeded by Victor In the same year also Julianus having compleated his tenth year Demetrius undertook the Government of the Churches at Alexandria At the same time likewise Serapion whom we spake of a little before flourisht being the eighth Bishop from the Apostles of the Antiochian Church At Caesarea in Palestine presided Theophilus and in like manner Narcissus whom we made mention of before at that time had the publick charge over the Church at Jerusalem At Corinth in Achaia Bacchyllus was then the Bishop and at the Church of Ephesus Polycrates Many others 't is likely besides these were eminent at that time but we at it was meet have onely recounted their names by whose writings the doctrine of the true faith has been derived down to us CHAP. XXIII Concerning the Question then moved about Easter AT the same time no small controversie being raised because the Churches of all Asia supposed as from a more antient tradition that the fourteenth day of the Moon ought to be observed as the salutary feast of Easter to wit the same day whereon the Jews were commanded to kill the Lamb and that they ought always on that day whatever day of the week it should happen to be to put an end to their fastings when as notwithstanding 't was not the usage of the Churches over the rest of the world to doe after this manner which usage being received from Apostolick tradition and still prevalent they observed to wit that they ought not to put an end to their fastings on any other day save that of the resurrection of our Saviour upon this account Synods and assemblies of Bishops were convened And all of them with one consent did by their letters inform the Brethren every where of the Ecclesiastick decree to wit that the Mystery of our Lords resurrection should never be celebrated on any other day but Sunday and that on that day onely we should observe to conclude the Fasts before Easter There is at this time extant the Epistle of those who then were assembled in Palestine over whom Theophilus Bishop of the Church in Caesarea and Narcissus Bishop of Jerusalem presided In like manner another Epistle of those Assembled at Rome concerning the same question having Victor the Bishops name prefixt to it also another of those Bishops in Pontus over whom Palmas as being the most antient presided Also an Epistle of the Churches in Gallia which Irenaeus had the oversight of Moreover of those in Osdroëna and the Cities there and a private Letter of Bacchyllus's Bishop of the Corinthian Church of many others also all which having uttered one and the same opinion and sentiment proposed the same judgment and this we have mentioned was their onely definitive determination CHAP. XXIV Concerning the disagreement of the Churches throughout Asia OVer those Bishops in Asia who stifly maintained they ought to observe the antient usage heretofore delivered to them presided Polycrates Who in the Epistle he wrote to Victor and the Roman Church declares the tradition derived down to his own times in these words We therefore observe the true and genuine day having neither added any thing to nor taken any thing from the uninterrupted usage delivered to us For in Asia the great lights are dead who shall be raised again in the day of the Lords Advent wherein he shall come with glory from heaven and raise up all his Saints I mean Philip one of the 12 Apostles who died at Hierapolis and his two daughters who continued Virgins to the end of their lives also his other daughter having whilest she lived been inspired by the holy Ghost died at Ephesus And moreover John who leaned on the Lords breast and was a Priest wearing a plate of Gold and was a Martyr and a Doctor this John I say died at Ephesus Moreover also Polycarp Bishop at Smyrna and Martyr and Thraseas of Eusmema Bishop and Martyr who died at Smyrna What need we mention Sagaris Bishop and Martyr who died at Laodicea And moreover Papirius of Blessed memory and Melito the Eunuch who in all things was directed by the suggestion of the holy Spirit who lies at Sardis expecting the Lords coming to visit him from heaven when he shall be raised from the dead All these kept the day of Easter on the

head but have exhibited many glorious evidences of a vigorous and Juvenile Vertue You to whom God who comprehendeth the whole world hath granted the special prerogative of building and renewing this terrestrial Temple for Christ his only begotten and his first born word and for his holy and sacred Spouse You whom one may term either a new Beseleel the Architect of the holy Tabernacle or another Salomon King of a new and far more excellent Jerusalem or a second Zorobabel in regard You have added a far greater splendour to the Temple of God than it had before Also You the Sheep of Christ's sacred flock the Seat and Mansion of good Doctrines the School of modesty and the Reverend and Religious Auditory of piety We who have long since heard by reading the holy Scriptures the Miraculous works of God and the loving kindness of the Lord declared by his wonders towards mankind may now sing Hymns and Psalms to God being instructed to say O God we have heard with our ears our fathers have told us the work which thou didst in their days in the times of old But now having not barely by hearing and reports only perceived the exalted Arm and celestial right hand of our all good and supream God and King but in reality and as we may say with these very eyes seen the truth and verity of those things which were heretofore recorded we may sing a second triumphant Hymn and breake forth into these express words saying Like as we have heard so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts in the city of our God But in what City except in this new built and framed by God Which is the Church of the living God the Pillar and ground of the truth Concerning which another divine Oracle speaketh thus Very excellent things are spoken of thee thou city of God In which Church since God the giver of all good by the Grace of his only begotten Son hath convened us let every one here assembled cry out with a loud voice as it were and say I was glad when they said unto me we will go into the house of the Lord. And again Lord I have loved the beauty of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And not only every particular person but let us all together rejoyce and shout forth praises with one spirit and one mind saying Great is the Lord and highly to be praised in the city of our God even upon his holy hill For he is truly great and his house is great lofty and spacious and more beautiful than the sons of men Great is the Lord who only doth marvellous things Great is he who doth magnificent things and such as are past finding out glorious and stupendious of which there is no number Great is he who altereth times and seasons who deposeth and constituteth Kings who raiseth up the poor from the earth and exalteth the beggar from the dunghil He hath thrust down the mighty from their seats and hath exalted the humble from the earth He hath filled the hungry with good things and hath broken in pieces the armes of the proud Not only amongst the Faithful but amongst the Infidels also he hath confirmed the authority of those relations heretofore recorded of him of old 'T is he who worketh miracles 't is he that doth great things 't is he who is Lord of all he who is the framer of the whole world he who is Almighty All-good he that is the one and only God In obedience to whom let us sing a new song to him who only doth wonderful things for his mercy endureth for eve●● Who smote great Kings and slew mighty Kings for his mercy endureth for ever For the Lord remembred us when we were in a low condition and hath redeemed us from our Enemies And let us never cease thus to praise God the Father of all Also him who is the second Author of all good to us who is our Master in instructing us in the knowledge of God the Teacher of true piety the destroyer of the wicked the slayer of Tyrants the reformer of our lives Jesus our Saviour when we were in despair him let us extol having his name always in our mouth For he alone who is the only and Best Son of the Best and greatest Father in complyance with his Father's love to mankind most willingly cloathed himself with our nature who were buried in Corruption and like a careful Physician who for the healths sake of his Patients looks into the wounds lightly stroketh the sores and from other mens calamities attracteth grievances upon himself he himself hath by himself saved us who were not only diseased and oppressed with foul ulcers and wounds already putrified but also lay amongst the dead from the very Jaws of death For there was no other in heaven that had so much power as inoffensively to minister health to so many it was he only therefore who after he had touched our burdensome corruption he alone who after he had endur'd our labours he alone who after he had taken upon himself the punishment of our impieties raised us when we were not only half dead but lay altogether impure and stincking in the Graves and Sepulchers and both in times past and now through his earnest compassion towards us even beyond our hopes and expectations preserveth us and imparteth to us an exuberancy of his Fathers good things T is he who is the Authour of life the Introducer of light our great Physician King Lord and the Anointed of God But even then when all mankind by the wiles of detestable Devils and the operations of spirits hated by God lay buried in an obscure night and thick darkness he only by his appearance with the rayes of his light dissolv'd the manifold chains of our sins like melting wax And now when by reason of his so great love and beneficence towards us the envious Devil Enemy to all that is good and the favourer of evil was in a manner burst with grief and marshalled all his fatal forces against us and when at first having like a mad Dog who with his teeth gnaws the stones that were thrown at him spending the fury he was put into against those that provoked him upon the liveless things thrown at him turn'd his beastly rage upon the stones of the Oratories and upon the sensless piles of the buildings he thought with himself that he had procur'd the utter desolation of the Churches also when afterwards he sent forth terrible hissings and his serpentine expressions one while by the menaces of impious Tyrants at another time by the blasphemous Decrees of profane Presidents and moreover belched forth the virulency of his death and with his venemous and deadly potions poisoned those souls that were captivated by him and had in a manner destroyed them by the pernicious sacrifices of dead Idols when lastly he

City of Constantinople and firmed the Ariminum Creed making some additions to it FOr the Emperour being returned from the Western parts resided in that City at which time also he made a person whole name was Honoratus the first Praefect of Constantinople having abolished the Proconsul's Office But the Acacians prevented and calumniated them before-hand to the Emperour having informed him that the Creed which they had set forth was not admitted by them Whereupon the Emperour was highly incensed and resolved to disperse them having commanded by an Edict which he published that such of them as were subject to publick Offices should be reduced to their former condition For several of them were liable to publick Offices some were subject to the bearing of those Offices belonging to the City Magistracy others to them appertaining to the Sodalities of Officialls or Apparitours in several Provinces These persons being after this manner disturbed the Acacians abode for some time at Constantinople and assembled another Synod to which they sent for the Bishops of Bithynia When therefore they were all met together being fifty in number amongst whom was Maris of Chalcedon they confirmed the Creed published at Ariminum which had the Consuls names prefixt Which Creed it would have been superfluous to have inserted here had they made no additions to it But in regard they added some words thereto we thought it necessary to set it down at this place again The contents of it are these We Believe in one only God the Father Almighty of whom are all things And in the only begotten Son of God begotten of God before all ages and before every beginning by whom all things visible and invisible were made Who is the only begotten born of the Father the only of the only God of God like to the Father who begat him according to the Scriptures Whose generation no person knoweth but the Father only who begat him We know this Person to be the only begotten Son of God who upon his Father's sending of him came down from the heavens according as 't is written upon account of the destruction of Sin and Death and was born of the holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary according to the flesh as it is written and conversed with the disciples and having fulfilled every dispensation according to his Fathers Will he was crucified and died and was buryed and descended into the parts beneath the earth At whom hell it self trembled Who arose from the dead on the third day and was conversant with the disciples and after the completion of fourty days he was taken up into the Heavens and sitteth on the right hand of the Father he shall come in the last day of the Resurrection in his Fathers Glory that he may render to every man according to his works And we believe in the holy Ghost whom he himself the only begotten of God Christ our Lord and God promised to send as an Advocate to mankind according as 't is written the Spirit of truth whom he sent unto them after he was assumed into the Heavens But we thought good to remove the term Ousia which was used by the Fathers in a more plain and ordinary sense and being not understood by the people has given offence in regard 't is not contained in the sacred Scriptures and that in future not the least mention should be made thereof for as much as the sacred Scriptures have no where mentioned the substance of the Father and of the Son Nor ought the subsistence of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost to be so much as named But we assert the Son to be like the Father in such a manner as the sacred Scriptures do affirm and teach Moreover let all the Heresies which have been heretofore condemned and which may have risen of late being opposite to this Creed published by us be Anathema This Creed was at that time recited at Constantinople Having now at length passed through the labyrinth of the Expositions of Faith we will reckon up their number After the Creed published at Nice they set forth two Expositions of the Faith at Antioch at the Dedication A third was that delivered to the Emperour Constans in the Gallia's by Narcissus and those that accompanied him The fourth was that sent by Eudoxius into Italy Three Draughts of the Creed were published at Sirmium one whereof was recited at Ariminum which had the names of the Consuls prefixt The eighth was that which the Acacians promulged at Seleucia The last was set forth at the City Constantinople with an addition For hereto was annexed that neither substance nor subsistence ought to be mentioned in relation to God Moreover Ulfila Bishop of the Goths did at that time first agree to this Creed For before this he had embraced the Nicene Creed being Theophilus's follower who was Bishop of the Goths and had been present at and subscribed the Nicene Synod Thus far concerning these things CHAP. XLII That upon Macedonius's being deposed Eudoxius obtained the Bishoprick of Constantinople BUt Acacius Eudoxius and those that were with them at Constantinople made it wholly their business that they also might on the other side depose some persons of the contrary party Now you must know that neither of the factions decreed these depositions upon account of Religion but for other pretences For though they dissented about the Faith yet they found not fault with one anothers Faith in their mutual depositions of one another Those therefore of Acacius's party making use of the Emperours indignation which he had kept concealed in his mind and earnestly indeavoured to wreak it against others but most especially against Macedonius do in the first place depose Macedonius both because he had been the occasion of many murders and also in regard he had admitted a Deacon taken in Fornication to Communion Then they depose Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicum because he had baptized one Heraclius Hercules's Priest at Tyre a person known to be a Conjurer and ordained him Deacon In the next place they depose Basilius or Basilas for so he was also called who had been constituted Bishop of Ancyra in the room of Marcellus as having unjustly tortured a certain person bound him with Iron chains and confined him to Prison also because he had fastned calumnies upon some persons and moreover in regard by his Letters he had disturbed the Churches in Africa Dracontius was deposed by them because he had removed from Galatia to Pergamus Moreover they deposed Neonas Bishop of Seleucia in which City the Synod had been convened as also Sophronius of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia Elpidius of Satala in Macedonia and Cyrillus of Jerusalem and others were ejected by them for other reasons CHAP. XLIII Concerning Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia BUT Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia was not so much as admitted to make his defence because he had been long before deposed by Eulalius his

on the last day of all which should any one term the Feast of Feasts he would not be mistaken about noon was taken up to his God leaving to mortalls that part of Himself which was related to them but joyning to his God that part of his Soul which was endued with understanding and the Love of God This was the End of Constantine's Life But let us proceed to what follows CHAP. LXV The Lamentations of the Milice and Tribunes THE Protectors and the whole Body of his Guards rent their clothes forthwith and casting themselves prostrate on the earth beat their heads against the ground uttering mournfull expressions intermixt with Sighs and Cries calling upon him their Master their Lord their Emperour nor did they invoke him barely as a Master but like most obedient Children they accounted him as a Father Moreover the Tribunes and Centurions styled him a Saviour a Preserver a Benefactour And the rest of the Army as 't is usual amongst flocks with all imaginable decency and becoming Reverence desired and wisht for their Good Shepherd The common people also ran up and down all over the City and by Shreikes and Cries gave a manifest indication of their inward grief of mind Others with dejected Countenances seemed like persons astonished and each particular man lookt upon this as his own Calamity and bemoan'd himself because the common Good of all men was taken out of this their life CHAP. LXVI That His Body was carried from Nicomedia to Constantinople into the Palace AFter this the Milice took His Body out of the Bed and laid it into a Coffin of Gold which they covered with Purple and carried it to the City that bore his own name And there they plac't it on high in the stateliest Room of the Imperial Palace Then they light up Tapers round it which being put into Candlesticks of Gold rendred the Sight admirable to those that beheld it and such a one as had never been seen on earth by any person that was ever under the Sun's Rayes since the world was first made For within in the very middlemost Room of the Imperial Palace the Emperours Corps lay on high in a Golden Coffin and being adorned with Imperial Ornaments the Purple namely and the Diadem was encompassed by many persons who watcht with and guarded it night and day CHAP. LXVII That even after His Death he was honoured by the Comites and the rest in the same manner as when he was alive MOreover the Duces Comites and the whole Order of the Judges and Magistrates whose usage it had heretofore been to adore the Emperour made not the least alteration in their former Custom but came in at set times and on their knees saluted the Emperour when dead and laid in his Coffin as if he had been yet alive After these Grandees those of the Senate and all the Honorati came in and did the same After whom multitudes of all sorts of people together with women and children approacht to the sight hereof And these things were thus performed during a long space of time the Milice having taken a Resolution that the Corps should lie and be guarded in this manner till such time as his Sons could come who might honour their Father by a personal attendance at his Funeral In fine this most Blessed Prince was the only Mortal who Reigned after death and all things were performed in the usual manner as if he had been still alive this being the sole person from the utmost memory of man on whom God conferred this For whereas he of all the Emperours had been the only one who by actions of all sorts whatever had honoured God the supream King and his Christ he alone and that deservedly had these honours allotted him and the supream God was pleased to vouchsafe him this that even his dead Body should Reign amongst men Whereby God clearly shewed them whose minds are not totally stupified that the Empire of his Soul is endless and immortall In this manner were these things performed CHAP. LXVIII In what manner the Army resolved that his Sons should be forthwith proclaimed Augusti IN the interim the Tribunes dispatcht away some choice men belonging to the Military Companies who for their fidelity and good affection had heretofore been acceptable to the Emperour that they might make the Caesars acquainted with what had been done And these were the things which those men performed then But the Armies in all places as soon as they were acquainted with the Emperours death incited thereto by Divine instinct as 't were with an unanimous consent resolved as if their Great Emperour had been yet living that they would acknowledge no other person as Emperour of the Romans save only his Sons And not long after they determined to have them all henceforward not stiled Caesares but Augusti which name is the Cognisance of supremacy of Empire And these things were done by the Armies who by Letters one to another signified their own suffrages and Acclamations and the unanimous consent of the Legions was in one and the same moment of time made known to all persons wherever they dwelt CHAP. LXIX The Mourning at Rome for Constantine and the Honour done Him by Pictures after his death BUt the Inhabitants of the Imperial City as well the Senate as people of Rome when they were acquainted with the Emperours death lookt upon that to be most doleful news and more calamitous than any misfortune whatever and therefore set no Bounds to their mourning The ●aths therefore and Forums were shut up and the publick Shows omitted as likewise whatever other Pleasures as Recreations of Life are usually followed by those who spend their time in mirth and ●ollity Such also as had heretofore abounded with delights walk't the Streets with dejected Countenances And all in general stiled the Emperour Blessed a person dear to God and one that was truly worthy of the Empire Nor made they these Declarations in bare words only but proceeding on to actual performances they honoured him when dead with dedications of Pictures as if he had been still alive For having exprest a Representation of Heaven in Colours on a Table they drew him making his Residence in an Aetherial Mansion above the Celestial Arches Moreover they proclaimed his Sons the sole Emperours and Augusti without the Colleagueship of any other person and with humble supplications made it their earnest Request that they might have the Body of their Emperour with them and might deposite it within the Imperial City CHAP. LXX That his Body was deposited at Constantinople by his Son Constantius IN this manner even these Inhabitants of Rome grac't this Emperour who was honoured by God But the Second of his Sons when he was come to the place where his Father's Corps lay conveyed it to the City that bore his own name he himself going