so manifold a division of power would have brought destruction upon the whole world and humane affairs For they who have waged War against one another would doubtless have fought with a greater vehemency against mankind Which questionless they do although they are not seen with the Eyes CHAP. LIX He praises God in regard he always teaches good things WE give Thee many thanks Thou Lord of all Greatest God! For by how much the more Humane Nature is known from different Endeavours by so much the more the Precepts of the Divine Religion are confirmed in those whose Sentiments are right and who are studious of true Virtue But whoever hinders himself from being cured let not him impute that to another For the Medicine which is of strength sufficient to effect the Cure is publickly proposed to all men Only this must be taken care of that no one should violate that Religion which the things themselves do manifest to be pure and immaculate Let all us men therefore make use of the allotment of that Good in common conferred on us that is the blessing of Peace to wit by separating our Consciences from every thing that is contrary to it CHAP. LX. An Exhortation at the close of the Edict that no person should give trouble or disturbance to another BUt let no person do harm to another by that which he hath perswaded himself of and declared What one Man hath understood and known with that let him assist his Neighbour if it may be But if it be impossible let him omit it For 't is one thing voluntarily to undertake the Combat for immortality another to be forc't to it by punishment These things I have said these things I have discoursed of more at large than the scope of Our Mansuetude required because I would not conceal the true Faith Especially in regard some persons as I hear do assert that the Rites of the Temples and the Power of Darkness are wholly abolished Which I had indeed perswaded all men to had not the violent Insolency of nefarious Errour been immeasurably fix't on the minds of some persons to the hurt and damage of the Emendation of Mankind CHAP. LXI How from the City Alexandria Controversies were raised on account of Arius THese things the Emperour like a most loud-speaking Preacher of God by his own Letter proclaimed to all the Provincialls diverting his Subjects from Diabolicall Errour and exhorting them to the exercise of true Piety But whilst he was exceedingly joyfull on account hereof news was brought him concerning a disturbance of no small consequence which had seized the Churches At the hearing whereof he was extreamly troubled and began earnestly to consider of a Cure The Originall of the disturbance was this The people of God were in a flourishing condition and pleased themselves with the exercises of good Actions There was no fear without which might give disturbance in regard by the grace and favour of God a splendid and most profound Peace fortified the Church on all sides But Envy framed treacherous designes against our Blessings At first it crept in privately but afterward it daunced in the very midst of the Conventions of the Saints At length it raised Contention between the Bishops and cast in discord and wranglings amongst them under a pretence of the Divine Dogmata From thence as 't were from some small spark a great fire was kindled Which began from the Alexandrian Church as 't were from an Eminence and afterwards over-ran all Egypt and Libya and the Further Thebais Moreover it ruined the rest of the Provinces and Cities in so much that you might have seen not only the Prelates of the Churches fighting one with another with words but the people also rent into factions some inclining to this party others to that Further the spectacle of the things performed proceeded to such an height of absurdity that even in the very Theaters of the Infidells the vanerableness of the Divine Doctrine was traduced by a most ignominious and reproachfull derision CHAP. LXII Concerning Arius and the Melitians THese persons therefore at Alexandria in a childish manner strove about the Sublimest Points But others all over Egypt and the Upper Thebais were in the interim at difference on account of a controversie which had been started before so that the Churches were in all places rent in sunder And whereas the Body of the Church was distempered as 't were with these diseases all Libya likewise fell sick and the other parts of the Provinces without were seized with the same distemper For they of Alexandria sent Legates to the Bishops in each Province and these divided into either side partook of the like Sedition and disturbance CHAP. LXIII How Constantine sent a Legate with a Letter in order to a Composure UPon hearing hereof the Emperour was highly perplex't in mind and looking upon this thing to be his own calamitous Concern he forthwith dispatches away one of the worshippers of God whom he had about him a person whom he well knew to have been approved for his modesty of Faith and in the late times to have been ennobled with confessions in defence of Piety to Alexandria to make Peace between those that were at difference there And by him he sends a most usefull and necessary Letter to the Occasioners of that Contention Which Letter in regard it containes an illustrious Specimen of his Care in reference to the people of God is fit to be inserted into this our Discourse concerning him The Contents of it are these CHAP. LXIV Constantine's Letter to Alexander the Bishop and Arius the Presbyter VICTOR CONSTANTINUS MAXIMUS AUGUSTUS To Alexander and Arius WE call God to witness who as 't is meet is himself the Assistant of Our attempts Saviour of all men that upon a twofold account we were moved to take in hand the management of those affairs which We have in reality performed CHAP. LXV That he was continually Sollicitous about Peace FOr first our design was to unite the Opinion of all Nations concerning the Deity in one Constitution and Form as 't were Secondly We were desirous of restoring to an healthiness the Body of the whole World afflicted as 't were with some terrible distemper Which two things having proposed to Our Self as Our aim we inspected the one with the secret eye of Thought but we attempted to effect the other by the power of a Military force well knowing that if as 't was Our desire We could establish an universall agreement amongst the Worshippers of God the consequence would be that the Administration of the publick Affairs would certainly obtaine a change agreeable to the pious minds of all men CHAP. LXVI In what manner he put a stop to the Controversies raised in Africk WHen therefore an intollerable madness had seized all Affrica occasioned
and by wild beasts that those who were under seventeen years of age were carried captive and sold and that the number of these onely amounted to ninety thousand These things were done after this manner in the second year of the Reign of Vespasian agreeable to the presages and predictions of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who by his divine power foreseeing these things as if they had been present wept and lamented according to the History of the Holy Evangelists who have related his very words one while speaking as it were to Jerusalem it self If thou hadst known said he even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes For the days shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee Then speaking concerning the people For there shall be said he great distress in the Land and wrath upon this people And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all nations and Jerusalem shall be troden down of the Gentiles untill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled And again When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with Armies then know that the desolation thereof is nigh Now whosoever does compare the words of our Saviour with the rest of our Writers relations of the whole war he cannot but with admiration confess the prescience and prediction of our Saviour to have been truly divine and exceeding wonderfull Therefore concerning those things which befell the whole Jewish nation after the salutary passion of Christ and after those words whereby the multitude of the Jews desired a thief and a murderer should be released from his punishment of death and that the Prince of life should be destroyed it is needeless to add any thing to the relation given by Josephus So much onely is requisite furthermore to be annexed as may represent the endearing goodness of the most excellent providence of God deferring the destruction of these men full forty years after their most audacious villany committed against Christ. During which space many of the Apostles and disciples and James himself the first Bishop there he that was called the brother of the Lord being yet alive and making their abode in the City of Jerusalem continued to be a most impregnable fortification to that place divine visitation hitherto patiently forbearing them that if peradventure they would yet repent of what they had done they might obtain Remission and Salvation and to so great patience and forbearance adding wonderfull signes from heaven foreshewing what was about to befall them unless they repented Which signes having been accounted worthy to be recorded by the foresaid Writer nothing hinders but we may here propose to those that shall look upon this our work CHAP. VIII Concerning the Prodigies that appeared before the War LEt us then take the sixth Book of his History and rehearse what is therein related by him in these words Therefore those Impostours and such as feigned themselves to be sent of God by their false perswasions deceived the wretched people at that time So that they neither gave heed to nor believed those evident Prodigies which foreshewed their desolation to be at hand But being like persons thunderstruck and having neither eyes nor understanding they contemned and disregarded the forewarnings of God First a star in the likeness of a sword stood over the City and then a Comet continued a whole year Further also when before the revolt and the first beginnings of the war the people were gathered together to the feast of unleavened bread on the eighth day of the month April at the ninth hour of the night so great a light shined round about the Altar and the Temple that it seemed to be bright day and so continued for the space of half an hour And this was judged by those that were unskilfull a good sign but by the Scribes that were skilled in the Law it was immediately concluded to portend those calamities which afterwards happened And at the same Feast a Cow led to be sacrificed by the High-priest brought forth a Lamb in the midst of the Temple Also the Eastern gate of the inner Temple made all of brass exceeding massy and scarcely to be shut in the evening by twenty men being made also very strong by vast iron hinges on which it moved and having bolts that went into the ground a great depth was seen to open of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night Not many days after the Feast upon the one and twentieth of May was seen a Ghost for Prodigiousness wholly incredible But that which I am now about to say would seem an idle story were it not related by those that saw it and had not the subsequent calamities been answerable to such Prodigies For before Sun-set there was seen in the Air over the whole Country Chariots and whole companies of Armed men running up and down in the clouds and investing Cities Also at the Feast called Pentecost the Priests as it was their manner going by night into the Temple to perform their offices reported that they perceived at first indeed a motion and heard a noise but that afterwards they heard a voice as of a great multitude saying Let us depart hence But what was more dreadfull than all this one Jesus the son of Ananias a country man of the ordinary rank four years before the war the City being then in perfect peace and in a flourishing condition coming to the Feast in which it's customary for all to make tabernacles to the honour of God near the Temple on a sudden began to cry out with a loud voice A voice from the East a voice from the West a voice from the four winds a voice against Jerusalem and the Temple a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides a voice against all the people This he went up and down crying day and night throughout all the narrow streets and cross waies of the City But some of the chief of the people were very much disturbed at this ominous cry and being highly incensed took the man and beat him with many and also grievous stripes But he neither spoke any thing for himself nor said any thing in private to those that beat him but persisted crying those very words he did before Then the Magistrates supposing as indeed it was that the man was moved by divine impulse bring him to the Roman President where being beaten with stripes till his very bones were bare he neither intreated for himself nor shed a tear But to the utmost of his power changing his voice into a dolefull tone he answered every stripe Wo Wo to Jerusalem There is another thing also more wonderfull than this which
That such as have bought things belonging to the Church or have received them as a gift must restore them ibid. Chap. 42. An earnest Exhortation to worship God ibid. Chap. 43. That those things which Constantine had established by Laws were by him really accomplished and performed Page 565 Chap. 44. That he preferred Christians to the Government of Provinces but if any of the Governours were Pagans he forbad them to Sacrifice ibid. Chap. 45. Concerning the Laws forbidding Sacrifices and ordering the Churches to be built ibid. Chap. 46. Constantine's Letter to Eusebius and the rest of the Bishops concerning the building of Churches and that the old-ones should be repaired and built larger by the assistance of the Presidents Page 566 Chap. 47. That he wrote against Idolatry ibid. Chap. 48. Constantine's Edict to the Provinces concerning the Errour of Polytheism The Preface concerning Virtue and Vice Page 567 Chap. 49. Concerning the Pious Father of Constantine and concerning Diocletian and Maximian the Persecutours ibid. Chap. 50. That by reason of Apollo's Oracle who could not give forth Responses because of The just Men a Persecution was raised ibid. Chap. 51. That Constantine when he was a youth heard that The just Men were the Christians from him that had written the Edicts concerning the Persecution pag. 567 Chap. 52. How may soris of Tortures and Punishments were made use of against the Christians Page 568 Chap. 53. What reception was given to the Christians by the Barbarians ibid. Chap. 54. What manner of revenge overtook them who on account of the Oracle raised a Persecution ibid. Chap. 55. Constantine's Glorification of God and his confession in reference to the sign of the Cross and his prayer for the Churches and people ibid. Chap. 56. How he prayes that all persons may be Christians but forces no body ibid. Chap. 57. He gives glory to God who by his Son has enlightned those that were in Errour Page 569 Chap. 58. Another glorification of God from his Government of the world ibid. Chap. 59. He praises God in regard he alwaies teaches good things ibid. Chap. 60. An Exhortation at the close of the Edict that no person should give trouble or disturbance to another ibid. Chap. 61 How from the City Alexandria controversies were raised on account of Arius Page 570 Chap. 62. Concerning Arius and the Melitians ibid. Chap. 63. How Constantine sent a Legate with a Letter in order to a Composure ibid. Chap. 64. Constantine's Letter to Alexander the Bishop and Arius the Presbyter Page 571 Chap. 65. That he was continually sollicitous about Peace ibid. Chap. 66. In what manner he put a stop to the Controversies raised in Africk ibid. Chap. 67. That the Beginnings of Religion were from the East ibid. Chap. 68. That being troubled by reason of the Disturbance he advises to an Agreement Page 572 Chap. 69. Whence the Controversie between Alexander and Arius arose and that such matters ought not to be enquired into ibid. Chap. 70. An Exhortation to an agreement Page 573 Chap. 71. That a pertinacious Contention ought not to have been raised concerning this matter on account of some light and frivolous Expressions ibid. Cha. 72. That being highly affected with grief in regard of his Piety he was necessitated to shed tears and that on this account he put off the Journey he was about to make into the East Page 574 Chap. 73. That after this Letter the disturbance about the Controversies continued ibid. Book III. Chap. 1. A Comparison of Constantine's Piety with the Improbity of the Persecutors pag. 575 Chap. 2. Again concerning the Piety of Constantine who made a free and open profession of the Cross of Christ. Page 576 Chap. 3. Concerning Constantine's Picture over which was placed a Cross and under it a wounded Dragon ibid. Chap. 4. Again concerning the Controversies raised in Egypt by Arius Page 577 Chap. 5. Concerning the dissention on account of the Feast of Easter ibid. Chap. 6. In what manner he gave order that a Synod should be convened at Nicaea ibid. Chap. 7. Concerning the Oecumenical Synod at which were present Bishops out of all Provinces Page 578 Chap. 8. That like as 't is said in the Acts of the Apostles they met together out of various Nations ibid. Chap. 9. Concerning the Virtue and Age of the two hundred and fifty Bishops ibid. Chap. 10. The Synod was held in the Palace amongst whom Constantine went in and sate together with the Bishops pag. 579 Chap. 11. The Silence of the Synod after Eusebius the Bishop had made a short speech ibid. Chap. 12. Constantine's Speech to the Synod concerning Peace Page 580 Chap. 13. That he reduced those Bishops who were at difference to an agreement ibid. Chap. 14. The Concordant determination of the Synod concerning the Faith and concerning Easter Page 581 Chap. 15. That Constantine entertained the Bishops at a Feast it being his Vicennalia ibid. Chap. 16. The gifts bestowed on the Bishops and the Letters written to all Page 582 Chap. 17. Constantine's Letter to the Churches concerning the Synod convened at Nicaea ibid. Chap. 18. The same persons words concerning the Agreement about the Feast of Easter and against the Jews ibid. Chap. 19. An Exhortation that they would rather follow the greatest part of the world Page 583 Chap. 20. An Exhortation that all should give their assent to the Decrees of the Synod ibid. Chap. 21. His advice to the Bishops now ready to go away that they would preserve Unity Page 584 Chap. 22. In what manner he sent to some and wrote to others and concerning the distributions of money Page 585 Chap. 23. How he wrote to the Egyptians and exhorted them to Peace ibid. Chap. 24. That he frequently wrote Pious Letters to the Bishops and People ibid. Chap. 25. That he ordered a Church to be built at Jerusalem in the holy place of our Saviour's Resurrection ibid. Chap. 26. That the impious had covered our Lord's Sepulchre with Rubbish and Idols Page 586 Chap. 27. In what manner Constantine gave order that the materials wherewith the Idol-Temple had been built and the Rubbish should be removed and thrown at a great distance ibid. Chap. 28. The discovery of the most Holy Sepulchre ibid. Chap. 29. In what manner he wrote to the Presidents and to Macarius the Bishop concerning the building of a Church Page 587 Chap. 30. Constantine's Letter to Macarius concerning the building of the Martyrium of our Saviour ibid. Chap. 31. That he would have this Church built so as to exceed all the Churches in the world for beauty of Walls Columns and Marbles ibid. Chap. 32. That Macarius should write to the Presidents concerning the beautifying of the Concha and concerning Workmen and Materials Page 588 Chap. 33. How the Church of our Saviour was built which the Prophets had termed New-Jerusalem ibid. Chap. 34. A description of the Fabrick of The most Holy Sepulchre Page 589 Chap. 35. A description of the Atrium and of
Sons Caesars in the three ten years of his Reign He celebrated the Dedication of the Martyrium at Jerusalem ibid. Chap. 41. That in this interim He ordered a Synod to be convened at Tyre because of some controversies started in Egypt ibid. Chap. 42. Constantine's Letter to the Synod at Tyre Page 620 Chap. 43. That at the Feast of Dedication of the Church at Jerusalem there were Bishops present out of all the Provinces ibid. Chap. 44. Concerning their Reception by Marianus the Notary and concerning the money distributed amongst the poor and the sacred Gifts of the Church Page 621 Chap. 45. Various discourses of the Bishops in the sacred Assemblies as also of Eusebius himself the Authour of this Work ibid. Chap. 46. That He afterwards recited his Description of our Saviour's Martyrium and his Oration upon Constantine's Tricennalia before the Emperour Himself Page 622 Chap. 47. That the Synod at Nicaea hapned on Constantine's Vicennalia but the Dedication of the Church at Jerusalem was performed on His Tricennalia ibid. Chap. 48. That Constantine was displeased with one who praised Him too highly ibid. Chap. 49. The Marriage of Constantius Caesar His Son Page 623 Chap. 50. The Embassie and Presents sent from the Indians ibid. Chap. 51. That Constantine having parted his Empire betwixt His three Sons instructed them in the Art of Governing and Offices of Piety ibid. Chap. 52. How when they were arrived at man's estate He taught them Piety ibid. Chap. 53. That after He had Reigned abut two and thirty years and lived above sixty He had a Body that was sound and healthy Page 624 Chap. 54. Concerning those who abused his eximious humanity to avarice and a pretence of Piety ibid. Chap. 55. How Constantine wrote Orations to the very last day of his Life Page 625 Chap. 56. How making an expedition against the Persians He took the Bishops along with him and provided a Tent made in form of a Church ibid. Chap. 57. That having received the Embassie of the Persians He watcht all night together with others on the Feast of Easter ibid. Chap. 58. Concerning the Building of that termed the Martyrium of the Apostles at Constantinople Page 626 Chap. 59. A further description of the same Martyrium ibid. Chap. 60. That in this Church also He built himself a Sepulchre ibid. Chap. 61. The Emperour's indisposition of Body at Helenopolis and his Prayers Also concerning his Baptism Page 627 Chap. 62. Constantine's request to the Bishops that they confer Baptism upon him Page 628 Chap. 63. In what manner he praised God after he had received Baptism Page 629 Chap. 64. The death of Constantine on the Festival of Pentecost about noon ibid. Chap. 65. The Lamentations of the Milice and Tribunes Page 630 Chap. 66. That His Body was carried from Nicomedia to Constantinople into the Palace ibid. Chap. 67. That even after His death he was honoured by the Comites and the rest in the same manner as when he was alive ibid. Chap. 68. In what manner the Army resolved that his sons should be forthwith Proclaimed Augusti Page 631 Chap. 69. The mourning aâ— Rome for Constantine and the Honour done him by Pictures after his death ibid. Chap. 70. That his Body was deposited at Constantinople by his Son Constantius ibid. Chap. 71. The performance of the solemn prayers in that termed the Martyrium of the Apostles at the Funeral of Constantine ibid. Chap. 72. Concerning the Bird termed the Phoenix Page 632 Chap. 73. In what manner they Stampt Constantine on Coyns ascending up into Heaven as t were ibid. Chap. 74. That whereas God had been honoured by Him He was on the other hand deservedly honoured by God ibid. Chap. 75. That Constantine was more pious than any of the foregoing Roman Emperours Page 633 The Contents of the Emperour Constantine's Oration which he Entituled to the Convention of the Saints Chap. 1. THE Preface makes mention of Easter and that Christ having been several waies beneficial to all men hath had plots framed against him by those on whom he has conferred favours pag. 635 Chap. 2. An Address to the Church and to his Hearers that they would Pardon and amend his mistakes Page 636 Chap. 3. That God is both the Father of The Logos and the Framer of the whole Creation and that it were impossible for things to consist if their Causes were diverse Page 637 Chap. 4. Concerning their Errour who worship Images Page 638 Chap. 5. That Christ the Son of God framed all things and has appointed to every thing the term of its Existence ibid. Chap. 6. Concerning Fate that what is discourst of it is false and this is demonstrated both from Humane Laws and things created which are moved not disorderly but in a regular manner by which order of theirs they demonstrate the Command of the Creator Page 639 Chap. 7. That in things which we can't understand we ought to glorifie the Creator's wisdom nor must we suppose Chance or any thing else save God to be the cause of them pag. 641 Chap. 8. That God does plentifully supply men with those things that are usefull but with such as are for delight He furnishes them in an indifferent manner only bestowing both sorts so as may be agreeable to their profit and advantage ibid. Chap. 9. Concerning the Philosophers who because they desired to know all things erred as to their Opinions and some of them were exposed to dangers Also concerning the Opinions of Plato Page 642 Chap. 10. Concerning those men who do not only reject the Dogmata of the Sacred Scriptures but them of the Philosophers also and that we either ought to give the Poets credit in all things or in nothing Page 643 Chap. 11. Concerning our Lord's coming in the flesh what it was and for what reasons it has hapened ibid. Chap. 12. Concerning those who knew not this Mystery and that their ignorance is voluntary and what great blessings await those who know it and especially them who have died in Confession Page 647 Chap. 13. That a difference of the parts of the Creation is necessary and that a propensity to Good and Evil springs from the will of men and therefore that the judgment of God is necessary and agreeable to Reason Page 648 Chap. 14. That a created nature is at a vast distance from an Essence which is uncreated and that man approaches nearest to God by a virtuous Life ibid. Chap. 15. What Precepts our Saviour delivered and what Miracles he wrought and how beneficial He hath been to those who own a subjection to Him Page 649 Chap. 16. That the Coming of Christ is foretold by the Prophets and that he was appointed for the destruction of Idols and Idolatrous Cities Page 650 Chap. 17. Concerning the wisdom of Moses which was emulated by the Wise men amongst the Heathens also concerning Daniel and the Three Children Page 651 Chap. 18. Concerning Sibylla Erythraea who prophesied in an Acrostick of
who was in the beginning with the Father who but the Father alone can clearly and perfectly comprehend Him who is before every creature and workmanship whether visible or invisible the first and onely begotten Son of God chief Captain of the rational and immortal Host in heaven the Angel of the great Counsel the finisher of the secret Will of the Father maker and worker of all things together with the Father who after the Father is Cause and Authour of all things the true and onely begotten Son of God Lord God and King of all Creatures receiving Dominion and Rule from the Father together with Divinity Power and Honour For according to the Mystical and Divine expressions of the Scriptures concerning him In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God All things were made by him and without him nothing was made that was made And the same great Moses who is the most ancient of all the Prophets when he describes by inspiration of the holy Spâ—rit the Creation and disposition of the Universe doth shew to wit that God the framer of the World and Architect of All granted to Christ himself and to none other that is to his Divine and onely begotten Word the making of inferiour Creatures and that he conferred with him about the Creation of Man for God said saith he Let us make Man after our own Image and likeness And with this saying agreeth another Prophet thus speaking of God in Hymnes He spake and they were Made He commanded and they were Created He introduceth the Father and Maker commanding as Universal Lord with his Royal beck but the Word of God next to him not different from him who is Preached by us in all things ministring to his Fathers commands Therefore from the first original of Mankind all who are said to have been eminent for righteousness and the virtues of Religion both about the time of Moses that great worshipper and before him especially Abraham and his sons and as many as in the times following were accounted just and the Prophets also who contemplated with the pure eyes of the mind have acknowledged him and have attributed to him as to the Son of God due honour And he being in no wise slothfull about his Fathers worship was appointed a master to teach all men the knowledge of his Father The Lord God therefore appeared in the likeness of man unto Abraham as he sat at the Oak of Mamre but he forthwith falling down upon his face although with the outward eye he beheld but man worshipped him as God and made supplication to him as Lord. And that he was not ignorant who he was he professeth when he uttereth these words O Lord which judgest the whole earth wilt not thou judge rightly For if it be contrary to reason that either the unbegotten and immutable person or nature of God Almighty should transform himself into the likeness of man and so by an appearance in a bodily shape deceive the eyes of the beholders or that the Scripture should feign such things falsly then that God and Lord who judgeth the whole earth and executeth judgment appearing in the shape of man who else can he be called for it is not lawfull to say it of the first Authour of all things but onely his preexistent Word Of whom also it is said in the Psalms He sent forth his Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions The same Moses plainly calleth Lord next after the Father saying The Lord rained brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah The same doth the Divine Scripture call God appearing again unto Jacob in the figure of a Man and saying unto Jacob Thy name shall be no more called Jacob but Israel shall be thy name because thou hast prevailed with God At which time Jacob named that place the Vision of God saying For I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved Moreover neither is it lawful once to surmise that the apparitions of God in the Scripture may be attributed to the inferiour Angels and Ministers of God for neither doth the Scripture if at any time any of them appeared unto men conceal the same expressly saying not that God or the Lord but that Angels spake which may easily be confirmed by innumerable testimonies This same also doth Jesus the successour of Moses term chief Captain of the great power of the Lord as Prince of Celestial Angels and Arch-Angels and all supernatural powers and as being the power and wisdom of the Father and to whom the second place in the rule and government of all things is committed when as he beheld him in no other form or figure then of Man For thus it is written And it hapned when Joshua was in Jericho he lifted up his eyes and behold a man standing over against him having a naked sword in his hand And Joshua coming unto him said art thou on our side or on our Adversaries And he said unto him As chief Captain of the Host of the Lord I am now come hither And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and said unto him Lord what commandest thou thy servant And the Captain of the Lords Host said unto Joshua Loose thy shooâ— from off thy foot for the place where thou standest is an holy place By these very words thou mayst by an attentive consideration perceive that this person did not differ from him who delivered his Oracles to Moses For of him also the Scripture speaketh the same words When the Lord saw that he came for to see God called to him out of the midst of the bush and said Moses Moses and he answered what is it And he said come not nigh hither put thy shooes off thy feet for the place where thou standest is holy ground And he said unto him I am the God of thy fathers The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Now that there is a certain Essence living and subsisting before the foundations of the world were laid which ministred unto the Father and the God of all at the Creation of all Creatures termed The Word and the Wisdom of God beside the before produced demonstrations Wisedom her self in her proper person by Solomon plainly speaking and delivering her Mysteries after this manner is to be heard I Wisedome have fixed a Tabernacle Councel Knowledge and Understanding I have by calling allured unto me Through me Kings doe reign and Princes decree justice Through me Princes bear Rule on earth To this she addeth The Lord himself fashioned me the beginning of his ways for the accomplishing of his Works I have been ordained before the foundations of the World were laid and from the beginning Or ever the earth was made before the well-springs flowed out before the foundations of the
continued virgins to the end of their lives Also his other daughter who having lived by the guidance of the Holy Ghost died at Ephesus And moreover John who leaned on the breast of the Lord and was a Priest and wore a plate of gold and was a Martyr and a Doctor this John I say died at Ephesus And thus much concerning their deaths And also in the Dialogue of Caius of which we a little before made mention Proculus against whom he instituted the dispute agreeing with what we have inforced concerning the death of Philip and his daughters says thus After that also the four Prophetesses the daughters of Philip were at Hierapolis a City of Asia their Sepulchre is there and also their fathers Thus he Lâ—kâ— likewise in the Acts of the Apostles makes mention of the daughters of Philip that lived then at Caesarea of Judea with their father who were endowed with the gift of Prophecy saying word for word thus We came unto Caesarea and we entred into the house of Philip the Evangelist which was one of the seven and abode with him And the same man had four daughters virgins which did Prophecie Having thus far therefore treated of those things which came to our knowledge both concerning the Apostles and the Apostolick times and the Sacred Writings they left us both those that are questioned as doubtfull which yet are publickly read by many in most Churches and those also that are altogether Spurious and Repugnant to Apostolical sound Doctrine we now proceed to the subsequent part of our History CHAP. XXXII How Simeon the Bishop of Jerusalem suffered Martyrdom AFter the persecution of Nero and Domitian Report goes that under this Emperour whose times we now recount there was a persecution raised against us by piece-meal throughout every City which proceeded from a popular insurrection In which we have by tradition received that Simeon the son of Cleophas who we declared was constituted the second Bishop of the Church at Jerusalem finished his life by Martyrdom And this the same Writer attesteth several words of whose we have before quoted that is Hegesippus Who giving a relation of certain Hereticks adds that this Simeon being at that time by them accused and tormented divers ways and for the space of many days because he was a Christian struck with a great amazement both the Judge and those about him and at length died by the same kind of suffering that the Lord did Nothing hinders but that we may hear the Writer relating these things word for word thus Some of those Hereticks accused Simeon the son of Cleophas as being a descendant from David and a Christian and so he suffered Martyrdom when he was an hundred and twenty years old under Trajan the Emperour and Atticus of the Consular order then President of Syria And the same Authour says that those his accusers such as were of the Royal family of the Jews being at that time sought for happened to be convicted as belonging to that family Now should any one say that this Simeon was one of those who both saw and heard the Lord he would speak what is in no wise absurd having as an undoubted evidence thereof the great length of his Life and the mention made in the Gospels of Mary the wife of Cleophas whose son that he was our former words have manifested Also the same writer says that others related to one of those called the brethren of our Saviour whose name was Judas lived untill this Emperour's Reign after their profession of the Faith of Christ under Domitian before which we mentioned For thus he writeth They come therefore and preside over the whole Church as being Martyrs and of the Kindred of our Lord. And a profound Peace ensuing over the whole Church they continued alive till the times of Trajan the Emperour untill the foresaid Simeon the son of Cleophas who was Unckle to our Lord being accused by the Hereticks was in like manner also impeachâ— for the same thing before Atticus the president And being cruelly tortured for many days he with constancie professed the Faith of Christ in so much that the President and all those about him wondred greatly how a man of an hundred and twenty years old as he was could have endured such torments And in fine it was ordered he should be crucified Moreover the same man relating what was done in those times adds that untill then the Church continued a pure and undefiled Virgin those who endeavoured to corrupt the sound Rule of wholesom Doctrine if any such persons there were absconding themselves hitherto in obscure darkness But after the sacred company of the Apostles was by various kinds of death become extinct and that generation of those men who were accounted worthy to hear with their own ears the divine wisdom was gone then the conspiracy of impious errour took its rise from the deceit of false Teachers who in as much as not one of the Apostles was then surviving did now at length with a bare face attempt to Preach up the knowledge falsely so called in opposition to the doctrine of the Truth And thus much this Authour treating of these things has after this manner said But we will proceed to what in order follows of our History CHAP. XXXIII How Trajan forbad that the Christians should be sought after MOreover so great a persecution raged against us at that time in many places that Plinius Secundus the most eminent amongst the Governours of Provinces being moved at the multitude of Martyrs gave the Emperour an account of the great numbers of those that were destroyed because of their faith and together therewith certified him that he found they did nothing of impiety nor acted any thing contrary to the Laws onely that they rose at break of day and sung Hymns to Christ as unto God but that they abhor'd the commission of Adultery and Murder and such like horrid crimes and that they did all things consonant to the Laws Upon account of which Trajan made this Edict That the Christians should not be sought out but if by accident they were lighted on they should be punished Which being done the most vehement heat of the persecution that lay heavy upon us was in some measure quenched But to those who had a mind to doe us mischief there remained pretexts no whit less fair and specious in some places the people in others the Rulers of the Provinces fâ—â—ming treacheries against us in so much that even when there was no open and general persecution yet there were particular ones throughout the Provinces and very many of the Faithfull underwent various sorts of Martyrdomes We have taken this account out of Tertullians Apology written in Latine of which we before made mention the translation whereof is thus But we have found that the inquisition after us has been prohibited For Plinius Secundus when he was Governour of the
Germanicus was most signally couragious who being corroborated by divine grace overcame that fear of bodily death implanted by nature on the mind of man For when the Proconsul desirous by perswasion to prevail upon him proposed to him his youthfullness and earnestly entreated him that being young and in the prime of his years he would have some compassion on himself he made no delay but readily and couragiously enticed the wild beast to devour himself and almost forced and stimulated it that he might the sooner be dismist out of this unrighteous and wicked life Immediately upon his glorious death the whole multitude greatly admiring the couragiousness of the divine Martyr and the fortitude of all the other Christians on a sudden began to cry out destroy the impious Let Polycarp be sought after Moreover there following a great tumult upon these clamours a man by name Quintus by extract a Phrygian lately come out thence seeing the wild beasts and the other tortures they threatned to make use of was daunted and disspirited and at length gave way to a desire of saving his life The contents of the foresaid Epistle doe manifest that this Quintus together with some others ran with too much rashness and without any religious consideration to the place of judicature but being forthwith apprehended he gave all men a signal example that none should be so audacious as to precipitate themselves into such dangers without a considerate and pious circumspection But thus far concerning these men Now the most admirable Polycarp when he first heard these things was not at all disturbed but continued to keep himself in a steadfast serene and unmoved temper of mind and resolved with himself to continue in the City But his friends and those who were about him beseeching and entreating him that he would withdraw himself he was prevailed with and went out of the City to a countrey-house not far distant therefrom where he abode with a small company spending the time day and night being intent upon nothing else in continued prayers to the Lord wherein he craved and made humble supplications and requests for the peace of all the Churches throughout the world For that was his constant and continual usage Moreover three days before his apprehension being at prayer in the night time and falling into a sleep he thought he saw the pillow whereon his head lay on a sudden consumed by a flame of fire Whereupon being awaked out of his sleep he forthwith expounded the vision to those who were then present and having little less than predicted what was in future to be he expresly declared to those that were about him that he should be burnt to death for the testimony of Christ. Further when those that sought for him used their utmost care and diligence to find him out he was again constrained through the love and affection of the brethren to remove as they say to another countrey house Whither his pursuers soon after came and catcht up two boys that were there by the one of which after they had scourged him they were conducted to the house where Polycarp lodged and coming in the evening they found him reposing himself in an upper room Whence he might easily have removed into another house but he would not saying The will of the Lord be done Moreover when he understood they were come as that Epistle relates he went down and with a very chearfull and most milde countenance talked with the men insomuch that they to whom Polycarp was before unknown thought they saw a wonder when they beheld his exceeding great age and his venerable and grave behaviour and they admired so much diligence should be used to apprehend such an old man But he making no delay presently ordered the table to be spread for them then he invites them to a sumptuous feast and requested of them one hours space which he might without disturbance spend in prayer when they permitted him that he arose and prayed being so full of the grace of the Lord that those who were present and heard him pray were struck with admiration and many of them altered their minds and were now very sorry that so venerable and divine an old man was forthwith to be put to death Afterwards the foresaid Epistle contains word for word this subsequent relation concerning him But after he had ended his prayer wherein he made mention of all persons who at any time had been conversant with him both small and great noble and obscure and also of the whole Catholick Church throughout the world the hour of his departure being now come they set him upon an Asse and brought him to the â—ity on the day of the great Sabbath Herod the Eirenarch and his father Nicetes met him who taking him up into their Chariot as they sate together endeavoured to perswade him and said For what harm is it to say these words Lord Caesar and to sacrifice and so to evade punishment He at first made them no answer but they continuing to be importunate with him he said I will never doe what you endeavour to induce me to They despairing of perswading him gave him opprobrious language and thrust him out of their Chariot so hastily that in his going down be very much bruised the fore part of his leg But he no more concerned than if he had suffered no harm went on chearfully and made hast being brought by a guard to the Stadium but there being so great a noise made in the Stadium that few could perfectly hear this voice came from heaven to Polycarp as he entred the Stadium Be couragious Polycarp and behave thy self valiantly no person indeed saw him that spoke but many of us Christians heard the voice When therefore he was brought before the Tribunal a great shout was made because the multitude heard Polycarp whas apprehended After that when he was come near him the Proconsul asked him whether he were Polycarp and when he had confessed he was the Proconsul endeavoured to perswade him to renounce Christ saying have a reverent regard to thine age and some other words agreeable hereto which 't is usual for them to speak swear by the fortune of Caesar change thy mind say destroy the impious But Polycarp beholding with a grave and severe countenance the multitude that was in the Stadium stretched forth his hand towards them and sighed and looking up towards heaven said destroy the impious When the Governour was urgent with him and said swear and I will release thee speak reproachfully of Christ Polycarp made answer I have served him these eighty and six years during all which time he never did me injury how then can I blaspheme my King who is my Saviour But when the Proconsul was again instant with him and said swear by the fortune of Caesar Polycarp said because you are so vain glorious as to be urgent with me to swear by the fortune of Caesar as
therefore suggested to Nicetas the father of Herod but the brother of Dalcis do address to the Governour that he would not give us his body least as they said they leave him that was crucified and begin to worship this person and this they spoke upon account of the suggestion and importunity of the Jews who very diligently watcht us when we were about to take his body out of the fire but they were ignorant that we could never at any time relinquish Christ who suffered for the salvation of all those throughout the world who were to be saved nor yet worship any other For we adore him as being the Son of God but we have a worthy affection for the Martyrs as being the disciples and followers of the Lord because of their most exceeding great love shown to their own King and Master whose companions and fellow disciples we wish our selves to be The Centurion therefore perceiving the contentious obstinacy of the Jews caused the body to be brought forth and as 't is customary with them burnt it and so we at length gathered up his bones more highly to be prized than the most pretious gemms and more refined than the purest gold and deposited them in a decent place of burial whereat being assembled together the Lord grant we may with joy and gladness celebrate the Birth-day of his Martyrdom both in memory of those who have heretofore undergone and been victorious in this glorious conflict and also for the instruction and preparation of such as hereafter shall be exercised therein Thus much concerning the blessed Polycarp who together with twelve Philadelphians was crowned with Martyrdom at Smyrna who alone is so eminently famous and memorable amongst all men that even the heathens every-where doe make mention of him Such was the glorious exit of the admirable and Apostolick Polycarp whose story the brethren of the Church in Smyrna have in the fore-cited Epistle recorded and to the same writing concerning him are annexed other Martyrdomes undergone at the same City of Smyrna and at the same period of time wherein Polycarp suffered Amongst which number Metrodorus supposed to be a Presbyter of the Sect of the Marcionites was burnt to death But the most famous and eminent Martyr of those times was one Pionius Whose particular professions boldness and freeness in speaking Apologies and most learned orations in defence of the faith made both before the people and in the presence of the Governours and moreover his affectionate invitations and encouragements to those who in time of persecution fell into temptation and the consolatory speeches he used to such brethren as made him visits during his imprisonment and further than all this the torments and besides them the exquisite tortours he endured his being nailed to the stake and his fortitude amidst the fiery pile and lastly his death which was subsequent to all these miraculous sufferings whosoever are desirous to know all these particulars we remit them to the Epistle which contains a most ample account concerning him which we have inserted into that collection we made of the sufferings of the Primitive Martyrs Moreover there are extant the Acts and Monuments of others who suffered Martyrdom at Pergamus a City of Asia to wit of Carpus and Papulus and of a woman named Agathonica who after many and most eminent confessions of our faith were made perfect by a glorious death CHAP. XVI How Justin the Philosopher asserting the Christian Religion at the City of Rome suffered Martyrdom AT the same time also Justin of whom we made mention a little before having presented a second Apology to the foresaid Emperours in defence of our faith was crowned with divine Martyrdom Crescens the Philosopher whose life and manners were answerable to the appellation of a Cynick of which Philosophical Sect he was a follower formed and contrived the treacherous plot against him because Justin confuted him often in several disputes had in the presence of many auditours at length by his own Martyrdom he obtained the reward of that truth he was an assertour of Thus much this most studious follower of the truth perceiving before hand what was about to befall him does in his foresaid Apology expresly predict in these same words And I also my self doe expect to be treacherously betraied by some one of those called Philosophers and put in the stocks and perhaps by Crescens that illiterate fellow and one who is a lover of vain glorious boasting for the man is unworthy the name of a Philosopher because he declares in publick such things as he is altogether ignorant of and affirms the Christians to be impious and irreligious persons meerly to please and delight the multitude committing herein a great errour For in that he inveighs against us having never read the doctrine of Christ he is abominably wicked and much worse than the vulgar sort of men who most frequently are cautious in their discourses concerning those things they are ignorant in and avoid speaking falsely thereof But if he has read our doctrine and understands not the majestick sublimity thereof of if he understands it and behaves himself thus because he would not be suspected to be a Christian then he is far more base and wicked in that he makes himself the slave of popular applause and irrational fear For I would have you to know that when I proposed to and asked him some such questions as these I perceived and was convinced he indeed understood nothing at all and that you may know I speak what is true I am ready if those our disputations have not come to your knowledge to propose the queries again even in your presence And this exercise will by no means be misbecoming your Imperial Majesty But if both my questions and also his answers have been made known to you then it will be apparently manifest to you that he is altogether ignorant of our Religion But if he understands it but dares not freely declare himself because of his auditours he is no Philosopher as I said before but is manifestly evidenced to be an affector of popular applause and has no esteem for that most excellent saying of Socrates to wit that no man is to be preferred before the truth Thus far therefore Justin And that he was put to death according to his own prediction by a treacherous plot of which Crescens was the framer Tatianus a man who in the former part of his life had been a teacher of Rhetorick was well read in the Grecian learning and obtained no small repute by his being conversant therein who also has left in his works many monuments of his Ingenuity does relate in the book he wrote against the Grecians in these words And the most admirable Justin said truely that the foresaid persons were like thieves Then interposing some words concerning these Philosophers he adjoyns thus much Indeed Crescens who had made his nest
In whose place succeeded Eleutherus the twelfth from the Apostles It was then the seventeenth year of the Emperour Antoninus Verus at which time a more sharp persecution being in some parts of the world raised against us by a popular incursion throughout every City how vast the number was of such persons as were dignified with Martyrdom over the whole world may be conjectured from what happened in one Province Which things were by accident put in writing and transmitted to posterity as being truely worthy of an indelible remembrance Now the Acts which contain a most perfect and compleat account of these things are set down entire in that Collection we made of the Martyrs which comprehends not onely an Historical relation of what was done but also Rules and Precepts of Piety and Holiness But notwithstanding we will from thence at present make a selection of such passages as are agreeable to the Subject we no whave in hand and here insert them Other Historians indeed have wholly made it their business to record in their works Warlike Victories and Trophies erected against their conquered Enemies the valour of Generals and brave exploits of Souldiers bâ—smeared with bloud and polluted with innumerable slaughters in defence of their Children Countrey and Estates But we who set forth the History of a Divine society of men will record upon immortal Monuments inscribed with indelible Characters the most pacate Wars waged for the obtaining of Spiritual peace and the valiant Acts of those persons who in such encounters contended more for the Truth than their Countrey and for Religion rather than their dearest Relations publishing for the perpetual remembrance of posterity the continued earnestness of those Champions who fought for Piety their fortitude in undergoing manifold torments the Trophies erected against the Devils the victorious conquests obtained over invisible Adversaries and last of all their Crowns CHAP. I. How many in the Reign of Verus underwent most sore Persecution in France for Religion and after what manner they suffered NOw France was the Countrey wherein the place for performance of the forementioned Combats was appointed The chief Mother-cities whereof and which be more eminently famous than the other Cities there are Lyons and Vienna through both which the river Rhone passes encompassing with a great and rapid stream that whole Region The Churches therefore that were most eminent in those parts sent an account in writing concerning their Martyrs to the Churches throughout Asia and Phrygia relating after this manner what was done amongst them For I will insert their very words The servants of Christ which inhabit Vienna and Lyons in France to the brethren throughout Asia and Phrygia which have the same Faith and Hope of Redemption with us Peace Grace and Glory from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. Then having after this by way of preface premised some words they begin their relation with these Now the â—ore affliction amongst us the great rage of the heathens against the Saints and what the blessed Martyrs endured we are neither able accurately to express nor indeed can it be comprized in writing For the adversary invaded us with his utmost vigour shewing forth even then his arrival amongst us and some beginnings of his future cruelty For he left nothing unattempted whilst by way of practise he prepared and before hand exercised his ministers against the servants of God So that we were not onely prohibited to come into private houses the Baths and the Forum but it was also by them interdicted that no one of us should at all appear in any place whatsoever But the Grace of God fought for us against the Devil which both defended such as were weak and also set in array against him such men as like pillars were firm and immovable who by reason of their patience in enduring sufferings might have been able to have pulled on themselves the whole force of the Devil These persons engaged him hand to hand undergoing all manner of reproach and punishment and accounting the greatest sufferings to be small and trivial they hastned unto Christ truly demonstrating that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us First therefore they couragiously underwent whatsoever abuses were cumulated on them by the whole multitude to wit the shouts against them the stripes the draggings up and down the taking away of their goods the casting of stones at them their being shut up within their own houses and all things which an exasperated multitude doe usually undertake against their enemies and adversaries Then being brought into the Forum by the Tribune of the Souldiers and the Magistrates of the City they were examined in the presence of the whole multitude and having made their confession were shut up in prison untill the arrival of the President Afterwards when they were brought before the Governour who exercised all manner of cruelty against us Vettius Epagathus one of the brethren who had arrived to an immense degree of love to God and his neighbour whose course of life had been so exact and accurate that although he was a young man yet he deserved the eloge of Zachariah Seniour for he had walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless and was most ready to perform all good Offices towards his neighbour being full of the zeal of God and fervent in Spirit This person I say being such an one was not able to bear those so unjust proceedings against us but was greatly moved with indignation and requested that he also might be heard to make a defence in behalf of the brethren and to manifest that there was nothing of impiety or irreligion amongst us But when those about the Tribunal cried out against him for he was an eminent personage and when the Governour refused the request so justly proposed by him and onely ask't him whether he also were a Christian he confest it with a most loud voice and was received into the number of the Martyrs being termed by the Governour the Advocate of the Christians But he had within himself an Advocate to wit the holy Spirit in a greater degree than Zacharias had which he evidently manifested by his abundant love in that he was well contented to deposite his own life for the defence of the brethren For he was and is a genuine disciple of Christ following the Lamb whit hersoever he goeth Then others were diligently proved and examined and they were illustrious and ready proto-Martyrs who with all alacrity of mind accomplished the solemn confession of Martyrdom Moreover those who were unprepared unexercised as yet weak and unable to undergoe the severity of so great a combat were then apparent of whom about ten in number fell away which was the occasion of great grief and immeasurable sorrow to us and disturbed that alacrity of mind in others who were
to be cast to the wild-beasts And after she had been scourged exposed to the fury of the wild-beasts and set in the Iron-chair at last she was inclosed in a net and thrown before a Bull by which beast after she had been very much tossed having been all along wholly insensible of the tortures she underwent because of her hope and her retaining a firm assent to those things she believed and also by reason of her familiar converse in prayer with Christ she also was run through with a sword and the very Heathens themselves confessed that there never was any woman among them which suffered so many and so great tortures But their rage and cruelty towards the saints was not thus satiated for the Savage and Barbarous Nations having been stirred up by that fierce wild-beast could not without great difficulty be appeased but their cruelty was begun afresh in a new and peculiar manner against the bodies of the Saints For they were so far from being ashamed that they had been vanquished by the Martyrs because they were destitute of humane reason and consideration that their rage was more enkindled both the President and also the people like a fierce beast most unjustly demonstrating the same degree of hatred against us that the Scripture might be fulfilled He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still For those who had been suffocated in prison they cast to the dogs watching continually night and day least any of us should interre them then having exposed the pieces of the bodies as well what were left undevoured by the wild-beasts as what remained unconsumed by the fire partly torn and partly burnt also the heads of the rest together with their trunks they kept them likewise unburied with a guard of Souldiers for the space of many days And some were full of indignation and gnashed their teeth at the dead being desirous to take some further revenge of them Others insulted over and derided them extolling their Idols and attributing the punishment of the Martyrs to them But those that were more mild and who seemed in some measure to sympathize with us upbraided us very much saying where is their God and what emolument hath this Religion brought them which they preferred before their own lives And such variety was there in the Heathens behaviour towards us but we were affected with a great grief because we could not hide the bodies in the earth for neither was the night assistant to us therein neither would money perswade them nor could our prayers induce them to grant our request but they watched the bodies with all imaginable care and diligence as if they were to gain some great matter if they should not be buried After these words having interposed some other expressions they proceed saying The Bodies therefore of the Martyrs having undergone all manner of ignominious usage and being exposed in the open air for six days space were afterwards burnt and being reduced to ashes were by those impious wretches swept into the River Rhone which runs hard by that so no remains of them might be any longer visible upon earth And this they did as if they were able to have vanquished God and deprive them of a resurrection that so as they said they might have no hope of rising again of which being fully perswaded they introduce a strange and new Religion amongst us and contemning the most exquisite torments doe readily and with alacrity of mind willingly undergoe death Let us now see whether they shall rise again and whether their God is able to assist them and deliver them out of our hands CHAP. II. How the Martyrs beloved of God kindly receiving such as fell away in the persecution wrought a cure upon them SUch were the Calamities which befell the Churches of Christ in the times of the foresaid Emperour from which may be conjectured what also was done in the other Provinces It is worth our adjoyning hereto some other words out of the same Epistle whereby the meekness and humanity of the forementioned Martyrs is described in these very words Who also were so far followers and imitatours of Christ who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God that although they were in such an height of glory and had suffered as Martyrs not once nor twice but often and had been taken from the wild-beasts and committed again to prison although they had the marks of fire the scars of stripes and wounds all over their bodies yet they neither declared themselves to be Martyrs nor would they suffer us to call them by that name But if at any time any one of us either by letter or in discourse termed them Martyrs they reproved us sharply For they readily allowed the appellation of Martyr to Christ who is the faithfull and true witness and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the life of God they commemorated also those Martyrs who were already departed this life and said those are now Martyrs whom Christ vouchsafed to assume whilst they were making their confession he having sealed their Martyrdom by their death but we are mean and humble Confessours and with tears they beseeched the brethren entreating them that earnest prayers might be made that they might be perfected they also in reality demonstrated the power and efficacy of Martyrdom using much freedom of speech in their answers before all the Heathens and manifested their excellency by their patient sufferance fearlesness and undaunted courage but they refused the appellation of Martyrs given them by the brethren having been filled with the fear of God Again after some few words they say They humbled themselves under the mighty hand by which they are now highly exalted then also they excused themselves to all men but accused none they loosed all men and bound none yea they prayed for those who tortured them as did Stephen that perfect Martyr saying Lord lay not this sin to their charge Now if he prayed for those who stoned him how much more is it credible that he prayed for the brethren Again also after some other words they say For this was the greatest encounter they had with the devil to wit upon account of their genuine and sincere charity because the Serpent being strangled vomited up those alive whom he supposed he had digested They did not proudly triumph over those that fell but bestowed on such as were indigent those good things with which they abounded having motherly bowels of compassion pouring forth many tears for them before God the father They asked life and he gave it them which also they imparted to their friends being Victours over all they went to God having always loved peace and continually exhorted us to it they departed in peace to God leaving no grief to their mother no faction nor dissention amongst the brethren but joy
fourteenth day of the Moon according to the Gospel in no wise violating but exactly following the rule of faith And moreover I Polycrates the meanest of you all according to the tradition of my kinsmen some of whom also I have followed for seven of my relations were Bishops and I am the eighth all which kinsmen of mine did alwaies celebrate the day of Easter when the people of the Jews removed the Leaven I therefore brethren who am Sixty five years old in the Lord and have been conversant with the brethren disperst over the world and have read the whole Scripture through am not at all terrified at what I am threatned with For those who were greater than I have said We ought to obey God rather than men To these words speaking of all the Bishops who were present with him when he wrote and were of the same opinion with him he adjoyns thus much saying I could make mention of the Bishops who are present with me whom you requested me to convene and I have called them together whose names should I annex to this Epistle they would be very numerous all which persons having visited me who am a mean man did by their consent approve of this Epistle well knowing that I have not born these hoary hairs in vain but have alwaies lead my life agreeable to the precepts of the Lord Jesus After this Victor the Bishop of Rome did immediately attempt to cut off from the common unity the Churches of all Asia together with the adjoyning Churches as having given their assent to heterodox opinions and by his letters he publickly declares and pronounces all the brethren there to be wholly excommunicate but this pleased not all the Bishops therefore they perswade him to the contrary advising him to entertain thoughts of Peace of Unity and love of Christians among one another Moreover their Epistles are now extant wherein they have sharply reproved Victor Among whom Irenaeus having written a Letter in the name of those brethren in Gallia whom he presided over does indeed maintain that the mystery of our Lords Resurrection ought to be celebrated onely on a Sunday but does in many other words seasonably advise him not to cut off whole Churches of God for observing an antient custom derived down to them by tradition to which words he adjoyns thus much For the controversie is not onely concerning the day but also concerning the very form of the Fast for some suppose they ought to Fast one day others two others more others computing forty continued hours of the day and night make that space their day of Fasting and this variety in observing the Fast has not been begun in our age but a long while since in the times of our Ancestours who being as 't is probable not so diligent in their Presidencies proposed that as a custom to their successours which was introduced by simplicity and unskilfulness And yet nevertheless all these maintained mutual peace towards one another which also we retain Thus the variety of the Fast commends the consent of the faith Hereto he adjoins a relation which I will sutably insert in this place it is thus And the Presbyters who before Soter Presided over that Church which You now govern I mean Anicetus and Pius Hyginus Telesphorus and Xystus these persons I say neither observed it themselves nor did they permit those with them to observe it Nevertheless although they themselves observed it not yet they maintained peace with those that came to them from those Churches wherein it was observed But the observation of it amongst those who kept it not seemed to have much more of contrariety in it Neither were any persons ever excommunicated upon account of this form of the Fast but the Presbyters your predecessours who observed it not sent the Eucharist to the Presbyters of those Churches which observed it not and when Polycarp of blessed memory came to Rome in the times of Anicetus and there had been a small controversie between them concerning some other things they did straightway mutually embrace each other having not desired to be contentious with one another about this head For neither could Anicetus perswade Polycarp not to observe it because he had always kept it with John the disciple of our Lord and the other Apostles with whom he had been conversant nor did Polycarp induce Anicetus to observe it who said he ought to retain the usage of the Presbyters that were his predecessours These things being thus they received the communion together And Anicetus permitted Polycarp to wit out of an honourable respect to him to consecrate the Sacrament in his own Church and they parted peaceably one from another as well those who observed it as those who observed it not retaining the Peace and Communion of the whole Church Indeed Irenaeus being truly answerable to his own name was after this manner a Peace-maker and advised and asserted these things upon the account of the Peace of the Churches The same person Wrote not onely to Victor but sent Letters also agreeable hereunto to several other Governours of Churches concerning the said controversie which was then raised CHAP. XXV How all with one consent unanimously agreed about Easter MOreover those Bishops of Palestine whom we mentioned a little before to wit Narcissus and Theophilus and with them Cassius Bishop of the Church at Tyre and Clarus Bishop of that at Ptolemais together with those assembled with them having treated at large concerning the tradition about Easter derived down to them by succession from the Apostles at the end of their Epistle they adjoyn thus much in these very words Make it your business to send Copies of this our Epistle throughout the whole Church that so we may not be blamed by those who do easily seduce their own souls we also declare to you that they celebrate Easter at Alexandria on the same day that we doe for Letters are conveyed from us to them and from them to us so that we observe the holy day with one consent and together CHAP. XXVI How many Monuments of Irenaeus's Polite Ingenie have come to our hands BUt besides the fore-mentioned works and Epistles of Irenaeus's there is extant a most concise and most necessary book of his against the Gentiles entituled concerning Knowledge And another which he dedicated to a brother by name Marcianus containing a Demonstration of the Apostolick Preaching And a Book of Various Tracts wherein he makes mention of the Epistle to the Hebrews and that called The wisdom of Solomon and quotes some sentences out of them And thus many are the writings of Irenaeus which came to our knowledge But Commodus having ended his Government after he had reigned thirteen years Severus obtained the Empire Pertinax having not Governed full out six months after the death of Commodus CHAP. XXVII How many
searching all places both high-ways Rivers and fields where he thought I might be conceal'd or where he conjectur'd I might have gone but he was so blinded that he found not my house Neither could he imagine that I should stay at home when there was inquisition made for me And at length after the fourth day when God had commanded me to depart thence and had miraculously â—opened a way for me I and my servants and many of the Brethren went out together Now that that was a special act of God's Providence the sequel declar'd in which peradventure I was profitable to some Again after the interposition of some words he relates what happened to him after his flight in these words I my self and my companions being much about the time of Sun-setting apprehended by some Souldiers was brought to Taposiris But Timothcus according to the providence of God was not with us neither was he taken But when he at last came he found the house empty and Souldiers keeping Guard about it and us reduced to slavery After some other words he saith thus What now was the order and manner of this miraculous act of providence I will tell nothing but truth A certain country man met Timothy as he was flying and thus disturb'd in mind and he inquired of him the reason of this great hast he told him the real truth When the man had heard his relation he was then a going to a marriage feast and 't is customary amongst them to tarry all night at such meetings he went his way and coming into the house told the story to those that were set at the table All of them with an unanimous earnestness as if it had been by a compact amongst them rose up together set a running and with great clamours came speedily upon us The Souldiers who guarded us being by them forthwith put to flight they came upon us as we were and found us lying upon Couches without any furniture on them I God knows at first supposing them to be thieves who came thither for prey and pillage continued lying on the Couch naked as I was excepting onely a linnen garment which I had on and offered to them my other cloathes which lay by me But they bid me arise and come out immediately Then understanding what was the cause of their coming thither I cry'd out intreating and beseeching them to depart and let us alone But if their intent was to do me a kindness I begg'd of them to behead me and by that means to prevent those who brought me prisoner thither While I thus cry'd out as my companions and fellow-sufferers in all my troubles doe know they compell'd me to rise up I threw my self on my back upon the ground but they took me by the hands and feet and dragg'd me out There follow'd me those who are my witnesses of these things Caius Faustus Peter Paul who took me together with that Couch upon their shoulders and convey'd me out of the village and having set me upon an Ass unsaddled they carried me away These things Dionysius relates concerning himself CHAP. XLI Concerning those who suffer'd Martyrdom at Alexandria THe same man in an Epistle of his to Fabius Bishop of Antioch gives this account of the combats of those Martyrs who suffer'd at Alexandria in the times of Decius The Persecution amongst us did not begin at the time when the Imperial Edict was issued out but preceded it one whole year For a Soothsayer and a Poet whoever he was who so endamag'd this City had stirr'd up and encouraged the tumults of the Heathens against us exciting them to their Countrey Superstition They being prick't forward by him and having obtained free power of acting all mischief thought it the most acceptable service and worship of their Gods to slaughter us First of all therefore they lay hands upon an old man named Metrá and bid him pronounce some Atheistical words and because he obey'd them not they beat him with clubs and prick'd him in the face and eyes with sharp Reeds and when they had led him into the Suburbs they ston'd him to death Afterwards they dragg'd a believing woman call'd Quinta to the Temple of their Idol and compell'd her to fall down and worship but she turning away her face and abominating it they bound her feet and dragg'd her through the City which is pav'd with sharp stones and having dash'd her against Millstones and scourg'd her they led her to the same place without the City and ston'd her Afterwards all with one accord violently broke into the houses of pious men and every one of them ran to their Neighbours whom they knew and plunder'd and rob'd them their goods which were of greater value they purloin'd but the lumber and what was made of wood they cast forth and burnt in the streets so that the City seem'd as if it had been taken by an enemy but the Brethren withdrew themselves thence and privately fled and like those S t Paul speaks of took joyfully the spoyling of their goods And not one of them that I know of except one who somewhere fell into their hand renounc'd the Lord till this time Moreover at that time they took a most admirable Virgin who was antient call'd Apollonia and buffeting her on the cheeks they dash'd out all her teeth And when they had built a pile of wood before the City they threatned to burn her alive except she would repeat together with them some profane words But she having begged a little respite being let loose forthwith leapt into the fire and was consum'd to Ashes They also apprehended Serapion as he was in his house and having tortur'd him with grievous torments and broken all his joints they cast him down headlong out of an upper room There was now no way for us not the common highway not so much as any narrow street through which we could securely pass either by day or by night Every body proclaiming at all times and in all places that whosoever would not repeat those blasphemous words he should be dragg'd away and burn't immediately After this manner these things continu'd for a great while Afterwards followed Sedition and a Civil war which seized these wretches and returned the cruelty they us'd towards us upon themselves And we had a little breathing time their fury towards us being something appeas'd But presently news came of the translation of that Empire which had been more favourable to us and much fear of a threatning storm appear'd And now arrived the Imperial Edict almost like that foretold by our Lord representing those most terrible times in so much that even the Elect if it were possible should be discouraged Indeed all were put in great fear Immediately many of them who were more eminent yielded up themselves to their Idolatry through fear others who had to doe in the management of the Publick
ignorant for how could he be that there should be 46 Presbyters seven Deacons Seven sub-Deacons Clerks 42 Exorcists Readers together with Janitors 52. Widows and indigent persons which could not maintain themselves above a thousand and five hundred All these the grace and bounty of the Lord maintain'd But neither could so great multitude so necessary in the Church a congregation which by Gods providence is both rich and numerous together with a great and innumerable multitude of people make this man ashamed of this so desperate an attempt or deter him from proceeding in it or recall him into the Church And again after some other words which intervene he adjoyns these But come on let us in our following words declare in what works of his own or what good practices he was so confident as to aspire to a Bishoprick Was it upon this account that from the beginning he had been conversant in the Church and had fought many combats in defence of it and had been in many and great perils upon account of Religion No this is nothing so For the devil who had entered into him and for a long time dwelt in him was the occasion of his being a believer He being relieved thereof by the Exorcists fell into a grievous distemper and it being supposed that he would die immediately he received Baptism being besprinkled with water on the bed whereon he lay if that can be termed Baptism Neither when he had escaped that sickness did he afterwards receive the other things which the Canon of the Church injoyneth should be received nor was he sealed by the Bishops imposition of hands which if he never received how did he receive the holy Ghost And again a little after he saith This man in the time of Persecution through timerousness and a desire of life deny'd that he was a Presbyter For being desired and intreated by the Deacons that he would come out of his Chamber in which he had shut himself up and succour the Brethren as far as it was meet and possible for a Presbyter to succour the distressed Brethren who wanted assistance he was so far from complying with the Deacons who intreated him that with great indignation he went his way and departed For he said he would no longer be a Presbyter but was a favourer of another kind of Philosophy Having ran over some few passages he makes this addition hereto in these words For this excellent fellow has deserted the Church of God in which after he had received Baptism he was vouchsafed the degree of Presbyter by the favour of the Bishop who by imposition of hands Ordain'd him Priest Who being denyed Orders by all the Clergy and many of the Laity because it was not lawfull for one who had been baptized in his bed by reason of some infirmity as he was to be admitted into any sacred Order the Bishop intreated licence might be granted him to Ordain this person onely To these impious acts he afterwards subjoyneth this other the worst of all his wicked exploits saying thus For he made oblations and distributed to every one a part thereof which when he had delivered instead of blessing them he compelled the wretched men to swear holding the hands of him that received with both his hands and not letting them go till the persons had sworn pronouncing these words for I will here make use of his own words Sweat to me by the body and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou wilt never desert me and revolt to Cornelius So the miserable man was not permitted to taste before he had cursed himself And at the receiving of the bread instead of saying Amen he says I will never return to Cornelius Again after some other words he says thus Now you must understand he is stript naked of all his followers and leâ—t desolate The Brethren daily deserting him and returning to the Church And Moses a blessed Martyn who lately amongst us suffered a famous and admirable Martyrdom taking notice in his life time of this man's impudence and folly deprived him of communion together with the five Presbyters who with him had voluntarily separated themselves from the Church Now at the end of his Epistle he makes a catalogue of those Bishops who were present at Rome and condemn'd the folly of Novatus He also gives an account of their names and the name of every ones particular Church in which he Govern'd He does also expresly mention those who were not then present at Rome but by letters approved of the sentence of the foresaid Bishops together with their names and the names of the Cities from which each of them wrote Thus much Cornelius has recorded in his Epistle to Fabius Bishop of Antioch CHAP. XLIV Dionysius's story concerning Serapion DIonysius Bishop of Alexandria sent Letters to this same Fabius who was something inclining to this Schism and having discours'd severall things concerning repentance in his Letters to him and also related the combats of some who had undergone Martyrdom a little before at Alexandria amongst other stories he relates a miraculous thing which I thought necessary here to insert into this our History it runs thus I will here propose to you one example which happened amongst us There was amongst us one Serapion an old man a believer who for a long time had lived blameless but in the time of persecution he lapsed he often petitioned for pardon but no body gave attention to him because he had sacrificed Being taken with sickness he remained for the space of three days speechless and senseless being a little refreshed on the 4 th day he called his daughters son to him and said Child how long do you detain me I pray make hast and absolve me quickly call one of the Presbyters to me And when he had spoken these words he was again speechless The child ran to the Presbyter It was now night and the Presbyter also was sick and not able to come But because I had before given command that those people who were dying if they desired it and especially if they had before humbly requested it should be absolved that they might depart with a lively hope he gave to the Child a piece of the Sacrament bidding him to moisten it in water and put it into the old man's mouth the child 〈◊〉 with it And when he approached before he came in â— Serapion again recovered himself a little and said Child thou art come the Presbyter was not able to come but doe thou perform quickly what he injoyn'd thee and let me depart The boy moistned it in water and put it into his mouth immediately And when he had swallowed it by little and little he straightway gave up the Ghost Is it not plain that he was preserved and his life prolonged till he was absolv'd that his sin being quite blotted out he might
work but that it was Cerinthus the founder of the Heresie called from him the Cerinthian Heresie who was desirous to have a creditable name prefixt before his forgery for this they say was Cerinthus's Opinion and Doctrine that Christ's Kingdom should be terrestrial And whatsoever he being a carnal and voluptuous man most lusted after in these he dream'd the Kingdom of Christ consisted as in indulging the belly and the parts beneath the belly I mean in eating drinking and marrying and also in festivals sacrifices and killing of victims by which these might with more specious pretences be acquired I dare not indeed reject this Book since many of the Brethren have it in great esteem But this is the Opinion I have of it I think the sense or subject there of surpasseth my apprehension and that there is a mysterious and admirable meaning covertly contained in every part of it for though I do not understand it yet I suppose there is a more profound meaning comprehended in the words I do not judge of nor fathom these things by the line of my own reason but attributing much more to faith I esteem them more sublime then to be comprehended by me I do not condemn those things I could not understand but I the rather admire them because I cannot see through them After these words having carefully look't into the whole Book of the Revelation and demonstrated that it was impossible to be understood according to the obvious sense of the words he goes on saying But having finished his Prophesie as I may call it the Prophet pronounceth blessing upon all them who keep it and moreover on himself too for he saith Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the Prophesie of this book And I am John which saw and heard these things I do not indeed deny that his name was John and that this was John's Book for I grant that it was written by some holy and divinely inspired person But I cannot easily be brought to give my consent that this was John the Apostle the son of Zebedee the brother of James the Author of the Gospel according to John and of the Catholick Epistle For I conjecture by the Genius and Nature of them both by the form of the stile and the method and disposition as they call it of the Book that it is not the same writer For the Evangelist does no where insert his name neither does he make himself known either in his Epistle or Gospel Afterwards he thus proceeds again John no where speaks either as concerning himself or as concerning another But he that wrote the Revelation prefixeth his name at the very beginning where he says The Revelation of Jesus Christ which he gave unto him to shew to his servants quickly and he sent and signified it by his Angel unto his servant John who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things which he saw Afterwards he writes an Epistle John unto the seven Churches in Asia Grace be unto you and peace Now the Evangelist has not prefixt his name no not before his Catholick Epistle But without any circumlocution has made his beginning from the Mystery of the Divine Revelation That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes For upon account of this kind of Revelation the Lord hath pronounced Peter blessed in these words Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven But neither before the second nor third Epistle of John which are extant although they are very short his John's name expresly prefixt but he is namelesly intituled the Elder But the other John thought it not enough to name himself once and so to proceed in his relation but he again repeateth his name I John even your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus was in the Isle that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. And at the close of this Book he saith Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the Prophesie of this book And I John saw these things and heard them Therefore that it was John who wrote these things we ought to believe because he affirms it But what John it was 't is uncertain for he has not said that he himself was that John who in several places of the Gospel is called the beloved Disciple of the Lord or that he was he who lay in the bosom of the Lord or that he was the brother of James or that he was the person who with his own eyes and ears saw and heard the Lord. For certainly he would have mentioned some of these forementioned descriptions if he were desirous to have made himself apparently known But he has recorded none of these passages in his writings but stiles himself our brother and companion and witness of Jesus and calls himself blessed because he saw and heard these Revelations I suppose there were many of the same name with John the Apostle who through their love to admiration and zealous emulation of him and because they were desirous to be beloved of the Lord as he was had a great love for this name As we see many children of the faithful called by the name of Paul and Peter Moreover there is another John mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles Sirnamed Mark whom Barnabas and Paul took to be their companion Concerning whom it is again said They had John to be their Minister Whether it were he that was the Authour of this Revelation or not I dare not affirm For 't is no where written that he came with them into Asia but 't is said that when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos they came to Perga in Pamphilia and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem Therefore I think it was some other John one of them who lived in Asia For 't is said there are two Tombes at Ephesus and both called by the name of John's Tombe Also from the sentences the words and the disposition or placing of them this John who wrote the Revelation may with good reason be suspected to be a distinct person from the other John for there is a mutual agreement betwixt the Gospel and the Epistle and they both begin alike the Gospel begins thus In the beginning was the word The Epistle thus That which was from the beginning The Gospel says And the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us And we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Son of the Father The Epistle says the same with a very little variation That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life for the life was manifested For these are his
of Christ he was honoured with a Presbytership of the Church there Now this man having undertaken to dispute against Paul the Notaries having written down all the passages of that disputation which is at this day extant was the onely person that was able to detect and convince that crafty and deceitfull fellow CHAP. XXX Concerning the Epistle of the Bishops against Paul THe Prelates therefore being assembled together by common consent writ an Epistle to Dionysius Bishop of Rome and Maximus Bishop of Alexandria and then sent it over all the Provinces both manifesting their diligence to all men the perverse Heterodoxy of Paul the Confutations and Disputes which were held against them and also giving in a Narration of the whole Life and Morals of the man whose words in which Epistle that Posterity may remember them it will be convenient here to relate THE EPISTLE To Dionysius and Maximus and to all our fellow-Ministers over the whole world Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and to the whole Catholick Church under heaven Helenus Hymenaeus Theophilus Theotecnus Maximus Proclus Nicomas Aelianus Paul Bolanus Protogenes Hierax Eutychius Theodorus Malchion and Lucius And all the rest of the Bishops of the Neighbouring Cities and Provinces which are with us the Presbyters and Deacons and the Churches of God To the beloved Brethren in the Lord health After some words interpos'd they adde these following We have written to and intreated many of the Bishops far Remote that they would come and assist in the Curing of this Pestiferous Doctrine for we wrote to Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria and to Firmilianus Bishop of Cappadocia men of blessed Memory The first of them wrote to Antioch but did not so much as vouchsafe the Authour of the Heresie a salutation neither did he write to him by name but to the whole Church a Copy of which Letter we have here inserted The other Firmilianus came twice and condemned Paul's novelties as we who were then present do attest and many others do also know as well as we But when he promised to recant Firmilianus believing him and hoping that the business might be composed without any reproach to our Religion deferred his sentence being deceived by him who denyed his God and Lord and who kept not the faith which he formerly professed But Firmilianus was now about coming to Antioch and he came as far as Tarsus For he had had experience of his malicious wickedness who denyed his God But in the interim of our assembling and whilest we were sending for him and expecting his coming he died After some other passages they describe his Morals and what course of Life he lead in these words But since he turn'd to forged and spurions Opinions departing from the true Rule it is not our concern to examine the Actions of one who is out of the Church Neither how he who was formerly poor and indigent having had no Estate from his Parents nor got any thing by any Trade or Profession is now become incredibly rich by his unlawful and sacrilegious dealings by extortion and vexatiousness used towards the Brethren and by taking bribes from those that were injured promising to help them to their right for a reward but he deceiv'd them too getting money for doing nothing through their willingness who were entangled in Suits to give any thing for a delivery from those troubles He supposed godliness to be gain Neither need we declare how proud and insolent he was being invested with secular Dignities and desiring to be stiled a Ducenarius rather then a Bishop and how he walk't in state through the Forum reading and dictating Letters as he walked in publick with a numerous Guard about him some going before and some following him in so much that there was an ill opinion and an odium brought upon the faith through his pride and haughtiness Neither does it concern us to examine his vain glorious ambition in the Ecclesiastick conventions which he greedily pursues being desirous of glory and affected with an imaginary pomp with such devices as these terrifying the minds of the faithful and ignorant Besides he errected for himself a Tribunal and a lofty throne not like one of Christ's disciples but had a place called his Secretum like as the secular Magistrates have He also used to clap his hand upon his thigh and stamp't upon the Throne with his feet And such as did not commend him and shake their oraria as they usually did in the Theaters and did not make loud exclamations nor leapt up and down in the same manner as his favourites which were a company of silly men and women that during their hearkning to him used such indecencies did but were attentive to him with such a seemly reverence and decencie as befits the house of God those persons he rebuked and reproach't In his publick discourses he reflected upon those Doctours of our Religion that were dead with all imaginable scorn and petulancy but he magnified himself not as became a Bishop but rather like a counterfeit and an Impostour He abolished the Psalms which were usually sung in honour of our Lord Jesus Christ as Novel and the composures of modern men On the great feast of Easter he appointed women to sing Psalms in his commendation in the body of the Church which whosoever heard might justly tremble at He also privately sent the Bishops of the Neighbouring Villages and Towns and the Presbyters who were his flatterers to make discourses to the people in commendation of him For he will not joyn in a confession with us that the Son of God came down from heaven that we may now premise some things of what we shall hereafter more at large declare in writing Neither shall this be affirmed on our bare word but it is evident in many places up and down his Acts which we have sent you and most especially there where he says that Jesus Christ is of the earth But those who chaunt out his praises and sing his Encomium's amongst the people do say that this their impious master is an angel come down from heaven nor does that haughty fellow prohibit these expressions but is himself present when they are spoken What need we here mention his and his Presbyters and Deacons Subintroduced women as the Antiochians term them in whom he conceals not onely this but many other damnable crimes which he is conscious of and of which he has been convict they are guilty that by this means he may keep them so obnoxious as not to adventure through a fear of their own guilt to accuse him for his impious words and practises Moreover he has enriched them And this is the reason he is beloved and admired by them who covet such things But why do we write these things We know beloved that it is the duty of a Bishop and of the whole Clergy to be examples of good
body of a man but either stones or wood or some such senseless thing should without any intermission be torn even to his very bones and inmost recesses of his bowells Which being performed for a long time together the Judge perceived his attempts were vain for although his body was mangled all over with the tortures yet he continued silent and was as insensible of pain as if he had in a manner been lifeless Nevertheless the Judge still persevering in his merciless and inhumane cruelty immediately condemned him to be burnt in the same habit he was in by a slow fire And thus this person although he was the last that entred the combat yet prevented his master after the flesh in that he obtained his departure out of this life before him those who were busied about vanquishing the former Martyrs hitherto making some delays You might therefore have seen Prophyrius for that was his name in quality like a valorous champion who had been conquerour in all manner of exercises belonging to the Sacred games proceeding forth to his death after he had suffered so great tortures with a body covered all over with dust but with a chearful countenance and a mind full of joy and confidence he was most truly filled with the divine spirit and being clad in a Philosophick habit having only a garment wrapt about him in fashion like unto a n cloak with a calm and sedate mind he gave commands to those of his acquaintance and dispatcht whatever he had a mind to do retaining the serenity of his countenance even when he was at the very stake Moreover when the pile which lay at a sufficient distance was kindled round about him with his mouth he attracted the flame on every side of him and after this one expression which he uttered when the flame began to touch him to wit invoaking Jesus the Son of God to be his helper he most couragiously continued silent even to the very last gasp Such was Porphyrius's combat whose consummation Seleucus a Confessour that had formerly been a Souldier having related to Pamphilus as being the conveyer of such a message he was immediately vouchsafed to be joyned in the same lot with the Martyrs For he had no sooner related Porphyrius's death and saluted one of the Martyrs with a kiss but some of the Souldiers seize him and carry him before the President Who as if he resolved to hasten Seleucus that he might be Prophyrius's companion in his journey to heaven forthwith ordered he should undergo a capital punishment This Seleucus was born in Cappadocia but had attained no mean degree of honour amongst the choisest young men that belonged to the Roman Milice For he far excelled his fellow Souldiers in the fitness of his age for Military services in strength and stature of body and in valour in so much that his aspect was much discourst of amongst all men and the shape of his whole body greatly admired upon account both of his stature and comeliness About the beginning of the persecution he was eminently famous for his enduring stripes in the combat of confession but after he had left off his Military course of life he became a zealous emulatour of those that were Ascetae in their studies and exercises of piety and like a father and a patron demonstrated himself to be an Overseer as it were and an helper of desolate orphans and widows that were destitute of assistance and of those that were reduced to poverty and sickness Wherefore by God who is more delighted with such performances as these than with the smoak and bloud of sacrifices he was deservedly accounted worthy of that admirable and high calling to wit Martyrdom This was the tenth Champion who after the others before mentioned ended his life on the very same day whereon as it is probable the great gate of heaven was opened by the Martyrdom of Pamphilus sutable to the worth of that person which gave both him and his companions an easie entrance into the Celestial Kingdom Also Theodulus a venerable and pious old man belonging to the Presidents own family for whom Firmilianus had a greater esteem than for all his other domesticks partly upon account of his age having seen his children to the third generation and partly in respect of the singular affection and conscionable fidelity which he had continually retained towards him having followed Seleucus's steps and performed the same things that he did was brought before his master against whom he was more exasperated than against any of the former Martyrs and being forthwith put upon a Cross he underwent the same sort of Martyrdom our Saviour suffered Moreover one being yet wanting who might render the number of the foresaid Martyrs compleatly twelve Julianus intervened to make up their number At that very interim he was coming from a remote Country and had not entred the City but being informed of the slaughter of the Martyrs ran immediately in the same habit he had on out of the road to see that spectacle When he saw the dead bodies of those holy persons lying upon the ground being filled with an extraordinary joy he embraced every one of them and kissed them all Whilst he was doing this the Souldiers that were the instruments to commit those murders apprehend him and bring him to Firmilianus He doing herein what was agreeable to his usual cruelty ordered that this person also should be consumed by a slow fire Thus was Julianus also accounted worthy to receive the crown of Martyrdom leaping for joy and being exceeding glad and with a loud voice giving great thanks to the Lord who had vouchsafed him so great an honour This Julianus was by country a Cappadocian as to his morals he was eminently pious and circumspect and famous for his most genuine and sincere faith he was very active and diligent in all things being inspired by the holy Ghost Such was the file of Martyrs who were vouchsafed to arrive at Martyrdom in company with Pamphilus The holy and truly sacred bodies of these persons were by the impious Presidents order watched for the space of four days and as many nights and exposed to be devoured by beasts that prey on flesh But when as it miraculously happened no wild beast or fowl or dog approached them during that time at last divine providence so ordering the matter they were taken away whole and untorn and having been allowed such funeral rites as befitted them received the usual interment Whilst the discourse concerning the Presidents surious rage against these persons was yet rise in all mens mouthes Adrianus and Eubulus arriving from that Country called Manganaea at Caesarea to give a visit to the rest of the Confessours were examined also at the gate of the City for what reason they came thither And having confessed the truth they were brought before Firmilianus he as he had usually done before was in no wise dilatory in his proceedings towards them also but
another while the Historical parts of Scripture and again at other times the Evangelick and Apostolick writings I was I confess amazed when I first saw this man standing in the midst of a numerous Ecclesiastick congregation and repeating some parts of the divine Scripture For as long as I could only hear his voice I supposed him to have read what is usually rehearsed in such assemblies But when I approached very neer and saw plainly what was done to wit all the rest in the assembly standing round and having their eye-sight clear and perfect and him making use of the eyes of his understanding only in reality delivering oracles like some Prophet and far surpassing those that were sound and healthy in body I could not forbear praising and glorifying of God And I thought that I really beheld a firm and most evident instance to perswade me to believe that he is to be accounted truly a man not who appears so to be by the external shape of his body but who is such in respect of his mind and understanding For although this person had a mangled and deformed body yet he demonstrated the strength of his internal faculties to be great and most powerful Moreover God himself vouchsafed to allot these forementioned persons who living in a place apart by themselves spent their time according to the usual manner in prayers fastings and in the performance of other severe exercises of Religion a blessed and salutary death reaching out to them his propitious right hand But that malicious enemy of all goodness unable to endure them any longer in regard they were carefully armed against him with their continual prayers to God resolved to have them killed and removed from off the earth as being troublesome to him Which God permitted him to attempt and perform both that he should not be hindred from â—oing mischief agreeable to his own mind and purpose and that they might at length receive the rewards of their various combats Thus therefore nine and thirty persons were beheaded on one and the same day by an order from the most impious Maximin These were the Martyrdomes perpetrated in Palestine during the space of ten years and such was the persecution in our days which having been began from those times wherein the Churches were demolished was much increased in the times succeeding by the Governours insolencies Amidst which their various and different combats who were Religious Champions made an innumerable company of Martyrs throughout every Province to wit in Libya and throughout all Egypt Syria and all those Provinces which reach from the East round to the Country of Illyricum For those regions scituate beyond these now mentioned that is all Italy Sicily France and those which lie towards the Sun-setting Spain Mauritania and Africa having not indured the rage of the persecution full out the space of the two first years were vouchsafed a sudden visitation from God and obtained peace divine Providence taking compassion on the simplicity and faith of those men Further an accident a parallel to which the Records from the very first beginning of the Roman Empire cannot shew happened now first in these our days contrary to all expectation For during the persecution in our times the Empire was divided into two parts Those brethren which were inhabitants of the one part that just now mentioned enjoyed peace but such as dwelt in the other part of the Empire endured innumerable conflicts renewed against them successively But when divine grace gave some indications of its candid and compassionate visitation of us then those very Governours of ours who before had been raisers of the wars waged against us in our days having most miraculously altered their minds sounded a retreat extinguishing the flame of persecution kindled against us by Rescripts published in favour to us and by mild Edicts 'T is requisite that we Record their retractation The End of Eusebius Pamphilus's Book concerning the Martyrs of Palestine THE NINTH BOOK OF THE Ecclesiastical History OF EUSEBIUS PAMPHILUS CHAP. I. Concerning the counterfeited Cessation of the Persecution THIS Revocation contained in the Imperial Edict mentioned before was published in all parts of Asia and throughout the Adjacent Provinces After which publications thus made Maximin the Eastern Tyrant a person as impious as ever breathed and a most deadly enemy to the worship of the supream God being in no wise pleased with these Rescripts instead of the forementioned Edict issues out a verbal Order only to those Governours within his Jurisdiction that they should stop the persecution against us For in regard he durst not in any wise oppose the Decree of his superiours having concealed the forementioned Edict and taken such care as that it should not be publickly proposed in the Provinces under his Jurisdiction he gives order by word of mouth only to those Governours under him that they should put a stop to the persecution against us of which Order they inform one another by Letters For Sabinus who was then honoured with the Prefecture of the Praetorium the chiefest Office among them in a Latine Epistle to the Governours of the Provinces declared the Emperour's pleasure the contents of which Letter we have thus translated The Majesty of our most sacred Lords the Emperours by their earnest and most devout care have long since determined to render the minds of all men conformable to the true and holy Rule of living that by this means they who seem to have embraced usages different from those of the Romanes might be induced to exhibite due worship to the immortal Gods But the obstinate and most untractable perverseness of some mens minds was arrived at such an height that neither could the justice of the Imperial Decree prevaile with them to recede from their own resolutions nor the imminent punishment annexed strike any terrour into them Since therefore it might have happened that upon this account many would have precipitated themselves into danger the sacred Majesty of our Lords the most puissant Emperours according to their innate clemency judging it disagreeable to their own most sacred Intent that upon this occasion men should be surrounded with such great danger enjoyned our devotedness to write to your Prudence that if evidence be brought against any Christian for his following that way of worship observed amongst those of his own Religion you should secure him and set him free from all danger and molestation and that you should condemn none to be punished upon account of this pretence For since it has been manifestly evidenced that during so long a tract of time they could by no means be perswaded to desist from their perverse stubborness your Prudence therefore is enjoyned to write to the Curators to the Magistrates and to the Presidents of the Villages belonging to every City that they may understand that for the future they are not to take any further care concerning this affair Hereupon all 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 eveâ—â— 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
Crown of beauty let us hear her Herself relate how she is taught to dance by Esaias and with pleasant expressions to shout forth thanksgivings to her God and King Let my soul rejoyce in the Lord. For he hath cloathed me with the Garment of salvation and the coat of gladness He hath encircled my head with a diadem like a bridegroom and hath bedecked me like a bride with ornaments And as the earth which multiplieth its flowers and as a garden that causeth its seeds to spring forth so the Lord hath caused righteousness to rise up and joy in the sight of all the Heathen Thus doth she sing and dance But in what expressions the Bridegroom the celestial Word Jesus Christ Himself answereth her hear the Lord speaking Fear not because thou hast been ignominiously treated neither be thou ashamed because thou hast suffered reproach For thou shalt forget thine everlasting shame and thou shalt no longer remember the reproach of thy widowhood the Lord hath called thee not as a woman forsaken and dejected in spirit nor as a woman hated from thy youth thy God hath said For a little while I have forsaken thee but with great compassion I will have pitty upon thee I turned my face from thee when I was a little angry but with everlasting mercy I will have mercy upon thee saith the Lord who hath redeemed thee Arise arise thou who hast drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath For thou hast drunk of and emptied the cup of Destruction the cup of my â—ury and there was none of all thy sons whom thou hast born to comfort thee neither was there any to take thee by the hand Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of destruction the cup of my wrath and thou shalt no longer drink it And I will put it into the hands of them who have injured thee and debased thee Arise arise put on strength put on thy glory Shake off the dust and arise sit down loose the chain of thy neck Lift up thine eyes round about and view thy children gathered together Behold they are gathered together and come to thee As I live saith the Lord thou shalt put them all on as an ornament and thou shalt put them about thee as a bride doth her bravery For thy desolate places and those that were wasted and ruinous shall now be too narrow for thy inhabitants And they shall be removed far from thee that devoured thee for thy sons which thou hadst lost shall say in thine ears The place is too straight for me make a place for me that I may dwell And thou shalt say in thine heart who hath begotten me these I am childless and a widow Who hath nourished these for me I was left desolate these where had they been All this Esaias hath predicted These things were in times past recorded in the holy Scriptures concerning us And it was requisite that we should now at length receive the truth of these words really and actually fullfilled In regard therefore the bridegroom the Word hath spoken in this manner to his spouse the sacred and holy Church agreeably hereto hath this Dresser of the Bride with the prayers of you all in common reaching out to her your helping hands by the appointment of God the supream King and by the appearance and presence of Jesus Christ's power raised and erected this desolate Church lying like a dead carcass on the ground and despaired of by all men And having lifted her up after this manner hath made her such an one as he was instructed to do by the delineation of the sacred Scriptures This Fabrick is indeed a stupendious miracle and doth surpass all the degrees of admiration especially to them who are only intent upon the outward appearance of things But the original Examples and Primitive forms hereof the spiritual and truely divine patterns are more admirable then all miracles I mean the reparations of that divine and rational building in our souls Which Structure when the Son of God himself had framed according to his own Image and had freely granted that in all parts it should bear the resemblance of God he bestowed upon it a nature incorruptible incorporeal rational different from all terrene matter and gave it a substance originally and of its self intelligent after he had once thus created it at the beginning out of nothing He made it an holy Spouse and framed it into a most sacred Temple for Himself and his Father This he himself in express words acknowledgeth saying I will dwell in them and walk amongst them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Such indeed is the perfect and purified soul which was so framed at the beginning that it bore the perfect Image of the celestial Word But when through the envie and emulation of the malitious Devil by its own voluntary choice it began to be a follower of its own passions and was inamored with vice God having withdrawn himself out of it being left destitute as it were of a Defender it was easily captivated and remained exposed to their treacheries who for a long time had been enviers of its glory and being now utterly battered down by the Engines and Machines of its invisible Adversaries and spiritual enemies it sunk down into such a total ruine that not one stone of vertue was left standing upon another all the parts of it lay prostrate on the ground as dead utterly deprived of all those notions concerning God which were naturally imprinted on it But this ruinated building which was framed after the Image of God was not laid waste by that wild bore out of the wood which is visible 〈…〉 eyes but by some destructive Devil and by â—â—telligent and spiritual wild beasts Who having put it into a flame by wicked passions as it were with the fiery darts of their malice have burnt with fire the truely divine sanctuary of God and destroyed the tabernacle of his name even to the ground Afterwards they buried it miserable wretch under a vast hoap of earth which they cast up and reduced it to an utter despaire of all manner of safety But its Patron the Divine and salutary Word obeying the love of his most gracious Father shown towards mankind restored it again after it had suffered condign punishment for its sins In the first place therefore having united to himself the minds of the Emperours by means of those most pious Princes he cleansed the whole world from all impious and pernicious men and also from those cruel and barbarous Tyrants hated of God Afterwards he brought to light men very well known to him persons that heretofore had been consecrated Priests to him for ever and were secretly concealed and secur'd by his defence during the storm of Persecution whom agreeable to their deserts he honoured with the magnificent gifts of the spirit by these
God begotten not made of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made that are in heaven and that are in earth Who for us men and for our salvation descended and was incarnate was made man suffered and rose again the third day he ascended into heaven He shall come to judge the quick and the dead We also believe in the Holy Ghost But those who hold that there was a time when he was not or that he was not before he was begotten or that he was made of nothing and those that affirm he is of any other substance or essence or that the Son of God is created or convertible or obnoxious to change all such God's Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church doth anathematize When this form of Faith was appointed by the Bishops we did not inconsiderately omit making an enquiry what their meaning was of those terms of the substance of the Father and of the same substance with the Father Hence therefore arose several Questions and Answers and the true import of those words was with great accuracy examined And it was acknowledged by them that these words To be of the substance did only signifie thus much that the Son is of the Father but not as a part of the Father It seem'd to us altogether reasonable and safe to give our assent to this meaning of this sacred Doctrine which asserteth that the Son is of the Father but is not a part of his substance Wherefore we our selves also gave our assent to this import of those words nor do we reject the terme Homoöusios having peace before our eyes as the marke at which we aime and being cautious lest we should fall from a right apprehension of the Faith For the same reasons also we have admitted of these words begotten not made For made said they is a common term attributed to all other creatures which were made by the Son of whom the Son hath no resemblance Wherefore he is no creature like to those which were created by him but he is of a far more excellent substance then any creature which substance as the sacred Oracles do instruct us is begotten of the Father but by such a manner of Generation as is ineffable and inexpressible by any created Being Thus also this proposition that the Son is of the same substance with the Father was discussed to wit that this is not to be understood according to the manner of bodies nor in a sense agreeable to mortal Creatures For this Consubstantiality cannot be either by Division of the Substance or by Abscision or Mutation of the Paternal Essence and Power For all these things are inconsistent with the uncreated nature of the Father But this proposition to be of the same substance with the Father doth expresly represent to us no more than this viz. that the Son of God hath no community with or resemblance to created Beings but that in every respect he is like to the Father onely who hath begotten him and that he does exist of no other substance or essence but of the Father To this Opinion therefore thus explain'd we thought good to give our assent more especially because we also knew that some of the Ancient Learned and eminent Bishops and Writers have made use of this term Homoöusios in their explications of the Divinity of the Father and of the Son Thus much therefore we have said concerning the Creed published at Nice to which we all agreed not inconsiderately and without examination but according to the senses given which were discussed in the presence of our most pious Emperour and for the forementioned reasons received with an unanimous consent Moreover as concerning the Anathematism published by the Fathers after the Creed we judged it not in the least troublesome in regard it does prohibit the use of terms that occur not in the Scriptures from the use of which terms came almost all the confusion and disturbance that hath been raised in the Church Since therefore no part of the Scripture given by divine inspiration hath made use of these terms to wit of things which exist not and there was a time when he was not it seem'd disagreeable to reason that these assertions should be either mentioned or taught To this good and sound Opinion we also have assented in as much as in former times we have never made use of such expressions These things beloved we thought requisite to send to you that we might most apparently evidence to you the considerateness as well of our examination and researches into all points as of our assent and that you might also know with what good reason we did at first make a resistance even to the last houre as long as some things written in a manner different from what they should have been offended us but at length without further contention we embraced those points which were not offensive when after a candid enquiry into the import of the terms we found them to be agreeable with what we our selves had made confession of in that form of the Creed we at first proposed Thus wrote Eusebius Pamphilus to Cesarea in Palestine Also by the common consent and approbation of the Council this following Synodicall Epistle was written to the Church of Alexandria and to the inhabitants of Aegypt Libya and Pentapolis CHAP. IX The Epistle of the Synod concerning those matters determined by it and how Arius was degraded together with them that embraced his sentiments TO the Holy by the Grace of God and great Church of the Alexandrians and to our beloved brethren the inhabitants of Aegypt Libya and Pentapolis The Bishops Assembled at Nice who fill up that great and holy Synod send Greeting in the Lord. For as much as by the Grace of God and the Summons of the most pious Emperour Constantine who hath call'd us together out of diverse Cities and Provinces a great and holy Synod has been convened at Nice it seem'd altogether necessary that a Letter should be written to you in the name of the sacred Synod whence you might understand what things were there propos'd and what taken into examination as also what were Decreed and established First of all therefore the impiety and iniquity of Arius and his complices was inquired into in the presence of the most pious Emperour Constantine and the Councils determination which was confirmed by the suffrages of all was that his impious Opinion and execrable terms and names should be anathematized which terms and names he blasphemously used affirming that the Son of God had his Being of nothing and that there was a time when he was not as also saying that the Son of God had à freedom of will whereby he was capable either of vertue or vice and calls him a Credture and a Work All these Tenets the holy Synod hath anathematized not enduring so much as patiently to hear this impious opinion or rather madness and these blasphemous expressions But what
consciousness For it is really most absurd for them to make their bragges that we are not capable of our selves without their instruction to observe these things But of what are they able to pass a right judgment who after that parricide of theirs the murther of our Lord were struck with madness and are led not by the conduct of reason but by an ungovernable impetus whithersoever their innate rage shall drive them Hence therefore it is that even in this particular they discern not the Truth but always wandring at the greatest distance from a decent and agreeable amendment they celebrate Easter twice within the space of one and the same year What reason have we therefore to follow these men who it is acknowledged are distempered with an abominable Errour We must never endure the keeping of two Easters in one year But although what we have said were not sufficient yet nevertheless it behooves your prudence to make it your greatest care and the matter of your constant prayers that the purity of your souls should not in the likeness of any thing seem to be joyned or mixed with the usages of most wicked men Besides this is to be considered that it is a most impious thing that there should be any disagreement in a matter of so great concern and in such a solemnity of Religion For our Saviour left us but one day to be celebrated in commemoration of our Redemption that is the day of his most sacred Passion and he also desired that his Catholick Church should be one The members of which Church although they are much dispersed in divers places yet nevertheless are cherished by one spirit that is by the will of God Let the prudence of your sanctity consider how grievous and undecent a thing it is that on the self same daies some should keep strict Fasts and others celebrate Feasts and that on the days after Easter some should be conversant in feastings and a vacantness from labours and others devote themselves to set Fasts Wherefore it pleased divine Providence that these things should be seasonably redressed and reduced to one and the same form as we suppose you are all sensible Since therefore it was expedient to make such an emendation in this point as that we might not seem to hold the least Communion with those Parricides and Murderers of of our Lord the Jews and since this is the most decent and becoming order which all the Churches of the Western Southern and Northern parts of the world and also some in the Eastern parts do observe for these reasons all persons have at present judged it good and expedient and we our selves also promised that it would not be ungratefull to your wisdom that that which with such an universal unanimity is observed in the City of Rome and all over Italy and Africa throughout all Aegypt Spain France Brittain Libya over all Greece and the Provinces of Asia and Pontus and throughout Cilicia would also be most willingly received and embraced by you Let this also be seriously considered that not only the number of the Churches in the forementioned places is far the greater but also that it is most just and equal that all mens wills should universally concur in that which strict reason seems to require and which has no Communion with the perjury of the Jews But that we may speak more summarily and briefly it was by a general consent agreed that the most sacred Festival of Easter should be solemniz'd upon one and the same day For it is undecent that there should be any diversity in so great and holy a solemnity and it is far better to adhere to that Opinion in which there is no mixture of strange and absurd errour and impiety Since therefore these things are thus ordered do you with joy receive this celestial and truly divine Commandment For whatsoever is transacted and determined in the sacred assemblies of the Bishops must be attributed to the Divine will Wherefore when you have imparted to all our beloved brethren what has been prescribed it is your duty to embrace and establish the forementioned rule and observation of the most holy day that when we shall come into the presence of your love which we were long since desirous of we may celebrate the sacred Festival with you on one and the same day and that we may rejoyce together with you for all things beholding the cruelty of the Devil totally removed by the divine power and our endeavours whilst your Faith Peace and Concord does every where flourish God preserve you Beloved Brethren Another Letter to Eusebius VICTOR CONSTANTINUS MAXIMUS AUGUSTUS to Eusebius We really believe and are absolutely perswaded Dearest Brother that in regard an impious desire and tyrannick violence hath persecuted the servants of God our Saviour even to this present time the edifices of all Churches have either by neglect gone to ruine or through fear of the imminent dangerousness of the times have been adorned with less of stateliness But now since Liberty is restored and that Serpent that Persecutor Licinius is by Almighty God's Providence and our instrumental endeavours forced out of the Administration of publick Affairs we suppose that the divine power hath been sufficiently manifested to all men and that all who either through fear or unbelief have fallen into any sins having now acknowledged the only true God will in future return to the true and right course of life Do you therefore remind as well all persons belonging to the Churches over which you preside as also all other Bishops presiding in other places together with the Presbyters and Deacons whom you know that they use their utmost diligence about the structures of the Churches either about repairing those that are still standing or about inlarging others or in building new ones wheresoever it shall be found requisite And you your self and the rest by your mediation may ask necessaries for that work both from our Presidents of the Provinces and also from the Office of the Praetorian Prefecture For they are already impowred by our Rescripts to be diligently observant about all your Holinesses Orders God preserve you Beloved Brother Thus wrote the Emperour to the Bishops throughout every particular Province concerning the building of the Churches But what he wrote to Eusebius of Palestine about providing some Copies of the sacred Scriptures we may easily collect from these his Letters VICTOR CONSTANTINUS MAXIMUS AUGUSTUS to Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea By the assistance of God our Saviours Providence so great a multitude of men have joyned themselves to the most Holy Church in that City which bears our Name that Christianity seems to have made its greatest progress and increase there It seems therefore very requisite that there should be more Churches erected in that City Wherefore do you with the greatest alacrity admit of what we have Decreed We thought fit to signifie this to your prudence
desire Athanasius having received these Letters at Aquileia for there he abode after his departure from Serdica hastned immediately to Rome And having shown the Letters to Julius the Bishop he caused great joy in the Roman Church For they supposed that the Emperour of the East had now given his assent to their Faith in regard he invited Athanasius to come to him But Julius wrote this Epistle to the Clergy and Laity in Alexandria concerning Athanasius The Epistle of Julius Bishop of Rome to those of Alexandria Julius to the Bishops and Presbyters and Deacons and to the Laity inhabiting Alexandria his beloved Brethren health in the Lord. I also rejoyce with you beloved Brethren because you now see before your eyes the fruit of your Faith For that this is truly so any one may see in our brother and fellow Bishop Athanasius whom God hath restored to you upon an account both of his purity of life and also of your prayers Hence it is apparent that you have continually offered up to God prayers which were pure and full of charity For being mindfull of the Celestial promises and of the course of life tending thereto which you have been instructed in by the Doctrine of our foresaid Brother you certainly knew and according to that true Faith which is implanted in you were apprehensive of this that your Bishop could not be perpetually seperated from you whom you carried in your pious minds as being continually present Wherefore I need not make use of many words in this my Letter to you For your Faith hath prevented whatever could have been said by me and by the grace of Christ those things have been fulfilled which you in common prayed for and desired I rejoyce therefore with you for I will say it again because you have preserved your souls inexpugnable in your defending of the Faith Nor do I any whit less rejoyce with my Brother Athan sius because although he hath undergone many sharp afflictions yet he was not one hour unmindfull of your love and your desire For although he seemed to have been withdrawn from you for a time yet he was continually conversant with you in spirit And I am of opinion Beloved that all the trialls and troubles which have hapned to him are not inglorious For both your and his Faith hath thereby been made known and approved amongst all men For had not so many and great afflictions befell him who would have believed either that you should have had so great a respect and love for so eminent a Bishop or that he should have been adorned with such excellent virtues by reason of which he is in no wise to be defrauded of his hope in the heavens He hath therefore obtained a testimony of confession every way glorious both in this and in the world to come For after his many and various sufferings both by Land and Sea he hath trodden under foot all the treachâ—ries of the Arian Heresie and after his having been frequently assaulted and brought into danger through envy he hath despised death being guarded by Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ hoping that he should not only avoid his Enemies Plots but also be restored in order to your consolation bringing back to you greater Trophies by reason of your being conscious of having done what was just and good Upon which account he hath been rendred glorious even as far as the ends of the whole earth being approved for his integrity of life undauntedly persisting in the defence of his resolution of mind and Celestial Doctrine and evidently declared by your constant and perpetual judgment to be intirely beloved by you He returns therefore to you now far more bright and glorious than when he departed from you For if the fire tries and refines pretious metalls I mean Gold and Silver what can be said of so eminent a Personage according to his worth who having vanquished the fire of so great afflictions and so many perills is now restored to you having been declared innocent not by our determination only but by that of the whole Synod Receive therefore Beloved Brethren with all Divine Glory and joy your Bishop Athanasius together with those who have been his fellow sufferers And rejoyce in that you enjoy your desires who have nourished and quenched the thirst of your pastour hungring if I may so speak and thirsting after your piety with your comfortable writings For you were a consolation to him during his abode in strange Countries and you have cherished him with your most faithfull souls and minds whilst he was Persecuted and assaulted with treacheries Indeed I rejoyce already whilst I consider and foresee in my mind the joy of every one of you at his return and the most pious meetings which will be given him by the populace and the glorious solomnity of those which will be assembled and what manner of day that will be wherein our brother shall make his return when forepast calamities shall have an end and his pretious and wish't for return shall unite all persons in an alacrity of mind exprest by the highest degree of joy Such a joy as this does as to the greatest part of it reach even as far as us to whom Heaven 't is manifest hath granted this favour that we should be able to come to the knowledge of so eminent a Personage It is fit therefore that we should close this Letter with a prayer May God Almighty and his Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ afford you this perpetual grace rendring you the reward of your admirable Faith which you have demonstrated towards your Bishop by a glorious testimony that better things may await you and your posterity both in this and in the world to come which Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom Glory be to Almighty God for ever and ever Amen I wish you good health beloved Brethren Athanasius confiding in these Letters went into the East The Emperour Constantius received him not then with an incensed mind But upon the suggestion of the Arians he attempted to circumvent him And speaks to him thus You have indeed recovered your See by the Synods determination and our consent But in regard there are some of the people in Alexandria who do refuse to hold communion with you suffer them to have one Church in the City To which request Athanasius immediately made this return and says It is in your power O Emperour to command and do what you will I also ask and request this favour of you which I desire you would grant me When the Emperour had readily promised him to grant it Athanasius forthwith added that he desired to receive the same favour that the Emperour had required should be granted him for he also requested that throughout every City one
rather learn the points of Religion from him Moses replied an account of the points of Religion is not now required For the villanous actions you have committed against the Brethren do sufficiently demonstrate how Christian-like sentiments you have For a Christian strikes not reviles not does not fight for a Servant of the Lord ought not to fight But your facts do loudly cry out by those who have been exiled who have been cast to the wild beasts and who have been committed to the flames Moreover things seen by the eyes contain a greater and more convincing demonstration than what is received by hearing When Moses had said these and such like words as these his friends carried him to the mountain that he might receive Ordination from those Bishops who lived in Exile there Moses therefore having been after this manner consecrated at that time the Saracen War had an end put to it and for the future Mavia continued so strict an Alliance with the Romans that she betrothed her daughter to Victor the Roman Lieutenant General Thus much concerning the Saracens CHAP. XXXVII That after Valens's departure from Antioch the Orthodox in the East more especially those at Alexandria took courage and having ejected Lucius restored the Churches again to Peter who was returned fortified with the Letters of Damasus Bishop of Rome AT the same time that the Emperour Valens left Antioch those persons in all places who had been persecuted were mightily encouraged especially the Alexandrians Peter at that time returning from Rome with the Letters of Damasus the Roman Bishop whereby the Homoöusian Faith and Peters Ordination were confirmed The populace therefore resuming courage turn out Lucius and substitute Peter in his place Lucius went immediately on board a ship and sailed to Constantinople But Peter having lived but a little while after this dyed and left Timotheus his brother to succeed him in his See CHAP. XXXVIII That the Emperour arriving at the City Constantinople and being reproach't by the people upon account of the Goths marches out of the City against the Barbarians And coming to an ingagement with them near Adrianople a City of Macedonia is slain by them after he had lived fifty years and Reigned sixteen MOreover the Emperour Valens coming into Constantinople about the thirtieth of May in his own sixth and in Valentinianus Junior's second Consulate finds the people in a very sad and dejected condition For the Barbarians who had already overrun and ruined Thracia did now plunder and destroy the very Suburbs of Constantinople there being then no Forces ready that were fit to make a resistance against them But when the Barbarians attempted to make nearer approaches even to the very City walls the Citizens were grievously troubled thereat and murmured against the Emperour as if he himself had brought the Enemy thither and because he did not forthwith march out against them but deferred the War against the Barbarians Moreover when the Cirque Sports were exhibited all with one consent exclaimed against the Emperour because he was negligent of the publick affairs They cried out therefore with a great deal of earnestness Give us Arms and we our selves will fight The Emperour was highly incensed at the hearing of these Exclamations against himself and about the eleventh of June marches out of the City threatning that if he returned he would punish the Constantinopolitans both for the reproaches they then cast upon him and also because they had heretofore been Abettours of Procopius's Tyranny Having therefore said that he would totally demolish the City and Plough it up he march't out against the Barbarians Whom he drove a great way from the City and pursued them as far as Adrianople a City of Thracia situate in the Frontiers of Macedonia Ingaging the Barbarians at that place he ended his life on the ninth of August in the now mentioned Consulate This was the fourth year of the two hundreth eighty ninth Olympiad 'T is reported by some that he was destroyed by fire after he had taken refuge in a certain Village which the Barbarians assaulted and burnt But others affirm that having changed his Imperial habit he ran into the midst of the main body of Foot and when the Horse attempted a defection and refused fighting the Roman Foot were surrounded by the Barbarians and wholly cut off in the ingagement amongst whom 't is said the Emperour lay but was not known his Imperial habit whereby it might have been manifested which was he being not upon him He died after the fiftieth year of his age having Governed the Empire thirteen years with his Brother and Reigned three years after him This Book containes an account of affairs during the space of sixteen years THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE Ecclesiastical History OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICUS The PREFACE BEfore we begin the History of our Fifth Book we make a request to those who shall read this Work of ours that they would not blame us because designing to Write an Ecclesiastick History we intermix therewith the Wars also which have at several times hapned so far as we could procure a true Relation thereof For we do this upon several accounts First to bring the Readers to a knowledge of what has been Transacted Secondly that our Readers may not be cloy'd by being continually detained with a perusal of the contentious disagreements of Bishops and with the designes they framed against one another But most especially that it might be made apparent that when the Affairs of the State were disturbed those of the Church also by a certain sympathy as it were became distempered and disordered For let any man make an observation and he will find that the mischiefs of the State and troubles of the Church have gathered strength and spread together For he will perceive that they have either had their rise at one and the same time or else have immediately followed one another And sometimes the calamities of the Church lead the way then follow the commotions of the State at others on the contrary So that I cannot perswade my self that the interchangeable course of these things does proceed from any fortuitous accident but that they take their beginnings from our iniquities and that calamities are sent for the chastizement thereof For according to the Apostle Some mens sins are open before hand going before to judgment and some men they follow after Upon this account therefore we have interwoven some affairs transacted in the State with our Ecclesiastick History What was done in the Wars during the Reign of Constantine because 't is so long ago we could not find an account of But we make a cursory mention of the Actions done since according to the relation thereof which we have received from persons yet living We do without intermitting any one of them include the Emperours in this our History because from such time as they began to embrace the Christian Religion the affairs of the Church have
mentioning to them only such things as necessarily ought to be observed The Epistle it self is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles yet nothing hinders but we may insert it here The Apostles and Elders and Brethren send Greeting unto the Brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia For as much as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls saying ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such commandment it seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord to send chosen men unto you with our Beloved Barnabas and Paul Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas who shall also tell you the same things by mouth For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burthen than these necessary things that ye abstain from meats offered to Idols and from bloud and from things strangled and from fornication from which if you keep your selves ye shall do well fare ye well These things pleased God For these are the express words of the Letter it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to lay upon you no greater burthen than these necessaries to be observed Notwithstanding there are some who disregarding these Precepts suppose all Fornication to be a thing indifferent but contend about Holy days as if it were for their lives these persons invert the commands of God and make Laws for themselves not valuing the Decree of the Apostles nor do they consider that they practise the contrary to those things which seemed good to God It were indeed possible to have extended our discourse concerning Easter much farther and to have demonstrated that the Jews observe no exact Rule either in the time or manner of celebrating the Paschal solemnity and that the Samaritans who are a Schism of the Jews do always celebrate this Festivall after the Aequinox But this Subject requires a particular and more copious Treatise I only say this that they who so affectedly imitate the Jews and are so solicitously accurate about Types and Figures ought in no wise to dissent from them in any particular whatever For if they have taken a resolution of observing all things with an accuracy they must not only observe days and months but all other things also which Christ constituted under the Law did after the manner of the Jews or which he suffered unjustly from the Jews or Lastly which he wrought typically whilest he was doing good to all men For instance he entred into a Ship and taught He ordered the passover to be made ready in an upper room he commanded the Ass that was tied to be loosed he proposed him who bore a pitcher of water as a sign to them for hastning their preparations of the passover these things I say they must observe and infinite others of this nature which are recorded in the Gospels And yet they who suppose themselves to be justified by this Festival make it their business to observe none of these things in a bodily manner For no Doctor ever Preach't out of a Ship no person ever went up to an upper room and celebrated the passover there they never tyed and again unloosed an Ass that was tyed in fine no person ever enjoyned another to carry a pitcher of water to the end that the Symbolls might be fulfilled For they thought that these and such like things as these savoured rather of Judaism For the Jews are solicitous about keeping their solemn Rites and Ceremonies in their bodies rather than in their souls Upon which account they are obnoxious to the Curse because they conceive the Law of Moses to consist in Types and Figures but understand it not according to the truth But those persons who are favourers of the Jews do indeed refer these things to an allegoricall sense and meaning but they raise an irreconcilable War about days and months contemning an allegoricall interpretation of them in so much that as to this particular they themselves as well as the Jews are of necessity condemned and bring the sentence of Execration upon themselves But I think this sufficient to have been said concerning these things Let us now return to our Subject whereof we have made mention a little before to wit that the Church once divided rested not in that first division and that those who were divided did again engage one another and taking hold of a small and very frivolous pretence raised mutuall separations and divisions The Novatians as I have said were divided amongst themselves on account of the Feast of Easter Nor was the division among them concerning this Festivall single For some throughout divers Provinces observed it after one manner others after another and they disagreed amongst themselves not only about the month but about the days of the week also and about other matters of a small importance part of them holding separate Assemblies and part joyning in a promiscuous communion CHAP. XXIII Concerning the Arians at Constantinople who were also termed the Psathyriani MOreover there arose dissentions amongst the Arians upon this occasion The contentious questions daily started amongst them had reduced their discourses to some absurdities For whereas it has been always believed in the Church that God is the Father of the Son the Word there hapned this Query amongst them whether or no God could be called Father even before the Son existed And in regard they asserted that the Word of God was not begotten of the Father but existed of nothing being thus mistaken about the first and chiefest Article of Faith they deservedly fell into an absurd contentiousness about a bare word Dorotheus therefore who had been sent for from Antioch by them maintained that God neither was nor could be termed a Father before the Son existed But Marinus whom they had called out of Thracia before Dorotheus having got a fair opportunity for he was vext because Dorotheus had been preferred before him undertook to desend the contrary opinion For this reason there hapned a dissention amongst them and being divided on account of the foresaid Term each party held separate Meetings Those under Dorotheus continued possest of their own Meeting-houses But Marinus's followers built themselves private Oratories wherein they had their Assemblies and asserted that the Father was always the Father even when the Son existed not Moreover the maintainers of this assertion were termed Psathyriani because one Theoctistus by Country a Syrian a Psathyropola by Trade was a zealous defender of this Opinion Selenas Bishop of the Goths became a follower of these persons Tenets He was a man of a mixt descent a Goth by his fathers side by his mothers a Phrygian And upon this account he taught in the Church very readily in both these Languages Further this faction soon after quarrelled amongst themselves
the Macedoniani were afflicted by Nestorius MOreover Nestorius behaved himself contrary to the usage of the Church and caused others to imitate himself in such things as 't is apparent from what hapned during his being Bishop For one Antonius Bishop of Germa a City in the Hellespont imitated Nestorius's rage towards the Hereticks and made it his business to persecute the Macedoniani taking the Patriarch's order as a pretext for his Apology The Macedoniani for some time endured his vexatiousness But after Antonius began to disquiet them more vehemently being unable to undergo his molestation any longer they grew desperate and brake out into a cruell madness and having privately sent some men who preferred what is pleasant before that which is good they murder him The Macedoniani having perpetrated this villanous fact Nestorius took hold of what had been done as an occasion of his own rage And he perswades the Emperours to deprive them of their Churches As well those Churches therefore which they had before the old walls of Constantinople as them they were possest of in Cyzicum were taken from them as were likewise many others which they had in the Villages of the Hellespont Some of them came over to the Catholick Church and embraced the Homoâ—usian Faith But as 't is proverbially spoken Drunkards never want wine nor Contentious persons strife It hapned therefore that Nestorius who busied himself in expelling other persons was himself turned out of the Church for this reason following CHAP. XXXII Concerning the Presbyter Anastasius by whom Nestorius was perverted to Impiety ANastasius the Presbyter who had come from Antioch with Nestorius was his intimate acquaintance Nestorius had an high esteem for him and made use of his advice in the management of business This Anastasius being Preaching one time in the Church uttered these words Let no man stile Mary Theotocos For Mary was a woman But 't is impossible for God to be born of a woman The hearing hereof disturbed many persons as well of the Clergy as Laity For they had been heretofore taught to confess Christ to be God and in no wise to separate him as man from the Divinity on account of his Incarnation whereto they were induced by the Apostle's words who saith Yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more And again wherefore leaving the discourse concerning Christ let us press forwards to perfection A disturbance therefore having been raised in the Church as I have said about this matter Nestorius endeavoured to confirm Anastasius's expression for he was unwilling that the man for whom he had so great an esteem should be reproved as having spoken blasphemy and made frequent discourses concerning it in the Church in which he proposed contentious questions concerning this thing and every where rejected this term Theotocos This question therefore being entertained in one manner by some and in another by others on this account a dissention arose in the Church And being Engaged in an Encounter by night as it were sometimes they asserted these things at others those affirming and in like manner denying one and the same thing But Nestorius was supposed by most men to entertain such Sentiments as to assert the Lord Christ to be a meer man and to introduce the opinion of Paul of Samosata and Photinus into the Church Now so great a controversie and disturbance was raised about this matter that 't was thought necessary a Generall Councill should be convened But I my self after my reading the Books published by Nestorius found him to be an ignorant person And I will declare the truth unfeignedly For his vices which I have spoken of already I have not mentioned out of any hatred to him nor will I to gratifie any man lessen my account of the good which I found in him Nestorius seems not to me to be a follower either of Paul of Samosata's opinion or of Photinus's nor in the least to assert the Lord Christ to be a meer man But he was put into a fright by this term Theotocos only as if it had been a Bugbear And this befell him meerly by reason of his great Illiterateness For being naturally endowed with eloquence he was supposed to be a man of learning but in reality was unlearned and ignorant He likewise scorned to read the Books of Ancient Expositours For being puft up with pride by reason of his ability to speak well he minded not reading the Ancients with any thing of accuracy but thought himself better then any man else To begin therefore from hence he was wholly ignorant that in the Catholick Epistle of S t John to wit in the ancient Copies thereof it was thus written every spirit which separates Jesus from God is not of God For this sentence has been expunged out of the ancient Copies by those whose desire it is to separate the Divine nature from the humane Oeconomy Wherefore the Ancient Expositours have made this very remark to wit that some persons have depraved this Epistle being desirous to separate the Manhood of Christ from his Deity For the Humanity is joyned to the Divinity Nor are they any more two but one The Ancients emboldened by this Testimony scrupled not to stile Mary Theotocos For Eusebius Pamphilus in his third Book concerning the Life of Constantine has these express words For Emanuel endured to be born for us And the place of his Nativity is amongst the Hebrews termed Bethlehem Upon which account the Empress Helena most dear to God adorned the plaoe where the God bearing Virgin was delivered with admirable Monuments and illustrated that sacred Cave with all manner of ornaments And Origen in the first Tome of his Comments upon the Apostle's Epistle to the Romans expounding in what manner Mary may be termed Theotocos handles that Question largely 'T is apparent therefore that Nestorius was wholly ignorant in the writings of the Ancients For which reason as I have said he opposes this only term Theotocos For that he asserts not Christ to be a meer man as Photinus and Paul of Samosata did we are evidently informed even from his own discourses which he hath published Wherein he does in no place destroy the Hypostasis of the Word of God but every where professes him to have a proper reall and peculiar person and existence nor does he deprive him of a subsistence as did Photinus and Paul of Samosata Which Tenet the Manichaeans and Montanus's followers have been so audacious as to assert That this was Nestorius's opinion I my self have found partly by reading his own works and partly from the discourses of his Admirers Further this frigid and empty discourse of Nestorius has raised no small disturbance in the world CHAP. XXXIII Concerning the horrid wickedness commited upon the Altar of the Great Church by the fugitive servants THese things having been transacted after this manner there hapned a
commendation of Johannes on account of his Letter WHen Paulus Bishop of Emisa was arrived at Alexandria and had made a discourse which is still extant in the Church concerning this matter At which time also Cyrillus having highly commended Johannes's Letter wrote word for word thus Let the heavens rejoyce and the earth be glad For the partition wall is demolished that which caused grief and sadness is ceased and the occasion of all manner of dissention is taken away in regard Christ the Saviour of us all has restored peace to his own Churches and the most Religious Emperours and most dear to God have invited us thereto Who having been the most incomparable Emulators of their Ancestours piety do preserve the true Faith firm and unshaken in their own minds and they take an exquisite care of the Holy Churches to the end they may obtain both a far-spread and immortall Glory and also render their Empire most highly renowned To whom even the Lord of Hosts himself distributes good things with a plentifull hand gives them power to vanquish their adversaries and freely bestows Victory on them For he cannot lie who has said As I live saith the Lord I will glorifie them who Glorifie me When therefore My Lord and most Religious Brother and Fellow-Minister Paulus was come to Alexandria we were filled with joy and that most deservedly in regard so great a person was come to be an Intercessour and was willing to undergo Labours above humane strength that he might vanquish the Envy of the Devil unite divisions and by removing offences on both sides crown both Our and Your Churches with Concord and Peace And after the interposition of some words he Adds Moreover that this dissention of the Church was altogether frivolous and inexcusable we have been now fully satisfied since my Lord the most Religious Bishop Paulus has brought a paper which containes an irreprehensible confession of Faith and has affirmed that it was written by Your Sanctity and by the most Religious Bishops there Now the confession runs thus and 't is inserted in the very same words into this our Epistle But concerning Theotocos and so forth When We had read these Your sacred words and perceived that We Our Selves embraced the same Sentiments For there is one Lord one Faith one Baptism We glorified the Saviour of all men rejoycing mutually because as well your as our Churches do profess a Faith which is agreeable both to the divinely inspired Scriptures and also to the Tradition of our Holy Fathers These things may be known by him who is desirous of having an accurate account of those affairs transacted at that time CHAP. VII What the impious Nestorius writes concerning his own sufferings and how his tongue having at last been eaten out with worms he ended his life at Oasis BUt after what manner Nestorius was banished or what befell him after that or in what manner he departed out of this life and what rewards he received on account of his Blasphemy these particulars have not been related by the Writers of History All which had been forgotten and had been wholly lost and swallowed by length of time nor had been so much as heard of had not I accidentally met with a book of Nestorius's which contains a Narrative of these things This Father of Blasphemy therefore Nestorius who has not raised his building on that foundation which was laid but hath built his house on the sand and therefore it has soon faln down according to our Lord's parable making an Apology which was his desire in defence of his own Blasphemy against those who had accused him because he had introduced some innovation contrary to what was fitting and had not rightly requested that a Synod should be convened at Ephesus amongst other things writes to this effect that he wholly compelled thereto by necessity had betaken himself to the defence of this part in regard the holy Church was divided some affirming that Mary was to be termed Anthropotocos others Theotocos That therefore as he says he might not offend in one of these two viz. least he should either joyn things mortall with those that are immortall or else least by betaking himself to the other side he might be deprived of that other party who defended the term Theotocos he invented the word Christotocos He intimates further that at first the Emperour Theodosius out of that affection he bore towards him confirmed not the sentence of deposition pronounc't against him but afterwards that when some Bishops of both parties had been sent from the City Ephesus to Theodosius and when he also himself requested it he was permitted to return to his own Monastery which is scituate before the Gates of that City now called Theopolis and is not expressly named there by Nestorius But they say it is now termed Euprepius's Monastery which as we assuredly know stands before the City Theopolis distant from thence not more than two furlongs Moreover the same Nestorius says that having resided there during the space of four years he had all imaginable honour conferred upon him and enjoyed all manner of reverence and respect but that afterwards by the Edict of the Emperour Theodosius he was banished into that place called Oäsis But he has concealed that which is the principall thing For during his Residence there he in no wise desisted from his own Blasphemy In so much that Johannes Bishop of Antioch gave the Emperour an account thereof and Nestorius was condemned to perpetuall Banishment He wrote also another Book composed in the manner of a Dialogue to a certain Egyptian as it were concerning his banishment into Oäsis wherein he speaks more at large concerning these things But what punishments he underwent on account of the Blasphemies coyned by him not being able to lie concealed from God's all-seeing eye may be known from other Letters sent by him to the Governour of Thebäis For in those Letters you may find after what manner in regard he had not yet undergone condign punishment the judgment of God seized him and involved him in Captivity a calamity of all afflictions the most miserable But in as much as he was to endure greater punishments he was let go by the Blemmyae amongst whom he had been a Captive And removing from place to place about the utmost borders of Thebäis by the Edicts of Theodosius who had determined that he should return and being dash't against the earth he ended his days agreeable to his own forepast life like a second Arius declaring and foreshewing by his calamitous death what rewards are appointed for those who utter Blasphemy against Christ. For both those persons blasphemed Christ in a like manner Arius by terming him a Creature and Nestorius by thinking him to be a man To whom because he complains that The Acts at Ephesus were not
Military affairs and for those other dignities which he had born he at that time made his residence about the Danube and hindred the Abari from passing that River The Abari are a Scythick Nation who live in Waggons and inhabit the Regions scituate beyond Caucasus Which people in regard they had been sorely afflicted by the Turks their Neighbours left their habitation and with their whole Families fled from them and came to the Bosphorus Then leaving the Shore of that termed the Euxine Sea where many barbarous Nations who had left their own dwellings inhabited moreover Cities Castra and some Stations had been built there by the Romans when either Veterane Souldiers or Colonies had been sent thither by the Emperours they continued on their journey engaging all the Barbarians they met with till such time as they were arrived at the Banks of the Danube and had sent Embassadours to Justinian From thence therefore Justinus was sent for on pretence as if he were to enjoy the advantage of that Compact which had been made betwixt him and the Emperour Justinus For in regard both of them were equall as to their Secular Grandeur and Power and whereas the Empire hung as it were betwixt them after many debates they had come to this agreement that he who was arrived at the Empire should give the other the Second place that so by being Second in the Empire he might be First in respect of all other persons CHAP. II. Concerning the Murder of Justinus Kinsman to the Emperour Justinus THe Emperour Justinus therefore received Justinus with great appearances of kindness and friendship but soon after he framed various causes and pretences and by degrees deprived him of his Satellites his Domesticks and the Protectors of his Body and forbids him Access to himself for he sate at home At length by Justinus's order he is removed to the Great City Alexandria where he is most inhumanely murdered in the dead of the night whilst he lay in his bed this being the reward he received for his kindness to the Republick and for those eminent Services he had performed in the Wars Nor would the Emperour Justinus and his wise Sophia abate of their rage or could they satiate their burning sury conceived against Justinus till such time as they had seen his head after 't was cut off and had trampled it under their feet CHAP. III. Concerning those Miscreants Addaeus and Aetherius MOreover not long after the Emperour delivered up Aetherius and Addaeus persons of the Senatorian Order who had been great Favourites of the Emperour Justinian's to a judiciary process they being charged with an accusation of High-Treason Of these two Aetherius confessed that he designed to kill the Emperour by Poyson and said that he had Addaeus his Accomplice in this attempt and his Assistant in all his other designes But Addaeus with horrid Oaths affirmed that he was wholly ignorant of these Treasons Nevertheless both of them were beheaded Addaeus at such time as his head was cut off affirmed that in this matter he had been falsely accused but that he was deservedly punished by divine Justice which inspects all affairs where-ever transacted for he said that by Magick he had murdered Theodotus the Praefectus Praetorio But I cannot positively affirm whither or no these things were so however they were both most flagitious wretches Addaeus was a Notorious Sodomite And Aetherius omitted no sort of Calumny but preyed upon the Estates as well of the living as of the dead in the name of that Imperial House of which he was Curator or Governour during the Empire of Justinian And such was the conclusion of these matters CHAP. IV. Concerning the Edict of our Faith which Justinus wrote to the Christians in all places MOreover the same Justinus wrote an Edict to the Christians in all places the Contents whereof ran in these express words IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR GOD EMPEROUR CAESAR FLAVIUS JUSTINUS FAITHFULL IN CHRIST MILD THE GREATEST BENEFICENT ALEMANICUS GOTTHICUS GERMANICUS ANTICUS FRANCICUS ERULICUS GEPAEDICUS PIOUS HAPPY GLORIOUS VICTOR TRIUMPHATOR ALWAYS ADORABLE AUGUSTUS My peace I give unto you says the Lord Christ our true God My peace I leave with you declares the same Christ to all men The purport of which expressions is nothing else but that those who believe in him should unite in one and the same Church being of the same mind in relation to the true Faith of the Christians and having an aversion for them who affirm or think the contrary For the Primary safety which has been appointed to all men is the Confession of the true Faith Wherefore We also following the Evangelick Admonitions and the Holy Symboll or Creed of the Holy Fathers do exhort all men to betake themselves to one and the same Church and Opinion believing in the Father in the Son and in the Holy Spirit in the Consubstantiall Trinity in the One Deity or Nature and Essence both in word and deed and asserting One Might and Power and Operation in the three Hypostasis's or Persons into which we have been baptized in which we have believed and to which we have been conjoyned For we adore the Unity in the Trinity and the Trinity in the Unity which hath an admirable both Division and Unition an Unity in respect of the Essence or Deity but a Trinity in respect of the proprieties or Hypostasis's or Persons For that we may so speak it is indivisibly divided and divisibly conjoyned For there is One in Three to wit the Deity and Three are One in whom namely is the Deity or to speak more accurately which are the Deity it self God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost when as each Person is considered by himself the mind to wit dividing those things which are inseperable the Three Persons being one God understood together on account of the same Motion and the same Nature For we ought both to confess one God and also to assert Three Hypostasis's or Proprieties But we Confess him the only Begotten Son of God God the Word who was begotten of the Father before Ages and without time not made in the last days to have descended from Heaven on our account and for our Salvation and to have been incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of our Lady the Holy Glorious Theotocos and Ever-Virgin Mary and to have been born of her who is our Lord Jesus Christ one of the Holy Trinity Glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit For the holy Trinity hath not received an addition of a Fourth Person although one of the holy Trinity God the Word hath been incarnate but he is One and the same our Lord Jesus Christ Consubstantiall to God and the Father according to the Deity and the same Person is of the same substance with us in
King But God rewarded him forthwith by making him Lord and Master and the only Conquerour of all the Emperours that ever were alwaies invincible and insuperable and he advanced him to be so great an Emperour on account of his Victories and Trophies as no one is ever recorded to have been in former ages so happy and dear to God so pious and every way fortunate that with all facility imaginable he reduced more Nations to a Subjection under himself than the former Emperours had vanquished and continued possest of his Empire free from disturbance and disquietude to the very moment of his Expiration CHAP. VII Constantine compared with Cyrus King of the Persians and with Alexander the Macedonian ANcient History relates Cyrus King of the Persians to have been more renowned and glorious than all the Princes that ever were But the conclusion of his life 't is said was in no wise fortunate but reproachfull rather and ignominious in regard he was slain by a woman The Greeks tell us that Alexander King of the Macedonians vanquished innumerable Nations but before he had perfectly arrived at man's estate he ended his life by an untimely death and was taken off by Debauchery and Drunkenness He finished the whole course of his Life within the space of two and thirty years â— not much more than a third part of which years determined the time of his Reign He march't on through bloud and slaughter being a person that may be compared to thunder and incompassionately enslaved Nations and whole Cities without any respect had to Age. But when he was scarce arrived at the flower of his Age and whilst he bemoaned his Catamite Death approach't him on a sudden and took him off Childless without any Stock or Kindred before he had raised a family and in an Enemies Country far remote that he might not any longer be the Ruine of Mankind His Kingdom was immediately rent insunder each of his Servants striving to pull and tare off some part for themselves And yet this person is extolled for such mischiefs as these CHAP. VIII That he subdued almost the whole World BUt Our Emperour began to Reign from that year of his Age whereon the Macedonian ended his life and he lived twice as long as Alexander did but trebled the length of his Reign Further having cultivated his Army with the mild and modest Precepts of Piety he march't into Britannia and to those who dwell in the very Ocean which is diffused far and wide at the setting of the Sun He likewise subdued all Scythia which lyes under the North it self and is divided into innumerable Nations of Barbarians differing both in name and manners Moreover having extended his Empire to the utmost confines of the South to the Blemmyae namely and Aethiopians he look't upon a dominion over them who dwell at the rising Sun not to be forreign and inconvenient In fine having with the brightest rayes of Piety enlightned all mortalls inhabiting within the circumference of the whole Element of the Earth even to the utmost bounds of the Continent that is as far as the Outermost Indians and the Nations inhabiting round on every side he brought all the Reguli Ethnarchs and Satrapae of the Barbarous Nations under a subjection to himself all which gave him voluntary and joyfull Salutes sent him Embassies and Presents and put an high value upon his knowledge and friendship So that each person within his own Province paid him honour partly by Pictures and partly with Statues publickly dedicated to him and Constantine the only person of the Emperours was known and famous over the whole World Even as far as these Nations therefore he Proclaimed his own God by his Imperial Acclamations with all the freedome and liberty Imaginable CHAP. IX That he was the Son of a Pious Emperour and left his Empire to his Sons who were Emperours NOr performed he this by words only and was disappointed in the thing it self but proceeding on in all manner of Virtue he abounded with the various fruits of Piety oblieging his Friends with Magnificent Benefactions Governing by the Laws of Clemency and making his Empire easie and desirable to all his Subjects Till at length after long periods of years that God whom he worshipped Crowned him when wearied out by various Conflicts and Exercises with the Divine Rewards of an Immortality and from a mortall Kingdome translated him to an endless life which he hath treasured up with himself for holy Souls after he had raised him up three children who might succeed him in his Empire In this manner therefore the Imperiall Dignity descended to him from his Father and by the Law of Nature is reserved for his Children and for their descendants and like some paternall Inheritance shall henceforward be forever propagated and prolonged And indeed God himself who hath exalted this most blessed Emperour as yet conversant amongst us to divine Honours and hath adorned his Death with singular advantages proceeding from himself can only be a fit Writer of his Life in regard he has Recorded his Glorious Actions and Conflicts on Celestiall Tables and Monuments CHAP. X. That this History is necessary and advantagious to the Souls and Mindes of Men. BUt though I am convinc't of the difficulty of saying any thing befitting the Blessedness of so great a Person and that to be silent is safe and without danger nevertheless I count it necessary to consecrate to eternall Memory the Portraicture of a most pious Emperour drawn in the Colours of words in imitation of mortall Paint to the end I may clear my self of the imputation of sloth and negligence For I should be ashamed of my self should I not confer the utmost of my abilities though they are slender and mean on him who with a transcendency of piety honoured God Further 't is my Sentiment that this work will prove both advantagious to the life of man and necessary to my self also wherein are contained the Actions of a Great-minded Emperour which are highly acceptable to God the Supream King For how can it be otherwise than disgracefull that the Memory of a Nero and of some other Impious and Atheisticall Tyrants far worse than he should not have wanted indefatigable Writers who have adorned their Subjects which were ill Actions with a politeness and elegancy of Style and made them up into voluminous Histories but that we should be silent for whom God himself hath vouchsafed to procure such an Emperour as no Age hath seen and to whom he has allowed a liberty of coming into his presence to His knowledge and converse CHAP. XI That he will at present relate only the Pious Actions of Constantine WHerefore 't is certainly incumbent on us rather than on any other person to give a full Narrative of all the good things we have heard to those
be in future Ages that Chastity a Virtue so famous amongst Christians is the only thing that is invincible and which cannot be destroyed Thus this woman behaved her self CHAP. XXXV The Slaughter of the People of Rome by Maxentius ALL persons therefore both the Commonalty and the Magistracy as well the Honourable as the Obscure stood in great fear of him when they beheld him audaciously perpetrating such impieties as these and were sorely afflicted with his intollerable Tyranny And although they were quiet and patiently bore the austere servitude they were opprest with yet none could so avoid the Bloudy Cruelty of the Tyrant For one time upon a very trivial pretence he exposed the people of Rome to the slaughter of his own Guards And so innumerable multitudes of the Roman people not Scythians nor Barbarians but his own Citizens were killed with Spears and all manner of Weapons in the midst of the City Moreover 't is impossible to enumerate how many slaughters were committed of those that were Senatours to the end a seizure might be made of each persons Estate infinite numbers of them being put to death at severall times for various Crimes framed against them CHAP. XXXVI Maxentius's Magick Arts against Constantine and the scarcity of Provisions at Rome AT length as the Complement of his impieties the Tyrant proceeded to exercise the delusions of Magick Art sometimes ripping up women great with child otherwhiles searching into the Bowells of new-born infants He also killed Lyons and performed some other Horrid Rites to call forth the Daemons and repell the approaching War For he hoped that by these performances he should obtain Victory Whilst he Tyrannized therefore in this manner at Rome 't is impossible to relate what mischievous facts he perpetrated and how miserably he enslaved his Subjects in so much that they were reduced to such extream penury and want of necessary sustenance as 't is recorded by those of our times never hapned at Rome nor any where else CHAP. XXXVII The overthrow of Maxentius's Armies in Italy BUt Constantine moved with compassion at all these calamities of the Romans furnished himself with all manner of military provisions against the Tyranny And when he had procured the supream God to be his Patron and invoaked His Son Christ to be his Saviour and Assistant and had set up the Victorious Trophy to wit the salutary Standard before his Souldiers and Guards he began his march with his whole Army that by his intervention he might restore to the Romans the Liberties they had received from their Ancestours Now Maxentius confiding more in his Magick Impostures than in the Love and Affection of his Subjects durst not so much as stir out of the City Gates but with a multitude of Souldiers and with innumerable Bodies of men laid in Ambushes had fortified every place Region and City which were under the pressures of his Tyranny But the Emperour Constantine depended upon Divine assistance and having attacked the Tyrant's first second and third Body and with ease routed them all at the very first charge he opened himself a passage into the greatest part of the Country of Italy CHAP. XXXVIII Maxentius's Death on the Bridge of the River Tiber. ANd he had now made his approaches very near to Rome it self But least he should be constrained to assault all the Romans for the Tyrant's sake only God himself drew the Tyrant as it were with Cords a great way out of the Gates and effectually confirmed the truth of those Miracles Recorded in the everlasting Monuments of the Sacred Scriptures which though they are accounted fabulous by many persons and are not credited are nevertheless believed by the Faithfull he had wrought in times past against the wicked to all in generall Believers as well as Infidells who with their own eyes saw this Miracle we are about to relate For as heretofore in the days of Moses and the old religious Nation of the Jews God cast the Chariots of Pharaoh and his Army into the Sea and drowned his Chosen Captaines in the Red-Sea after the same manner Maxentius with the Souldiers and Guards that were about him were cast into the deep like a stone at such time as having been put to flight by that Divine power which gave assistance to Constantine's Arms he would have past the River that was in the way before him Over which he having laid a Bridge of boats well fastned together had thereby framed an Engin of destruction against himself being in hopes that the Emperour beloved by God might have been caught in this snare but the God whom he worshipped was present with and gave him his assistance But the wretched Maxentius deprived of his aid framed these secret machines against himself On which account these words may be pertinently spoken of him wherefore He he hath graven and digged up a pit and is fallen himself into the destruction that he hath made His travell shall come upon his own head and his wickedness shall fall on his own pate Thus therefore by God's assent the Machines framed upon the Bridge of Boats and the Ambuscade placed in them being disjoyned at a time in no wise expected the passage began to sink and the Boats together with the men in them descended on a sudden to the bottom of the River And in the first place the Wretch Himself then the Protectors and Guards that were about him as the Divine Oracles have predicted sank down like Lead into the deep waters So that Constantine's Souldiers who by Divine assistance then obtained the Victory in such sort as the Israelites heretofore did who were lead by that eminent servant of the Lord Moses might deservedly have sung and repeated though not in words exactly the same yet in reality some of those expressions which they heretofore did against that impious Tyrant Pharaoh in this manner We will sing unto the Lord for he hath been magnificently glorified The Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea My helper and defender is become my salvation And again who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods Thou hast been glorified in the Saints admirable in glories doing wonders CHAP. XXXIX Constantine's Entry into Rome AFter Constantine who at that time imitated that Great servant of God Moses had in reality sung these and other such like Hymns as these in praise of God the Governour of all things and the Authour of Victory he made his entry into the Imperial City in Triumph And immediately all persons as well those of the Senatorian as them of the Equestrian Order in that City being freed from the confinement of a Prison as 't were together with the whole Roman Populace received him with a joy in their Countenances that proceeded from their very Souls with acclamations and a gladness insatiable And the men together with the women children and infinite numbers of servants stiled him a Redeemer a Saviour and a
which the Emperour himself had dedicated to his God as the fairest sacred present CHAP. XXXIX A description of the Area Exhedrae and Porches HEnce at those passages which to them that goe out lie before the Church he interposed an Area or Court In which place there were first the Atrium then the Porticus's on both sides and last of all the Gates of the Atrium After which the Porches of the whole Structure placed in the very middle of the Street where there was a Market being most beautifully adorned gave such as were making a journey abroad a most amazing prospect of the things seen within CHAP. XL. Concerning the Number of the Donaria THis Church therefore which was a manifest evidence of the salutary Resurrection the Emperour erected and beautified it throughout with a furniture that was magnificent and truly Imperial He adorned it likewise in a various manner with inexpressible ornaments of innumerable consecrated Gifts consisting of Gold Silver and pretious Stones The Composure of which ornaments being wrought with the most curious workmanship and eminent for greatness number and variety we are not now at leisure to describe particularly CHAP. XLI Concerning the Building of the Churches at Bethlehem and on the Mount of Olives HAving likewise in the same Country found other places ennobled with two Sacred Caves he beautified them also with magnificent ornaments To that Cave wherein our Saviour first made his Divine appearance where also he endured to be born in the flesh he attributed a becoming Honour But in the other Cave he honoured the Memory of our Lord's Ascent into the heavens which had heretofore hapned on the top of a Mountain And these places he adorned most magnificently and at the same time eternized the Memory of His own Mother who had procured so great a Good for Mankind CHAP. XLII That Helena Augusta the Mother of Constantine going to Bethlehem on account of Prayer built these Churches FOr in regard she had resolved to pay the due debt of her pious affection to God the supream King and had determined that she ought to give thanks with Supplications for her own Son so glorious an Emperour and for his Sons the Caesars most dear to God her Grand-children though now very aged yet she hastned and came with a youthfull mind being a woman of a singular prudence that she might view that admirable Ground and with a care and sollicitude truly Royal might make a Visit to the Eastern Provinces Cities and people But after she had given a due Veneration to the Footsteps of our Saviour agreeable to that prophetick Expression which runs thus Let us worship at the place where his Feet have stood immediately she left the fruit of her own piety even to posterity CHAP. XLIII Again Concerning the Church at Bethlehem FOr she forthwith dedicated two Churches to that God whom she had adored the one at the Cave wherein Christ was born the other on the Mountain whence he had ascended into Heaven For Emanuel endured to be born for us under the earth and the place of His Nativity is by the Hebrews termed Bethlehem And therefore the Empress most dear to God adorned the place where the Theotocos was delivered with admirable Monuments and illustrated that Sacred Cave with all manner of Ornaments Not long after which the Emperour honoured it also with Imperial sacred Gifts increasing his Mother's Magnificence with Monuments of Silver and Gold and with various Curtains Further the Emperour's Mother in memory of his Ascent into the Heavens who is the Saviour of all raised stately Edifices in the Mount of Olives erecting a sacred House together with an holy Church upon the very top of the Mount Moreover here as the true History attests the supream Saviour in the very Cave informed his disciples in secret Mysteries But the Emperour himself in this place also reverenced the supream King with all manner of sacred Gifts and Ornaments And these two stately and most beautifull Monuments worthy of an eternal Memory erected at the two sacred Caves Helena Augusta the Religious Mother of a Religious Emperour dedicated to God Her Saviour being the indications of a pious affection Her Son reaching out to Her the right hand of His Imperial power Not long after which this aged woman received a reward worthy of her Labours For having passed the whole time of her Life unto the very Threshold of old age in all manner of felicity and having as well in words as deeds brought forth plentifull fruits of the saving precepts and having for that reason lead a Life void of trouble and grief in the greatest healthiness both of body and mind at length she obtained from God both an end befitting her piety and a reward also of her good works even in this life present CHAP. XLIV Concerning Helena's greatness of Mind and Beneficence FOr whilst she was taking her progress round the whole East with a Royal Magnificence she heapt innumerable benefits and favours both on Cities and on every private person also who approacht her and with a liberal hand she distributed numerous largesses amongst the Military Forces But on the poor naked and on such as were destitute of all help and comfort She bestowed very many Gifts making distributions of money to some plentifully supplying others with clothes to cover their bodies Othersome She set at Liberty from bonds as also them afflicted with the slavery of the Mines She likewise freed some that were opprest by the violence of persons more powerfull than themselves and again re-called others from banishment CHAP. XLV In what manner Helena was religiously conversant in the Churches HAving rendred her self eminent by such actions as these in the interim she in no wise neglected Her piety towards God For She was seen to come constantly into the Church of God and beautified the sacred houses with splendid ornaments not contemning the Churches even in the smallest Cities You might therefore have beheld this admirable woman in a modest and decent garb associating her self with the rest of the multitude and demonstrating her Reverence towards God by all manner of pious actions CHAP. XLVI How being eighty years old and having made her Will she ended her Life BUt at length when after she had lived a sufficient space of time she was called to a better allotment having prolonged her life till about the eightieth year of her age and being arrived at the very confines of death she composed ordained and declared her last Will and Testament constituting her only Son sole Emperour and Lord of the world Her heir together with his Sons the Caesars Her Grand-children and distributing to each of Her Grand-children those her own Goods whatever she was possest of throughout the whole world Having in this manner made Her
Will afterwards she closed her life Her Great Son being present with and standing by her paying her all imaginable respect and embracing her hands Insomuch that to those whose Sentiments are good and true this thrice-blessed woman in no wise seemed to die but in reality to make a change of this earthly life for one that was celestiall Her soul therefore was new-framed into an incorruptible and Angelick substance and received up to her Saviour CHAP. XLVII In what manner Constantine deposited his Mother and how he honoured her whilst she was living BUt the Body of this Blessed woman was vouchsafed no trivial Honour For it was conveyed into the Imperial City accompanied with a numerous train of the Imperial Guards where it was deposited in a Royal Monument In this manner the Emperour's Mother closed her Life a woman worthy of an indelible Memory both in respect of her pious Actions and also on account of that most eminent and admirable Son born of her Whom 't is fit we should stile Blessed besides all other things even for this also his piety towards her who brought him forth whom he rendred so Religious she having before not been a worshipper of God that she seemed from her tender years to have been discipled by Him Himself who is the common Saviour of all whom he honoured with Imperial Dignities in such a manner that in all the Provinces and by the very Companies of the Milice she was stiled Augusta and Empress and Golden Coynes were stamp't bearing her Image Moreover Constantine granted her a power over the Imperial Treasures to make use of them according to her own arbitrement and to dispose of them according to her own mind in such manner as she thought good and as every thing might seem well-pleasing to her For even in this respect also her Son rendred her conspicuous and admirable Wherefore amongst those things belonging to the illustrating of his Memory We have not without reason included these also which out of his transcendency of piety the Emperour performed in honour of his Mother whereby he fulfilled the Divine Laws which do injoyn due Offices of honour towards Parents These forementioned beautifull structures therefore the Emperour in this manner erected in the Province of Palestine Moreover in all the other Provinces also he built new Churches and made them far more stately than those that had been before CHAP. XLVIII In what manner He built Martyria at Constantinople and abolished all manner of Idolatry BUt when he had resolved upon raising that City to the highest honour which bore His own name he beautified it with many Oratories with vast Martyria and with most stately Houses part whereof were erected in the Suburbs and part within the City it self And by this means he both honoured the Memories of the Martyrs and likewise consecrated his own City to the God of the Martyrs In fine being wholly inspired with the wisdome of God he thought it requisite in such a manner to purifie that City which he determined to dignifie with the appellation of his own name from all sorts of Idolatry that the images of those reputed to be Gods should no where be worshipped in Temples therein neither should Altars defiled with the Bloud of Victims be visible in it nor Sacrifices wholly consumed by fire nor should the Festivals of Daemons be celebrated there nor any other of those usages commonly practised amongst superstitious persons CHAP. XLIX The Sign of the Cross in the Pallace and the Effigies of Daniel in the Conduits YOu might therefore have seen in the Conduits situate in the middle of the Forum the Representations of the Good Shepherd well known to those skill'd in the Divine Oracles the Effigies of Daniel likewise together with the Lyons cast in Brass and shining with plates of Gold Further so ardent a divine Love had possest the mind of the Emperour that in the stateliest Room of all those within the Imperial Pallace at the very middle of the Embowed Roof which was gilded with Gold a large Table was displaied in the midst whereof was fixt the Sign of our Lord's passion consisting of a variety of pretious Stones and wrought with a great quantity of Gold And this in my judgment seemed to have been set up by that pious Emperour as the preservative of the Empire it self CHAP. L. That He built Churches at Nicomedia also and in other Cities WIth these ornaments therefore He beautified his own City He likewise honoured the chief City of Bithynia with the Monument of a most stately and most magnificent Church in which place also at his own charge he erected the Trophies of Victory which he had gained over the Enemies and Opposers of God in honour of his own Saviour Moreover he also grac't the chiefest Cities of the rest of the Provinces with most beautifull Oratories for instance that City which was the Metropolis of the whole East that took its name from Antiochus In which City as 't were in the head of all the Provinces of that Region he dedicated to God a Peerless Church in resect both of its Largeness and Beauty For he encompassed the whole Temple with a large circuit on the outside but within he raised the Basilica to an immense height it was built in an eight-square figure and surrounded on all sides with many Lodging Rooms and Exhedrae and with apartments as well above as under or even with the ground Which Church he beautified with a vast quantity of Gold and adorned it with Brass and other Materials of great value CHAP. LI. That He likewise gave order for the building of a Church in the place called Mamre THese were the most eminent Structures which the Emperour dedicated to God But having been informed that that one and the same Saviour who had lately made his appearance in the world had heretofore exhibited the presence of His Divinity to certain men of Palestine that were lovers of God near that called the Oak of Mamre He ordered an Oratory to be erected there also to the God who had appeared Therefore the Emperour's order was issued out to the Governours of Provinces by the Letters transmitted to each of them commanding them to bring to effect what they had been enjoyned to perform But to us who write this History he sent an Exhortation full of wisedome A Copy whereof I judge fit to be inserted into this present work to the end that the care and diligence of this most pious Emperour might be accurately known Having blamed us therefore for those things which as he had been informed were done in the forementioned place he wrote word for word thus CHAP. LII Constantine's Letter to Eusebius concerning Mamre VICTOR CONSTANTINUS MAXIMUS AUGUSTUS To Macarius and the rest of the Bishops of Palestine EVen this very
Fall of the Persecutors and does now rejoyce because of the Peace of the Christians INdeed this thing has succeeded well namely that in Our age also the punishment of such persons hath most evidently been demonstrated For even I my self have been a spectator of their disastrous End who lately disquieted the people dedicated to God by their most impious Edicts Therefore I give God great thanks because by his signall Providence all mankind who are observant of the divine Law having Peace and Repose restored to them are exceeding joyfull and glad From whence I do perswade my self that all affairs are in an excellent and most safe posture in regard God vouchsafes to gather all persons to himself by their pure and approved Religion and by their unanimous Sentiment in reference to the Deity CHAP. XIII An Exhortation that he should love the Christians who live in his Country HOw great a pleasure and delight was it to Me think you when I heard what is my most earnest desire that even the richest and best places of Persia were plentifully adorned with a multitude of these men I mean Christians for my whole discourse at present is concerning them I wish therefore both that your affairs may continue in a most flourishing posture and in like manner that their affairs maybe so too that is the affairs of both of you equally For by this means you will have God the supream Lord and Father mercifull and propitious towards you These persons therefore because you are so great a Prince I commit to Your Care these very persons in regard You are eminent for piety I deliver into your hands Love these men in a manner befitting Your own benignity and good nature For by this Your Faith You will do an immense kindness both to Your Self and Us. CHAP. XIV How by the earnestness of Constantine's Prayers Peace was bestowed on the Christians ALL Nations in all parts of the world being like some Ship in this manner steered and directed by one Commander and willingly embracing the Religion and Government of this Servant of God and there being no person who might give any further disturbance to the Roman Empire all men in future lead peaceable and undisturbed lives But because the Emperour judg'd the Prayers of pious persons to be highly usefull and advantagious in order to the safety and preservation of the State 't was his Sentiment that these were necessarily to be procured Therefore both he himself humbly implored Gods assistance and also commanded the Prelates of Churches to put up their prayers to God for him CHAP. XV. That both on his money and in his Pictures he ordered himself to be stamp't and drawn in a praying posture BUt how transcendent a liveliness of divine Faith was fixt in his soul may easily be conjectured from this very one thing that on his Golden money he ordered his own Image to be stamp't in such a manner as that he might seem to look up to God with his Hands expanded in the posture of one praying And this sort of money was current over the whole Roman World But in the Imperial Palaces which were in some Cities his Pictures were plac't on high at the very entrance of the Porch wherein he was drawn standing upright looking up to heaven but his hands were expanded in the fashion of one praying CHAP. XVI That He issued forth a Law forbidding his own Statues to be placed in Idol-Temples IN this manner therefore he represented himself praying even in his Pictures drawn in Colours But by a Law he forbad that his own Statues should be dedicated in Idol-Temples least they should be polluted even as far as the outward Form only with the errour of prohibited Superstition CHAP. XVII His praying in the Palace and his reading of the Divine Scriptures BUt whosoever has a mind to give attention will perceive far nobler instances of his piety than these how he constituted a Church of God as 't were within the Imperial Palace and with diligence and chearfulness lead the way himself to those who assembled within that Church Moreover he took the Bible into his hands and with an attentive mind meditated upon those divinely-inspired Oracles After which he recited the usual prayers together with the whole assemblie of his Courtiers CHAP. XVIII That by a Law He commanded Sunday and Friday to be honoured BUt He ordained that a day should be esteemed of as convenient and fit for prayers that day namely which really is the Chief and First of the other days and which is truly the Lord's and the Salutary day Moreover he appointed Deacons and Ministers consecrated to God who were grac't with integrity of Life and all other virtues to be the Keepers of His whole house Lastly the Protectors and trusty Guards furnished with the arms of good affection and faith acknowledged the Emperour himself as their Instructer in the practise of piety and they themselves in the same manner honoured the Salutary and the Lord's day whereon they poured forth to God prayers that were gratefull to the Emperour And this Blessed Emperour incited all other men to practise the same thing in regard this was his chiefest desire that by degrees he might make all persons worshippers of God And for this reason he issued out a Precept to all those who lived under the Roman Empire that they should keep Holy-day on those days which had their denomination from our Saviour as likewise that they should honour the day before the Sabbath in memory as I think of those things said to have been performed on those days by the common Saviour Further whereas he instructed his whole Army diligently to honour the Salutary day which happens to derive its name from the light and from the Sun to those who had embraced the divinely-inspired Faith he allowed time and leisure for a free exercise of themselves according to the usage and order of God's Church to the end they might without any impediment be present at the performance of the prayers CHAP. XIX How He ordered the Ethnick-Souldiers to pray on Sundays BUt to them who as yet had not embraced the Doctrine of the divine Faith He issued out a Precept in a Second Law that on Sundays they should go out into a pure field in the Suburbs where after a Signal given they should all together power forth a prayer to God which they had learnt before For that they ought not to place their confidence in their Spears nor in their Armour nor in their strength of Body but were to acknowledge the supream God the giver of every good thing and of Victory it self and that to him the solemn prayers were to be performed lifting up their hands on high towards Heaven but raising the eyes of their mind higher as far as the celestial King himself and that in their
prayers they ought to call upon Him as the giver of Victory the Saviour the Preserver and the Assistant Further he himself gave all His Souldiers a form of prayer ordering all of them to recite these words in the Latine tongue CHAP. XX. The Form of Prayer which Constantine gave to His Souldiers THee we acknowledge to be the only God Thee we declare to be King Thee we invoke as Our Assistant 'T is Thy Gift that we have gotten Victories By Thee we have vanquished Our Enemies To Thee we pay our thanks for past Blessings and from Thee expect more in future We are all Thy humble Suppliants Keep Our Emperour Constantine together with His most pious Children in safety amongst us and continue Him a Victor during the longest space of time we humbly beseech Thee These things He ordered his Military Companies to do on Sundays and taught them to utter these expressions in their prayers to God CHAP. XXI He orders the Representation of Our Saviour's Cross to be drawn upon the Arms of his Souldiers MOreover he caused the Symbol of the Salutary Trophie to be exprest upon the very Arms of His Souldiers and commanded that before his Armed Forces none of the Golden Images should be carried in pomp as the usage had heretofore been but the Salutary Trophie only CHAP. XXII His Fervency and earnestness in praying and his Religious observation of the Festival of Easter BUt He himself in regard he was a partaker of the sacred Rites every day at stated hours shut himself up within the inmost Rooms of his Imperial Palace where he converst alone with his only God and falling upon his knees made his request in humble supplications that he might obtain those things which he stood in need of But on the days of the Salutary Festival he raised the vigour of his Religious exercises and meditations and with his utmost strength of body and mind performed the Office of a Prelate or Pontif. And with a chearfullness and diligence he himself lead on all persons to the celebration of the Feast But he turned the sacred Vigil into the brightness of day pillars of wax which were of a vast height being lighted up all over the City by those persons to whom this affair was given in charge Torches likewise were kindled which enlightned all places in so much that this Mystick Vigil was rendred brighter than any the most glorious day But as soon as the day light appeared in imitation of our Saviour's Beneficence He reacht out a bountifull hand to all Nations Provinces and people and bestowed on all persons the richest sort of Gifts CHAP. XXIII How He prohibited the worship of Idols but honoured the Feasts of the Martyrs IN this manner therefore He Himself performed the Office of a Priest to his own God But to all persons who lived under the Roman Empire as well to the Commonalty as the Milice the doors of Idolatry were shut and every sort of sacrifice was prohibited A Law also was transmitted to the Presidents of Provinces that they likewise should pay a veneration to the Lord's day Which Presidents by the Emperour's Order did in like manner honour the Feast-days of the Martyrs and shewed a due Reverence to the Times of the Ecclesiastick Festivals All which things were performed with the greatest joy and satisfaction imaginable to the Emperour CHAP. XXIV That He affirmed Himself to be as 't were a Bishop of External Affairs WHerefore at an Entertainment which one time He gave the Bishops he cast forth an expression which was not absurdly uttered affirming that he himself also was a Bishop the words he made use of in our hearing were these You says He are Bishops in those matters transacted within the Church But in them done without the Church I am a Bishop constituted by God Therefore the thoughts of his mind were agreeable to his expressions He governed all His Subjects with an Episcopal Care and by what ever Methods he could take incited them to be followers of true piety CHAP. XXV Concerning His prohibiting of Sacrifices and Initiations and concerning His abolishing the Gladiators and the heretofore impure Priests of the Nile ON this account it was that by frequent Laws and Constitutions He prohibited all persons from Sacrificing to Idols from a Curious consulting of Diviners and Soothsayers from erecting Images from performing secret Initiations and from polluting the Cities with the Bloody Shows of Gladiators And whereas they of Egypt and Alexandria had a custom of worshipping their River by the ministery of certain effeminate men another Law was transmitted to them wherein 't was ordered that that whole Tribe of Androgyni in regard they were all an adulterate sort of people should be utterly destroyed and that it should not be lawfull for those to be seen in any place whatever who were distempered with the disease of this sort of uncleanness Now whereas the superstitious supposed that the Nile would not in future any more overflow their Fields as it had usually done before God in favour to the Emperour's Law performed the quite contrary to what they expected For those persons who by their obscenity had polluted the Cities were taken off indeed But the River Nile as if that whole Region had been cleansed and purged for it ran higher than it had ever done before and overflowing with a rich stream laid all the fields under water whereby it effectually taught the unwise that they ought to have an Aversion for impure persons but that the original Cause of Blessings and Success was to be ascribed to the only God the Giver of every thing that is Good CHAP. XXVI The amendment of that Law made against the Childless as also the alteration of that Law concerning Wills and Testaments BUt in as much as the things of this Nature performed by the Emperour in every Province are almost infinite whoever shall attempt to record them accurately will be furnished with plenty of matter for such a subject Of the same sort herewith is this likewise that to the end he might reduce many Laws to a greater Sanctity instead of the old he made new ones And 't is easie to manifest the manner hereof by one or two instances The old Laws punished the Childless with a deprivation of the inheritance of their Fathers And this Law against the Childless was doubtless the Cruellest of Laws in regard it inflicted a punishment on them as if they had been guilty of some Crime But the Emperour abrogated this Statute and turned it into an holy and religious Law For he said that those who committed faults designedly and on set purpose ought to be chastized with condign punishment But Nature her self hath denied Children to many persons who although they earnestly desired a numerous issue nevertheless wanted Children by reason of their infirmity
us drawn from that Original of the Celestial Kingdom and concerning that other false one which does counterfeit the Impress thereof and lastly concerning those things which do accompany each sort of Empire Having therefore learned the Divine Mysteries from these Oracles as from some Hierophantae we will thus begin our Divine Discourses EUSEBIUS PAMPHILUS'S ORATION IN PRAISE OF THE EMPEROUR CONSTANTINE SPOKEN AT HIS TRICENNALIA THIS is the Great Emperour's Solemn Festival wherein We who are the Servants of the Emperour inspired with the Instructions of Sacred Discourses do rejoyce He who gives beginning to and Rules this Our Festival is the Great Emperour Himself Him I term The Great Emperour who is truly Great Him I mean nor will the Emperour who is here present be offended thereat but will rather together with Us highly approve of this Our Discourse concerning the Divinity who is beyond the Universe the Supream over all the Highest the most Immense The Thrones of whose Empire are the Celestial Arches and the Earth the Footstool of His Feet Nor can any one perfectly comprehend Him in His mind For the Glorious Light which surrounds Him by the unspeakable Splendour of its Rayes drives off all persons and hinders them from beholding his Divinity Him the Celestial Hosts do encompass His Guards are the Supernal Powers Him They acknowledge their Master Lord and Emperour The innumerable multitudes of Angels and the Companies of Arch-Angels and the Quires of Holy Spirits deriving their Splendour from the Rayes about Him as 't were from some everlasting Fountains of Light are illustrated Likewise all the Lights and especially those Divine and Intellectual Kinds of incorporeal Lights which have their place beyond Heaven do celebrate this Great Emperour with the highest and most Divine Hymns The vast Firmament like some azure Curtain is drawn between which separates those without from them who are conversant within the Palace Round this Firmament in the same manner with the Light-Bearers in the Imperial Porticus's run the Sun and Moon and those other Luminaries of Heaven which do both highly honour the Emperour Himself and also at His beck and word afford the Splendour of an inextinguishable Light to those who are without Heaven and who inhabit a Gloomy Region Whereas therefore I do presume that Our Victorious Prince Himself also does with praises celebrate this Greatest Emperour therein in my own judgment I seem to do very well in regard I am truly sensible that all power amongst us is derivative from Him Him also the Religious Caesars do acknowledge to be the Fountain of all Blessings having received this Command from their Father Him the Milice the numerous multitudes of the people as well in the Countries as Cities and the Governours of Provinces assembling in the Church do Religiously adore being instructed by Our Great Saviour and Master Lastly all mankind in general all sorts of Nations Tribes and Languages and all persons as well collectively and in one Body as severally and apart although in other matters they differ in their Sentiments yet agree in this very one confession invoking this One and Only God by natural reason by notions self-learnt and which proceed not from the instruction of any Teacher What does not the whole Mass of the Earth acknowledge him Lord By the Plants and Living Creatures produced out of it does it not evidently demonstrate its submission to his command who is far superiour in power The Torrents also of Rivers overflowing with their waters and the plentifull streams of Fountaines perpetually issuing out of the unknown and immense depths of the Earth do profess him to be the Authour of this inexplicable and miraculous performance The Gulfs of the Sea inclosed within unfathomable depths and the swollen Waves which are raised to a vast height and strike the adjacent Earth with terrour as soon as they approach the Shores dread Him being bound by the Command of His Divine Law Moreover the Determinate Quantities of Winter Showers and the astonishing noise of the Thunder and the â—lashings of the Lightning and the variable and inconstant blasts of the Windes and lastly the aierie Tracks of the Clouds do plainly exhibit his presence to those who can in no wise take a view of him with their own eyes The all enlightening Sun also who hath finished so vast a number of ages acknowledges him only as his Lord and in entire obedience to his command never dare go beyond his fixt Bounds The Moon likewise which for the splendour of her light is far inferiour to the Sun being lessened and again increased at set periods of Times obeys the Divine Commands And the Beautie of Heaven which glisters gorgeously with the Dances of the Stars and moves with Order and Harmony and measures over its own Circles proclaims God to be the Donor of all manner of Light Likewise all the other Celestial Luminaries having by his Beck and Word made up one harmonious Consort finishing their long Course by the Circles of so vast a number of ages like charioteers run over the Rounds of their Aetherial Stages The successive Returns of nights and dayes the changes of Seasons and Times and the Order and Harmony of the Universe do celebrate the manifold wisedom of his infinite and immense power Those invisible Powers which flye about the Plains that lye streacht through the Air do render to this God due and befitting praise The whole World therefore with a joynt consent doth laâ—d this Great Emperour The Heavens above and those Quires which are higher than the Celestial Arches do reverence Him the Hosts of Angels praise Him with inexpressible Hymns and the Spirits which are the Off-springs of Intellectual Light do pronounce Him their Parent and their God Those Ages unlimited by Time which were before this Heaven and this World and besides infinite other Ages before all constitution of things visible do acknowledge one sole and supream Master and Lord. Lastly He Himself who is in all and before all and after all His only-begotten Son and praeexisting Word the Great High-Priest of the Great God ancienter than all Time and all Ages devoted and consecrated to the worship of His Father is the First and Only Person who makes Supplication to Him for the Salvation of all men Who enjoyes a preheminence in the Government of the world but possesses an equal share of Glory with His Father in His Father's Kingdom For He is that Light which transcends all things which dances about the Father and which by its intervention Separates that Nature which is without a Beginning and without a Generation from the substance of things begotten Which Light also streaming from above from the Deity which wants both beginning and end diffuses it self without and illustrates the Region above heaven and all things that are within heaven
His hands by casting it into the fire and afterwards by pulling it out of the flames entire and unconsum'd in the very same manner the Word of God who confers life on all desirous to demonstrate that mortal instrument which He had made use of in order to the salvation of men to be superiour to Death and to render it a partaker of His own life and immortality underwent a most usefull and advantagious dispensation forsaking His Body during a very short time and surrendring up to Death that which was mortal that its own nature might hereby be proved then soon after rescuing it from Death again in order to the manifestation of His Divine Power by which power He made it apparent that that Eternal Life which He had promised was superiour to all the force of Death Now the reason of this thing is evident and perspicuous For whereas it was altogether necessary for His disciples that with their own eyes they should see a manifest and undoubted Reparation of life after death in which life He had taught them to place their Hopes in regard His design was to render them Contemners and Vanquishers of death not without reason it was that He would have them behold this with their own eyes For it behoved such persons who were about entring upon a pious Course of life by the clearest view to behold and imbibe this first and most necessary Lesson of all and much more those who were forthwith to Preach Him thoroughout the whole world and to declare to all men the knowledge of God the foundation of which knowledge had before been laid by Him amongst all Nations Which persons ought to rely and ground upon the firmest and most undoubted perswasion of a life after death to the end that without any fear or dread of Death they might with alacrity undertake the Combat against the errour of the Nations who worship many Gods For unless they had learnt to dispise Death they would never have been provided against those perils they were to undergo Wherefore when as 't was requisite He would arm them against the power of Death He did not deliver them a Precept in naked words and bare expressions nor as the usage of men is did He compose an Oration concerning the immortality of the soul made up of Perswasives and Probabilities but really and actually shewed them the Trophies erected against Death This then was the first and most Cogent reason of Our Saviour's engagement with Death For He shewed His disciples that death which is formidable to all was nothing and by a clear view rendred them eye-witnesses of that Life promised by Him which very life He made the First-Fruits of our common hope and of a future life and immortality with God A second reason of His Resurrection was the demonstration of that Divine Power which had dwelt in His Body For in regard men had heretofore deified mortal persons who had been vanquished by Death and had usually termed them Heroes and Gods whom Death had subdued on this very account the most Compassionate Word of God did even here manifest who He was shewing men that His own nature was above Death And He not only raised His Mortal Body after 't was separated from His Soul to a second Life but proposed that Trophy of immortality which by His conquest of Death He had erected to be viewed by all and in His very death taught that He alone was to be acknowledged the true God who had been crown'd with the Rewards of Victory over Death I could also assign you a third reason of Our Lord's death He was a Sacred Victim offered up for the whole Race of mankind to God the Supream King of the Universe A Victim sacrificed instead of the Flock of men a Victim which routed and destroyed the Errour of Diabolical Superstition For after that one Victim ad eximious sacrifice namely the most Holy Body of Our Saviour was slain for mankind and offered up as the Substitute to ransome the Life of all Nations who being before bound by the impiety of Diabolical Errour stood convict of Treason as 't were thenceforward all the power of impure and profane Daemons became extinct and all manner of terrestrial and fraudulent Errour was forthwith weakened dissolv'd and confuted The Salutary Sacrifice therefore taken from among men namely the very Body of the Divine Word was sacrificed in place of the whole Flock of men And this was the Victim delivered unto death concerning which mention is made in the Expressions of the Sacred Scriptures which are sometimes worded in this manner Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world sometimes they run thus as a sheep He was led to the slaughter and as a Lamb before His Shearer He was dumb And they likewise tell us the reason by adding these words He bears our sins and is tortured with pain for us and we esteemed Him to be in labour and in stripes and in affliction But He was wounded for our sins and He was bruised by reason of our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was upon Him with His stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray every one has wandered in His own way and the Lord hath delivered Him for our sins For these reasons therefore the Humane Instrument of God the Word was sacrificed But this Great High-Priest consecrated to God the Chief Governour and Supream King being something else besides a Victim namely The Word of God The Power of God and The Wisdom of God soon recalled His mortal Body from death and presented it to His Father as the First-fruits of Our common Salvation having erected this for all mankind as the Trophy of that Victory which He had gain'd over Death and over the Army of Daemons and made it the final Abolishment of those humane Victims which of old had been usually offered in sacrifice BUT whereas these things are thus 't is now seasonable we should come to the demonstrations if indeed the truth of these matters has any need of demonstration and if it be indeed necessary to produce testimonies in confirmation of deeds that are manifest and evident Take therefore these demonstrations having first prepared your ears in order to a candid hearing of our discourse All Nations upon the Earth were heretofore divided and the whole Race of men was minc't into Provinces into various dominions over each Nation and place into Tyrannies and manifold Principalities On which account fights and continued Wars Depopulations and Captivities as well in the Countries as Cities never left them Hence the numerous Subjects of Histories Adulteries and Rapes of women hence the calamitous destruction of Troy and those Tragedies of the Ancients whereof mention is made amongst all men The Causes of which calamities should any one ascribe to their errour in
Daemons which heretofore prey'd upon the whole Body of mankind and by the motion and impulse of images shewed many Impostures and delusions amongst men by an invisible and potent hand being as 't were fierce and raging wild-beasts from the Flock of men What other person besides Our Saviour by an invocation of Himself and by the purest prayers in His Name put up to the Supream God hath given a power of driving away the Remains of evil Spirits from among men to those who with purity and sincerity would follow that Rule of Living and discipline delivered by Him What other person save onely our Saviour hath taught his followers to offer unbloudy and rational sacrifices which are performed by prayers and a mysterious naming of God On which account Altars have been erected thorowout the whole world and Churches Consecrated and Divine Ministrations of intellectual and rational sacrifices are offered up by all Nations to the Only God the Supream King Who by a secret and invisible power hath caused those sacrifices which were usually performed by Bloud and Gore smoak and fire as likewise those cruel and furious slaughters of men and humane Victims to be abolished and wholly extinguished In so much that this thing is attested even by the very Histories of the Heathens themselves For all those sacrifices of men in all places of the Earth were not abolished till after the publication of Our Saviour's Divine Doctrine namely about the Times of the Emperour Hadrim Whereas therefore so many cogent arguments and evident demonstrations do give confirmation to Our Saviour's Might and Power after His death who is so iron-minded as not together with others to give evidence to the Truth and not to acknowledge His life to be divine For great Atchievements are the performances of the Living not of the dead and those things which we see do furnish us with a knowledge of things hidden Not long since indeed yesterday as 't were a Race of men who fought against God disturbed the Life of men turned all things upside down and were possest of great power and strength But when they were departed from among men thenceforward they lay upon the earth more contemptible than dung without breath without motion without voice Nor is there now any account or any mention made of them For this is the allotment of the dead And He that is no longer is no Body But what can He do who is no Body But on the contrary He who acts and works and who is more powerfull than those that are alive how can He be supposed not to be And although He be invisible to eyes of flesh nevertheless the faculty of judging consists not in sense nor do we by the senses of the Body perceive the reasons and Rules of Arts or Speculations of Sciences Neither did ever any with His eyes see the mind that is in men much less the strength and power of God but things of this nature are wont to be known and perceived by the works themselves Wherefore in our Saviour also 't is fit we should inspect and discern His invisible Power and Strength from His Works namely whether those many illustrious Acts which even till this present time are done by Him must be acknowledged the performances of a person living or whether 't is to be said that they are the works of One who is not or rather whether this question be not altogether foolish and incoherent For how can any one with reason affirm Him to be who is not In regard 't is manifest by the consent and suffrages of all that that which is not neither has any strength nor can it act or operate For this is the Nature of the Living but the Nature of the dead is contrary BUT 't is here seasonable that we should inspect the Performances of our Saviour in this our age and should contemplate the living works of the living God For how should such Glorious Atchievements as these not be the living Works of a living person and of One who truly lives the Life of God But do You enquire what those are Hear them Not long since some persons who had proclaimed war against God with great obstinacy and no less Power and Military Force ruined and dug up from their very foundations the Edifices of his Oratories and resolved upon rendring His Churches wholly invisible and with all imaginable Engines and Stratagems fought against Him who is not to be seen with eyes casting and throwing aginst Him the darts of impious Expressions But the invisible God was avenged on them in an invisible manner Immediately therefore by one only Nod of the Deity they became extinct those persons I mean who a little before lived delicious and pleasant lives and were thrice-happy who were celebrated amongst all men as equal with the Gods who during many periods of years had Governed the Empire gloriously and happily as long namely as there was peace and friendship between them and Him whom they afterwards opposed But when they changed their minds and were so audacious as to engage in an actuall war with God and set their Gods in array against Ours as their Leaders and Defenders immediately in one moment of time and by the Beck and Power of that God whom they opposed they all underwent the deserved punishments of their audacious attempts In so much that giving ground to Him with whom they were engaged in war and turning their Backs upon Him they acknowledged His divinity as others had done and hastned to grant and permit the clean contrary to those things which a little before they had attempted But our Saviour forthwith erected Victorious Trophies in all parts of the Earth and did again adorn the whole world afresh with holy Temples and Consecrated Oratories and in every City and Villâ—ge in all Countries and in the desart places of the Barbarians He dedicated Churches and Temples to one God the supream King and Lord of all Hence also 't is that these consecrated places are vouchsafed the name of the Lord and take their appellation not from men but from the supream Lord Himself For from Him they have the name of Churches Let Him therefore that has a mind to it come forth and inform us who after so great a Ruine and Devastation hath raised the sacred Houses from their foundations to so vast an height Who hath bestowed a Resurrection upon those Structures wholly despair'd of as to their being rebuilt and has vouchsafed them a Re-edification whereby they are become far more splendid and stately than they had been before and which is most to be admired hath not new-built them after the death of those Enemies of God but whilst those very persons were yet alive who had demolished them in so much that they themselves with their own mouthes and by their own Letters recanted
435. 1. Honoratus Praefect of Constantinople 281. 1. Honorius is proclaimed Augustus 350. 2. Hormisda Son to Chosroes succeeds his Father in the Kingdom 509. 1. The Persians headed by Varamus conspire against him 522. 2. Hosius Bishop of Corduba 195. 1. 214. 1. 266. 1. 269. â— 2. was present at the Nicene Council 578. 1. Hunericus or Onorichus King of the Vandals persecutes the Catholicks in Africk 460. 1. 483. 2. Hunni destroy Armenia 352. 1. Hunni heretofore called Massagetae 449. 1. Hyginus Bishop of Rome 54. 1. the ninth successour of the Apostles ibid. Hymenaeus Bishop of Jerusalem 125. 1. 133. 1. Hypatia a Philosopheress 376. 1. She is barbarously murdered 376. 2. Hypatianus Bishop of Heraclea 266. 1. Hyperechius a Bishop 311. 2. Hypostasis and Ousia how they may be spoken concerning God 390. 2 c. Hyrcanus Prince of the Jews taken by the Parthians 8. 2. I. JAmes the Brother of Our Lord one of the 70 disciples 13. 2. 16. 1. is created Bishop of Jerusalem 16. 1. surnamed James the Just. ibid. also surnamed Oblias 27. 2. His Martyrdom ibid. His Catholick Epistle 29. 1. His Chair kept with great care 126. 2. Iberians converted to the Christian faith when and how 232. 2. Jerusalem-Church was termed a Virgin 63. 2. Jerusalem its last Siege and Famine described 32 c. Jews first under Judges after that under Kings after the Captivity they were an Aristocracy with an Oligarchy at length became Tributaries to Rome 8. 2. They had the names of their Ancestours written out in ancient Rolls 10. 1. They had a sacred Treasury called Corban 19. 1. Their Seaven Sects 63. 2. the destruction of the Jews under Vespasian 35. 1. They endeavour to rebuild their Temple 298. 2. Hadrian forbids them to enter Jerusalem 52. 1. Ignatius the second Bishop of Antioch after Saint Peter 40 1. 47. 1. His Epistles are reckoned up 47. 2. He suffered Martyrdom at Rome ibid. By Theodosius Junior's order his Reliques are removed into the City Antioch 413. 2. Illus and Leontius rebell against Zeno. 464. 1. Index of the Books of the Old Testament 66. 2. 164. 1 2. Indians converted to the faith of Christ when and how 231. 2. Immestar a place in Syria 377. 1. Innocentius Bishop of Rome 373. 2. Johannes or John two of them lived at the same time in Asia 49. 1 2. John the Apostle Preach'd in Asia 30. 1. dyed at Ephesus ibid. was banished into the Island Patmos 39. 1. returned from thence after Domitian's death and governed the Churches of Asia 40. 1 2. for what reason he wrote his Gospel 42. 1 2. 105. 1. He wore a plate of Gold 87. 1. Johannes a Reader is beheaded for the faith of Christ. 170. 1. His wonderful memory ibid. Johannes a Presbyter of the Church of Antioch 352. 1. is ordained Bishop of Constantinople 353. 1. His descent and education ibid. and 353. 2. His course of Life and disposition 354. 2. He was wont to Preach sitting in the Pulpit 355. 2. His death 367. 1. Johannes is ordained Bishop of Jerusalem 338. 2. Johannes Bishop of Proconnesus 389. 1. Johannes the Chief of the Notaries sets up for a Tyrant 381. â— John the Apostle's Church seaven miles from Constantinople 356. 2. John Chrysostoms Opinion concerning the Admission of Penitents 367. 2. Johannitae so they were called who took John Chrysostom's part 366. 2. at length they were re-united to the Church by Proclus 393. 1. Johannes Bishop of Antioch 387. 1. 403. 2. coming to the Council the fifth day after Nestorius's Condemnation assembles a Synod and deposes Cyrillus 404. 2. is reconciled to Cyrillus 405. 1. Johannes the Rhetorician an Historian 413. 2. 434. 1. 464. 2. closed his History under Justinus Senior 479. 2. Johannes from being Steward is ordained Bishop of Alexandria 455. 1. is ejected by Zeno Augustus's order ibid. flyes to Rome to Pope Simplicius 456. 2. Johannes after Athanasius is ordained Bishop of Alexandria 462. 2. Johannes Bishop of Paltum a Defender of the Chalcedon Synod is banished 467. 1. Johannes Scytha aud Johannes Gibbus Masters of the Milice vanquish the Isauri 469. 2. Johannes the Chuzibite a Monk in Palestine 480. 2. Johannes Scholasticus Eutychius being ejected is ordained Bishop of Constantinople 497. 2. Johannes Bishop of Jerusalem 526. 1. Johannes called Catelinus successour to Vigilius in the Bishoprick of Rome 497. 2. Johannes ordained Apollinaris's successour in the See of Alexandria 509. 2. Johannes succeeds Macarius in the See of Jerusalem ibid. Josephus the Historiographer 36. 2. His Books 37. 1 2. Joseph Bishop of Jerusalem 51. 2. Jovianus is chosen Emperour 299. 2. makes a peace with the Persians 300. 1. dyes 304. 2. Irenaeus a Presbyter of Lyons 75. 1. is made a Bishop 76. 1. His Books 84. 2. 89. 1. when a youth he was an Hearer of Polycarp at Smyrna 85. 1. He writes to Pope Victor 87. 2. 345. 1. Irenaeus a Grammarian Wrote a Lexicon 291. 2. Irenaeus of Tyre and Aquilinus of Biblus Bishops are deposed in the second Ephesine Synod 409. 1. Irenaeus Comes of the East under Justinus Senior 479. 1. Irenius Bishop of Gaza 304. 2. Isacoces Bishop of Armenia the Great 304. 1. Isaurica Donatives which the Emperour gave yearly to the Isaurians 470. 1. Ischyras assumes to himself the Office of a Presbyter 238. 2. is made a Bishop by the Arians 257. 1. Ischyrion is killed for the faith of Christ. 111. 2. Isdigerdes King of the Persians 373. 1. Father to Vararanes 415. 2. Isidorus a Presbyter of Alexandria 353. 1. hated by Theophilus and why 359. 2. Isidorus Pelusiota 413. 1. Ision a Meletian â—38 1. Judas of Galile or Gaulanites 8. 1. Jude one of the Brethren of Christ. 39. 2. Judas Bishop of Jerusalem 51. 2. Judas an Ecclesiastick Writer 94. 2. Julianus Bishop of Alexandria 78. 2. Julianus Bishop of Apamia 82. 1. Julianus a Martyr at Alexandria under Decius 110. 2. Julianus a Martyr with Pamphilus 168. 2. Julianus created Caesar. 270. 1. He is Saluted Augustus 286. 2. 284. 2. His Education 286. 1. He recites his Orations in the Court 287. 2. wrote against the Christians ibid. His Book entitled The Caesars ibid. persecutes the Christians 295. 1. His Misopogon or Antiochicus 298. 1. His Book concerning the Cynick Philosophy 301. 2. He is slain 299. 2. Julianus Bishop of Lebedus 438. 1. Julianus Bishop of Bostri refuses subscribing to Severus's Synodick Letters 469. 1. Julius Caesar takes five hundred Cities 473. 1. Julius Bishop of Rome wrote a Letter to the Easterns 253. 2. His Letter to the Alexandrians 260. 2. c. Sate Bishop fifteen years 270. 2. Justina Augusta Mother to Valentinian Junior favours the Arians 337. 1. Justinianus Sister's son to Justinus is by him proclaimed Augustus 481. 2. a defender of the Chalcedon Synod ibid. His wife Theodora is an Enemy to that Synod ibid. His Constitution wherein he Anathematizes Anthimus and Severus and their Associates 483. 1. destroys the
reckoned in the number of Bishops 38. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifies 402. 1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it imports 72. 2. Aquaeduct of Valens Augustus at Constantinople 308. 1. 2. Archelaus Bishop of Cascharum his disputation against Manichaeus 234. 2. Areopagus what it was 32. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 91. 1. Arius two of that name 240. 2. Arius who with Euzoius presented a Libel of faith to the Emperour Constantine was not Arius the Arch-Heretick ibid. Arius when and how recalled from banishment ibid. Artemius Commander in chief of Egypt 288. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take away or remove 87. 1. Arsenius Bishop of the Hypselitae 238. 2. 240. 2. Ascetae who were heretofore called so 22. 2. Not onely Monks but Clergy-men also had that name given them 139. 1. 168. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Crime of Treason 695. 1. Asia how many ways 't is taken 8â— 1. Asiarchs what they were 58. 2. how chosen ibid. a very chargeable Office ibid. Asterius Urbanus Authour of the books against the Cataphrygae 82. 1. Athanasius in what year recalled from banishment 246. 2. in what year he went to Rome 256. 2. He went to Rome once onely 253. 2. when a boy he baptized his play-fellows 229. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Attis Bacchus 302. 2. Atticus Bishop of Constantinople his Epitaph 383. 1. Augustonica a Province of Egypt 262. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a door of an house 608. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atrium or a Court. 590. 2. Avitus how many moneths he Reigned 428. 2 c. Ause or Osee the first name of Jesus the son of Nave 5. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 190. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christian Virgins 161. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Eusebius calls Christ. 186. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Honorati are joyned with the Decuriones 431. 2. B. BAcaudae a sort of Boors were up in Arms over the whole Roman world 690. 2. Bacurius Prince of the Iberi 233. 2. Baptism is by the Greeks termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a seal 40. 2. 't is the Symbol of our Lord's Passion 184. 2. 't is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 628. 2. Basileus Bishop of Amasia 551. 2. a Martyr under Licinius ibid. Basilius the Great what year made Bishop of Caesarea 321. 1 2. He was twice questioned by Valens 322. 1. Basilides's Prophets 52. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 681. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Imperial City so Eusebius always calls Rome not Constantinople 593. 1. Basiliscus declared his son Marcus Caesar afterwards Augustus 451. 1. Bataneotes a Surname of Porphyrius the Philosopher 100. 2. Battle at Cibalae 554. 1. Battle at Hadrianople what year it hapned 556. 2. Beneficiarii 179. 1. Beryllus's opinion concerning the Nature and divinity of Christ. 107. 1. His Heresie 290. 2. Berytus what year the Synod was convened there 409. 1. Bishops in Egypt were an hundred 212. 2. Bishops heretofore preached standing on the steps of the Altar 355. 2. Bishops their first Sermon always much taken notice of 384. 2. Bishops their sentences in judicature made valid 615. 2. Bishops of other Cities were usually buried at Constantinople in the Church of The Apostles 492. 2. Bishops anciently wore a plate of gold on their forehead in imitation of the Jewish High-priests â—7 1. Birth-day of the Martyrs was that whereon they suffer'd Martyrdom 59. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lead a secular Life 92. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laicks ibid. Bosci Monks so called 418. 1. Botry a City of Phoenice 494. 1. Theophanes and Antoninus Martyr are mended ibid. British-Church very ancient 333. 1 2. it was and is independent of the Roman Patriarchate ibid. Bruchium what it was 136. 2. the siege of it when ibid. Brysia 518. 2. C. CAEsarea or Caesarium the Great Church of Alexandria 376. 2. whence it had that name 430. 1. Caius was Authour of the book called The Little Labyrinth 89. 2. He wrote a book against Proclus 102. 2. Calendio is ordained Bishop of Antioch at Constantinople by Acacius contrary to the Canons 457. 1. how many years he sate Bishop 462. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Constantinople was termed 597. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes made use of in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 446. 2. In old Coyns that City is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 460. 1. Camp-bread given to the City Antioch by Diocletian 427. 1. a place in Procopius about this Annona is mended ibid. Campus a place without the City Antioch where the Souldiers exercised 518. 2. Campus a place seven miles distant from Constantinople 507. 2. it was the place where Criminals were punished 658. 2. Canon of the Council of Antioch 366. 1. what must be thought concerning that Council ibid. Canon or set-allowance of Bread or Bread-corn at Constantinople 251. 1. Canon the second of the Constantinopolitan Council is explained 333. 2. Canon the sixth of the Nicene Council whither it â—eats concerning Patriarchs and their Jurisdiction 332. 2. Castalian Fountain neer Antioch 414. 2. Castrensis Panis See Camp-bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ligatures Inchantments 688. 2. Catechist taught in a private Auditory not publickly in the Church 102. 1. Catechumens were made by Imposition of the Bishop's haâ—d 627. 1 2. they covered their heads 629. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 74. 1. Catholick Epistles 98. 1. Catholicus a Rationalist 121. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rationalist ibid. and 181. 2. Celsus the Philosopher against whom Origen wrote was Lucian's friend 108. 1. Cephro and Coluthio 122. 2. 123. 1. Ceratâ—s a wind about Byzantium 276. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 capitulum a period 131. 2. Chaeremon a Philosopher 101. 2. Chair or Throne of Saint Mark at Alexandria 138. 2. Chalcedon Synod the copies of it that Evagrius made use of are different from ours 439. 1. which are more genuine and authentick Evagrius's copies or ours 444. 1. Chalcedon had onely the bare name of a Metropolis given it by Marcianus 446. 2. Chartae or Libels of Caecilianus's crimes transmitted to the Emperour 194. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 125. 2. Chorepiscopi who they were 134. 1. Chosroes King of the Persians when he dyed 509. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ was written with a dipthong 653. 1. Christ before all things and after all things 666. 1. Christ in what year born 7. 2. whether he was born on the twenty fifth of December ibid. Christian Religion termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 53. 1. Christians wont to stop their Ears when they heard any impious expression 85. 1. they gave their children the names of the Apostles 131. 1. They prayed with expanded hands 611. 1. Christians were very desirous of being baptized in Jordan 628. 1. who were termed perfect Christians 628. 2. Their Feasts at the Sepulchres of the Martyrs 647. 2. Their way of Burial 124. 1.
For they being Separatists from the Eustathians had their Religious meetings in the Palaea that is in the Old City as Theodoret attests book 2. chap. 31. and book 3. chap. 4. Eccles. Histor. Athanasius speaks of the same persons afterwards in the said Epistle and distinguishes those that had their meetings in the Old City from the followers of Paulinus that is the Eustathians For Paulinus was one of their number Those therefore that had their assemblies in the Palaea can be no other than Meletius's favourers whom Athanasius does most especially commend Vales. * Book 2. Chap. 44. a This clause is thus worded in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought in my judgment to be expunged as being unnecessarily inserted here by some careless Transcriber out of the foregoing line where it occurs But Nicephorus book 10. chap. 14. where he writes out this passage of Socrates makes use of the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either because that was the reading in his Copy or else in regard he thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to be so explained Vales. b Nicephorus at the book and chapter now mentioned calls this person Cyrillus But from the authority of the Florentine and Sfortian M. SS we have termed him Berillus Our emendation is confirmed by Epiphanius Scholasticus's Version Berillus was not Bishop of Philadelphia as Socrates says here but of Bostra or of Bostri in Arabia he denied Christ to have been God before his incarnation as Eusebius informs us book 6. chap. 33. of his Ecclesiastick History where see note a. That passage of Origens must be understood concerning this Heresie of Berillus's which occurs in his Comment on the Epistle to Titus where his words are these Sed eos qui hominem dicunt Dominum Jesum c. Also those who affirm the Lord Jesus to be a man fore-known and predesigned who before his coming in the flesh had no peculiar existence of his own but that being born man he had the Deity of the Father only in him these persons I say cannot without great danger be accounted members of the Church This passage occurs also in Pamphilus's Apologetick in defence of Origen And Gennadius has mentioned it in his book De Dogmatibus Ecclesiasticis cap. 4. Vales. * Essence or Substance †Subsistence Existence or Personality ‖ See Euseb Eccles. Hist. book 7. chap. 6. note b. This was the difference betwixt the Sabellian and Arian Heresie Sabellius confounded the persons in the sacred Trinity Arius divided the substance c The Acts of the Synod of Alexandria are not now extant but 't is sufficiently apparent both from that Synodick Epistle which Athanasius wrote in the name of that Council and also from hence because the Great Athanasius was present at that Synod that what Socrates here says is false For as to the Synodick Epistle there occurs no such passage in that as this that the terms Ousia and Hypostasis are not to be used as often as we speak concerning God Nor would Athanasius ever have suffered that to have been determined in his Synod which does manifestly contradict the Nicene Creed For in that Creed the term Ousia does occur Socrates seems to have been deceived by this passage in the Synodick Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And by the grace of God all persons after such interpretations of those terms unanimously agreed that that Creed which the Father 's made profession of at Nice was better and more accurate and that in future it was sufficient that the terms thereof should be made use of In which words the terms Ousia and Hypostasis are not condemned but this only is asserted that it is more safe to use the terms of the Nicene Creed than these of three Hypostasis's and of one Hypostasis For the debate at that time was only concerning these words some affirming there were three Hypostasis's in the sacred Trinity as did the followers of Meletius others with Paulinus professing there was but one Hypostasis But no question was then started concerning the term Ousia For both sides asserted that there was one substance in the Trinity How therefore can that which Socrates here says stand good to wit that it was Decreed in the Alexandrian Synod that these terms Eusia and Hypostasis were not to be used concerning God Perhaps also Sabinus whose Collection Socrates had diligently perused had led him into this mistake Vales. * They mean I suppose those words of the Apostle at Hebr. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Character of his Subsistence or as our English Version words it the express image of his person Some of the Antients were very cautious about acknowledging three Hypostases in the Deity Particularly S r Jerome who thought that the term Hypostasis in this Text signified Substantia and therefore in his Version 't is thus rendred figura substantiae ejus the figure of his substance See D r Owens account of this phrase in his Exposition on the Hebrews pag. 55 c. Edit London 1668. d Instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the names which is the common reading the Florentine M. S. words it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those named But Nicephorus maintains the common reading for he has recorded this passage of Socrates thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which his Learned Translatour Langus has thus rendred Sed tribus usurpatis nominibus res quaeque in Trinitate tripliciter distincta peculiari subsistentiâ suâ intelligatur But I cannot approve of this rendition in regard it recedes too far from the Authours words Langus was puzled with these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the names and not without reason For the bare name of the Father Son and holy Ghost is neither believed nor asserted to be God but the things or persons signified by those names Wherefore the reading in the Florentine M. S. is in my judgment to be preferred before the vulgar reading and we have rendred it accordingly Vales. e Irenaeus Grammaticus was an Alexandrian the Scholar of Heliodorus Metricus who by a Latine name was called Minucius Pacatus He wrote many books concerning the propriety of the Attick Language For he compiled three Books of Attick names and as many more de Atticâ consuciâ—dine in dictione in prosodia which were alphabetically digested he composed one Book also de Atticismo as Suidas relates in his Lexicon Vales. f Nicephorus book 10. chap. 15. reads this passage otherwise For instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if any one should term he words it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And another stiles it the Lees in an Hogshead Epiphanius Scholasticus translates this place thus Apud Menandrum vero veluti faeces quae ex vino colliguntur in dolio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est subsistentiam designare dicit But I think that there is another sense of these
most studiously read by those who have a mind to declaim From whence it appears that Eusebius in his exposition of the Scriptures has chiefly followed the Historicall and Literal sense but has not touched the Mystick and Allegoricall For the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends these senses Allegoria therefore differs from Theoria as a species does from the Genus Indeed Diodorus Bishop of Tarsus of whom we now speak had written a Book with this Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is what may be the difference between Theoria and Allegoria But I wonder at Jerome who says that Diodorus was instructed neither in Eloquence nor in the knowledge of humane Learning And yet Theodoret Histor. book 4. compares his eloquence to a most limpid River and Photius in his Bibliotheca does attest that in his discourses he was clear and perspicuous Vales. e That Chrysostome converst familiarly with Basilius 't is evident from Chrysostome's books de Sacerdotio But who that Basilius was concerning whom Chrysostome speaks in those books 't is uncertaine Socrates does in this place affirm that it was Basilius Magnus Photius in his Bibliotheca says it was Basilius Bishop of Seleucia Baronius at the year of Christ 382 does deservedly disprove both these opinions Chrysostome 't is certain does attest in the beginning of his book that himself and that Basilius concerning whom he there speaks had always the same masters Now Basilius Magnus learnt Rhetorick at Athens but Chysostome was Libanius's hearer at Antioch a long while after that If that were Basilius the Great whom Chrysostome affirms to have obtained the principall place amongst his own companions and friends doubtless some footsteps of his friendship would at this day be extant in Basilius's Epistles But amongst so many of his Epistles which have been preserved to our times there occurs not one written to our Johannes Wherefore I agree with Baronius who says that that Basilius who was companion to Chrysostome was Basilius Bishop of Raphanea or else Basilius Bishop of Byblus For both these persons were Chrysostomes contemporaries in regard they subscribed the Constantinopolitan Council Vales. f Instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes made a Deacon c. In my judgment it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that time made a Deacon c. For it follows but afterwards constituted Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Epiphanius Scholasticus confirms our conjecture as 't is apparent from his Version for thus he renders it qui tunc à Meletio factus erat Diaconus who was then made Deacon by Meletius Further Amphilochius in his Life of Basilius the Great does relate that Basil was made Deacon by Meletius Bishop of Antioch But that book is stuft with fables and lies Doubtless in regard Basil the Great was by lawfull degrees promoted to be Reader and Presbyter at Caesarea as Gregorius Nazianzenus does attest in his Funerall Oration concerning the praises of the same Basilius 't is scarce credible that he should have been made Deacon any where else but at Caesarea Vales. g Nicephorus what Authour he follows I know not makes this Zeno Bishop of Gaza or Majuma But whereas Zeno was created Bishop of Majuma in the Reign of Theodosius as Sozomen relates book 5. chap. 8 he must necessarily be a different person from that Zeno who ordained Chrysostome Reader in regard Chrysostome was made a Reader in Valens Augustus's Reign about the year of our Lord 370. But Baronius at the year of Christ 382 says that this Zeno by whom Chrysostome was ordained a Reader of Antioch was Bishop of Tyre the same person who was present at the Constantinopolitan Councill and was then Meletius being absent his Deputy in the Church of Antioch In which thing I do readily assent to Baronius But whereas he repoves Socrates there for his saying that that Zeno was Bishop of Jerusalem therein the Cardinal is evidently mistaken For Socrates does not make Zeno Bishop of Jerusalem he only says that Zeno the Bishop returning from Jerusalem Ordained Chrysostome Reader of Antioch Now Zeno had made a journey to Jerusalem either on the account of prayer as it was the custom of those times or by reason of some Ecclesiastick affair But here arises a difficulty For if Zeno in his return from Jerusalem ordained Chrysostome Reader of Antioch the City of which he was Bishop must necessarily be farther remote from Jerusalem than Antioch was or at least it must lie at the side of Antioch Which cannot be said of the Cities Tyre and Gaza For both those are far nearer to Jerusalem than Antioch is Therefore this Zeno who ordained Chrysostome Reader of Antioch was Bishop of some other City In Basil the Great 's 69 th Epistle there is mention of one Zeno a Bishop who was present at the Antiochian-Council under Meletius but the name of his See is not set down I know Palladius in the Life of Chrysostome does relate that Chrysostome was ordained Reader by Meletius But this in my judgment is so to be understood that that may be said to have been done by Meletius which was performed by Zeno supplying his place Vales. * See Euseb Eccles. Hist. book 7. chap. 30. note q. †That is Meletius's party h This is the Evagrius of whom we have spoken at note b. in this chapter But what Socrates says to wit that Chrysostome was ordained Presbyter by Evagrius has but little of probability For if that be true which Socrates says I mean that Chrysostome after Meletius's death abstained from Paulinus's communion how can it be supposed that Chrysostome should admit of Evagrius's ordination who was successour to Panlinus It is better therefore to follow Palladius Simeon Metaphrastes and others who relate that Chrysostome was promoted to the Presbyterate by Flavianus the Bishop Vales. * Or Rectitude of Life ‖ Or simplicity or singleness * Bishoprick * Hatred †Or displease all men ‖ Or he chose to eat with no body * Or the first of the Eunuchs a From this place 't is apparent that the Bishops heretofore did not usually Preach to the people out of the Pulpit For this Socrates takes notice of as a thing singular in Chrysostome to wit that being about to make an Oration he went up into the Pulpit that he might be the easier heard by the people Most commonly the Bishops Preached standing on the steps of the Altar We are informed hereof from King Childerbert's Constitution which Sirmondus has recorded in his first Tome of the Councills of France pag. 300 but it is there imperfect We will make good one defect in it from the most ancient Corbeiensian Manuscript after this manner Qualiter in sacrilegos dei injuria vindicetur nostrum est pertractandum Et quia fides nostra ut verbo de altario sacerdote faciente quaecunque de Evangelio Prophetis vel Apostolo fuerit adnuntiatum in quantum Deus dat intellectum ad nos querimonia processi◠c.
the memory by statley c. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some thing seems to be wanting here or at least the words are transposed Therefore I would have the place restored thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erecting a sacred c. But Christophorson understood these words so as if Eusebius should say that Helena built two Churches in the Mount of Olives one on the top the other in the Cave which nevertheless I do not think to be true For the Authour of the Jerusalem Itinerarie tells us that one Church was built there by Constantine And Eusebius in his Panegyrick chap. 9. towards the end speaking of that Martyrium which Constantine built at Jerusalem expresses himself in the same manner as he does here viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Where you see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are joyned and used concerning one and the same Church And he terms the Basilica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because people came thither to pray but the whole Sacred House which being inclosed within one circuit contains within it self the Atrium Porticus's Secrelaric Baptistcrie and the Church it self he terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Eusebius does most plainly declare below at chap. 50 of this book where he speaks concerning the Dominicum Aureum which Constantine built at Antioch And thus the passage of Eusebius in the close of his Panegyrick concerning Constantine's Tricennaliae is to be explained as likewise a passage in his tenth book and another in chap. 45. of this book where he joyns together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is something otherwise in the fifth Law Cod. Theod. de his qui ad Ecclesias consugiunt For there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Basilica or Oratory where the Altar is But the Church is termed that whole Building within the circumference whereof are contained the Atrium Porticus's Cells Baths and lastly the Oratory it self Vales. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Author of the Itinerarium Hierosolymitanum has these words Inde ascendis in montem Oliveti ubi dominus discipulos docuit ante passionem Thence you go up to Mount Olivet where our Lord taught his Disciples before his Passion Bede in his book de Locis Sanctis chap. 7. has this passage Tertia quoque ejusdem montis ad australem Bethaniae partem Ecclesia est There is a third Church aâ—so of the same Mount at the South part of Bethanie where the Lord before his Passion spoke to his Disciples concerning the day of Judgment He means the place in Saint Mathew chap. 24. This Sermon therefore Eusebius here terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secret Mysteries because the Lord then spake concerning secret things viz. about the end of the world concerning Christ's coming and the last judgment For even the Apostles came then to the Lord secretly as Saint Matthew says in regard they were desirous to know Mysteries and the Revelation of things future as Jerome on Mathew writes But that which Eusebius says viz. that our Loâ—d delivered these Mysteries to the Apostles in the Cave is not expresly recorded in the Gospel Yea the contrary seems possible to be made out from the Gospel For 't is related therein that the City Jerusalem was in sight to the Disciples when our Lord Preach't these things They were not therefore in the Cave but in an open place Yet it may be answered that that Cave had several holes of which sort there were many Caves in Palestine as the Itineraries inform us Indeed whereas Saint Matthew affirms that the Disciples came to our Lord secretly 't is probable that that discourse in the Cave was made by Our Lord whilst he stayed there Vales. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first word is to be expunged as being superfluous Eusebius seems to allude to the usage of the Gentiles who performed their Mithriaca Sacra Sacrisices in honour of the Sun in a Cave as Porphyry in his book de Abstinentia Jerome and others inform us The Fuketian Manuscript confirms our conjecture in which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is wanting Vales. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 companions †Or The fruit * Or Magnificence of Imperial power †Or Right hand * Or She gave her self to be seen coming c. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Valesius renders it Sacella Chappell 's ‖ Or Grave and mean or frugal * Or Emperour Monarch and Lord c. †Or So Great ‖ Or Cherishing her with all c. * Or Undergoe a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Her soul therefore was reformed or new-framed These words seem to favour of Origen's doctrine to which our Eusebius was too much addicted For the souls of the Blessed are not reformed into an Angelick substance Indeed Origen believed that in the Resurrection Bodies would be turned into souls and Souls would be changed into Angels as Saint Jerome says some where Vales. a He means Rome For thither the dead Body of Helena Augusta was carried and after two years was conveyed to Constantinople as Nicephorus tells us book 8. chap. 30. But Socrates book 1. chap. 17. transcribing Eusebius's words interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New-Rome Which errour of Socrates Baronius does deservedly reprove in regard by the name of the Imperial City Eusebius is always wont to mean Rome Besides Constantinople was not yet dedicated and therefore could not be called the Imperial City whenas then it was only old Byzantium Nevertheless Cedrenus has followed Socrates who also adds this that Helena died twelve years before Constantine By this computation Helena must have died on the year of Christ 325 or 326. On which year nevertheless she is said by Eusebius and Rufinus to have gone to Jerusalem Besides after the death of Crispus Caesar and Fausta Augusta Helena was for some time alive as Zosimus attests book 2. Further Crispus was slain in the seventh Consulate of Constantinus Augustus which he bore with Constantius Caesar on the year of Christ 326 as 't is recorded in Idatius's Fasti. The death of Helena therefore may rightly be assigned to the year of our Lord 327 as Sigonius thinks book 3. de Imperio Occidentali Vales. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 't is referred to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we have rendred it And so I found it mended in Moraeus's Book at the margin Nor is it otherwise written in the Fuk. and Savil. Copies and in the Kings Sheets Vales. * Or These things †Or Worthy of Emulation * Churches a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is far more elegant So indeed it occurs written in the Fuketian Copy and in the Kings Sheets Vales. †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the gore of bloud * Image †Or Fountains †Or Symbols a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Fuketian Copy 't is written
very proper'y spoken in reference to that incontinency wherewith Eustathius was charged There is a Metaphor here taken from Ports which are wont to be cleansed as often as they are stopt up with sand mud or such like filth Now those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred adverbially and so the reading must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which displeases me not May I so please God says Constantine as I Love you and the port of your Lenity after having cast out that filth you have brought in Concord with good Morals Indeed this meaning pleases me much better than the common reading For now the Antiochians were quiet and the Sedition was appeased at such time as Constantine wrote this Letter as 't is apparent from its beginning Vales. p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Steering a celestial course to the Light it self I think it must be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prosperous Course For 't is a Metaphor taken from Navigation In Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie a happy Voyage by Sea and a Ship which Sails with a prosperous gale of Wind is by Graecians termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This whole Letter is in many places faulty but especially this clause does abound with mistakes For what is the meaning of these words I doubt not but it must be read thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convey on Boord c. Constantine does here make use of a continued Metaphor taken from Navigation and compares Christians to Merchants who make Voyages on account of Trade Saile on says he with a prosperous Course to the eternal Light having erected the Flag of the Cross in your Ships and carry on Boord your Vessel the incorruptible Goods For now whatever could have endammaged the Ship is Pumpt out Thus by making a small and in a manner no alteration the meaning does now appear elegant and plain Vales. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must I think be written in on word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S r Henry Savil had mended it in his Copy In the Fuketian Copy the reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The close of this Letter is in my judgment thus to be restored 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which reading I have followed in my Version Constantine terms the desire which the Antiochians had manifested towards Eusebius when they coveted him to be their Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inconsiderate desire The affection of the Antiochians towards Eustathius may also be meant at whose deposition they were vext and had raised a Sedition In the Fuk. Sav. and Turneb Copies this place is written thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the reading is plainer which we found in the Old Sheets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. a This Title was written by Eusebius himself as 't is apparent For He himself says concerning himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us Wherefore there was no need of any other Title Further hence it may be plainly gathered that these Books were written by Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea Which notwithstanding it may be proved by innumerable arguments and testimonies yet I wonder at James Gothofred who has been so bold as to deny it In the Fuketian Copy which has the Contents or Titles prefixt before every Chapter these words are wanting But in the Kings Sheets they are written at the margin Vales. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baronius at the year of our Lord 324 Number 145 expounds these words thus Constantine says he terms the care of the Antiochian Church the Bishoprick of the whole Church because Antioch was the Metropolis of all the East But with the favour of that great person be it spoken there seems to be another sense of these words For whereas all Cities were desirous of having Eusebius their Bishop as Constantine attests a little after Eusebius was by the consent of all worthy of the Episcopate of the whole world Vales. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Fuketian Copy and that of S r Henry Savil the reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I should choose to write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which hath c. A little before where the reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fuketian and Savilian Copies add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an eminent degree of piety Vales. * Or Purity †Or Consultation a This Theodotus was Bishop of Laodicea in Syria Narcissus was Bishop of Neronades in Cilicia Aëtius was Bishop of Lyddâ— in Palestine all Favourers of the Arian Party Who when they were come to Antioch together with Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and Eusebius Caesariensis deposed Eustatbius as Theodoret relates Eccles. Hist. book 1. chap. 21. But Aëtius betook himself afterwards to the side of the Orthodox as Philostorgius attests book 3. chap. 12 and also Athanasius Now Alpheus Bishop of Apamea in Syria and lastly Theodorus Prelate of Sydon in Phoenice are named amongst the Bishops who subscribed to the Niceâ—e Synod Concerning Theodotus Athanasius speaks also in his book de Synodis Arimini Seleuciae Vales. b Concerning Acacius Comes of the East if I mistake not Constantine speaks above in his Letter to Macarius Bishop of Jerusalem chap. 53. But Strategius is he who by another name was called Musonianus concerning whom I have made several remarks in my Notes on the 15 th Book of Amm. Marcellinus pag. 99. He had been sent to Antioch by the Emperour Constantine to appease the tumult there as Eusebius has said above see chap. 59. Vales. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prudence of your desire I would more willingly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the desire of your prudence Further from these words which are ill understood by Christophorson it appears that the Bishops who had been convened at Antioch had by their Letter requested of Constantine that according to the desire of the Antiochian people and themselves Eusebius might be translated to the See of Antioch Therefore those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are taken out of the Letter of the Bishops convened at Antioch which they sent to the Emperour Constantine Vales. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am not displeased with the conjecture of Learned men who have mended it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Indeed Eusebius's c. The place might likewise have been restored thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But the former reading is confirmed by the authority of the Fuketian and Savilian Copies Only the postpositive Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be expunged which occurs not in the Fuketian Copy Vales. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Fuketian and S r Henry Savils Copy the reading of this place runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it hapned that there have come to me Euphronius which reading Christophorson has followed But the common reading is far better 〈◊〉
their eyes whom they may imitate Thus the Emperour Julian framed his own Actions and Morals in imitation of Prince Marcus as Amm. Marcellinus relates Vales. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a pure mind as the reading is in the Fuketian Copy Wherein likewise it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellently well Vales. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Books of Scaliger Bongarsius and Gruter this place is worded thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which writing I likewise found in the Fuketian Copy But S r Henry Savil in his Copy has mended it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And so Christophorson read But the common reading which I found in the Kings Copy and in the Sheets is in my judgment far better and therefore we have followed it in our Version Vales. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I doubt not but it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c to whom which I wonder Christophorson and the rest perceived not Vales. g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Questionless it must be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his death that the sense may be compleat Farther this place concerning the Martyrs is a most elegant one Vales. * Or Nobility h And this passage is very remarkable concerning the Sacrifice of thanksgiving which was offered to God in memory and honour of the Martyrs For so these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to be explained which Christophorson understood not For the Christians did not offer sacrifice to the Martyrs but only to God giving him thanks that he had conferr'd on them a Crown of Martyrdom as S t Augustine writes Book 8. de Civitat Dei Chap. the last And this is what Constantine does here term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving But because the Christians offered to God this unbloudy Sacrifice at the Monuments and Sepulchres of the Martyrs that they might give him thanks for the rewards of the Martyrs and for their Crowns and Victories therefore Constantine says this honour was given to the Martyrs Vales. i Concerning these Banquets and Feasts of the Christians which were made at the Sepulchres of the Martyrs mention is made by S t Austin at the book and chapter now cited in these words Quicunque etiam epulas suas eò deferuns c. Also whoever carry their Banquets thither which is not indeed done by the better Christians and in many parts of the world there is no such Custome Yet Whoever do that when they have set them there they pray and take them away that they may eat them or distribute also of them to the indigent they will have them sanctified there by the merits of the Martyrs in the name of the Lord of the Martyrs Farther at first these Feasts were sober and moderate But afterwards when licentiousness was arrived at a greater height they were perverted to Drunkenness and Lasciviousness And therefore in most places they were wholly abolished as S t Austin attests Epist. 64. In the Fuketian Copy the reading is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is in the the ordinary Editions Vales. †Or Doctrine a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even in this matter as I found it mended in the margin of Moraeus's Book And so 't is written in the Fuketian Copy Vales. * Knowledge or Comprehension b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must I suppose be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the faith of every particular person Vales. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have exprest in our Version Vales. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After these there are many words wanting as 't is apparent from the Contents of the Chapter We chose to get out any sense from a corrupt and imperfect place rather than with Christophorson to expunge the whole passage S r Henry Savil in his Copy has also expunged this whole period as far as those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Neither is mankind c. Indeed in the Fuketian Copy that whole period is wanting Vales. * Or Is made a neighbour to it that is to an uncreated essence by a life according to Virtue a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christophorson seems to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begotten which reading pleases me best Vales. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am of opinion that this place is to be corrected thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if c. That is if the things which are made be equal to God that Command whereby he has ordered them to be made would not be agreeable to him For an equal can't have authority and empire over an equal Away therefore with the Emendation of Learned men which I found in the Fuketian Copy and in Moraeus's Book namely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if it be madness to liken these things to him the Command c. But if you reade thus there is no sense nor will the following words cohere with the foregoing Christophorson had indeed found it so in his Books as 't is visible from his Version But the common reading is supported by the authority of the Kings Copy and the Old Sheets Vales. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musculus seems to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I am extraordinarily pleased with For he renders it Quomodo autem omnium comparatio non ridicula est But how is not the comparing of all things ridiculous c. Certainly 't is either thus to be read or to be understood thus For Constantine terms that equalling of all things a confusion Vales. * Or Covered d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without doubt it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For thus Constantine argues Even things Celestial says he cannot be compared with God Much less things Terrestrial and Brutes This is the meaning of this place But the Manuscript Copies of Christophorson S r Henry Savil Gruter and M r Fuket word this place thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard the dignity of c. Which reading seems to me better and more elegant Vales. e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He seems to allude to those passages we meet with in the second and third Chapter of the Revelations where God says Vincenti dabo Coronam To him that overcometh I will give a Crown c. Indeed the life of a Christian man is wont to be compared to Champions as it frequently occurs in S t Paul's Epistles But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is redundant after the usual manner of Graecians as 't is well known to those skilled in the Greek Tongue Vales. * Or In place of many goods †Or Both as to dignity and in a diversity of power f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Kings Copy 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Robert Stephens has also remarked in his Various
the Typicon of S t Saba and by Balsamon in his Collection of Canons To whom add Isidorus and Beda in the Book de Divinis Officiis where they treat concerning Sunday Stephanus Gobarus writes the same in his 29 th Chapter To this custom it is perhaps to be referred that the Greeks most commonly reckon the days of the week not to the Sunday which precedes but to that which follows For after the Sunday of the Prodigal Son which is the ninth Sunday before Easter those dayes which followed immediately namely the second third and fourth Feria and so on were by the Greeks termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the following Sunday which was termed Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this week was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Meursius's Glossary in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But after the Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Feria which followed next was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the other days of that whole week unto the following Sunday which was called by the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same may be observed in the other Sundays untill Easter-day For after the Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Feria was termed the second Feria of the Holy Fasts and the whole week was called so untill the following Sunday which had the same name Lastly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Great week or Passion-week which we call the Holy Week is reckoned to the following Sunday namely Easter Day as it appears from the Typicon of Saint Saâ—â— Chap. 31. Cyrillus also in his 〈◊〉 Sermons always begins the week of Easter which we now term The Holy Week from the second Feria and closes it with the following Sunday namely Easter-Day Nor does Theophilus do otherwise in his â—aschâ—l Epistles Vales. h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the most ancient name of Sunday whorâ—by it was â—alled even from the Apostles times 'T is certain in the Revelation of Saint John mention is made of the Lord's day See Chap. 1. verse 10. But what Enseâ—ius says here and in the Life of Constantine namely that Sunday was consecrated and set apart for prayers and Ecclesiastick assemblies this in my judgment was instituted something later For the first Christians who had embraced the faith immediately after our Lords Ascent met every day always applying themselves to prayers and all manner of Offices of Piety as S r Luâ—e writes in the Acts of the Apostles But afterwards when the Heathens betook themselves in great numbers to the faith of Christ and the Faithfull could not meet every day it was appointed by the Apostles and their Successours that at least on the Lord's Day the Faithfull should meet together in the Church Concerning which there is an eminent passage in Justin the Martyr's Second Apology about the close of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the day termed Sunday all persons as well those who dwell in the Country as them in the City â—eet together c. He has termed it Sunday not the Lord's Day because he sâ—oke to the Roman Emperours who were well acquainted with Sunday but knew not the Lord's Day which was an appellation proper to Christians Justin repeats the same thing a little after in the same Apology Hereto likewise Pliny agrees in his Epistle to Trajan 〈◊〉 says he hanc fuisse summâ—m vel câ—lpa suâ— vel erroris c. They affirmed that this was the â—otall either of their fault or errour that on a stated day they were want to meet together before it was light and sing an Hymn to Christ aâ— to God Where by a stated day he means The Lord's Day Therefore from this place of Pliny it may be gathered that the Christians who then lived in Bithynia met together on the Lord's Day only Otherwise Pliny would have said that they were wont to meet on stated days not on a stated day Although this is not so much the Testimony of Pliny himself as the Christians own who conâ—eâ—t that before Pliny as he himself atteâ—â—s Besides the Lord's Day Epiphanius in the Epilogue to his Books against Heresies affirms that an Assemblie on the fourth and sixth â—â—riâ— and 〈◊〉 iâ— his Constitutions says that a meeting together on the Sabbath Day was instituted by the Apostles But as to what belongs to the Stations of the fourth and sixth Feria we are informed from Tertullian in â—is Book de Jejuniâ—â— that they were meerly arbitrary and at will not determined by any positive Law or Command And although it was the Easternâ— usage to meet together on the Sabbath yet 't is manifest from Epiphanius Socrates and others that in most Churches Assemblies were not then held There is an eminent passage of S t Jerom's on the Epist to the Galatians Chap. 4. Eâ— nâ—inord 〈…〉 gregatio popâ—â—â—â—idem minueret in Christo c. And least a disordered â—ongregation of the people might lessen the faith in Christ Wordâ—â—â—ome days â—re appointed that we might all come together Not that that day whereâ—â— we â—â—et is â—ore solemn but that on whatever day there is an assembly a greater joy may arise from the â—ight of one another Vales. i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He says that the Lord's Day has its name from light not because it was by the Heatâ—ens termed the day of the Sâ—â— but because 't is the day of the Lord that namely whereon the Lord rose and conferred on us Life and Light and because on that day we received the Holy Spirit the Enlightner of our minds See Clemenâ— Alexandrinus's Strom Book 6. where speaking concerning the Sabbath there occurs a most elegant passage which for brevities â—ake I here omit The Lord's Day therefore is the day of Light both because on that day the Light was first â—reated and also in regard we on that day received the knowledge of the truth by the Holy Spirit who fell upon the Faithfull under the form of â—ire and without division was divided as Clemens words it in the forementioned place Vales. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is not satisfied in his instructing others he himself practises those things which he teacheth according to the command of the Gospel Vales. * Or Keepers l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reading must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we have rendred it accordingly Indeed in the Fuketian Copy 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church is understood as 't is apparent from His third Book concerning the Life of Constantine Chap. 50. From whence it must be also here corrected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefest Cities as the reading likewise is in the Fuketian Copy Vales. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the third Book of his Life of Constantine Chap. 50 instead of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made use of Indeed