against the Emperour for banishing many Priestes and Bishops which refused to communicate with Eudoxius the Arian Not long after in the aforesayd consulship the foure and twentieth of August Valentinianus created his sonne Gratianus Emperour The yeare following being the seconde Consulship of Valentinianus and Valens the eleuenth of Octobre there was in Bithynia a greate earthquake which ouerthrewe the citie of Nice It was the twelf yeare after the ruyne of Nicomedia Immediatly after many peeces of Germa a citie in Hellespontus were turned vpside downe w t an other earthquake for all these dreadfull sights were behelde in the open face of the worlde the lewde disposition of Eudoxius the Arian Bishop and the peruerted minde of the Emperour Valens was nothing moued to incline vnto piety and right reformation of true religion for they obserued no meane but furiously raged against all such as helde the contrary faith and opinion These earthquakes were no otherwise to be taken then for manifest tokens of the schisme tumults then raysed in y ◠church And though many of the priestly order were depriued of their dignities yet of all the rest Basilius Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and Gregorius Bishop of a small and meane citie bordering vpon Caesarea by the prouidence of God for their great pietie were not banished their natiue soile Of whome I shall haue occasion hereafter to discourse more at large CAP. XI How the sect of Macedonius being put to their shifts by reason of the Emperours displeasure sent their letters vnto Liberius Bishop of Rome where they subscribed vnto the fayth of one substance WHen as at that tyme such as cleaued stedfastly vnto the clause of one substance being the true Christians were vexed aboue measure the Macedonians also were pursued of the wicked and godlesse persecutors These men partly for feare and partly for their fayth being brought to their witts ende wrote letters and sent messengers from their bishopricks one vnto the other signifying that of necessity they must flie for refuge both vnto the Emperours brother and to Liberius Bishop of Rome and subscribe rather vnto their fayth then condescende to communicate with Eudoxius the Arian Wherefore they sende Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia one that had bene often times deposed Siluanus Bishop of Tarsus in Cilicia and Theophilus Bishop of Castabala a citie likewise of Cilicia these men are charged not to disagree as toutching the faith with Liberius but to communicate with the Churche of Rome and to ratifie by their subscriptions the faith of one substance When these men had receaued their letters which impugned the faith at Seleucia in all the hast they post to olde Rome They shewe not them selues vnto the Emperour for he was in Fraunce busily occupying him selfe about the battell against the Sarmatians but deliuer their letters vnto Liberius Liberius refuseth to geue their letters the reading he tolde them they were Arians and therefore in no wise to be entertayned of the Church because they had abrogated the creede of the Nicene councell Unto whome they make answere that his words were true yet that they repented them afterwards of their folly that they acknowledge the trueth that of late they had condemned the opinion which affirmeth the sonne to be vnlike the father that they confessed the sonne in all thinges and in all respects to be like the father and that the clause of likenes differed nothing from the sense of one substance When they had made this protestation by word of mouth he requireth them to doe the same in writing They immediatly exhibite vnto him a supplication where in the forme of faith published and established by the councell of Nice was comprised And lest that I seeme ouertedious vnto the reader my purpose is to omitt the letters they wrote from one company to an other namely from Smyrna in Asia from Pisidia Isauria Pamphilia and Lycia onely here to lay downe the supplication which Eustathius sent from his lodging vnto Liberius it was written as followeth Vnto their Lorde and brother their fellow minister Liberius Eustathius Theophilus Syluanus sende greeting in the Lorde To the ende vve may remoue all suspicion of heresie and partaking vvith sects vvhatsoeuer which heretofore haue molested the quiet estate of the catholick church presently we do allow of the synods assemblies of bishops which mett at Lampsacum Smyrna at sundry other places maintaining the right soūd faith that these our words may seeme for no other thē our true meaning we are legats haue brought letters vnto your holines vnto al the bishops of Italie to the other churches whatsoeuer of the west contrey whereby it shall manifestly appeare that vve are of the Catholick faith that vve defende the sacred Canons of the Nicene councell established in the happy raygne of the holy Emperour Constantine by three hundred and eyghteene Bishops the which vnto this day haue bene continewally obserued and vnuiolably retained where the clause of one substance was godly enterlaced to the ouerthrowe of the poisoned opinion of Arius for by subscribing with our owne hands we doe plainly protest that we are of no other opinion then these fathers were of but that heretofore presently also we embrace the same faith with them mind firmely to continew therin vnto our last houre Moreouer we cōdemne Arius his detestable opinion his disciples his complices the whole heresie of Sabellius all the Patropassians Marcionists Photinians Marcelliās to be short the wicked sect of Paulus Samosatenus VVe pronounce these mens doctrine for accursed together with all that holde with them all heresies like wise which are contrary vnto the aforesayd sacred faith generally godly framed by those holy fathers assembled in the city of Nice VVe accurse also the forme of faith that was repeated at the councell of Ariminum partly for that it repugneth the Nicene Creede partly for that diuers vvere fraudulently brought to subscribe vnto the same at Constantinople through vviles periury mistaking the title for they tooke Nice a city of Thracia for Nice in Bithynia The beliefe faith vve are of of them likewise vvhose legats vve are is as followeth VVe beleeue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible in one onely begotten God our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God begotten of the father that is of the substance of the father God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the father by whom all things were made either in heauen or in earth who for vs men for our saluation came downe from heauen was incarnate made man he suffred rose againe the third day he ascended into heauen shall come againe to iudge both the quicke the dead And we beleue in the holy Ghost such as say there was a time when he was not or that he was not before his
was greately furthered by them as by two greate lightes it is our parte to say somewhat of them If in case that any will compare Basilius with Gregorie and with longe discourse conferre the life and learninge of the one with the other it will be longe ere he shal be able to discerne whether to preferre of them both They were both equally matched for right trade of life for both kinde of knowledge diuine and prophane Beynge yonge men in the floure of their youth they hearde at Athens the famous Rhetoricians Hymerius and Proaeresius afterwardes at Antioche in Syria they frequented the schoole of Libanius in the ende they excelled in Rhetoricke When they were thought worthie men to deliuer vnto the worlde the preceptes of philosophie and were entreated of many to take that function vpon them when as also others perswaded with them to become Orators they sett nought by both those trades they despised the maner aâ—d guise of Rhetoricians and gaue them selues vnto solitary and monasticall life Wherefore as soone as they had sufficiently profited in philosophie vnder a certaine reader who then was a professor at Antioche they prouided for theÌ„ selues the coÌ„mentaries of Origen who then was famous throughout the worlde and learned out of them to expounde and interprete the holy and sacred scripture beynge exercised in them they valiantly encountred with the Arians And when as the Arians alleaged out of Origen for the confirmation of their hereticall opinion they refuted their ignorance and shewed by plaine demonstrations that they vnderstoode not the minde and meaning of Origen For Eunomius a fauourer of that sect and as many Arians as were of greatest reputation and accompted the profoundest clerkes in respect of all the rest when they disputed with Gregorie and Basil proued them selues starke fooles and vnlearned persons Basil first of all being ordained Deacon of Meletius bishop of Antioche afterwards bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia where he was borne gaue him selfe wholly to the furtherance and profit of the churche of God When he feared greately lest the newe deuise of Arius brayne would creepe throughout the prouinces of Pontus he got him into those parts in all the hast and ordained there the exercise of monasticall life instructed men in his opinion and confirmed the waueringe minde of weakelinges in the faith Gregorie also being made bishop of Nazianzum a meane citie of Cappadocia wherof his father had bene bishop before him did y â— like vnto Basils doings As he passed throughout y t cities he coÌ„firmed y â— faynt weake in the faith by oft visiting of Constantinople he setled with his graue lessons and great learning the minds of all them that embraced the faith of One substance Wherefore in a short while after he was by the voyces and consent of many bishops chosen bishop of Constantinople When the fame of them both was â—lased so farre that it came to the Emperour Valens eares in all the hast he gaue forth commaundement that Basil shoulde be brought from Caesarea before him to Antioche He was no sooner come but the Emperour charged he should be brought before the tribunall seate of the president When the President demaunded of him why and wherefore he liked no better of the Emperours religion Basil vnfaynedly and freely spake his minde of the Emperours opinion yet highly coÌ„mended the faith of One substance When the President threatned him w t present death I would to God sayth Basil it woulde fall out so well of my side that I might leaue this carcasse of mine in the quarell of Christ in the defence of my head and captaine WheÌ„ the President aduised him againe and againe to remember him selfe better the report goeth that Basil sayde vnto him As I am today so shalt thou find me tomorow but I pray God thou alter not thy minde Then lay Basil in prison that whole daye In a whyle after the Emperour Valens sonne by name Galates of youthly and tender yeares fell to so daungerous a disease that the phisicions gaue him vp and despaired of his recouery whose mother Dominica the Empresse tolde her husband the Emperour that the same nyght she was wonderfully disquieted in hir sleepe with vglesome shapes dreadfull visions of deuells and wicked spirites that the child was visited with sicknesse because of the coÌ„tumelie and reproche he had done vnto Basil the bishop The Emperour marking diligently the words of his wife muzed a while pondered them w t him selfe at length resolued him selfe what was to be done sent for Basil and because he would know y â— trueth reasoned thus with him If thy faith and opinion be true pray that my sonne die not of this disease Then Basil answered If thou wilt promise mee to beleue as I doe and if thou wilt bringe the churche vnto vnitie and concord thy childe no doubt shall lyue When the Emperour woulde not agree vnto this let God sayeth Basil deale with the childe as pleaseth him Immediatly after this conference Basil was sette at libertie and forthwith the child dyed Thus much haue we runne ouer of both these mens doings They both left behinde them vnto the posteritie many notable bookes wherof Ruffinus reporteth him selfe to haue translated some into the Latine tongue Basil had two brethren Peter and Gregorie Peter lead the solitarie life after the example of Basil Gregorie was a teacher and finished after the desease of his brother the CoÌ„mentaries which Basil had left vnperfect vpon the Six dayes vvorks The same Gregorie preached at Constantinople a funerall sermon vpon the death of Meletius bishop of Antioch There are extant many other notable orations and sermons of his CAP. XXII Of Gregorie byshop of Neocaesarea INsomuch that many are deceaued partly because of the name and partly because of the works attributed vnto Gregorie we haue to learne that there was an other Gregorie borne in Neocaesarea a citie of Pontus who was the disciple of Origen and farre more auncient then the former men we spake of euen now This Gregorie is much spoken of not onely at Athens and at Berytus but throughout Pontus and in maner throughout the whole world As soone as he had left the famous schoole of Athens he gaue him selfe at Berytus vnto the study of the ciuill lawes hearinge there that Origen professed diuinitie at Caesarea got him thither in all the hast When he had bene the auditor of the heauenly doctrine of holy scripture made no accoÌ„pt of the Romaine lawes but leaned thenceforth vnto that Wherfore hauing learned of him the true philosophie at y â— commauÌ„dement of his parents he returned vnto his natiue contrey Beinge a laye man he wrought many miracles he cured the sicke he chased deuells away by his epistles he conuerted the gentils and Ethnicks vnto the faith not only with words but w t deedes of far greater force PaÌ„philus Martyr made mention of him in his bookes written in the defence of
vvolfe from the sheepe I am no vvolfe I am the vvorde the spirite and povver but let him manifestly expresse that povver by the spirite and preuayle let him compell such men as then vvere present to trye and conferre vvith that talkatyue spirite namely these vvorthy men and Bishops Zoticus of Comanum and Iulian of Apamia to confesse the same vvhose mouthes vvhen the companions of Themison had stopped they suffered not the lying spirite and seducer of the people to be rebuked In the same booke after he had layde downe other thinges to the confutation of Maximilla his false prophecyes he declareth with all the tyme when he wrote and their prophecyes foreshewing warres and sedicions whose fonde fantasies he confuteth in this sorte And hovv can it othervvise fall out but that this be founde a manifest vntrueth and open falsehoode For novve it is more then thirtene yeares agoe since this vvoman dyed and yet in all this space hath there happened in this vvorlde neither ciuill neither generall vvarres but especially the Christians through the mercy of God haue had continuall peace Thus much out of the seconde booke out of the thirde booke we will alleadge a fewe lynes agaynst them which gloried that many of them were crowned with martyrdome for thus he writeth VVhen as they are in the premisses blanked confuted and voyde of arguments they flye for shift and refuge vnto martyrs reporting them selues to haue many affirming that to be a sure and a certayne proofe of the propheticall spirite raygning among them neither is this a most euident proofe as it appeareth for diuers other hereticall sectes haue many Martyrs vnto vvhome for all that vve neither condescende neither confesse that they haue the trueth among them And first for all the Mareionites affirme they haue many Martyrs vvhen as for all that their doctrine is not of Christ him self according vnto the trueth a litle after he sayth these that are called to their tryall and to testifie the true fayth by suffring of Martyrdome are of the Churche they communicate not vvith any of the Phrygian hereticall Martyrs but are seuered from them consenting no not in one iote vvith the fonde spirite of Montanus and his vvoman and that this vvhich I saye is moste true it shall euidently appeare by the examples of Caius and Alexander Martyrs of Eumenia vvho suffered in our tyme at Apamia situated vppon the ryuer Maeander CAP. XV. Of Miltiades and his workes IN the afore sayd booke this Apollinarius remembred the Commentaries of Miltiades who likewise wrote a booke against the foresayd heresie the wordes by him cyted were in this sort these things haue I briefly alleadged and found vvritten in some one of their commentaries vvhich confute the booke of Alcibiades vvhere he declareth that it is not the property of a Prophet to prophecye in a traunce a litle after he rehearseth the Prophets of the newe Testament among whome he numbreth one Ammias and Quadratus saying as followeth A false Prophet in a traunce vvhere licence and impunitie doe concurre beginneth vvith rashe ignoraunce endeth vvith furious rage and frensie of mind as it is sayd before of this sort in such traunce of spirite they shal be able to shevve vs non of the prophetes ether of the olde or of the nevve testament neyther shall they be able to glory of Agabus of Iudas of the daughters of Philip of Ammias the Philadelphian of Quadratus neither of any other vvhich may any thing auaile them Againe he wryteth If that as they say after Quadratus and Ammias the Philadelphian these vvomen of Montanus succeeded in the gift of prophecy lett them shevve vvho aftervvardes succeeded Montanus and his vvomen for the Apostle thinketh good that the gift of prophecie should raigne in euery Church euen vnto the ende but novve for the space of these fouretene yeares since Maximilla dyed they are able to shevve vs not one so farre he this Militiades whome he remembreth leaft vnto vs in wryting other monumentes of his laboure and industrie in the holy Scriptures aswell in the bookes he wrote agaynst the Gentiles as also in the books agaynst the Ievves satisfieng confuting in two books their seuerall argumentes and opinions afterwardes he wrote an Apologie of the Christian philosophie which he embraced vnto the potentates and princes of this world CAP. XVI Apollonius his iudgement of the same heresie TO be briefe this Phrygian heresie was confuted by Apollonius an ecclesiasticall writer who then I saye at that time florished in Phrygia he published a seuerall booke against it he refuted their prophecyes accompting them for vayne lyes he plainely opened and reuealed the conuersation of such as were principall and chief patrons of this heresie of Montanus he wrote in this manner But vvhat kinde of nevve Doctor this is his vvorkes and doctrine doe declare This is he vvhich taught the breakinge of vvedlocke this is he vvhich prescribed lavves of fastinge this is he vvhich called Pepuza and Timium peltinge parishes of Phrygia Ierusalem to the ende he might entice all men from euery vvhere to frequent thither this is he vvhich ordayned tolegatherers taxers of money â–ª this is he vvhich vnder pretense and colour of oblations hath conningely inuented the arte of bribinge this is he vvhich giueth greate hyre vnto the preachers of his doctrine that by feedinge of the panche his prophecies may preuaile Thus much of Montanus and immediatly of his Prophetisses he wryteth VVe haue shevved before these first prophetisses from the time they vvere filled vvith theyr false spirite to haue forsaken theyr husbandes hovve shamefully then do they lye calling Priscilla a virgin He addeth sayinge Doth not the-vvhole Scripture forbydde that a prophete shoulde receaue revvardes and money VVhen I see a prophetisse receaue golde and siluer and precious garmentes hovve can I chuse but detest her Agayne of an other he sayth And besides these Themison also inflammed vvith the burninge thurst of couetousnesse tasted not of the tarte conyzance of confession before the tyrant but shifted himself out of fetteres vvith much money And vvhen as therefore he shoulde haue humbled himselfe yet he all in braggery as if he vvere a martyr after the example of the Apostle vvrote a catholicke epistle very presumptuously to enstructe them vvhich beleued better then he did and to exhort them to striue for the nevve doctrine together vvith him and to reuile the Lorde and his Apostles and his holy Churche Againe speakinge of one of theyr highlye esteemed Martyrs he wryteth in this sorte And that vve trouble not our selues vvith many lett the prophetisse tell vs toutchinge Alexander vvho called himselfe a Martyre vvith vvhome she hathe banqueted vvhome also many doe adore vvhose theftes and other haynous crimes vvhich he suffred for I vvill not presently rehearse for they are publickely knovven and registered vvhose sinnes hathe he pardoned vvhether doth a prophete yeld thefte vnto a
THE AVNCIENT ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIES OF THE FIRST SIX HVNDRED YEARES AFTER CHRIST wrytten in the Greeke tongue by three learned Historiographers Eusebius Socrates and Euagrius EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina vvrote 10 bookes SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS of Constantinople vvrote 7 bookes EVAGRIVS SCHOLASTICVS of Antioch vvrote 6 bookes VVhereunto is annexed DOROTHEVS Bishop of Tyrus of the liues of the Prophetes Apostles and 70 Disciples All which authors are faithfully translated out of the Greeke tongue by MEREDITH HANMER Maister of Arte and student in diuinitie Last of all herein is contayned a profitable CHRONOGRAPHIE collected by the sayd Translator the title whereof is to be seene in the ende of this volume with a copious INDEX of the Principall matters throughout all the Histories ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers by Ludgate 1577. TO THE RIGHTE HONORABLE THE GODLY WISE AND VERTVOVS LADIE ELIZABETH COVNTESSE OF LYNCOLNE vvife to the right noble Edvvarde Earle of Lyncolne Lorde highe Admirall of England one of the Queenes Maiesties priuie counsail and Knight of the most honorable order of the Garter MEREDITH HANMER vvisheth encrease of honor continewance of Godly zeale perfection of wisedome and health in Christ Iesus THE holy Apostle and Euangelist Sainct Iohn one that leaned on our Sauiours breaste right honorable Ladie when he sawe a noble woman whome he tearmeth a Lady walking in the way of trueth and willingly embracing the gladsome tidmges of the Gospell reioyced exceedingly and wrote vnto her an Epistle wherein he commendeth her vertues exhorting her to obserue the olde commaundement of louing one an other and to take heede of deceauers though in all poynctes I am founde farre inferior nay in nothing comparable at all vnto the blessed Apostle yet your honors vertues doe counteruaile or rather surpasse the other Ladies Godlinesse seeinge the seede of Christianity was in her but newely sowen and true zeale of religion firmely rooted these many yeares in your Ladiships mind Notwithstanding my inferior condition be it lawfull though not of worthinesse at least wise of fauour for me to imitate the blessed Apostle to wryte vnto your honor not any exhortation of myne owne whiche peraduenture woulde be very simple but the exhortation of the Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour the martyrdomes of Saynctes and such as serued God in trueth and vpright conuersation the inuincible courage and constancie of zealous Christians the Godly sayinges and sentences of true professors the wise and politicke gouernemente of common weales by Catholicke Emperours and Christian princes the carefull ouersight of the flocke of Christ by reuerend Bishops and learned Prelats the confutation and ouerthrowe of heretickes with the confirmation of the trueth â—y holy councells and sacred assemblies and to say the wholl in one worde as the principall drifte of myne Epistle to presente vnto your Ladiship these auncient Ecclesiasticall Historiographers to wit Eusebius Socrates Euagrius Dorotheus Whose histories are so replenished with such godly doctrine that I may very well say of their all as a learned wryter reporteth of Eusebius that they are able to perswade any man be his mind neuer so farre alienated from the trueth to become a zealous Christian Wherefore my good Lady seeing that as Plato sayth running witts are delighted with poetrie as Aristotle wryteth effeminate persons are rauished with musicke and as Socrates telleth vs histories agree beste with staide heades I present vnto your honor these histories agreeing very well with your disposition and beinge the frutes of my trauell and studie Ruffinus sayth that he wrote his historie to delight the reader to occupie the time and to remoue the remembrance of the calamities meaning the persecution which then lately had happened As for Christian pleasure and Godly delightes what can be more pleasaunt then the reading of the Ecclesiasticall histories toutching the time I knowe it full well you spende it as it beseemeth your calling to speake of calamitie vnlesse we beholde the miserie and lamentable estate of other Realmes and dominions presentlye there is geuen no suche occasion for it can not be remembred that the subiectes within this realme of Englande had the Gospell so freely preached Clerkes so profoundely learned Nobility so wise and politicke all successes so prosperous as in this happie raygne of our most vertuous noble Princesse Queene Elizabeth and therefore are we greatly bounde to praise God for it Yet if ye call to memorie the corruption of late dayes the blindnes of such as woulde be called Gods people the lamentable persecution of the English Church then may ye reade them after calamitie But notwithstandinge the premises it is not my drifte to salue such sores neither to prouide medicens for such Maladies God of his prouidence hath continewally bene so carefull ouer his Church that his seruants were neuer left desolate Though Elias complayned that he was left alone yet were there thousandes vvhich bovved not their knees to Baal S. Paul telleth vs there is of Israel a remnant left Our Sauiour speaking of his Church though it be not of the greatest multitudes yet is it accordinge vnto his Epitheton a litle flocke And sure I am there may be found a righteous Abraham in Chaldaea a iust Lot in Sodome a godly Daniel in Babylon a deuout Tobias in Niniue a paciente Iob in Husse and a zealous Nehemias in Damasco There is found wheate among tares graine in the huske corne among chaffe a kearnel within the shale marrow within the bone a pearle within the cockle and a rose amonge the thornes There was a Ionathas in the court of Saul to fauour Dauid there was an Obadia in the Court of Achab to entertayne the Prophets there was an Abedmelech in the Court of Sedechias to entreate for Ieremie and in the Court of Diocletian there were many yonge Gentlemen namely Petrus Dorotheus Gorgonius with many others which embraced the Christians suffred death for the testimony of Christ as your honor may reade in these Ecclesiastical histories which I haue not therfore commended vnto you for the remembrance of any calamitie at all But as for the Court of our most gracious Queene a sight both ioyfull and comfortable where there resortes so many learned Clerkes so many Godly persons so many graue Matrons so many vertuous Ladies so many honorable personages hauinge so noble a heade to gouerne them all There the Christian is no Phoenix the godly is no blacke swanne for the Gospell is freely preached and the professors thereof had in honor and estimation Wherefore in so godly a place to be so vertuously disposed at vacant times as to reade these auncient histories wil be a commendation vnto your honor an encrease of knowledge a confirmation of the faith a maintenance of zeale and a liuely beholdinge of Christ Iesus in his members Here you may see the modesty and shamefastnes of Christian maydens the constancie of zealous women the chast mindes of
wrytinges of Papias are sayde to be fiue bookes entituled the exposition of the Lordes sermons Of these Irenaeus reporteth as wrytten alone by this man saying thus This truely Papias the auditor of Iohn the companion of Polycarpus testifieth in the fourth booke of his vvrytinges for he vvrote fiue Thus farre Irenaeus Papias him selfe in the preface to his bookes signifyeth that he nether heard nether sawe the Apostles but receiued the vndoubted doctrine of fayth of their familiars and disciples When he sayth It shall not seeme greuous vnto me if that I compile in vvriting and commit to memorie the thinges vvhich I learned of the elders and remember as yet very vvell vvith there expositions hauing fully tryed already the trueth thereof Nether am I pleased vvith such as say many thinges as many are accustomed to doe but vvith such as teach true thinges nether vvith such as repeate straunge precepts but vvith such as alleadge the thinges deliuered of the Lorde for the instruction of our fayth proceding from the trueth it selfe if any came in place vvhich vvas a follovver of the Apostles forthvvith I demaunded the vvordes of the elders VVhat Andrewe vvhat Peter vvhat Philip vvvhat Thomas or Iames or Iohn or Matthewe or any other of the Lordes disciples vvhat Aristion and the elder Iohn disciples of the Lord had sayd I beleued verely not to profit my self so much by their vvrytinges or bookes as by the authoritie of the persons and the liuely voice of the reporters making relation thereof It may seeme worth the notinge that by these wordes wee marke the name of Iohn to bee twise repeated The first numbred with Peter Iames Matthewe and the rest of the Apostles signifying Iohn â–ª the Euangelist the second with a different terme without the cataloge of the Apostles ioyning him with Aristion playnly calling him the Elder that hereby the truth of the history may appeare which declareth two of the same name to haue bene in Asia and two seueral monuments of them both to be at Ephesus whereof â—oth as yet beare the name of Iohn which may not lightly be passed ouer of vs for it is very like that the seconde vnlesse ye are pleased with the first saw that reuelation which beareth the name of Iohn Papias then of whom we spake before confesseth him selfe to haue hearde the wordes of the Apostles of them which were their followers namely of Aristion and Iohn the elder for often tymes by mentioning them he alleadgeth their traditions in his bookes I suppose these thinges to haue bene spoken to good purpose agayne to that which hath bene already spoken I thinke it not amisse to adde out of the bookes of Papias things very straung which he reporteth to haue receaued by tradition before we haue written how that Philip the Apostle together with his Daughters had his abode at Hierapolis nowe we haue to signifie how that Papias remayning amongest them reporteth a certayne history tolde him by the Daughters of Philip he writeth that a deade man rose to life againe and moreouer an other miraculous thinge to haue happened to Iustus whose syrname was Barsabas that he dronke deadly poyson and tooke therby no harme the godnes of God preseruing him The history of the Actes declareth of this Iustus how that after the ascention of our Sauiour the holy Apostles seuered him together with Mathias praying ouer them that ereother of them might be allotted in the place of Iudas the traytor to the complete number of the Apostles They appointed tvvo Ioseph called Barsabas by syrname Iustus and Mathias Certayne other thinges the same writer reporteth of the which some he receaued for tradition by worde of mouthe also certayne straunge parables of our Sauiour mixt with fabulous doctrine where he dreameth that the kingdome of Christ shall corporally here vppon earth laste the space of one thousande yeares after the resurrection from the deade which error as I suppose grewe hereof in that he receaued not rightly the true and mysticall meaning of the Apostles neither deepely wayed the thinges deliuered of them by familiar examples for he was a man of smale iudgement as by his bookes playnly appeareth yet hereby he gaue vnto diuers Ecclesiastical persons occasion of error which respected his Antiquity namely vnto Irenaeus and others if there be any founde like minded other traditions he alleadgeth of Aristion and the Elder Iohn vnto the which we referre the studious reader yet one thinge toutching Marke the Euangelist the whiche he reporteth we may not omitt for thus he writeth The Elder meaning Iohn sayd Marke the interpreter of Peter looke vvhat he remembred that diligently he vvrote not in that order in the vvhich the Lorde spake and did them neither vvas he the hearer or follovver of the Lorde but of Peter vvho deliuered his doctrine not by vvay of exposition but as necessity constrayned so that Marke offended nothing in that he vvrote as he had before committed to memory of this one thinge vvas he carefull in omitting nothinge of that he had hearde and in deliuering nothing vvhiche vvas false so farre of Mark. concerning Matthewe he writeth thus Matthewe vvrote his booke in the hebrevv tongue vvhich euery one after his skill interpreted by allegations Papias alleadged testimonies out of the first epistle of Iohn of Peter he expounded a certayne historye of a woman accused before Christ of many crymes written in the Gospell after the Hebrevves of these thinges thus much we suppose to haue bene necessarily spoken and added vnto that which went before The ende of the thirde booke THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS BISHOP OF CAESAREA IN PALAESTINA CAP. I. VVhat byshops were of Rome and Alexandria in the time of Traian the Emperour ABout the twelfe yere of the Raygne of Traian after the death of the Byshop of Alexandria before mentioned Primus was placed the fourth byshop after the Apostles The same time Alexander when Euarestus had gouerned full eight yeares was the eight byshop of the Church of Rome after Peter and Paul CAP. II. VVhat calamities the Iewes suffred in the time of Traian THe doctrine of our Sauiour the Church of Christ so florished that dayly it encreased and was more and more furthered But the calamities of the Ievves grewe so great that one mischief ensued vpon an other When the Emperour was nowe come to the eightenth yere of his raygne the rage of the Ievves was so stirred that a greate multitude of their nation was destroyed for at Alexandria and throughout the rest of Aegypt and Cyren the Ievves as if they were possessed of a raging seditious and fanaticall spirite so bestirred them selues that they made an vprore among the Gentiles where they abode kindled such a firye sedition that the yere folowing they waged no small battaile Lupus then being president throughout Aegypt In the first battaile the Ievves had the
sure the Gods are not so secure but that they disclose hurtfull persons For these men punishe such as vvil not vvorship the Gods more greuously then you doe vvhich thus vexe them and confirme the opinion vvhich they conceaue of you to be Atheists or godlesse men It is their desire in Gods quarell rather to dye then to lyue so that they become conquerers yeldinge their liues vnto the deathe rather then they obey your edictes It shall seeme very necessarye to admonishe you of the earthquakes vvhich haue and doe happen among vs that being thervvith moued ye may compare our estate vvith theirs They haue more confidence godvvardes then you haue you during the tyme of your ignorance despise other Gods contemne the religion of the immortal God banish the Christians vvhich vvorship him persecute them vnto the death In the behalfe of these men many of the prouinciall Presidentes haue vvritten heretofore vnto our father of famous memory vvhome he aunsvvered in vvriting againe that they vvere not to be longer molested vnlesse they had practised treason agaynst the Romayne empire many haue giuen notice vnto vs of the same matter vvhom vve aunsvvered as our father did before vs. If any therefore hereafter be founde thus busied in other mens affayres vve commaund that the accused be absolute free though he be founde such a one I meane faulty and that the accuser be greeuously punished This edict was proclaymed at Ephesus in the hearing of the greate assembly of Asia witnesse hereof is Meliton Bishop of Sardis which florished at y e time in his profitable Apologie for our doctrine deliuered vnto the Emperour Verus CAP. XIIII Of Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna IRenaeus reporteth that while Anicetus was Bishop of Rome Polycarpus as yet liued and came to Rome and questioned with Anicetus â–ª concerning the day of Easter An other thinge yet he reporteth of Polycarpus in his thirde booke against heresies which needefully must here be annexed Polycarpus sayth he vvas not only instructed by the Apostles and conuersant vvith many vvhich savve Christe but also of the Apostles ordayned Bishop of Smyâ—na in Asia â–ª vvhome vve in our youthe haue also seene for he lyued long and vvas very olde and at lengthe finished this lyfe vvith moste glorious â–ª and renovvned Martyrdome â–ª vvhen he had continually taught that he learned of the Apostles vvhich the Churche at this daye deliuereth for vndoubted trueth All the Churches of Asia and as many vnto this daye as succeeded him in that seae beare vvitnesse that Polycarpus vvas vvorthier of credit thâ—n Valentinus Marcion then the vvhole rabble of peruerse people For he being 〈◊〉 Rome in conference vvith Anicetus conuerted many of the foresayd Heretickes vnto the Church of God preaching the one and onely trueth receaued of the Apostles and deliuered by the Churche There be yet aliue vvhich hearde him reporting hovve that Iohn the Disciple of Christ entring into a bath at Ephesus to bayne him selfe and spying vvithin the Hereticke Cerinthus departed the bath vnbayned and sayd Let vs departe hence lest the bath fall vvherein Cerinthus the svvorne enemy of the trueth bayneth him selfe And Polycarpus on a tyme meeting Marcion face to face vvhich sayd vnto him knovve vs aunsvvered I knovve thee for the firste begotten sonne of Satan So zelous vvere the Apostles and their Disciples that they communicated not in vvorde vvith the corrupters of the trueth according vnto that of Paul eschevv him that is an Hereticke after the first and seconde admonition knovving that such a one is peruerse and condemned a sinner by the testimony of his ovvne conscience There is extant an epistle of Polycarpus vnto the Philippians very profitable for such as are carefull of their saluation vvhere they may knovve the true character of fayth and the right rule of doctrine So farre Irenaeus Polycarpus in the foresayde Epistle vnto the Philippians at this daye extant alleadgeth testimonyes out of the former Epistle of Peter When that Antoninus syrnamed Pius had ended twenty and two yeares in the Romayne Empire Marcus Aurelius Verus and Antoninus his sonne togither with Lucius his brother succeeded him CAP. XV. The martyrdome of Polycarpus and diuers other Sainctes in Smyrna vnder Verus the Emperour WHen Asia was visited with greate persecution Polycarpus was crowned with martyrdome I suppose it necessary to penne in this our historye his ende which at this daye is published in writing The Epistle is in the person of the Churche where he was President vnto the Parishes throughout Pontus signifying the circumstance about Polycarpus in this sorte The Church of God which is at Smyrna vnto the Church at Philomilium and vnto all the congregations of the holy Catholicke Church throughout Pontus mercy to you peace and the loue of God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ be multiplyed VVe haue vvritten vnto you brethren of such as suffred martyrdome and of blessed Polycarpus vvho signed and sealed this persecution vvith his ovvne bloud And before they make relation of Polycarpus they rehearse the constancy and pacience of other Martyrs saying The behoulders vvere amazed seeing the flesh of the Martyrs rent vvith scurges euen into the inner vaynes and sinovves so that the most secret entrayles of their bodies their bovvels invvard priuityes vvere piteously to be seene Behoulding againe the sharpe shells of sea fishe pimple stones stravved vnder the Martyrs backes and brused bodies vvith euery kinde of torment that could be deuised Last of all throvvn to be torne in peeces and deuoured of vvilde beastes Specially they wrote of Germanicus that he valiantly endured and ouercame through the grace of God that corporall feare of death graffed in the frayle nature of man For when as the Proconsull exhorted him to relent admonished him of his tender yeares prayed him to pitye his owne case being nowe in the flowre of his youth â–ª He without intermission entyâ—ed the beaste to deuoure him yea constrayned and compelled that with speede he might be dispatches of this wrongfull and wicked life Which patience and constancye of the blessed Marâ—â—â— â–ª and of the whole Christian nation the multitude of Inâ—â—dels behoulding sodainly began to shoâ—â—â— â—â—â—oue the vvicked seeke out Polycarpus And when there was a great tumuâ—â—e raysed by reason of this clamor a certaine Phrygian by name Quintus lately come out of Phrygia trembled at the flerâ—e rage of the terrible beasts and shrinked at the sight of their grimme visage and betrayd his owne safety with his slacknes of courage For the same epistle testifieth of him that he personally appeared together with the rest before the barre more of rashues then of any religion and being taken be publickly protested that none ought to intruâ—e him selfe amonge such men without good deuotion neither intermedle in mâ—â—â—â—â—s wherewith he hath not to doe But of these men thus much Toutching the renowned Polycarpus they write that he hearing the report of this
Iulianus was chosen Bishop ouer the Churches of Alexandria after that Agrippinus had gouerned there twelue yeares There moderated there at that tyme the schole of the faythfull a famous learned man called Pantaenus for that of olde exercise and disputation in holy Scripture florished among them instituted as we are giuen to vnderstande by such men as excelled in eloquence and studye of holy Scripture it is written that amonge them which then liued this Pantaenus was in great estimation brought vp among the secte of Philosophers called Stoickes he is sayd to haue shewed such promptnes of a willing minde towards the publishing of the doctrine of Christ that he became a preacher of the Gospell vnto the Easterne Gentiles and was sent as farre as India there were I say there were then many Euangelistes prepared for this purpose to promote to plant the heauenly word with godly zeale after the guyse of the Apostles of these Pantaenus being one is sayd to haue come into India where he founde the Gospell of Matthewe written in the Hebrewe tongue kept of such as knewe Christ preached there before his comming by Bartholomewe one of the Apostles and as they reporte reserued there vnto this daye This Pantaenus then after he had done many notable thinges gouerned the Church of Alexandria where by rote and by writing he published much precious doctrine CAP. X. Of Clemens Alexandrinus TOgether also at that time was Clemens founde at Alexandria well exercised in holy Scripture of the same name with him which of old was byshop of Rome and disciple of the Apostles and namely in his bookes intitled Hypotyposeon he maketh mention of Pantaenus by the name of his master I suppose him to haue meante the same in his first booke intitled Stromatôn when he recited the moste renowmed and famous men of the Apostolicke succession whome he embraced saying If it be best to confesse the trueth this present taicte of mine is not made for any ostentation but for a monumente graffed in minde or rather a medicene to expell the forgetfulnes of mine olde age that it may be vnto me a simple resemblance or a sleyght kinde of portracture of those notable and liuely men vvhome sometimes I harde vvith mine eares of vvhich both sayinges and sainctes on vvas of Grece an Ionicke an other of great Grece one of Caelosyria an other of Aegypte some from the east vvhereof one vvas an Assyrian an other of Palaestina of the Hebrevve bloode he vvhich is last in order of name vvas the first in renovvned vertue I remained in Aegyptshiftinge out such thinges as lay in secrett vvheÌ„ I founde him these haue obserued the right tradition of true doctrine vvhich before they had receaued of Peter Iames Iohn Paul holy Apostles as a sonne of the father yet very fevve like theyr fathers God no doubt disposing that those fatherly Apostolicke seedes should by them be layed vp and reserued for vs. CAP. XI Of the byshopes of Ierusalem AT this time was Narcissus byshop of Ierusalem a man very famous the fifteeneth in succession from the ouerthrowe of the Ievves vnder Adrian from which time we haue signified before the Churche after the Ievves to haue bene gouerned by the Gentiles and the first byshop of them to haue bene Marcus next him was Cassianus after him Publius after Publius Maximus after Maximus Iulianus after Iulianus Caius after Caius Symachus after Symachus an other Caius after him an other Iulianus him succeeded Capito after him Valens after Valens Dolichianus after all Narcissus the thirtieth in succession from the Apostles CAP. XII Of Rhodon and the repugnancy which he founde in the heresie of Marcion ABout the same time florished one Rhodon an Asian sometime at Rome by his owne report the disciple of Tatianus who wrote many bookes and together with others impugned the heresie of Marcion he paynteth this heresie in his time to haue bene seuered into sundry sectes the Authors of which schisme and their false positions seuerally inuented he hath sharply and in fewe wordes reprehended heare him if you please writing thus VVherefore they varied among themselues coursing an vnconstant sentence of that crue vvas Apelles pretending a politicall kinde of conuersation and sadde grauitie confessing one beginning and saying that prophecyes are of a contrary spirite fully crediting the sentences and deuelishe doctrine of a mayde called Philumaena others some as the rouer Marcion haue layde dovvne tvvo beginninges of vvhich opinion are Pontinus and Basilicus these follovving Lycus of Pontus not perceauing the right distinction of thinges no more did he runne headelong out of the vvay and published barely and nakedly vvithout shevv or proofe of reason tvvo principall beginnings â–ª againe others some falling farre vvorse haue dreamed not onely of tvvo but of three natures vvhose author and ringeleader is Synerus by the report of them vvhich fauour his doctrine The same Rhodon writeth that he had conference with Apelles saying by reasoninge vvith this olde Apelles I tooke him vvith many falsehoodes vvhereupon he sayd that no man vvas to be examined of his doctrine but euery man to continevve quietly as he beleued he pronounced saluation for such as beleued in Christ crucified so that they vvere founde exercised in good vvorkes his doctrine of the God of all thinges vvas maruelous darke and obscure he confessed on beginning agreeable vvith our doctrine after he had layde downe his whole opinion he sayth VVhen I demaunded of him hovv prouest thou this hovve canst thou affirme that there is one beginning tell vs. he made ansvvere that he misliked vvith the prophecies them selues for that they vttered no trueth but varied among them selues that they vvere false and contrary to them selues hovv that there vvas one beginning he sayd He knevve not but yet he vvas so persvvaded aftervvards I charged him to tell me the trueth he svvare he sayd the trueth neither knevve he hovv there vvas one God vnbegotten yet beleued he the same I truly condemned him vvith laughter for that he called him self a doctor and coulde not confirme his doctrine In the same booke Rhodon speaking to Calliston confesseth him self at Rome to haue bene the disciple of Tatianus he reporteth that Tatianus wrote a booke of Problemes Wherefore when as Tatianus promised to sifte out the darke speaches and hidd mysteries of holy Scripture Rhodon promised also in a peculiar volume to publish the resolutions of his Problemes his commentaries vpon the six dayes vvorkes are at this day extant but Apelles wrote infinite tractes impiously agaynst the lawe of Moses reusâ—ing in most of them the holy Scriptures very paynfull and earnest in the reprehension and as he thought in the ouerthrowe of them of these thinges thus farre CAP. XIII Of the false prophets in Phrygia and foule schisme raysed at Rome by Florinus and Blastus THat sworne enemy of the Church of God hater of all honesty embracer of all spite malice omitting no
sought out How great what horrible blasphemies God of his goodnes be mercifull vnto vs haue some vnreuerently vttered against our great sauiour against our hope and life and impudētly not only blased things cōtrary vnto the scriptures inspired from aboue the sacred faith but also affirmed they beleued the same For vvhen as three hundreth bishops and aboue men of great fame both for modestie of minde sharpnesse of witt had confirmed one the same faith which was founde to be a true faith by the trueth it selfe and playne testimonies of holie scripture sought out for the purpose Arius alone was found beyng ouercome with the power and fraude of the deuill to fall from the same and beynge prone therevnto through the peruersitie of his minde scattered and sovved first of all amongest you aftervvardes amongest vs this poysoned errour of perdition VVherefore lett vs embrace that doctrine vvhich almightie God the father of heauen hath deliuered vnto vs let vs returne vnto our dearely beloued brethren vvhome the wicked impudēt minister of Satan hath seuered asunder let vs vvith might and mayne and as commonly vve say vvith all the vaynes in our hart go home agayne vnto the generall societie and body of the church and vnto our ovvne naturall members This aboue all other things behoueth your wisdome your faith holines after the remouīg frō your minds the cākred poysō of the aduersary who set him selfe opposite against the trueth that without all delaye ye haue recourse vnto the grace and goodnes of almightie God For that which seemed good vnto the three hūdred bishops is no othervvise to be taken then for the sentence of God specially in as much as the holie Ghost vvas resiant in the mindes of so vvorthie and so notable men inspiring them vvith the deuine vvill of God him selfe VVherfore let none of you stagger at the matter let none of you make any delay at all but all ioyntly vvith most vvillinge mindes returne vnto the most perfect way of trueth that as soone as I my selfe come amōgst you I may together with you rēder dew thāks vnto the god whose eye nothīg doth escape because that he hath not onely reuealed vnto vs the true syncere faith but also geuen vnto vs most graciously the loue and charitie which vvas to be vvished of vs all God keepe and preserue you vvelbeloued brethren This the Emperour wrote vnto the people of Alexandria signifying in playne words that the finall conclusion definitiue sentēce of the faith was not layde downe vnaduisedly neither came to passe by happe hazard but after great labour industrie after diligent searching and sifting out of the trueth to haue bene published by the councell and not some thinges to haue bene handled some other things to haue bene omitted but all whatsoeuer seemed necessary to be entreated of toutching the confirmation of y ◠doctrine of faith to haue bene sufficiently discoursed neither to haue bene firste vnaduisedly decreed before all were curiously handled in so much that all what so euer seemed to breede occasion of controuersie or discord was quite plucked vp by the rootes But that I may vtter all in one word Constantine calleth the censure of the whole assembly the sentence of God him selfe neither doubted he but that so great a company of bishops was vnited linked together in one mind in one opinion by y ◠motion instinct of the holy ghost Yet for all this Sabinus who is the ringleader of the Macedonian heresie wilfully and of sett purpose impugneth these thinges yea moreouer he termeth such as mett at Nice vnlearned and doultishe idiots neither is he ashamed to charge Eusebius bishop of Caesarea with the reprochefull spot and blemishe of ignorance neither weyeth he this with him selfe that such as were present at the coūcell though they were vnlearned men as he reporteth yet being inspired from aboue endued with the grace of the spirite of God could in no wise straye from the trueth But let vs heare what the Emperour layde downe in other letters against the opinions of Arius and his complices the which also he sent abroade vnto the bishops and congregations throughout christendome An other Epistle of Constantine COnstantinus the puyssāt the mighty noble Emperour vnto the bishops pastors people whersoeuer Inasmuch as Arius traceth the stepps of detestable impious persons it is requisite that he be partaker with them of the selfe same infamie and reproche For as Porphyrius the svvorne aduersarie deadly foe of deuine seruice vvho lately published levvde cōmentaries in the cōfutation defiance of Christian religion vvas revvarded according vnto his desert and so recōpenced that within the cōpasse of these fewe yeares he was not only grieued with great reproche blemished with the shamefull spot of infamie but also his impious blasphemous works perished vtterly were abolished euen so now it seemed good vnto vs to call Arius his complices the vvicked broode of Porphyrius that looke vvhose maners they haue imitated they may enioye also the priuiledge of their name Moreouer we thought good that if there can be founde extant any worke or booke compiled by Arius the same shoulde be burned to ashes so that not only his damnable doctrine may thereby he vvholly rooted out but also that no relique thereof may remaine vnto the posteritie This also we straightly cōmaunde charge that if any man be found to hyde or conceale any booke made by Arius and not immediatly bring forth the sayd booke deliuer it vp to be burned that the sayde offender for so doing shall die the death For as soone as he is taken our pleasure is that his head be stricken of from his shoulders God keepe you in his tuition An other epistle of Constantine COnstantinus the Emperour vnto the churches throughout christēdome sendeth greeting VVhen as I perceaued by the florishing prosperous estate of the publicke weale how greatly we are beholding vnto the goodnes of almightie God conferred vpon vs I deemed that aboue all things it behoued me of dutie to foresee that in the most holy and sacred assemblies of the Catholicke church vnder heauen there shold one faith syncere loue charitie vniforme consent agreement toutching the religion seruice of almightie God vnuiolably be retayned But sithence that the same could by no other way or meanes be compassed neither in any other sure or certaine place be setled vnlesse that either all the bishops or at lestvvise the greater part of them assembled together layde downe their seuerall censures concerning the most holy religion seruice of God therfore when the greatest company that coulde be gott mette together I my selfe as one of your number vvas present vvith them Neyther tooke I in scorne vvhereat novve I greatly reioyce that I coupled my selfe vvith you in those affayres VVe proceeded so farre in the premisses and handled all thinges so exquisitely vntill
before of Spaine could in no wise brooke that Paulus and Athanasius should be absent the Easterne bishops forthwith depart and cōming to Philippi a citie in Thracia they assemble a priuate coūcell among thē selues beginne thenceforth openly to accurse the creede cōtaining the claule of One substance to sowe abrode in writing their opinion that the sonne was not of one substance w t the father But the assembly of bishops which cōtinewed at Sardice first cōdemned them which fled from the hearing of their cause next deposed from their dignities the accusers of Athanasius afterwards ratified the creede of the Nicene coūcell abrogated the hereticall opinion which said that the sonne was of a different substance from the father last of all sett forth more plainely the clause of One substance for they wrote letters therof sent them throughout the whole world Both sides were pleased with their owne doings and euery one seemed to him selfe to haue done right well the bishops of the East because the Westerne bishops had receaued such as they had deposed the byshops of the West because the Easterne bishops being deposers of others had departed before y ◠hearing of their cause the one for that they mayntained the Nicene creede the other for that they went about to condemne it Their bishoprickes are restored to Paulus and Athanasius likewise to Marcellus bishop of Ancyra in the lesser Galatia who a litle before as we sayd in our first booke was deposed who also then endeuoured with all might to disproue and confute the sentence pronounced against him saying that the phrase and maner of speach which he vsed in his booke was not vnderstoode and therefore to haue bene suspected by them as if he mayntayned the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus Yet we may not forget that Eusebius Pamphilus wrote three bookes to the confutation of the booke of Marcellus where he citeth the words of Marcellus and refuteth them plainly declaring that Marcellus no otherwise then Sabellius the Aphrick Paulus Samosatenus thought that the Lorde Iesus was but onely man CAP. XVII An Apologie or defence in the behalfe of Eusebius Pamphilus that he was no Arian as diuers malicious persons wrote of him BEcause that diuers haue bruted abroade sclaunderous reports of Eusebius Pamphilus affirming that in his workes he sauoured of the heresie of Arius I thinke it not amisse presently to laye downe in fewe wordes what of trueth we may thinke of him Firste of all he was both present at the Councell of Nice and subscribed vnto the clause of One substance In his thirde booke of the lyfe of Constantine he hath these wordes of that Councelll The Emperoure dealt so farre vvith them for the reducinge of them vnto concorde and vnitie that he lefte them not vntyll he had brought them to be of one mynde and of one opinion toutchinge all that afore tyme vvas called into controuersie so that vvith one voyce they all embraced the fayth decided in the Councell of Nice If Eusebius then mentioninge the Councell summoned at Nice doth saye that all quarells and questions were there ended and that all were of one minde and of one opinion howe is it that some dare presume to charge him with the spotte of Arianisme The Arians them selues also are foulie deceaued if they take him for a fauourer of their opinion But some man peraduenture wyll saye that he seemed to smell of Arianisme in that he vsed often tymes in his bookes this phrase By Christ. Whome I answere that not onely he but also other ecclesiasticall writers yea and the Apostle him selfe who was neuer once suspected to be the author of any lewde opinion vsed this phrase before them which wrote such kinde of speache and sundrie other sortes of sentences for the liuely settinge forth and expressinge of the order and maner of our sauiours humanitie But what Eusebius thought when Arius taught that the lonne was a creature and to be accompted as one of the other creatures nowe vnderstande for in his first booke agaynst Marcellus he writeth thus He alone and none other is both called and is in deede the onely begotten sonne of God VVherefore they are vvorthy of reprehension vvhich are not ashamed to call him a creature and to say that he beganne of nothinge as other creatures did Hovve shall he be the sonne or after vvhat sort may he be called the onely begotten of God vvhen as he hath as they say the same nature vvith other creatures and is become one of the vulgare sort of men to wete hauinge the like beginninge vvith them and beyng made partaker vvith them of the creation vvhich is of nothinge But the holie scriptures Ivvis teache vs no such thinges of him And agayne a litle after he sayeth VVhosoeuer then sayeth that the sonne vvas begotten of nothinge or that the principall creature beganne of nothing he attributeth vnto him vnaduisedly the onely name of the sonne but in very deede and in trueth he denyeth him to be the sonne For he that is begotten of nothinge can in no vvyse be the true sonne of God no more can any other thinge that hath the lyke beginninge But the sonne of God truely begotten of the father him selfe is to be termed the onely begotten and the vvelbeloued of the father and so he shall be God For vvhat other thinge is the budde or branche of God then that vvhich resembleth the begetter The kinge is sayde to buylde or make a cytie but not to begette a cytie and so he is sayde to begette a sonne but not to buylde or make a sonne In respect of the vvorke he vvrought he is not called a Father but a cunninge vvorkeman and in respect of the sonne he begatte he is not called a vvorkeman but a father VVherefore the God of all vniuersalitie is worthely to be called the father of the sonne yet the framer and maker of the worlde Although it be once found written in a certaine place of holie scripture The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his workes yet as I am minded immediatly to interpret it behoueth vs to skanne narowly and to sift out with diligence the sense vnderstanding thereof not after the maner of Marcellus with one word to shake the chiefe principles of christian religion These many other such like reasons hath Eusebius alleaged in his first booke against Marcellus to y ◠cōfutation of his opinion In his third booke he hath expounded how this word Made or created is to be vnderstood as followeth These things being after this sort it remaineth that we cōsider of this sentence The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his works which is no otherwise to be taken then the other thinges we expoūded before For in case he say that he is made he sayth it not as if he became something of nothing or that he
other waye and that most leudly for looke what he promised that woulde he neuer performe he wonne that citye more with falsehoode and subtletie then by force of armes He sette Beroea on fire he came with violence againste Antioch when Euphraemius gouerned the Byshopricke but lefte at that tyme the citye because none of the espies whiche he had sente forthe were returned vnto him whose politicke foresighte as reporte goeth preserued the Churche and all that belonged thereto For he adorned her with goodly monumentes hopinge that waye to recouer the violence of the enemye The same author declareth with a vehemente stile easie to moue any reader howe the sayde Chosroes tooke Antioch destroyed all with sworde and fire and howe afterwardes he came to Seleucia then to Daphne the suburbes thereof laste of all to Apamia whose Churche gouerned Thomas a man very famous bothe for life and for learninge This Thomas sticked not to accompany Chosroes vnto the Theater and there beholde the runninge at tilte for all the canon of the Churche forbad it to the ende in so doinge he mighte vse all meanes possible to mitigate and aswage his fury The reporte goeth when Chosroes demaunded of him woulde you see me in your city that he answered I speake vnfaynedly and as I beare fayth vnto God I woulde not gladly see you there Chosroes marueled at his liberty of speache and reuerenced the man highly as he deserued for the trueths sake CAP. XXV Of the miracle wroughte at Apamia by the vertue of the reuerende crosse SEinge that by discourse of our historye we are fallen to entreate of this matter it shall not be amisse here to remember a certayne miracle worthye the notinge and wroughte at Apamia As soone as the Citizens of Apamia hearde saye that Antioch was sette on fyre they requested Thomas spoken of before to bringe forthe althoughe it were contrarye vnto order and custome the wholsome and liuelye Crosse and sette it before them all to the ende they mighte beholde and embrace it when theyr laste houre came for therein the onelye healthe of man consisted and nowe takinge theyr voyage into an other worlde they myghte haue the reuerende Crosse for theyr wayefare to safeconduyte them into a better soyle Wherefore Thomas did as they requested him and after the limitation of some certayne time for the preparation thereof he brought forth the liuely Tree of the Crosse that all the neighbours mighte come together and participate of the health that proceeded thereof Thither wente my parentes together with others and tooke me in theyr ▪ hande beinge a childe and then goinge to schoole After we were licensed to honor and embrace the reuerende Crosse Thomas lifted vp his handes and let all see the wood of the crosse whereby the olde curse of sinne was wiped away compassed the Sanctuarie as the vse was vpon high and solemne feasts But as Thomas passed from place to place there followed him a great flame not of burninge but of shininge fire in so muche that to mens seeminge all the place where he stoode and shewed vnto the people the reuerende crosse was inflamed This was done not once neyther twise but oftener when Thomas went about and the people gatheringe together requested him so to doe Whiche sight foreshewed vnto the citizens of Apamia the health and sauegarde that was to ensue after Wherefore there was a picture set in the roufe of the Sanctuarie at the foote whereof this miracle was written for suche as were ignorant thereof This picture was preserued vntill that Adaarmanus and the Persians inuaded that countrey and burned both Churche and citie Thus ended all that circumstance Chosroes in that voyage of his hauinge prophaned the holy league committed at his pleasure other haynous actes agreeable with his light and vnconstant behauiour yet not decent for a man endued with reason muche lesse fitte for a prince whiche hath regarde of his worde and promise CAP. XXVI The expedition of Chosroes made against Edessa FUrthermore the same Procopius hath layd downe in writing the thinges whiche of olde were remembred touchinge Edessa and Agbarus and how Christ wrote an Epistle vnto Agbarus Againe how Chosroes made an other inuasion and determined to besiege Edessa hoping to disproue the report and fame that was spred farre and nigh of that citie to wit that no enemye woulde euer be able to subdue Edessa Which thinge is not mentioned at all in the Epistle which Christe our God wrote vnto Agbarus as it is to be seene in the historie of Eusebius Pamphilus where the Epistle is layde downe worde by worde yet it is not onely noysed but belieued of the faythfull and his pretended euent confirmed the report to be true For when Chosroes went about to take the citie although he made many an assault and raysed a wonderfull great contremure so that he might easily scale the walles of the citie with sundrie other engines yet went he away and coulde not preuayle And howe it so fell out I will declare Chosroes first commaunded his soldiers to carie thither a great pile of tymber how so euer they were for to besiege the citie which was in maner as soone done as spoken The tymber beinge framed rounde and earth heaped in the middest it was set right ouer against the walles and raysed by a litle and a litle with tymber and other fillinge stuffe vntill it came to a great height that the top thereof was higher then the walles of the citie From thence they shotte at the citie and at suche as hazarded their liues in defence of the walles the citizens seeinge this contremure muche lyke an high mountayne to drawe nigh their citie and that by all likelyhood the enemy woulde come in a foote they got them very early and made a ditche ouer against their hillocke threwe fire therein that the flame might take holde of their timber and make their contremure euen with the grounde This beinge done and fire cast in it fell not out as they wished because the fire coulde not breake out and take into the aer for to consume the pile of timber Last of all when as they seemed nowe to yeelde despairinge of their safety they bringe forth an Image whiche God himselfe and not the handes of man had shaped the whiche Christe had sent vnto Agbarus when Agbarus desired to see him This holy picture they drewe through the ditche they had made and conueyed in water of this water they threwe vpon the pile and heape of timber so that by the prouidence of God aydinge and assistinge the fayth of suche as practised the circumstances that whiche they coulde not bringe to passe before is nowe easily cōpassed For immediatly the vndermost wood toke fire was quickely burned into coales the flame flashed vpwards and set the whole pile on fire The Edessaeans being besieged and espiinge at length that both smoke and flame brake out deuised this sleight which followeth for to
last of all leade the sheepe of Christ captiues out of the Churche But Anastasius was of so diuine a courage for he stoode vpon the sure rocke of the fayth that he wrote letters freely against Iustinianus the Emperour prouinge bothe plainely and wiselye that the blessed Apostles and holye Fathers confessed and deliuered vnto them the body of the Lorde to be subiecte vnto death and partaker of the vnblameable affections naturally impressed in the minde In like sorte he answered the Monkes of the greater and lesse Syria which reasoned with him as touchinge this matter he confirmed the mindes of all men to fight in defence of the trueth to be shorte he read dayly in the Church that sentence of Paul the electe vessell of God If any preach vnto you any other Gospell besides that which ye haue receaued yea if he be an Angell from heauen let him be helde for accursed Whereunto all fewe onely excepted gaue theyr consentes and signified theyr endeuer and studye in defense of the faythe Moreouer the sayde Anastasius vnderstandinge that the Emperour woulde banishe him wrote an exhortation vnto the people of Antioch for to confirme theyr mindes in the faith the whiche partly for his fine stile and flowing sentences and partly also for the infinite testimonies alleadged out of holy Scripture and the history therein fittly applied is highly to be esteemed CAP. XL. The death of Iustinian BUt the edict of Iustinian by the prouidence of God which prouided farre better for vs was not published For Iustinian who threatned exile vnto Anastasius and his clergy was suddainely taken him selfe when he had raygned thirty eighte yeares full and eight monethes and departed this life The ende of the fourth booke of Euagrius Scholasticus THE FIFT BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF EVAGRIVS SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. The creation of Iustinus the seconde Emperour of that name and of his life IVstinianus therefore when he had set the wholl worlde on tumultes and sedition and in his later dayes receaued that whiche was due for suche leude practises departed into endlesse tormente appointed for him by the iust iudgement of God Instinus thē his sisters sonne Presidēt of the pallace was inuested clad in the Emperiall robe when as none his owne friends only excepted knewe either of Iustinianus death or of Iustinus that he was proclaimed Emperour vntil that both he him selfe others also celebrated in Circus the wonted solemnity of the Empire After the finishinge of the spectacles when as none rose to take armour or to rebell against him he returned into y ◠pallace And first of all he gaue out a commaundement that all the Bishops and Priests which were gathered together at Constantinople out of all contreys shoulde depart euery man to his owne home there to serue God in holynes and not to alter or practise any nouelty as toutching the faith That act of his is worthy of cōmendation but as for his life and trade of liuinge he swomme in sensualitye he wallowed in filthy pleasure and was so greedy of other mens goods that he sold euery thing for leud gaine and set benesices them selues without any feare of God to open sale Moreouer being entangled with two contrary vices foolehardines and faint courage first he commaunded Iustinus his kinsman to come vnto him a man of great honor and estimation both for his prowesse in martiall affayres and for other rare ornaments of his person who then made his abode about the riuer Danubius for to wtstand the people Abari least they cut ouer that water and inuaded the Romayne dominiōs These Abari be people of Scythia called Hamaxobij inhabiting y ◠regions beyond Caucasus who being driuen out of their cuntrey by the Turckes their neighbours diuersly grieued by thē came first to Bosphorus thence forsaking the banks of Pontus Euxinus where there dwelled many Barbarian nations yet the cities holds were kept of y ◠Romaynes where againe there came both souldiers y ◠were discharged of the warres rid of attendance also such inhabitāts as the Emperours had sent thither they went straight on their voyage vanquished all y ◠Barbarians afore thē vntill they came vnto the shore of Danubius whence they sent Embassadors vnto Iustinian y ◠Emperour Frō thence it was that Iustinus was called home as it was tolde him for to participate the benefite of the couenauntes drauen betwene him and the Emperour Iustinus For when as both of them seemed to be of equall fame and the Empire like to fall vnto eyther of them after great reasoning long disputation had about the Emperiall scepter they couenanted betwene them selues that whether soeuer of them were crowned Emperour shoulde make the other the second person in honor yet in suche sorte thoughe he were second in respect of the Emperour that he shoulde be firste in respect of all others CAP. II. Howe Iustinus the Emperour procured the death of his cosin Iustinus WHerefore Iustinus y ◠Emperour fauored y ◠other Iustinus but from teeth outward forged haynous crimes against him by a litle a litle tooke frō him his gard y ◠pretorian souldiers also his traine cōmaunded hī to keepe his house so y ◠he was not seene abroad in y ◠end gaue charge he should be cōueied to Alexādria In which city about midnight as he lay in his bed he was murthered after a lamentable sort and this was his recompence for the good will he bare vnto the common wealth and the notable seruice he did in the warres Neither was the Emperours or he Empresse furie and rage mitigated before they saw with their owne eyes his head taken of from his shoulders and scornefully tumbled it with their feet CAP. III. Of wicked Addaeus and Aetherius SHortly after Iustinus araigned Aetherius and Addaeus who were both senators and of a long time in chiefest autority with Iustinian for an haynons offence which they had committed one of them Aetherius by name confessed after examination that he sought to poyson the Emperour and that Addaeus was of his counsell and of his minde in all he went about But Addaeus protested with solemne dreadfull othes that he knew not of it yet both of thē were beheaded Addaeus as his head went to the block spake boldly though he were innocent as toutching that crime yet that he had deserued y ◠punishment by the iust iudgement of God who is the beholder reuenger of haynous offences he confessed that he had dispatched Theodotus president of the pallace by inchauntments but whether these thinges be true or no I am not able to saye Neuerthelesse sure I am that both these were wicked persons for Addaeus burned with Sodomiticall lust and Aetherius left no mischiefe vnpractised he speyled both the liuing and the dead in the raigne of Iustinian vnder colour of the Emperours house whereof he was president callinge for the Emperour for the
Iustus and the first Bishop of Ierusalem yet Petrus de natalibus Volaterran and Demochares all which three wrote the catalogue of these disciples doe name no such one Eusebius Clemens Alexandrinus and Paule himselfe doe call him an Apostle and no disciple The 2. is Timothee whome the three aforesayde writers doe not number The 3. Titus The 4. Barnabas so doth Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius call him this is that Barnabas which in the Actes of the Apostles as Antoninus writeth was otherwise called Ioses and hauinge land solde it and layde the price downe at the Apostles feete The 5. Ananias The 6. Stephan The 7. Philip Bishop of Tralleis in Asia Volaterran sayth he was Bishop in Thracia Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe say he was Bishop in Thracia afterwardes in Scythia Antoninus saith he dyed at Caesarea The 8. Prochorus whom Volaterran calleth Proculus The 9. Nicanor The 10. Simon Bishop of Bostra in Arabia Demochares Volaterran Petrus de natalibus doe saye he was Bishop of Tyre and Sidon The 11. Nicolas Bishop of Sapria yet say the aforesayd three autors it was Samaria The 12. Parmenas The 13. Cleopas The 14. Silas The 15. Siluanus The 16. Crescens bishop of Chalcedonia in Fraūce Volaterran calleth him Crisces Bishop of Chalcedonia Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe call him Chrysches Bishop of Chalcedonia S. Paule sayth he sent this Crescens into Galatia Eusebius sayth the Apostle sent him into Fraunce whereby it appeareth by some mens coniectures that the Epistle vnto the Galatians was writtē by S. Paule vnto the French men The 17. Epaenetus yet Volaterran hath none suche The 18. Andronicus The 19. Amplias Bishop of Odissa Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe call him Ampliatus and Bishop of Edissa Volaterran saith of Edessa The 20. Vrbanus The 21. Stachys the aforesaide autors doe call him Stateus The 22. Apelles Bishop of Smyrna Volaterran saith of Heraclea Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe say it was of Eradia The 23. Aristobulus Bishop of Brettania Volaterran saith Betania Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe saye it vvas Bethania The 24. Narcissus Byshop of Patrae Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe call him Tarcissus Byshop of Athens and Volaterran sayth he was Byshop of Athens The 25. Herodion Volaterran hath none suche The 26. Rufus The 27. Asyncritus The 28. Plegon The 29. Hermes Byshop of Dalmatia Volaterran Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe saye he was Byshop of Philipolis The 30. Hermas but the other writers haue none suche The 31. Patrobas ▪ Byshop of Nepotiopolis Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe saye of the nation Peli The 32. Agabus The 33. Linus The 34. Gaius Byshope of Ephesus after Timothee yet Origen sayth he was Byshop of Thessalonica The 35. Philologus The 36. Olympas the asoresayde three autors haue none suche Ambrose taketh this Olympas for the sister of Nereus but Origen doth not so The 37. Rodion the other writers remember none of that name The 38. Iason The 39. Sosipater bishop of Iconium Origen taketh him to be that Sopater of Berroea mētioned in the Acts of the Apostles The 40. Lucius whom Origē taketh to be Luke The 41. Tertius bishop of Iconium yet Demochares Petrus de natalibus doe say he was b. of Meiadum Volaterran hath none such The 42. Erastus bishop of Paneas whom Volaterran calleth Erastes b. of Meiadum but Demochares Petrus de natalibus haue none such The 43. Phigellus whom Volaterran calleth Philetus Philegus The 44. Hermogenes The 45. Demas The 46. Quartus The 47. Apollos b. of Caesarea yet Petrus de natalibus saith it was of Connia The 48. Cephas who as Dorotheus gesseth was he whom Paule reprehended at Antioch but it is a fable as it is to be sene in the censure laid downe in Eusebius pag. 15. 16. the aforesaid latine writers haue none such among the disciples The 49. Sosthenes The 50. Epaphroditus b. of Adriana as Demochares saith of Andriaca The 51. Caesar The 52. Marcus the cosin of Barnabas The 53. Ioseph The 54. Artemas whom Volaterran calleth Antomas The 55. Clemens The 56. Onesiphorus or Onesimus yet by the words of Paule they should not be one The 57. Tychicus b. of Chalcedō in Bithynia or as the former autors doe write of Colophonia The 58. Carpus Bishop of Berhoea Petrus de natalibus saith of Beronia and Volaterran saith of Cheronea The 59. Euodius The 60. Philemon The 61. Zenas The 62. Aquila the aforesayde Latine writers doe remember none suche The 63. Priscas whome the Latines doe call Priscus The 64. Iunias Origen and Ambrose doe call him Iulias The 65. Marcus otherwise called Iohn The 66. Aristarchus The 67. Pudas or Pudens The 68. Trophimus The 69. Marke the Euangeliste and the 70. Luke the Euangeliste Besides these 70. I finde others also in holye Scripture vvorthye the notinge namelye Symeon Niger Manahen Iude othervvise called Barsabas Crispus Alexander one that behaued him selfe verye stoutlye at Ephesus Secundus Mnason of Cyprus an olde Disciple Mercurius Nereus Fortunatus Achaicus Syntiches Epaphras Nymphas Archippus Eubolus the Eunuche Baptized of Philippe in the Actes vvhome Eusebius calleth a Disciple vvyth others Other vvryters as Vincentius and Antoninus haue founde out more namelye Sauinianus Potentianus Altinus Cis Maximinus Iohannes Senior Aristion Zozimus Euphrates Martialis Sidonius Lazarus Vrsinus Iulianus and no maruayle for Sayncte Paule vvitnesseth that Christe vvas seene after his resurrection of moe then fiue hundred brethren These be they whom God raised vp to plant the principles of his Gospell and the sounde of their feete was heard throughout the world these be they which fedde with Angelles and became themselues foode for wilde beastes they spared not their liues vnto the death they quenched the heate of fire they turned the edge of the sworde they stopped the mouthes of furious beastes they confounded the tyrants and foyledde the ennemies of the truthe I may say of them as Cyprian speaketh of the true Christians and Martyrs occidi poterant sed vinci non poterant Well they might be slaine but it was vnpossible to ouercome them And yet when the ennemie triumpheth that at lest wise he seemeth to haue brought his purpose about we may comfort our selues with this saying Sanguis martyrum semen Ecclesiae the bloude of the Martyrs is the seede of the Churche Christ him selfe foretolde that whosoeuer woulde be his disciple must take vppe his crosse and followe him These Prophets and these Apostles and these Disciples haue done no lesse Abel was murthered by Cain The children of Israel were oppressed vnder Pharao Elias was persecuted by Iezabel The Prophet Ioath was threatned by Ieroboam and slaine of a Lion Zacharie the sonne of Iehoida was stoned to death Micheas was throwne downe and his necke broken Amos was smitten with a clubbe on the temples of the heade and so brained Esaias was sawed asunder in two partes with a wodden sawe