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
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
vvell of the Ievves as Gentils This same vvas Christ. And though Pilate by the iudgement of the chief rulers amongest vs deliuered him to be crucified yet there vvanted not them vvhich from the beginning loued him he appeared vnto them aliue the third day after his passion as the holy Prophets haue foretolde yea these an innumerable more maruelous thinges of him to this day the christian people vvhich of him borovv their name cease not to encrease Now when as this Historiographer by blood an Ebrue borne hath of olde deliuered in writing these the like thinges concerning Iohn Baptist our Sauiour Christ what refuge now remaineth but that they be condeÌ„ned for impudent persons which of their owne braine haue fayned comentaryes contrary to these allegations and of these thinges also thus much CAP. XIII Of the disciples of our Sauiour that there were more then 12. Apostles and 70 disciples THe names of the Apostles are apparent vnto euery one out of the holy Euangelists but the cataloge of the 70. disciples is no where to be founde Barnabas is sayde to be one of the number whome the Actes of the Apostles remembred and no lesse did S. Paul writing to the Galathians Amonge these they number also Sosthenes which together with Paul wrote to the Corinthians The history also of Clemens in the fift of his Hypotypose on affirmeth Cephas to he one of the 70. of whome Paul sayde vvhen as Cephas came to Antioche I vvithstoode him to his face because he vvas culpable This Cephas was of the same name with the Apostle And Mathias who of the Apostles was elected in the rowme of Iudas the traitor and Barsabas also who is sayde by the same lott to haue bene worthely preferred to the number of the 70. disciples Also Thaddaus whome Thomas by the commaundement of Iesu sent to cure Agbarus is counted one of the number concerning whome I will forth with declare a certayne historye which came to our handes Thou shalt finde by diligent obseruation that there were more then 70. disciples of our Sauiour for prouf wherof thou maiest vse the testimony of Paul which sayeth that after Christs resurrection from the dead he appeared first to Cephas then to the tvvelue After them to more then fiue hundred brethren at once vvhere of he sayth some to haue fallen a sleepe but more to haue remayned aliue at that tyme when he wrote these thinges Afterwards to haue appeared to Iames which was of the disciples and one of the brethren of Christ. last of all as though besides these there were more Apostles after the maner of the twelue such as Paul him selfe was he addeth saying he vvas seene of all the Apostles but of this so farre The Translator toutching the doubt rising about him whom Paul reprehended at Antioche whether he was Peter the Apostle or Cephas one of the seuenty WHereas Eusebius in the former chapiter affirmeth Cephas to be one of the number of the 70. disciples and the same to be reprehended by Saynct Paule at Antioche it seemeth repugnant to the playne wordes of holy Scripture deliuered vnto vs by the holy Ghost The aduersaryes of the trueth thought better to erre with Eusebius by saying that Cephas was rebuked by Paule and not Peter rather then that they woulde graunte Peter whome they terme the Prince of the Apostles to be controlled of Paule supposing hereby a presiding to ensur agaynst the prymacye of the Pope or liking of this opinion as a bare shift to stoppe the sclannderous mouth of Porphyrius which here took occasion to reprehende the Christians for their sedition but let vs confesse the trueth and shame the deuill The wordes of Saynt Paul are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhen Peter came to Antioche I vvithstoode him to his face and a litle after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I sayde vnto Peter in the presence of them all Augustine and Ierome had great conâ—â—â—tion about the interpretation of this place but nerâ—â—â—â—her denieth the party to be Peter â—â—t 〈◊〉 giue vnto the historiographer the credit dâ—â— vnto him he might call Peter Cephas as our Sauiour sayd in the Gospell vnto Peter thou shalt be called Cephas which is a Syrian word sounding in greeke or latine nothing else but Peter or Petra a rocke In that he calleth him an other from the Apostle I doe not see how it can stande Ierome denieth any other Cephas knowen of vs sauing Peter The conclusion is this Eusebius calleth the person reprehended by Paul Cephas The holy Ghost in the Scripture calleth him Peter Eusebius sayth he was an other from the Apostle The holy Ghost in discourse calleth him Peter the Apostle in the same chapiter to whome the Apostleship of Circumcision was committed and most like to be the Apostle for there that is at Antioche he was first placed Bishop CAP. XIIII The history concerning the Prince of the Edessaeans The epistle of Agbarus vnto Christ and the epistle of Christ vnto him agayne THe history toutching Thaddaeus of whom we spake before was after this sorte After that the diuinity of our Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christ was made manifest vnto al men through the working of miracles he drewe vnto him an innumerable sorte of straungers farre distant from Iudaea affected with sundry diseases and euery sorte of maladyes hoping to recouer their health of which number king Agbarus gouerner of the famous nations inhabiting beyond the riuer Euphrates greuously diseased in body incurable by mans cunning hearing the renoumed fame of Iesu the wonderfull workes which he wrought agreable vnto the same published of all men made petition vnto him by letters that he would voutchsafe to deeme him worthy of deliueraunce from his disease Iesus though not presently yelding vnto his petition voutchsafed to aunswere him by an epistle that shortly he would sende one of his disciples which shoulde cure his disease promising with all that he shoulde not onely cure his disease but as many of them as belonged vnto him which promise not longe after he performed for after his resurrection from the dead and ascention into heauen Thomas one of the twelue Apostles sent his brother Thaddaeus accompted among the 70. disciples of Christ by diuine inspiration into the city Edessa to be â— preacher and Euangelist of the doctrine of Christ by whome all thinges which concerned tâ—â— promise of our Sauiour were performed The reader hath an approued testimony of these thinges in writing taken out of the recorded registery of the princely city Edessa for there are found enrolled in their publique registery things of Antiquity which were done about Agbarus time yea and preserued vnto this day There is no reason to the contrary but that we may heart the letters themselues copied out of their registery translated by vs out of the Syrian tongue into these wordes The epistle of Agbarus vnto our Sauiour AGbarus gouerner of Edessa vnto Iesu the good
Sauiour shevving himselfe in Ierusalem sendeth greetinge I haue hearde of thee and thy cures vvhich thou hast done vvithout medicens and herbes for as the reporte goeth thou makest the blinde to see the lame to goe the leapers thou clensest foule spirites and deuils thou castest out the long diseased thou restorest to health and raysest the dead to life VVhen that I hearde these thinges of thee I imagined vvith myselfe one of these tvvo thinges either that thou art God come from heauen and doest these things or the Sonne of God that bringest such thinges to passe VVherfore by these my letters I beseeche thee to take the paynes as to come vnto me and that thou vvilt cure this my greuous maladye vvhervvith I am sore vexed I haue hearde moreouer that the Ievves murmur agaynst thee and goe about to mischiefe thee I haue here a litle city and an honest vvhich vvill suffice vs both These thinges he wrote after this maner being a litle lightened from aboue I thinke it also not amisse to heare the letters of Iesu sent backe to Agbarus by the same bearet The epistle of our Sauiour vnto Agbarus though briefe yet pithy AGbarus blessed art thou because thou hast beleued in me vvhen thou savvest me not â–ª for it is vvritten of me that they vvhith see me shall not beleue in me that they vvhith see me not may beleue and be saued concerning that thou vvrotest vnto me that I should come vnto thee I let thee vnderstande that al thinges toutching my message are here to be fulfilled and after the fulfilling thereof I am to returne agayne vnto him that sent me â–ª but after my assumption I vvill sende one of my disciples vnto thee vvhich shal cure thy maladye restore life to thee and them that be vvith thee Vnto these epistles there were also these things added in the Syrian tongue VVhen Iesus vvas taken vp Iudas vvhich also is called Thomas sent vnto him Thaddaeus the Apostle one of the seuenty vvho vvhen he came remayned vvith one Tobias the sonne of Tobias vvhen that fame vvas spred of him that he vvas made manifest by the miracles vvhich he vvrought it vvas signified vnto Agbarus said the Apostle of Iesu is come of vvhom he vvrote vnto thee Thaddaeus by that time began through the povver of God to cure euery sore sicknesse so that al men greatly marueled Agbarus hearing of vveighty vvonderful vvorkes vvhich he vvrought that he cured in the name povver of Iesu forth vvith suspected the same to be he of vvhom Iesus had vvritteÌ„ saying After my ascentioÌ„ I vvil send one of my disciples vnto thee vvhich shal cure thy malady And vvheÌ„ he had called vnto him Tobias vvhere Thaddaeus hoasted he said vnto him I heare say that a certain mighty maÌ„ came from IerusaleÌ„ vvhich lodged vvith thee cureth many in the name of Iesu vvho made ansvver said ye Lord there came a certaine straunger hoasted at my house vvhich hath done vvonderfull things to vvhome the King said bring him vnto me Tobias returning vnto Thaddaeus said vnto him Agbarus the gouernour sent for me coÌ„maunded that I should bringe thee vnto him that thou mayst cure his disease Thaddaeus aunsvvered I goe for it is for his sake that I am sent thus mightely to vvorke Tobias stirring betimes the next day â–ª tooke vvith him Thaddaeus came to Agbarus as he came euen at his entraÌ„ce there appeared vnto Agbarus in the presence of his chief men a great spectacle in the countenance of Thaddaeus the Apostle at vvhich sight Agbarus did reuerence vnto Thaddaeus so that aâ— they vvhich vvere present marueled they savv not the sight saue Agbarus alone vvhich questioned vvith Thaddaeus said art thou of trueth a disciple of Iesus the sonne of God vvhich made me this promis◠〈…〉 â—â—il sende vnto thee one of my disciples vvhich shal cure thy disease shevv life vnto thee all thine to vvhome Thaddaeus made aunsvver because thou hast greatly beleued in the Lord Iesu vvhich sent me therfore am I sent vnto thee but in case that thou beleue in him as yet â–ª thy harty petitions according vnto thy fayth thou shalt obtayne to vvhome Agbarus I haue continevved so beleeuing in him sayth he that I could haue founde in my harte mightely to destroy the Ievves vvhich crucified him vvere not the Romaine empire a let vnto my purpose Thaddaeus sayd agayne Our Lord God Iesus Christ fulfilled the vvil of his father vvhich being finished he is asceÌ„ded vnto him Agbarus ansvvered I haue beleued in him in his father to vvhom Thaddaeus therefore sayth he in the name of the selfsame Lord Iesu I lay my hand vpon thee â–ª vvhich vvheÌ„ he had done he vvas fortvvith cured of his malady deliuered of the paine that pressed him sore Agbarus marueled at this that euen as it vvas reported vnto him of Iesu so in trueth by his disciple and Apostle Thaddaeus vvithout Poticarye stuffe and vertue of herbes he vvas cured And not onely he but also Abdus the sonne of Abdus grieued vvith the govvte and falling at the feete of Thaddaeus recouered his former health by his laying on of his hands â–ª he cured also many others of his felovv citizens vvorking maruelous miraculous things preaching the vvord of God To vvhom Agbarus said againe Thou Thaddaeus through the povver of God doest these thinges vve haue thee in admiration I pray thee moreouer that thou expouÌ„d vnto me the coÌ„ming of Iesu hovv he vvas made man his might by vvhat povver he brought such things as vve hearde to passe To vvhoÌ„ Thaddaeus at this seasoÌ„ saith he I vvilbe silent though I am set to preach this vvord but to morovv call together to my sermon al the people felovv citizens the vvil I shevv vnto theÌ„ the vvord of God sovv the vvord of life teach the maner of his comming hovv he vvas made maÌ„ of his message to vvhat end he came being sent from the father moreouer of his miracles misteries vttered in this vvorlde povver in bringing thinges to passe besides this his nevve preaching hovv base selender humble he seemed in outvvard appearance hovv he huÌ„bled him selfe died abated his diuinity vvhat great things he suffred of the Ievves hovv he vvas crucified desceÌ„ded into hel rent that hedge midâ—â—all â—â—uâ—â—seuered before raised the dead that of long time had slepe hovv that he 〈…〉 dâ—â—â—eÌ„ded â–ª bâ—t asceÌ„ded vnto the father accoÌ„panied vvith many â–ª hovv that he sâ—â—â—â—hin glory 〈…〉 right hand of God the father in heaueÌ„ last of al hovv he shal â—â—e again vvâ—â— glory pâ—â—â—eâ—â—â—â—udg both the quick dead â–ª vvhen the morning vvas come Agbarus coÌ„mauÌ„ded his citizeÌ„s to be gathered together to heare the sermon of Thaddaeus vvhich being ended he charged that golde coyned and vncoyned shoulde be
had with the rest of the Apostles but of these thinges thus farre for hereafter more properly in place conuenient we will mention what the fathers of olde hereof haue written Among the rest of Iohns writinges his first epistle hath bene generally of olde and late wryters receaued without any staggering the two latter haue bene gainesayed toutching his Reuelation as yet among many there is a variable opinion some allowing and some disalowing of it likewise of this hereafter what the Elders haue thought shal be entreated CAP. XXII The bookes of the newe Testament canonicall and Apocrypha IT shall seeme conuenient if in this place we collect briefely the bookes of the newe Testament In the first place we must sett the fourefolde vvritinges of the Euangelistes next the Actes of the Apostles then the Epistles of Paul are to be added after these the first of Iohn and that of Peter which is autenticke lastly if ye please the Reuelation of Iohn of the which what is to be thought shall followe hereafter all these are receaued for vndoubted the bookes which are gaynesayde thoughe well knowne vnto many are these the Epistle of Iames the Epistle of Iude the latter of Peter the seconde and thirde of Iohn whether they were Iohn the Euangelistes or some others of the same name take these which followe for forged workes the Actes of Paul the booke called Pastor the Reuelation of Peter moreouer the Epistle fathered vppon Barnabas and the Doctrine called the Apostles and the Reuelation of Iohn if it so please you which as I haue sayde before some disalowe some other receaue as an vndoubted true doctrine diuers doe number amonge these the Gospell vnto the Hebrevves vsed specially of them which receaued Christ of the Hebrevves these writinges are they which commonly of all others are impugned I suppose that necessaryly we made rehearsall hereof to the ende we may discerne and seuer the vnfayned the vndoubted the true writinges according vnto the Ecclesiasticall tradition from the vnlawfull wrytinges of the newe Testament from such as are impugned and yet dayly read of diuers Ecclesiasticall persones that we may knowe them and such as vnder the name of the Apostles as of Peter of Thomas or Matthias besides the Gospells of others as of Andrewe of Iohn contayning the Actes of the other Apostles are published by Heretickes whereof not one Ecclesiasticall writer hath with reuerence alleadged in his Commentaries moreouer the forme of the phrase varieth from the manner of the Apostles their sentence their drifte in discourse disagreeth very much with the trueth of the tryed doctrine for nowe being conuinced they plainely expresse the fond sigments of hereticall persons In fine they are not to be placed as forged but altogether to be reiected as absurde and impious but let vs proceede vnto that which followeth CAP. XXIII Of Menander the Sorcerer MEnander succeeding Simon the Sorcerer is found nothing inferior vnto him for deuelish operation for inuention and behauiour he was also a Samaritane and preuailed no lesse in the blinde misteryes of magicall artes then his maister yea rather added vnto these monstrous sayned illusions somewhat of his owne terming him selfe now a Saâ—iour sent downe from aboue of the inuisible worldes for the saluation of mankinde teachinge with all that none was otherwise able to subdue the Angels workers of this worlde then first of all by his magicall experience deliuered for the purpose and by the Baptisme receaued of him the which as many as doe accept of it they purchase into them selues sempiternall immortalitie yea in this present lyfe so that they dye no more but continually remayne amonge them selues without wrinckled olde age and become immortall â–ª these thinges out of Irenaeus may easily appeare and Iustinus likewise making mention of Simon remembreth also this Menander â–ª saying vvo haue knovvne one Menander and the sâ—me a Samarytane of the village Caparattaea the Disciple of Simon throughly moued of deuils and abyding at Antioche to haue bevvitched many vvith magicall artes persvvading his follovvers that they shoulde not dye And as yet there be diuers which can testifie the same of him it was the drifte of the deuill by the meanes of such Sorcerers cloked vnder the name of Christians to defame by magicke the greate mistery of godlinesse and by them to choke the Ecclesiasticall doctrine which concerned the immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the deade but such as embraced these Sauiours haue lost the sauing healthe of their soules When the spyte of Satan coulde not seuer vnto him selfe such as syncerely bare affection towards Christ he linked vnto him selfe the wauering and wandring turnecoates CAP. XXIIII The heresie of the Ebionites THese the Elders properly called Ebionites that is poore men for they were poore and abiectes in deliuering the doctrine which concerned Christ they iudged him a simple and a common man and for his perfection of manners founde iustified as man onely borne by reason of the company of man and his mother Marie â–ª againe they thought the obseruation of the lawe to be necessarye as thoughe saluation were not by faythe alone in Christ Christâ—…â—â—â—uersation of lyfe correspondent vnto the same Other some of the same name haue auâ—yded the fowle absurditie of the wordes nor denying the Lorde to haue â—eâ—e borne of the virgine and the holy Ghoste yet when they confesse him to be God the worde and wisedome to haue bene before the natiuitie of the fleshe they sincke in the same sinne with their former felowes especially when as they busily goe aboute to sette vp the corporall obseruation of the lawe these Heretickes all doe reiecte the epistles of the Apostle Paul accusinge him that he felle from the lawe they vse onely the Gospell whiche is after the Hebrevves other they passe not for the Iewishe Sabothe and other their ceremonyes they obserue a like with the Ievves they celebrate the Sonnedayes as we doe in remembrance of the resurrection of our Sauiour for hence it came to passe by reason of these their fancies that they allotted vnto them selues the name of Ebionites signifyinge their pouertie for by this name or title poore men are called of the Hebrevves About the same tyme we learne there was one Cerinthus an author of an other heresie Gaius whose wordes we haue before alleadged in the controuersie caryed about vnder his name writeth thus of him CAP. XXV Of Cerinthus the Hereticke CErinthus also by reuelations vvritten as of a greate Apostle brought vnto vs certayne monstrous thinges fayning them to haue bene reuealed vnto him by Angels that the kingdome of Christ after the resurrection shoulde become earthly that in Ierusalem our fleshe agayne shoulde serue the concupiscence and lust of the flesh and being set vvholy to seduce as enemy vnto the vvorde of God he sayd there shoulde be the terme of a Millenarie feaste allotted for mariage Dionysius also Bishop of
Symeon was then diuersly by them accused to be a Christian for the space of many dayes he was scourged so that the Iudge and his company was maruelously amazed and in the ende he dyed a deathe agreeable with the passion of Christe but let vs heare the Historiographers owne wordes Certayne sayth he of the Heretickes accused Symeon the sonne of Cleopas that he linealy descended of the stocke of Dauid and that he vvas a Christian he suffered martyrdome being a hundreth and tvventy yeare olde vnder Traian the Emperour and Atticus the Consul The same Aegesippus reporteth how that his accusers enquiry being then made of such as came of the royall bloude among the Ievves were founde to haue their originall of the Regall Iewish trybe whosoeuer wayeth this with him selfe he will confesse that this Symeon was of them whiche both hearde and sawe the Lorde in that he liued so long a tyme and in that the Gospell maketh mention of Marie Cleopas whose sonne we haue sayde this Symeon to haue bene before Agayne the same Historiographer writeth how that certayne others of the posterity of some one of them called the brethren of our Lorde namely Iude were alyue vntil the same tyme yea after the testimony of them whiche vnder Domitian were tried for the true faythe of Christe for thus he writeth â–ª they come and gouerne vvhole Churches as martyrs being also of the kindred of Christ VVhen peace novve had possessed the Churches they remayne aliue vnto the tyme of Traian the Emperour vntil the afore sayd Symeon the Lords consingermaine the sonne of Cleopas vvas il entreated of Heretickes accused vnder Atticus the Consul often scourged tollerated such martyrdome that all vvondred the Consul him self marueiled hovv that he being a hundred xx yeares old vvas able to endure that bitter torment to be short in the end he vvas by commaundement crucified Vnto the afore said the same Historiographer annecteth this â–ª vnto those tymes the Church of God remained a pure an vncorrupted virgin for such as endeuored to corrupt the sound rule the right preaching of the vvord if then there vvere any such hidd them selues vnto that time in some thicke miste â–ª or dongeon of darkenes but after that the sacred company of the Apostles vvas vvorne and come to an end that that generation vvas vvholy spent vvhich by special fauour had heard vvith their eares the heauenly vvisedome of the sonne of God â–ª then the detestable error of conspiracy through deceate of such as deliuered straung doctrine tooke rooting and because that not one of the Apostles suruiued they publish boldely vvith all might possible the doctrine of falsehoode and impugne the open manifest and knovvne trueth Thus of these thinges hath this Historiographer written Now to that which by order of history we are bound vnto CAP XXX How Traian caused to cease the inquisition for Christians SO greate a persecution was raysed agaynst vs in sundry places that Plinius secundus a notable President made relation thereof vnto the Emperour being very much moued with the number of martyrs which suffred death for the testimony of their fayth signifying withall that they committed no haynous offence that they transgressed no law sauing that they rose before day and celebrated Christ with hymnes as God forbidding adulteryes slaughter with such other like abominable factes conforming all thinges agreable vnto the lawes After which reporte it is written that Traian commaunded by edicte that the Christian nation shoulde not be enquired for but if happily they were founde they ought to be punished by which edicte the vehement heate of that greuous persecution was somewhat delayed yet neuerthelesse there was scope enough left for such as were willing to afflicte vs. so that in one place the people in an other place the Princes and rulers of the regions layde wayte for our men whereby seuerall persons suffred martyrdome in their prouinces and sundry of the faithful sundry kindes of death without open or manifest persecution which history we haue selected out of the latine Apollogye of Tertullian whereof we haue alleadged before by interpretation thus Although vve haue knovvne the inquisition directed for vs to be inhibited it vvas by reason of Plinius secundus President of the prouince vvhich hauing condemned some of the Christians and depriued some others of their dignities vvas moued vvith the greatnes of the multitude and doubted vvhat vvas best to be done he made the Emperour Traian priuy thereof saying that he founde nothinge in them that vvas impious but that they refused the vvorshippinge of Idoles signifyinge this vvithall that the maner of the Christians vvas to ryse before daye to celebrate Christe in Psalmes as God and to the ende their discipline might straitly be obserued to forbid shedding of bloude adultery fraude trayterous dealing such like for aunsvvere hereunto Traian vvrote againe that there shoulde be no inquisition for the Christians but if they vvere mett vvith to be punished And thus went the affayres of the Christians then CAP. XXXI Of Euarestus the fourth Bishop of Rome AMonge the Bishops of Rome when as the afore sayd Emperour had raigned three yeares Clemens committed the ministery vnto Euarestus and finished his mortall race when he had gouerned the Churche and preached the worde of God the space of ix yeares CAP. XXXII How after Symeon Iustus succeeded the thirde Bishop of Ierusalem and of the famous Bishops then liuing â–ª Polycarpus Papias Ignatius and his Epistles AFter Symeon had such an ende as before we haue reported a certayne Ievve called Iustus one of that infinite number which of the circumcision beleued in Christ was placed in the Bishops seae of Ierusalem And vnto that time Polycarpus a Disciple of the Apostles liued in Asia beinge placed Bishop of the Churche of Smyrna by suche as sawe the Lorde and ministred vnto him the same time florished Papias Bishop of Hierapolis a man passing eloquent expert in the Scriptures And Ignatius likewise vnto this daye amongest most men famous the seconde Bishop by succession after Peter of the Churche of Antioch the reporte goeth that this Ignatius was sent from Syria to Rome for the confession of his faith to be foode for wilde beastes who passing through Asia and curiously garded with a greate troope of keepers confirmed the congregations throughout euery citye where he came with preaching of the worde of God and wholsome exhortations and specially geuing charge to auoide the heresies lately sprong and at that time ouerflowing and to cleaue stedfastly vnto the traditions of the Apostles which for the auoyding of error and corruption he thought very necessary to be diligently written And being at Smyrna where Polycarpus was Bishop he wrote an epistle vnto the Church of Ephesus making mention of Onesimus their Pastor An other vnto the Church of Magnesia lying on the riuer Meander â–ª making mention of Dama their
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
whose name was Amachius who commauÌ„ded that the Idolatricall temple of the Ethnicks which stood in y t citie should be set wide open that the foule heapes and filthy corners of a long time vnfrequeÌ„ted should be made cleane and fell himselfe a worshipping of the Idols Which act of his pricked not a litle in conscience the zealous christians Wherefore one Macedonius Theodulus and Tatianus beinge kindled with fetuencie of loue towardes the christian fayth coulde in no wise away with such horrible practises but in the burninge zeale of their godly inindes brake in the nighte season into the temple threwe downe theyr Idols and stamped them into pouder Whereat when the gouernoure was wonderfull wroth and purposed to execute diuerse of the citizens whiche were giltelesse and innocente persons the authors thereof presented themselues of their owne accorde before him and chose to dye themselues for the trueth rather then any other for their sakes should be depriued of their liues After they were layde in holde the gouernoure commaunded that they should cleare theÌ„selues by sacrificinge vnto the Idols and threatned them if they refused he would seuerely punishe them They beinge of a noble minde valiant courage set nought by his threats made themselues redy to suffer what tormente soeuer were layde vpon them for they counted it farre better to loose their liues then to defile their soules with those impure sacrifices The gouernour wheÌ„ he had assayd them at all kind of torments last of all set them on the gredyron caused fire to be made vnder broiled them to death And to the end they might valiantly encouÌ„ter vnder the glorious garlande of victory they reason thus with the gouernour If thou longe O Amachius after broyled meate turne vp the other side of vs least in the eatinge we seeme rawe vnto thee and the bloode runne aboute thy teeth This was the ende that these men had CAP. XIIII VVhen the Emperoure Iulian forbad the christians the studie of Prophane literature both the Apollinaruses the father and the sonne fell a wrytinge The profltte that the christians haue in prophane wryters THe lawe whiche the Emperoure made that the christians shoulde not be trained vp in the liberall sciences made bothe the Apollinariuses of whome we spake before to be of farre greater fame For either of them beinge skilfull in suche artes as directed our style and orations the father a grammarian the sonne a Rhetorician profited very much the christians and furthered at that time not a little the churche of God For the father as a profounde grammarian framed the arte of humanitie vnto the furtherance of Christian religion he turned the fiue bookes of Moses into Heroycall verse together with other bookes of the olde Testament which contayne Hystories partely in Hexameter verse and partely after the forme of comedies and tragedies with the fitte application of persons he wrote in all kinde of meter to the ende the christians shoulde not be ignorant and vnskilfull in any rare gifte that excelled among the Gentils The sonne an eloquente Rhetorician broughte the wrytinges of the Euangelistes and workes of the Apostles into Dialogues as Plato vsed amonge the Heathens Althoughe their laboure and industrie seemed auaylable and greatelye to sette forthe the seruice of God in so muche that thereby the lewde drift of the Emperoure was stopped from takinge effect yet the prouidence of God did farre exceede both their carefull studie and dashed also the Emperours wiked deuise For immediatly the Emperours lawe as hereafter it shall more manifestly appeare was abrogated and theyr workes were as muche spoken of as if they had neuer bene wrytten But here peraduenture some man will saye vnto me why then doe ye attribute bothe the aforesayde vnto the prouidence of God As toutchinge the shorteninge of the Emperoures dayes it is knowen well inoughe howe auaylable it was vnto christian religion but in that the Poâ—trye of bothe the Apollinariuses was neglected and that the christians freely applied the Philosophicall sciences of the heathens there is no man will graunte that it furthered the seruice of God and the faith of Christ For it can not be without daunger that the christians maye wade in the doctrine of Ethnickes in so muche it teacheth that there be many Gods Vnto these things which aptely may be obiected vnto vs we will presentely frame suche answers as we can The doctrine of the Gentiles is allowed neither by Christ neither by his Disciples as inspired from aboue neither altogether reiected for daungerous And I take y â— to haue come to passe not without the speciall prouidence of almightie God For there were many heathen Philosophers which were not farre from the knowledg of God such as by publique disputation confuted the Epicures and other contentious Philosophers delited with the quirckes of logicke and ouerthrewe their palpable error and ignorance And thoughe they coulde stande the fauorers of christian religion in greate steade for their furtherance of learninge yet attained they not vnto the grounde principall point of our religion insomuch they vnderstoode not the mystery of Christ which was concealed the coÌ„tinewance of many ages and generations The whiche the Apostle in his epistle vnto the Romanes sheweth plainely in these wordes The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlines and iniquitie of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse For the thinge that may be knowen of God is manifest amonge theÌ„ because God hath shevved it vnto them For his inuisible thinges beinge vnderstoode by his workes are seene through the creation of the world that is both his eternall power godheade so that they are without excuse because that when they knewe God notwithstanding they glorified him not as God VVherefore they knowinge the trueth which God reuealed vnto them were worthie of death because that wheÌ„ they knewe God they glorified him not as God Therefore sithence that the Apostle forbadd not the knoweledge of the Gentils doctrine he gaue free licence and libertie vnto euery man at his choice and pleasure to wade in the vnderstandinge of them Let this suffire for one reason to the satisfiynge of the former doubts The seconde is as followeth The holy Scriptures inspired from aboue deliuer vnto vs diuine precepts and mysticall doctrine they graffe in the mindâ—s of suche as heare them true Godlines and the righte trade of liuinge they sette wyde open before such as study them the most sacred faith they teach vs no logicke wherewith we may withstand such as oppugne the trueth although the aduersaries are easiest ouerthrowen when their owne armoure and proper defence is vsed to their foyle and destruction But the christians enioyed not this benefit by the workes of bothe the Apollinariuses This was it that the Emperoure Iulian shotte at when as he made a lawe that the christians shoulde not be schooled in the doctrine of the Gentils He knewe full well that the fables contained in
they call forty dayes fastinge or Lent Others some contrary to the aforesayde customes beginne to fast seuen weekes before Easter yet in all that whyle they vse abstinence but onely fifteene dayes pausing betweene euery of them and these fewe dayes they call forty dayes fastinge or Lent so that I can not chuse but maruell for all that they differ in the number of dayes yet all ioyntly doe call euery of their obseruations forty dayes fastinge or Lent Others some haue deriued the Etymologie of this worde as it pleased them best and accordinge vnto the inuention of their owne brayne Neyther is this difference onely about the number of the dayes but also a greate diuersitie in the kindes of meate For some doe abstayne from euery liuinge creature some other of all the liuinge creatures feede onely vpon fishe others together with fishe feede vpon the foules of the ayre affirminge as Moses doth write that their originall is of the water others some eate neyther nutts neither aples neyther any other kinde of fruite nor egges neither some feede onely vpon drye breade some other receaue no not that There are some that when they haue fasted vntill nyne of the clocke they refreshe nature with diuerse sortes of meates Other nations haue other customes the maner and causes are infinite But in somuch there is no man able to shewe a president or recorde thereof in writinge it is playne that the Apostles left free choyce and libertie vnto euery man at his owne discretion without feare compulsion and constraynte to addicte him selfe vnto that whiche seemed good and commendable Wee knowe for moste certayne that this diuersitie of fastinge is rife throughout the worlde Againe toutching the Communion there are sundry obseruations and customes for though in maner all the Churches throughout the whole worlde doe celebrate and receaue the holy mysteries euery Sabaoth daye after the other yet the people inhabitinge Alexandria and Rome of an olde tradition doe not vse it The Aegyptians adioyninge vnto Alexandria together with the inhabitours of Thebais vse to celebrate the Communion vpon the Sundaye yet doe they not receaue the Communion as the maner is among the Christians For when they haue banquetted and crommed them selues with sundry delicate and daynty dishes in the Eueninge after seruice they vse to communicate Agayne at Alexandria vpon the Thursdaye and Frydaye the Scriptures are read the Interpretours expounde them all the solemnitie for the Communion is accomplished yet the Communion then not receaued And this is an olde and an auncient custome at Alexandria It is well knowen that Origen florished in those dayes in the Churche who beinge a wise and discreete Doctor and Expounder of holy Scripture perceauing that the preceptes of Moses lawe coulde in no wise be litterally vnderstoode gaue forthe of the Passeouer a mysticall and more diuine kynde of interpretation that there was but one onely true Passeouer or Easter the whiche our Sauiour effectually solemnized at his naylinge to the tree when he encountred with the power of darkenes and triumphed ouer the Deuill and all his workes Agayne the Readers and Interpreters of holy Scripture at Alexandria be they Cathecumenists or baptized it forceth not when as the custome in other contreyes and Churches is to admitt none into that function vnlesse he be firste baptized I remember my selfe an other custome which preuayleth and is of force in Thessalia that if there he whiche is a Priest after the receauinge of orders doe keepe company with his wife the whiche he maryed beinge a laye man he is forthewith deposed of the ministerye yea when as all the famous Priestes througheout the Easterne partes of the worlde and the Bishopes also refrayne the company of their wiues at their owne choyse without lawe or compulsion For many of them notwithstandinge the administration and gouernement of their Bishoprickes begett children also on their lawefull wiues The autor and ringeleader of that custome in Thessalia was Theodorus a Prieste of Triua a citye of that contrey the wryter of those wanton and amorous bookes the whiche he made in the pryme of his florishinge youthe and intituled Aethiopica They retayne the same obseruation and custome at Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas in Achaia I remember they haue an other custome in Thessalia that is they baptize onely on the Easter holydayes and therefore very many die without baptisme The Church of Antioch in Syria is situated contrary to other Churches for the altare standes not to the East but towards the West In Hellas Ierusalem and Thessalia seruice is sayd with candell light after the maner of the Nouatians at Constantinople In like sort at Caesarea in Cappadocia and at Cyprus the priests and Bishops doe preach and expounde holy Scripture at euening prayer on the Saturdayes and Sundayes by candle light The Nouatians of Hellespontus haue not the same order and maner of seruice as the Nouatians of Constantinople yet for the most part they imitate the chiefe churches among them To be short amonge the customes and obseruations of all sects and religions we shall not be able to finde two which follow and retaine one order of seruice Moreouer at Alexandria the inferior priest doth not vse to preach that order first beganne when Arius turned vpside downe the quiet estate of the Churche At Rome they faste euery Saturdaye At Caesarea in Cappadocia after the maner of the Nouatians they receaue not into the communion such as sinne after baptisme Euen so doe the Macedonians in Hellespontus and such as throughout Asia doe celebrate the feast of Easter the fouretenth day of the moneth The Nouatians throughout Phrygia allowe not of seconde mariages such as of them inhabite Constantinople doe neither receaue it neither reiect it againe such as are in y â— West partes of y â— world admit it wholly The originalls and autors of so great a diuersitie were Bishops which gouerned the Churches at diuerse and seuerall times such as like of these rites doe commende them vnto the posteritie for lawes But to penne in paper the infinite and diuerse ceremonies and customes throughout cities and contreyes woulde be a very tedious peece of worke and scarse nay vnpossible to be done This much already layd downe may seeme a sufficient treatise for to proue that the celebration of the feaste of Easter beganne euery where more of custome then by commaundement either of Christ or any Apostle Wherfore their talke sauoreth not of the trueth their report is to no good purpose which say that the Nicene Councell sett the maner of celebrating this feast out of square For the bishops of that assembly endeuored with all might possible to reconcile the lesser number with the greater which varied from them Neither were the Apostles times without such broyles and dissentions neither were they themselues ignorant hereof as it appeareth by the Acts of the Apostles for when the Apostles vnderstoode
sonnes he vsed to make Cardinals sometimes in their cradles Bishops and Archbishops in many countreis descende of noble houses Osorius Bishops of Lusitania in Portingall writing against M. Haddon sticked not to giue vs an inklinge of his parentage Neyther doe I mislike with this in the churche of Rome sicaetera essent paria for I reade that Nectarius a noble man by office praetor of Constantinople was chosen to be byshop of that seae of a hundred and fiftie byshops which then assembled together at Constantinople partly for that and partly for other things Ambrose also lieuetenant of a prouice was made byshop of Millayne Chrisostō byshop of Constantinople descended of the senators of Antioch Thalassius Senator of Constantinople lieuetenant of Illyrium was made byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia I see that Euagrius vvho in the time of Tiberius Constantinus was Quaestor and in the time of Mauricius Tiberius was maister of the rolles together with diuers others occupied themselues about Ecclesiasticall affaires but I highly commend such as shewe forth tokens of their nobilitie by studie of vertue politicke gouernement of their countrey noble prowesse valiauntnesse of courage maintenance of the trueth and furtheraunce of the Gospell some thinke it is inough for them to bayte at the vniuersitie there steale a degree and forth with be counted gentlemen or to be in commons in one of the Innes of court where there are many wise zealous and learned gentlemen or to get into some noble mans seruice and by vertue of the cognizance to be called a maister or to purchase for a piece of money a coate armour or to begge a farme and by vertue of the valuation in the queenes bookes to become a gentleman Euery one thinkes not I am sure that these sorts of men are to be numbred among the auncient noble houses though in processe of time antiquitie seeme topreuaile very muche with suche kinde of men long possession is a great matter in lawe and an olde deede though it be forged will further the matter very much The Arcadians called them selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a progeny farre more auncient then the Moone of them Ouid writeth thus Ere Moone vvas set in skies aboue if fame doe them not faile The soile vvas calld of Arcas highe vvhose creditt must auaile But they contended for Antiquitie with the AEgyptians and to try out the trueth Psammitichus King of AEgypt did as followeth he shut vp in a certaine close lodging farre from cities and company of people two newly borne babes some say with nurces charged not to speake a worde some say amonge goates and that for the space of three whole yeares at the three years end to see what language the children would speake he caused one of his familiars sodainely to goe in among the children whiche did so and tooke one of the children by the hand which saide vnto him Becos that is in the Phrygian tongue bread the king hearing this confessed him selfe ouercome and yelded vnto his aduersaries for antiquitie thenceforth were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Suidas thinketh that the childrē being acquainted with the bleting of goats cried beck and so that it was nothing else but a iest and a deluding of the king Yet Iohn Goropius a phisicion of Antvverpe taketh the matter in earnest to th ende he might currie fauour with the Germanes he faith that the Grecians were herin fouly deceaued that beck or weck in the Germane tongue signifieth bread the AEgyptians being foyled turne them vnto the Scythians and of them likewise they were ouercome here is much a do all for gentry The AEthiopians alleage reasons for themselues and they must be heard the Brittaines can tell you they come from Troy and thence they can bring you the straighte way to Adam nexte to God and then a full point Poggius writeth that a noble man of Fraunce espied on an Italian soldiers bucklar the oxe heade ingrauen stomaked him therefore tolde him it vvas his cognizance that his house was farre more auncient and to the ende all quarells might be ended chalenged him to the fielde the Italian made litle adoe tolde him he woulde meete him on the daye appointed the noble man came with a great troupe the souldier likewise mette and ioyninge together he asked of him whye his noble bloode vvas so muche out of temper VVhen that the noble man aunsvvered that his auncetors had euer geuen the oxes head and that he and his vvould thenceforth giue it or else knovv a cause to the contrary why an please you syr saith the soldier this is no oxe head it is the head of a cowe It was about gentrie betweene Phaëton and Epaphus that moued Phaëton as the Poëts faine to craue license for one day to sitte in the chariot of Sol. for when he minded to roote out the posteritie of his aduersarie almost he set the whole world on fire Maximinus the emperour borne in a pelting village of Thracia misliking with him selfe therfore slew as many as knew his pedegree and had seene the raggs of his parents Herode burned the Genealogies of the Iewes that he might affirme him self as wel as they to haue descēded of a noble race Themistocles a bastard borne for to cloke his birth to remoue the il opinion conceaued that way entised the yong nobility of Athens to frequent Cynosarges a schole without the city where bastards did onely frequent many shifts are made Iacke would be a gentleman if he could speake frenche Amasis king of AEgypt being basely borne made his image of gold set it vp to be worshipped that the people might reuerence him the more Smerdes a sorcerer because he was in person like Smerdes the brother of Cambyses King of the Assyrians whose death Cambyses procured fearinge he woulde aspire vnto the kingdome made the worlde beleeue he was the man in deede ouercame Cambyses and was crowned King but his wife and bedfellow with clipping and other wonted familiarity felt his head found that Smerdes had no eares reuealed it abrode and so was he betrayd and deposed his kingdome Prompalus fained himselfe to be the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes A certaine AEgyptian the sonne of Protarchus the marchant called him selfe the sonne of Alexander Zebenna and the adopted sonne of Antiochus wept bitterly at the funerall of Antiochus as if he had bene his owne father Archelaus made the worlde beleeue that he was the sonne of Mithridates when Perseus the last king of the Macedonians had ended this lyfe Andristus a cuntrey fellow woulde needes perswade men that he was his sonne Equitius affirmed that without all doubt he was the sonne of Tiberius Gracchus Citharaedus endeuored to perswade the Romanes that Nero had not dispatched him self but that he was Nero. many of the aforsaid cloked their gentry fained thē selues noble mē conquered kingdoms deluded the
one hundred yeares all the progeny of Herode vvas rooted out The fift order is of high priests neither haue I omitted them seeing both the Euangelistes and the Historiographers mentioned such as vvere in the time of Christ They ende likewise with the kings of Iudaea and the destruction of Ierusalem I remember Iosephus wryteth that froÌ„ Aaron which was the first highpriest vnto the last at the ouerthrowe burning of the temple vnder Titus there were highpriests to the number of fourescore and three The sixt diuisionis of councells sometimes of the wicked as of the Pharises and heretickes some other times of the godly as of the Apostles and Apostolickmen where it appeareth manifestly vnto the wholl world that the bishop of Rome had as litle to doe therein as other bishops for Emperours princes somtimes the bishops of some prouince or other within theÌ„selues haue summoned couÌ„cells called bishops together decided such matters as were called into controuersie without the aduise of the bishop of Rome For saith Socrates the chiefest councels were summoned are vnto this day called together by the commaundement consent of the Emperours Besides all the aforesaide I haue laid downe the succession of bishops in the foure most famous churches as IerusaleÌ„ Antioch Rome AlexaÌ„dria Though other writers addict them selues wholly vnto the Catalogue of the churche of Rome omitting no not one Ioan the she Pope onely excepted Some will maruell why I preferre Ierusalem and Antioch before the seae of Rome the reason is because those churches had their bishops before the church of Rome Clemens AlexaÌ„drinus wryteth that Iames called the brother of Christ was immediately after the assumption of our Sauiour chosen bishop of Ierusalem by Peter Iames and Iohn the Apostles Againe as Luke reporteth the Antiochians were first called christians Paul Barnabas preached there one wholl yeare and if fame fayle vs not of the trueth Peter the Apostle was bishop there seuen yeares and spente seuen other about Ierusalem the Easterne contreyes afore his comminge to Rome He came to Rome the seconde yeare of Claudius the Emperour Anno Dom. 44 a great while after the seae of Ierusalem and the bishoprik of Antioch were setled Let no man muze why I lay downethese fouresâ—aes otherwise then all Chronographies in what language so euer vnto this day extant haue done I doe it not of any singularitie for these auncient Historiographers Eusebius Socrates and Euagrius haue followed the same order though other Chronologers and Chronographers haue not imitated them Last of all I haue placed the hereticks by themselues so that the reader may easily see wheÌ„ they liued who they were what they haue taught by whome they were condeÌ„ned the end of most of them as farre forth as the lines might be contriued within the colume the long tediousnes auoyded Nowe drawing towards the birth of Christ where the Chronographye beginneth I thinke best by way preface not as my principall drifte briefly to runne ouer the yeares of the world that thereby we may the sooner learne when our Sauiour Christ Iesus appeared in the flesh and first we haue to beginne from Adam The yeare of the world Adam was the first man made of the mould of the earth being a hundred thirty yeare old he begate Seth he liued in all nyne hundred and thirty yeares Genes 5. he was aliue vntill the fiftyeth and six yeare of Lamech the father of Noe and departed this life 126. yeare before Noe was borne The first age of the worlde from Adam to Noe. 130. Seth was a hundred and fiue yeare old when he begate Enos he liued in all nyne hundred and twelfe yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde on thousand forty and two after the death of Adam one hundred and twelfe yeares before Noe vvas borne 14. yeares 235. Enos was fourescore and tenne yeare olde when he begate Cainan he liued in all nine hundred and fiue yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde one thousande one hundred and fortieth yeare he liued together with Noe fourescore foure yeares 325. Cainan liued threescore and tenne yeares and begat Malalael he liued in all nine hundred and tenne yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde 1235. 395. Malalael liued threescore and fiue yeares begat Iared he liued in all eight hundred ninety and fiue yeares Genes 5. he departed this life 366. yeares before the deluge after Noe was borne 234. yeares 460. Iared liued a hundred threescore and two yeares begat Enoch he liued in all nine hundred threescore and two yeares Genes 5. he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde 1422. he liued with Noe three hundred threescore and six yeares 622. Enoch liued threescore and fiue yeares begat Mathusalem he liued in all three hundred threescore and fiue yeares was translated Genes 5. he was taken vp into heauen seuen fifty yeares after the death of Adam 687. Mathusalem liued a hundred fourescore seuen yeares and begat Lamech he liued in all nyne hundred sixty nyne yeares and died in the yeare of the deluge Genes 5. 874. Lamech liued a hundred fourescore and two yeares and begatt Noe he liued in all 777. yeares died fiue yeares before the deluge Genes 5. 1056. 1556. Noe was borne in the yeare of the worlde one thousand fifty and six in the 182. yeare of his father Lamech after the death of Adam 126. after the death of Seth 14. yeares being fiue hundred yeare old he begat Sem and liued in all nine hundred and fifty yeares Genes 9. he liued with Enos 84. yeares with Cainan 179. with Iared 366. with Mathusalem 600. with Lamech 595. with Sem his sonne 448. 1656. Anno mundi 1656. The deluge drowned the whole worlde in the six hundred yeare of Noe. Genes 7 8. It was in the yeare of the worlde one thousande six hundred fifty and six for so doth Augustine write de ciuitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 20. finding fault with the error of the Septuagints whome Eusebius in his Chronicon Beda haue followed for they numbred 2262. yeares which can not be Againe Augustine de ciuitat Dei lib. 15. cap. 12. 14. misliketh very much with such as doubted whether the yeares of olde were as long as we finde them of late he proueth that there were so many houres in the day so many dayes in the weeke so many weekes in the moneth so many moneths in the yeare alike from the beginning of the worlde 1658. Sem being an hundred yeare olde begat Arphaxad the seconde yeare after the flood he liued in all six hundred yeares Genes 11. he was borne nynety and nyne yeares before the deluge he departed this life in the yeare of the worlde 2158. The second age of the world froÌ„ Noe to Abraham  Arphaxad being borne