City of Constantinople and firmed the Ariminum Creed making some additions to it FOr the Emperour being returned from the Western parts resided in that City at which time also he made a person whole name was Honoratus the first Praefect of Constantinople having abolished the Proconsul's Office But the Acacians prevented and calumniated them before-hand to the Emperour having informed him that the Creed which they had set forth was not admitted by them Whereupon the Emperour was highly incensed and resolved to disperse them having commanded by an Edict which he published that such of them as were subject to publick Offices should be reduced to their former condition For several of them were liable to publick Offices some were subject to the bearing of those Offices belonging to the City Magistracy others to them appertaining to the Sodalities of Officialls or Apparitours in several Provinces These persons being after this manner disturbed the Acacians abode for some time at Constantinople and assembled another Synod to which they sent for the Bishops of Bithynia When therefore they were all met together being fifty in number amongst whom was Maris of Chalcedon they confirmed the Creed published at Ariminum which had the Consuls names prefixt Which Creed it would have been superfluous to have inserted here had they made no additions to it But in regard they added some words thereto we thought it necessary to set it down at this place again The contents of it are these We Believe in one only God the Father Almighty of whom are all things And in the only begotten Son of God begotten of God before all ages and before every beginning by whom all things visible and invisible were made Who is the only begotten born of the Father the only of the only God of God like to the Father who begat him according to the Scriptures Whose generation no person knoweth but the Father only who begat him We know this Person to be the only begotten Son of God who upon his Father's sending of him came down from the heavens according as 't is written upon account of the destruction of Sin and Death and was born of the holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary according to the flesh as it is written and conversed with the disciples and having fulfilled every dispensation according to his Fathers Will he was crucified and died and was buryed and descended into the parts beneath the earth At whom hell it self trembled Who arose from the dead on the third day and was conversant with the disciples and after the completion of fourty days he was taken up into the Heavens and sitteth on the right hand of the Father he shall come in the last day of the Resurrection in his Fathers Glory that he may render to every man according to his works And we believe in the holy Ghost whom he himself the only begotten of God Christ our Lord and God promised to send as an Advocate to mankind according as 't is written the Spirit of truth whom he sent unto them after he was assumed into the Heavens But we thought good to remove the term Ousia which was used by the Fathers in a more plain and ordinary sense and being not understood by the people has given offence in regard 't is not contained in the sacred Scriptures and that in future not the least mention should be made thereof for as much as the sacred Scriptures have no where mentioned the substance of the Father and of the Son Nor ought the subsistence of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost to be so much as named But we assert the Son to be like the Father in such a manner as the sacred Scriptures do affirm and teach Moreover let all the Heresies which have been heretofore condemned and which may have risen of late being opposite to this Creed published by us be Anathema This Creed was at that time recited at Constantinople Having now at length passed through the labyrinth of the Expositions of Faith we will reckon up their number After the Creed published at Nice they set forth two Expositions of the Faith at Antioch at the Dedication A third was that delivered to the Emperour Constans in the Gallia's by Narcissus and those that accompanied him The fourth was that sent by Eudoxius into Italy Three Draughts of the Creed were published at Sirmium one whereof was recited at Ariminum which had the names of the Consuls prefixt The eighth was that which the Acacians promulged at Seleucia The last was set forth at the City Constantinople with an addition For hereto was annexed that neither substance nor subsistence ought to be mentioned in relation to God Moreover Ulfila Bishop of the Goths did at that time first agree to this Creed For before this he had embraced the Nicene Creed being Theophilus's follower who was Bishop of the Goths and had been present at and subscribed the Nicene Synod Thus far concerning these things CHAP. XLII That upon Macedonius's being deposed Eudoxius obtained the Bishoprick of Constantinople BUt Acacius Eudoxius and those that were with them at Constantinople made it wholly their business that they also might on the other side depose some persons of the contrary party Now you must know that neither of the factions decreed these depositions upon account of Religion but for other pretences For though they dissented about the Faith yet they found not fault with one anothers Faith in their mutual depositions of one another Those therefore of Acacius's party making use of the Emperours indignation which he had kept concealed in his mind and earnestly indeavoured to wreak it against others but most especially against Macedonius do in the first place depose Macedonius both because he had been the occasion of many murders and also in regard he had admitted a Deacon taken in Fornication to Communion Then they depose Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicum because he had baptized one Heraclius Hercules's Priest at Tyre a person known to be a Conjurer and ordained him Deacon In the next place they depose Basilius or Basilas for so he was also called who had been constituted Bishop of Ancyra in the room of Marcellus as having unjustly tortured a certain person bound him with Iron chains and confined him to Prison also because he had fastned calumnies upon some persons and moreover in regard by his Letters he had disturbed the Churches in Africa Dracontius was deposed by them because he had removed from Galatia to Pergamus Moreover they deposed Neonas Bishop of Seleucia in which City the Synod had been convened as also Sophronius of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia Elpidius of Satala in Macedonia and Cyrillus of Jerusalem and others were ejected by them for other reasons CHAP. XLIII Concerning Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia BUT Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia was not so much as admitted to make his defence because he had been long before deposed by Eulalius his
verbose to those who hasten towards a knowledge of the conclusion of Transactions I have subjoyned to this Second Book of my History giving those persons who are desirous of an exact and particular knowledge of all matters a liberty of reading these things and of having an accurate account of all transactions imprinted on their mindes In the interim I will cursorily mention the more principall and momentous matters to wit that Dioscorus was convicted because he had not admitted of the Letter of Leo Bishop of the Elder Rome and because he had effected the deposition of Flavianus Bishop of New Rome within the space of one day and because he had gotten the Bishops who were convened to subscribe their names in a paper not written on as if therein had been contained Flavianus's deposition Whereupon those persons who were of the Senate made this Decree We perceive that a more exact scrutiny concerning the Orthodox and Catholick Faith ought to be made to morrow when the Synod will be more compleat and full But in regard Flavianus of Pious Memoryâ— and the most Religious Bishop Eusebius from a search made into the Acts and Decrees and also from their testimony by word of mouth who presided in the Synod then convened who have confessed that they have erred and deposed them without cause when they had in no wise erred in the Faith have as 't is evidently known been unjustly deposed it appears to us agreeable to that which is acceptable to God to be just provided it shall please our most Divine and most Pious Lord that Dioscorus the most Religious Bishop of Alexandria Juvenalis the most Religious Bishop of Jerusalem Thalassius the most Religious Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Eusebius the most Religious Bishop of Ancyra Eustathius the most Religious Bishop of Berytus and Basilius the most Religious Bishop of Seleucia in lsauâ—â— which Prelates had power and presided over the then Synod should lye under the very same punishment being by the sentence of the sacred Synod according to the Canons removed from the Episcopall dignity all things which have been consequently done being made known to his most sacred Imperial Majesty After this Libells having been given in on the second day against Dioscorus on account of various crimes and concerning money forcibly by him taken when Dioscorus being twice and thrice called appeared not by reason of severall excuses which he alledged they who filled the place of Leo Bishop of the Elder Rome made this declaration in these express words What Dioscorus who hath been Bishop of the Great City Alexandria has audaciously attempted against the Order of the Canons and the Ecclesiastick Constitution hath been made manifest both by those things which have already been inquired into at the First Session and also from what hath been done this day For this person to omit many other things making use of his own authority uncanonically admitted to communion Eutyches a man that embraces the same Sentiments with himself who had been canonically deposed by his own Bishop of Holy Memory we mean our Father and Bishop Flavianus before his sitting in the Synod at Ephesus together with the Bishops beloved by God Now the Apostolick See has granted a pardon to those Prelates for what hath been involuntarily done there by them Who also to this present continue of the same opinion with the most Holy Arch-Bishop Leo and with all the Holy and Oecumenicall Synod On which account he hath received them to his own communion as being asserters of the same faith with himself But this man till this very time hath not desisted from boasting of these things on account whereof he ought rather to mourn and lay himself prostrate on the earth Besides he permitted not the Letter of the Blessed Pope Leo to be read which had been written by him to Flavianus of Holy Memory and this he did notwithstanding he was severall times entreated by those persons who had brought the Letter to suffer it to be read and notwithstanding he had promised with an Oath that it should be read The not reading of which Letter has filled the most Holy Churches over the whole world with scandalls and detriment Nevertheless although such things as these have been audaciously attempted by him yet it was our design to have voutsafed him something of compassion in relation to his former impious Fact as also to the rest of the Bishops beloved by God although they had not the same authority of judging that he was invested with But in regard he has out-done his former iniquity by his latter facts for he has audaciously pronounced an Excommunicaton against the most Holy and most Pious Leo Arch-Bishop of Rome the Great and moreover when Libells stuft with Crimes were presented to the Holy and Great Synod against him having been canonically called once twice and thrice by the Bishops beloved of God he obeyed not to wit being prick't by his own conscience Lastly he has illegally received to Communion those who had justly been deposed by severall Synods on these various accounts we say he himself hath pronounced sentence against himself having many ways trampled under foot the Ecclesiastick Rules Wherefore the most Holy and most Blessed Leo Arch-Bishop of the Great and the Elder Rome by Us and the present Synod together with the thrice Blessed and most eminent Apostle Peter who is the Rock and Basis of the Catholick Church and the foundation of the Orthodox Faith hath divested him of the Episcopall dignity and hath removed him from the performance of every Sacerdotall Office Therefore the Holy and Great Synod it self will Decree those things concerning the forementioned Dioscorus which shall seem agreeable to the Canons These things having been confirmed by the Synod and some other business done those Prelates who had been deposed with Dioscorus by the entreaty of the Synod and the Emperours assent obtained their Restoration And some other things having been added to what was done before they promulged a definition of the Faith contained in these express words Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ when he confirmed the knowledge of the Faith to his disciples said my peace I give unto you my peace I leave with you to the end that no person should differ from his neighbour in the Dogmata of Piety but that the Preaching of the Truth might be equally demonstrated to all After these words when they had recited the Nicene Creed and also that Creed of the hundred and fifty Holy Fathers they have added these words That wise and salutary Creed of the divine Grace was indeed sufficient for the knowledge and confirmation of piety For it delivers a perfect and entire Doctrine Concerning the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and it expresses and confirms the Incarnation of our Lord to those who receive it with faith But in regard the enemies of Truth attempt
to reject and abrogate the Preaching thereof by their own Heresies and have coyned vain and new Terms some daring to corrupt the Mystery of our Lords Dispensation which was made upon our account and denying the Term Theotocos which is attributed to the Virgin and others introducing a confusion and mixture foolishly imagining the nature of the flesh and of the Deity to be one and monstrously feigning the Divine Nature of the only begotten to be by confusion passible therefore this present Holy Great and Oecumenicall Synod being desirous to preclude all their ways of fraud invented against the Truth and to vindicate that Doctrine which from the beginning has continued unshaken hath determined that in the first place the Faith of the three hundred and eighteen Holy Fathers ought to remain and be preserved unattempted and inviolate and upon their account who impugne the Holy Spirit this Synod confirms that Doctrine concerning the substance of the Holy Spirit which was afterwards delivered by the hundred and fifty Fathers convened in the Imperiall City Constantinople which Doctrine they promulged to all persons not as if they added any thing which had been wanting before but that they might declare their own Sentiment concerning the Holy Spirit against those who attempted to abrogate and abolish his dominion and power but upon their account who dare corrupt the mysterie of the Oeconomy and do rave so impudently as to assert him who was born of the Holy Virgin Mary to be a meer man this Synod has admitted and approved of the Synodicall Letters of the Blessed Cyrillus who was Pastour of the Church of the Alexandrians which Letters Cyrillus sent to Nestorius and to the Eastern Bishops and they are sufficient both to confute Nestorius's madness and also to explain the salutary Creed in favour to such persons as out of a pious zeal are desirous of attaining a true notion thereof To which Letters in confirmation of such Sentiments as are right and true this Synod has deservedly annext the Epistle of the most Blessed and most Holy Arch-Bishop Leo President of the Great and Elder Rome which he wrote to Arch-Bishop Flavianus of Holy Memory in order to the subversion of Eutyches's madness which Letter agrees with the Confession of Great Peter and is a certain common pillar against those who embrace ill Sentiments For it makes a resistance against them who attempt to divide the Mystery of the Oeconomy into two Sons and it likewise expells those from the convention of sacred persons who audaciously assert the Deity of the Only Begotten to be passible it confutes them also who maintain a Mixture or Confusion in the two Natures of Christ and it expells those who foolishly assert that the form of a servant which Christ took from us men is of a Celestial or of some other substance Lastly it Anathematizes such persons as fabulously prate of two Natures of our Lord before the Union but after the union feign them to have been one Following therefore the steps of the Holy Fathers We confess our Lord Jesus Christ to be one and the same Son and with one consent We do all teach and declare that the same person is perfect in the Deity and that the same person is perfect in the Humanity truly God and truly man that the same person subsists of a rational soul and body that he is Consubstantial to the Father as touching his Deity and that he is of the same substance with us according to his Humanity in all things like unto us sin only excepted that according to his Deity he was begotten of the Father before Ages but that in the last days the same person on our account and for our salvation according to his Humanity was born of Mary the Virgin and Theotocos that one and the same Jesus Christ the Son the Lord the Only Begotten is inconfusedly immutably indivisibly and inseparably manifested in two Natures that the difference of the Natures is in no wise extinguished by the Union but rather that the propriety of each Nature is preserved and meets in one person and in one Hypostasis not as if he were parted and divided into two persons but he is one and the same Only Begotten Son God the Word the Lord Jesus Christ according as the Prophets of old and Christ himself hath taught us concerning himself and according as the Creed of the Fathers hath delivered it to us These things therefore having with all imaginable accuracy and concinnity been constituted by us the Holy and Oecumenical Synod has determined that it shall not be lawfull for any person to produce or write or compose or think or teach others another Faith But whoever shall dare either to compose or to produce or to teach any other Faith or to deliver another Creed to those who have a mind to turn from Gentilism or Judaism or from any other Heresie whatever to the knowledge of the Truth those persons if they be Bishops shall be divested of the Episcopall Dignity if Clergymen they shall be degraded But if they be Monks or Laïcks they shall be Anathematized When therefore this determination had been read the Emperour Marcianus also came to Chalcedon and was present at the Synod and having made a speech to the Bishops he returned Juvenalis also and Maximus on certain conditions determined those differences which were between them about some Provinces and Theodoret and Ibas were restored and some other matters were agitated which as I have said the Reader will find recorded at the end of this Book Lastly it was decreed that the Chair of New Rome in regard it was the next See to the Elder Rome should have precedency before all other Sees CHAP. V. Concerning the Sedition which hapned at Alexandria on account of Proterius's Ordination likewise concerning what hapned at Jerusalem AFter these things Dioscorus was banished to Gangra a City in Paphlagonia and by the common Vote of the Synod Proterius obtaines the Bishoprick of Alexandria After he had taken possession of his own See a great and most insufferable Tumult arose the populace fluctuating and being divided into different opinions For some demanded Dioscorus as it usually happens in such cases Others adhered pertinaciously to Proterius So that thence arose many and those deplorable calamities 'T is certain Priscus the Rhetorician does relate in his History that at that time he came out of the Province of Thebaïs to Alexandria and saw the people making an Attack against the Magistrates And that when the Souldiers would have put a stop to the Tumult the people threw stones at them and made them run that after this the Souldiers took refuge in that which heretofore had been Serapis's Temple where the people besieged them and burnt them alive That the Emperour having notice hereof sent two thousand new raised Souldiers thither who having the
the Typicon of S t Saba and by Balsamon in his Collection of Canons To whom add Isidorus and Beda in the Book de Divinis Officiis where they treat concerning Sunday Stephanus Gobarus writes the same in his 29 th Chapter To this custom it is perhaps to be referred that the Greeks most commonly reckon the days of the week not to the Sunday which precedes but to that which follows For after the Sunday of the Prodigal Son which is the ninth Sunday before Easter those dayes which followed immediately namely the second third and fourth Feria and so on were by the Greeks termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the following Sunday which was termed Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this week was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Meursius's Glossary in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But after the Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Feria which followed next was termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the other days of that whole week unto the following Sunday which was called by the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same may be observed in the other Sundays untill Easter-day For after the Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second Feria was termed the second Feria of the Holy Fasts and the whole week was called so untill the following Sunday which had the same name Lastly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Great week or Passion-week which we call the Holy Week is reckoned to the following Sunday namely Easter Day as it appears from the Typicon of Saint Saâ—â— Chap. 31. Cyrillus also in his 〈◊〉 Sermons always begins the week of Easter which we now term The Holy Week from the second Feria and closes it with the following Sunday namely Easter-Day Nor does Theophilus do otherwise in his â—aschâ—l Epistles Vales. h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the most ancient name of Sunday whorâ—by it was â—alled even from the Apostles times 'T is certain in the Revelation of Saint John mention is made of the Lord's day See Chap. 1. verse 10. But what Enseâ—ius says here and in the Life of Constantine namely that Sunday was consecrated and set apart for prayers and Ecclesiastick assemblies this in my judgment was instituted something later For the first Christians who had embraced the faith immediately after our Lords Ascent met every day always applying themselves to prayers and all manner of Offices of Piety as S r Luâ—e writes in the Acts of the Apostles But afterwards when the Heathens betook themselves in great numbers to the faith of Christ and the Faithfull could not meet every day it was appointed by the Apostles and their Successours that at least on the Lord's Day the Faithfull should meet together in the Church Concerning which there is an eminent passage in Justin the Martyr's Second Apology about the close of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the day termed Sunday all persons as well those who dwell in the Country as them in the City â—eet together c. He has termed it Sunday not the Lord's Day because he sâ—oke to the Roman Emperours who were well acquainted with Sunday but knew not the Lord's Day which was an appellation proper to Christians Justin repeats the same thing a little after in the same Apology Hereto likewise Pliny agrees in his Epistle to Trajan 〈◊〉 says he hanc fuisse summâ—m vel câ—lpa suâ— vel erroris c. They affirmed that this was the â—otall either of their fault or errour that on a stated day they were want to meet together before it was light and sing an Hymn to Christ aâ— to God Where by a stated day he means The Lord's Day Therefore from this place of Pliny it may be gathered that the Christians who then lived in Bithynia met together on the Lord's Day only Otherwise Pliny would have said that they were wont to meet on stated days not on a stated day Although this is not so much the Testimony of Pliny himself as the Christians own who conâ—eâ—t that before Pliny as he himself atteâ—â—s Besides the Lord's Day Epiphanius in the Epilogue to his Books against Heresies affirms that an Assemblie on the fourth and sixth â—â—riâ— and 〈◊〉 iâ— his Constitutions says that a meeting together on the Sabbath Day was instituted by the Apostles But as to what belongs to the Stations of the fourth and sixth Feria we are informed from Tertullian in â—is Book de Jejuniâ—â— that they were meerly arbitrary and at will not determined by any positive Law or Command And although it was the Easternâ— usage to meet together on the Sabbath yet 't is manifest from Epiphanius Socrates and others that in most Churches Assemblies were not then held There is an eminent passage of S t Jerom's on the Epist to the Galatians Chap. 4. Eâ— nâ—inord 〈…〉 gregatio popâ—â—â—â—idem minueret in Christo c. And least a disordered â—ongregation of the people might lessen the faith in Christ Wordâ—â—â—ome days â—re appointed that we might all come together Not that that day whereâ—â— we â—â—et is â—ore solemn but that on whatever day there is an assembly a greater joy may arise from the â—ight of one another Vales. i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He says that the Lord's Day has its name from light not because it was by the Heatâ—ens termed the day of the Sâ—â— but because 't is the day of the Lord that namely whereon the Lord rose and conferred on us Life and Light and because on that day we received the Holy Spirit the Enlightner of our minds See Clemenâ— Alexandrinus's Strom Book 6. where speaking concerning the Sabbath there occurs a most elegant passage which for brevities â—ake I here omit The Lord's Day therefore is the day of Light both because on that day the Light was first â—reated and also in regard we on that day received the knowledge of the truth by the Holy Spirit who fell upon the Faithfull under the form of â—ire and without division was divided as Clemens words it in the forementioned place Vales. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is not satisfied in his instructing others he himself practises those things which he teacheth according to the command of the Gospel Vales. * Or Keepers l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reading must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we have rendred it accordingly Indeed in the Fuketian Copy 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vales. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church is understood as 't is apparent from His third Book concerning the Life of Constantine Chap. 50. From whence it must be also here corrected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefest Cities as the reading likewise is in the Fuketian Copy Vales. n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the third Book of his Life of Constantine Chap. 50 instead of the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made use of Indeed
Senate and the Emperour Augustus Under whom whenas the presence of Christ was apparent the long-lookt-for Salvation of the Gentiles was accomplished and their calling consequently followed according to the predictions of the Prophets Since which time the Princes and Rulers of Juda those I mean who were of Jewish extraction ceasing straightway the series and course of the High-preisthood which among them by order of succession afâ—er the decrease of the former was always as it was meet wont to fall unto the next of bloud was confounded Hereof thou hast Josephus a witness worthy of credit declaring how that Herod after that he was intrusted with the rule over the Jews by the Romans assigned them no more High-priests of the antient Priestly Race but conferred that honour upon certain obscure persons and how that the same course which Herod had taken in constituting High-priests was followed by his son Archelaus and after by the Romans who succeeded him in the Government of Judea The said Josephus declareth how that Herod first shut up under his own Privy-Seal the Holy Roâ—e of the High-priest not permitting the High-priests to keep it any longer in their own custody and that after him Archelaus and after Archelaus the Romans did the same And let these things be spoken by us to evidence the truth of another Prophesie which by the coming of our Saviour Christ Jesus was accomplished For most plainly and expressly of all other the Holy Scripture in Daniel describing the number of certain weeks unto Christ the Ruler whereof we have in another place intreated foretelleth that after the accomplishment of those weeks the Jewish anointing should be abolished And this is plainly proved to have been fulfilled at the time when our Saviour Jesus Christ came in the flesh And let these things necessarily be fore-observed by us for the proof of the truth of the times CHAP. VII Of the disagreement supposed to be among the Gospels about the Genealogy of Christ. BUt in as much as Matthew and Luke committing the Gospel to writing have differently delivered unto us the Genealogie of Christ and are thought by many to disagree very much among themselves so that almost every one of the faithful through ignorance of the truth hath ambitiously striven to comment upon those places come on let us rehearse a certain History which is come to our hands concerning the premises the which Africanus whom we mentioned a little before hath set down in an Epistle written to Aristides about the concordance of the Genealogie of Christ in the Gospels and having indeed blamed the Opinions of others as wrested and false he delivereth the History that he himself had met withall in these very words For seeing that the names of kindred in Israel were numbred either after the line of nature or after the rule of the Law after the order of Nature as by succession of natural seed after that of the Law as when any one begetteth a son in the name of his brother who deceased without issue For because a perspicuous hope of the Resurrection was not yet granted them they shadowed out in some sort the promise to come with this kind of mortal Resurrection that the name of the deceased might continue and never be quite blotted out Because thereâ—ore of them that are reckoned in this Genealogy some succeeded their fathers as natural sons but others received their name whence they received not their nature mention is made of both as well of them who were truly fathers as of them who were titular onely and as fathers Thus neither of the Gospels is found false the one drawing the Pedegree by the Natural the other by the Legall line For the race both of Solomon and that also of Nathan are so wrapped and twisted together by reviving of persons deceased without issue by second marriages and by raising up of seed that not without cause the same men are supposed to have had divers fathers whereof some were onely nominative others fathers indeed Thus the account in both Gospels is true and is brought down to Joseph accuratly and exactly though by a various and different line And that what I say may plainly appear I will recite the alteration of Families If we count the Generations as Matthew doth from David by Solomon Matthan will be found the third from the end who begat Jacob the father of Joseph but if from Nathan the son of David according unto Luke then the third in like manner from the end will be Melchi whose son was Heli the father of Joseph For Joseph was the son of Heli the son of Melchi Joseph therefore being as it were the mark we shoot at we must shew how each person is termed his father as well Jacob who deriveth his pedegree from Solomon as Heli who descended from Nathan and besides how in the first place these two Jacob and Heli were brethren then in the next place how their fathers Matthan and Melchi born of divers kindreds may be made appear to be Grand-fathers to Joseph Now therefore thus it was Matthan and Melchi marrying one after the other the same wife begat children who were brethren by the mother the law not forbidding a widow either dismissed from her husband or after the death of her husband to be married unto another man First therefore Matthan descending from Solomon begat Jacob of Estha for that is said to be the womans name After the death of Matthan Melchi who descended from Nathan being of the same Tribe but of another race as we said before took this widow to his wife and begat Heli his son Thus shall we find Jacob and Heli though of a different race yet by the same mother to have been brethren One of whom namely Jacob after Heli his brother was deceased without issue married his wife and begat on her the third Joseph by nature indeed and reason his own son whereupon also it is written And Jacob begat Joseph but by the Law he was the son of Heli for Jacob being his brother raised up seed unto him Wherefore neither is that Genealogie which concerneth him to lose its authority the which indeed Matthew the Evangelist reciting saith And Jacob begat Joseph but Luke on the other side Which was the son as it was supposed for he addeth this withall of Joseph which was the son of Heli which was the son of Melchi Nor could he more significantly and properly have expressed that way of Generation according to the Law Therefore in his recital of procreations of this sort he passeth over in silence even to the end the word of Begetting carrying the whole series of Families step by step up as high as Adam who was the son of God Neither is this matter destitute of good proof or rashly and hastily devised For the kinsmen of our Saviour according to the flesh either out of desire to make known the Nobility of their stock or simply to
the common people amongst the multitude and forbidding them to use their swords but commanding them to strike those that cried out with clubs gave them a sign from his Tribunal So the Jews were beaten and many of them killed some by the blows they received perished others being troden to death in the croud by those of their own party that fled And so the multitude being astonished at the calamity of those that were slain were silent Moreover the same Writer relates innumerable other commotions raised in Jerusalem and shews that even from that time forward both the City and all Judea was distracted with Seditions Wars and continual contrivances of mischief following one upon another untill at last the Siege in the Reign of Vespasian by way of revenge befell them After this manner therefore hath divine vengeance pursued the Jews for their execrable wickedness committed against Christ. CHAP. VII That Pilate made himself away IT is also worth knowing how that this same Pilate who condemned our Saviour in the Reign of Caius whose times we now Treat of fell as it is famed into so great troubles that he was forced to be his own Murderer and Revenger laying violent hands on himself Divine justice as it was meet not long deferring his punishment This those Grecians do Record who have written Olympiads giving an account what was done and in what time performed CHAP. VIII Of the Dearth that happened in Claudius his time BUt Caius having held the Empire not full out four years Claudius the Emperour succeeded him In whose times a Dearth oppressed the whole world of which those Historians make mention who are wholly averse from our Religion And so the prediction of the Prophet Agabus of whom there is mention in the Acts of the Apostles concerning this Dearth that should come upon all the world was compleated Luke having in the Acts mentioned this Dearth that happened in the time of Claudius adds this farther saying That the brethren which were in Antioch every one according to his ability sent to them who were in Judea by the hands of Barnabas and Paul CHAP. IX The Martyrdom of James the Apostle NOw about that time to wit in the Reign of Claudius Herod the King stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church and he killed James the brother of John with the sword Concerning this James Clemens in the seventh Book of his Institutions relates a memorable History speaking as he had heard from his predecessours For he says that he that accused him before the Judgment-seat seeing him openly and willingly testifie and declare the faith of Christ was moved thereat and professed that he also was a Christian. And so says he they were both together led away to suffer And as they were going he besoughâ—â— James to pardon him who after a short deliberation said peace be to thee and kissed him and so they were both beheaded together Then also as Holy writ declares Herod perceiving that the killing of James very much pleased the Jews set upon Peter also and having put him in bonds would forthwith have put him to death had he not been miraculously delivered out of prison by a divine apparition to wit by an Angel coming to him by night being dismist for the ministration of Preaching All which happened to Peter by the disposition of divine providence CHAP. X. How Agrippa called also Herod persecuting the Apostles presently felt Divine vengeance BUt the Kings attempt to do violence to the Apostles remained not long unrevenged for a chastizing Minister of divine justice pursued him He therefore soon after his bloudy plot against the Apostles going down to Caesarea as it is related in the Acts of the Apostles and being there upon the great festival day dressed in a white and Royal garment made an Oration to the people from his lofty throne and when all the multitude gave a shout with loud acclamations at his Oration as at the voice of God and not of Man Sacred writ declares that he was immediately smitten by an Angel and was eaten up of worms and gave up the ghost But the consent between Holy writ and the History of Josephus in the account given of this strange thing is worthy of admiration In which he giving evident testimony to the truth in his nineteenth Book of Antiquities does plainly declare this wonderfull thing in these words thus The third year of his reign over all Judea was now compleated when he went to the City Caesarea heretofore called the Tower of Straton There he exhibited shewes in honour of Caesar knowing that Festival to have been instituted for the prosperity of him Hereunto flockt a great multitude of those who were honourable and excelled in dignity throughout that whole Province On the second day therefore of the shews being clothed with Robes made all of silver admirably wrought he entred the Theatre early in the morning When the silver of his Robes shining by reason of the beams the rising Sun cast on them made a wonderfull glistering striking those who steadfastly looked on him with wonder and amazement presently his flatterers some from one place some from another cryed out with voices most pernitious to him terming him God and beseeching him to be propitious to them Hitherto said they we have reverenced thee as a Man but now we acknowledge thee to be above mortal nature But the King neither rebuked them nor rejected their impious flattery presently after looking up he espied an angel sitting over his head whom he forthwith understood to be the cause of mischief towards him having heretofore been the foreteller of his prosperity A pain that pierced his very heart immediately seized him He had besides a griping all over his belly which began with a vehement sharpness and was continual and without intermission Looking therefore upon his friends I your God says he am now compelled to end my life fatal necessity forthwith demonstrating the falshood of your boasting acclamations even now uttered concerning me I who by you was stiled immortal am now snatch't away by death But that destinie is to be born with which God hath decreed We have in no wise lived ill and despicably but in such splendor as was look't upon to be most fortunate When he had spoken these words he was spent with the vehemency of his pain Being therefore presently carried into the Palace a rumour was immediately spread abroad that the King was in imminent danger of his life straightway the whole multitude with their wives and children sitting upon spread sackcloth after their country fashion made supplications to God for the King Every place was filled with wailings and lamentations But the King lying in an High-bed-chamber looked down upon them as they lay prostrate and could not refrain weeping At length having been for five days space continually tormented with pains of his Belly he died in the fifty fourth year
you call it pretending your self ignorant who I am hear me plainly and freely making this profession I am a Christian now if you are desirous to learn the doctrine of Christianity allow me one days space and you shall hear it The Proconsul said perswade the people I have thought good answered Polycarp to give you an account for we are taught to attribute due honour such as is not prejudicial to our profession to Magistrates and powers which are ordained of God but I judge them unworthy of having an account given them of our faith The Proconsul said I have wild beasts to them I will cast thee unless you alter your mind Command them to be brought forth said Polycarp for our minds are not to be altered from better to worse but we account that change good which is from vice to virtuous actions He said again to him since you contemn the wild beasts I will give order that you be consumed by fire unless you change your mind You threaten me replied Polycarp with a fire that burns for an hour and soon after becomes extinct but you are ignorant of that fire of the future judgment and eternal punishment which is reserved for the impious but why doe you make delays Order which you will to be made use of upon me When he had spoken these and many other words he was filled with confidence and joy and his countenance was replenished with a comely gracefullness in so much that he was not onely not overwhelmed with terrour at what was said to him but on the contrary the Proconsul stood astonished and sent the Cryer to make Proclamation thrice in the midst of the Stadium Polycarp professeth himself to be a Christian at which words uttered by the Cryer the whole multitude both of Heathens and Jews who were inhabitants of Smyrna in a most furious rage and with a great noyse cryed out This is the Teacher of Asia The Father of the Christians The destroyer of our Gods who gives command to many men not to sacrifice nor adore the Gods Having said these words they cryed out and requested Philip the Asiarch to let forth a Lyon upon Polycarp But he made answer that that was not lawfull for him to doe because the Amphitheatrical shews or the hunting of the wild beasts were concluded Then they all cryed out with a joynt consent that Polycarp should be burnt alive For it was necessary that the vision which appeared to him upon his pillow should be fulfilled when being at prayer he saw that burning he turned to the brethren that were with him and said Prophetically I must be burnt alive These things therefore were with no less celerity done then they had been spoken the multitude immediately brought together wood and dried branches of trees out of their shops and from the Baths but the Jews especially most readily as it was their usage assisted in this business Now when the pile of wood for the fire was made ready Polycarp having unclothed himself and unloosed his girdle endeavoured also to put off his own shoes a thing which before he never did because every one of the faithfull continually strove who should soonest touch his skin for he was always reverenced for his godly course of life even before he came to be gray-headed presently therefore all the instruments prepared for the fiery pile were applied to and put about him but when they went about to nail him to the stake he said Let me be as I am for he that gives me strength to endure the fire will also grant that I shall continue within the pile unmoved and undisturbed by reason of my pain even without your securing me with nails so they did not make him fast to the stake with nails but onely bound him to it He therefore having put his hands behind him and being bound as it were a select Ram pickt out of a great flock to be offered as an acceptable Holocaust to Almighty God said Thou Father of thy well beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ through whom we have received the knowledge of thee Thou God of Angels and powers and of the whole Creation and of all the generation of the Just who live in thy presence I bless thee because thou hast vouchsafed to bring me to this day and this hour wherein I may take my portion among the number of the Martyrs and of the cup of Christ in order to the resurrection both of soul and body to eternal life in the incorruption of the Holy Spirit among whom let me I beseech thee be this day accepted in thy sight as it were a sacrifice fat and well pleasing to thee according as thou hast prepared foreshewed and fulfilled thou God of truth who canst not lie wherefore also I praise thee for all these things I bless thee I glorifie thee through the eternal Highpriest Jesus Christ thy well beloved son through whom to thee together with him in the Holy Ghost be glory both now and for ever Amen When with a loud voice he had said Amen and made an end of praying the officers who had the charge about the fire kindled it and when there arose a great flame we who were permitted to see it and who are hitherto preserved alive to relate to others what then happened saw a wonderfull sight For the fire composing it self into the form of an arch or half circle like the fail of a ship swelled with the wind immured within a hollow space the body of the Martyr which being in the middle of it lookt not like burnt flesh but like gold or silver refining in a furnace and forthwith we smelt a most fragrant scent as if it had been the smell of frankincense or of some other of the pretious sweet scented spices In fine therefore when those impious wretches saw the body could not be consumed by the fire they commanded the Confector to approach it and sheath his sword in it which when he had done there issued forth so great a quantity of bloud that it extinguisht the fire and the whole multitude admired in that there was so great a difference shewed between the infidels and the Elect. Of which number this most admirable person was one who was the Apostolical and Prophetical doctour of our age and Bishop of the Catholick Church at Smyrna For every word which proceeded out of his mouth either hath been or shall be fulfilled But the envious and malevolent devil that deadly enemy to the generation of the just understanding the couragiousness of his Martyrdom and his unblameable conversation even from his youth and perceiving that he was now encircled in a Crown of immortality and had most undoubtedly obtained the glorious reward of his victory the devil I say used his utmost diligence that his body should not be born away by us Christians although many of us were desirous to doe it and to have been conversant with his sacred dead body Some
of his own writings And concerning the translation of the divinely inspired Scriptures hear what he writes word for word God therefore was made man and the Lord himself saved us having given the sign of the Virgin But not as some say who are so audacious as to traduce the Scripture thus Behold a young woman shall conceive and bring forth a Son as Theodotion the Ephesian has translated it and Aquila of Pontus both Jewish proselytes Whom the Ebionites having followed say that Christ was begotten by Joseph Hereunto after a few words he adds saying For before the Romans had firmly compleated their Empire the Macedonians as yet possessing the Government of Asia Ptolemaeus the son of Lagus endeavouring with much care and industry to adorn the Library he had prepared at Alexandria with the writings of all men which were accurately compiled requested those of Jerusalem that he might have their Scriptures translated into the Greek Language They for till that time they were subject to the Macedonians sent to Ptolemaeus the Seventy Seniours which were the most skilfull persons among them in the Scriptures and most expert in both the Languages satisfying the Kings desire herein Ptolemy desirous to make tryal of every one of them and being fearfull least by compact they should agree to conceal the truth of the Scriptures by their translation separated them one from another and commanded every one of them to write a translation and this he did throughout all the books When they were come all together into the same place in the presence of Ptolemy and had compared together the version of every particular person amongst them God was both glorified and the Scriptures acknowledged to be truely divine For they all from the beginning to the end set down the same things in the same words and in the same expressions in so much that the Gentiles which were present acknowledged the Scriptures were translated by the inspiration of God Neither need it seem marvellous that God should doe this seeing that in the captivity of the people under Nebuchodonosor the Scriptures being then corrupted when after Seventy years the Jews returned into their own Country afterwards in the times of Artaxerxes King of the Persians He inspired Esdras the Priest of the tribe of Levi to recompose all the books of the former Prophets and restore to the people the Law delivered by Moses Thus far Ireneus CHAP. IX Who were Bishops in the Reign of Commodus MOreover Antoninus having held the Empire nineteen years Commodus assumed the Government In whose first year Julianus undertook the Prefecture of the Churches at Alexandria Agrippinus having compleated the twelfth year of his Presidency CHAP. X. Concerning Pantaenus the Philosopher AT that time there was a man Governour of the School of the Faithfull there who upon account of his learning was most eminent his name was Pantaenus for from a very ancient custom there had been an Ecclesiastical School among them which also continued to our days and we have been informed that 't is furnished with men who are very able Scholars and industrious about divine matters but Fame says that the forementioned Pantaenus was at that time the most eminent person among them because he was bred up in the precepts and institutions of that Philosophical Sect called Stoicks Moreover t is said he shewed so great a willingness of mind and ardency of affection towards the publication of the divine Word that he was declared the Preacher of Christs Gospel to the Nations of the East and jorneyed as far as India For there were many Evangelical Preachers of the Word even at that time who inflamed with a divine zeal in imitation of the Apostles contributed their assistance to the enlargement of the divine Word and the building men up in the faith Of which number Pantaenus was one and is reported to have gone to the Indians Where as 't is famed he found the Gospel according to Matthew amongst some that had the knowledge of Christ there before his arrival To whom Bartholomew one of the Apostles had Preacht and left them the Gospel of S t Matthew written in Hebrew which was preserved to the foresaid times Moreover this Pantaenus after many excellent performances was at last made Governour of the School at Alexandria where by his Discourses and Writings he set forth to publick view the Treasures of the divine points CHAP. XI Concerning Clemens Alexandrinus AT the same time flourisht Clemens at Alexandria being laborious together with Pantaenus in the studies of the divine Scriptures who had the same name with that ancient Prelate of the Roman Church that was a disciple of the Apostles He in his book of Institutions makes express mention of Pantaenus as having been his Master To me he seems to mean the same person also in the first book of his Stromatewn where recording the most eminent successours of the Apostolick doctrine by whom he had been instructed he says thus Now this work of mine I have not composed for ostentation but these memoires I have treasured up as a remedie against the forgetfulness of mine old age that they may be a true representation and aâ—umbration of those lively and powerfull discourses which I have had the happiness to hear from blessed and truely worthy and memorable persons Of which one was Ionicus whom I heard in Greece another in Magna Graecia the first of them was a Coelo-Syrian the other an Egyptian Others of them lived in the East of which one was an Assyrian the other in Palestine by original extract an Hebrew The last Master I met with who yet was the first and chiefest in power and virtue whom I inquisitively sought out and foundlying hid in Egypt I did fully acquiesce in and searched no further These therefore preserving the sincere tradition of the blessed doctrine which they had immediately received from the holy Apostles Peter James John and Paul like children from the hands of their Parents although few children be like their Parents are by Gods blessing come down to our time sowing those Primitive and Apostolic seeds of Truth CHAP. XII Concerning the Bishops of Jerusalem AT that time Narcissus Bishop of the Church at Jerusalem flourished a man very famous amongst many even at this time he was the fifteenth in succession from the siege of the Jews under Adrian From which time we have before manifested that the Church of the Gentiles was first constituted there after those of the circumcision and also that Mark was the first Bishop of the Gentiles that Presided over them After whom the successions of the Bishops there doe shew that Cassianus had the Episcopal Chair after him Publius then Maximus and after these Julianus then Caius to whom succeeded Symmachus then another Caius and again Julianus the second moreover Capito Valens and Dolichianus last of all this Narcissus who in a continued series of
Crown of beauty let us hear her Herself relate how she is taught to dance by Esaias and with pleasant expressions to shout forth thanksgivings to her God and King Let my soul rejoyce in the Lord. For he hath cloathed me with the Garment of salvation and the coat of gladness He hath encircled my head with a diadem like a bridegroom and hath bedecked me like a bride with ornaments And as the earth which multiplieth its flowers and as a garden that causeth its seeds to spring forth so the Lord hath caused righteousness to rise up and joy in the sight of all the Heathen Thus doth she sing and dance But in what expressions the Bridegroom the celestial Word Jesus Christ Himself answereth her hear the Lord speaking Fear not because thou hast been ignominiously treated neither be thou ashamed because thou hast suffered reproach For thou shalt forget thine everlasting shame and thou shalt no longer remember the reproach of thy widowhood the Lord hath called thee not as a woman forsaken and dejected in spirit nor as a woman hated from thy youth thy God hath said For a little while I have forsaken thee but with great compassion I will have pitty upon thee I turned my face from thee when I was a little angry but with everlasting mercy I will have mercy upon thee saith the Lord who hath redeemed thee Arise arise thou who hast drunk from the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath For thou hast drunk of and emptied the cup of Destruction the cup of my â—ury and there was none of all thy sons whom thou hast born to comfort thee neither was there any to take thee by the hand Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of destruction the cup of my wrath and thou shalt no longer drink it And I will put it into the hands of them who have injured thee and debased thee Arise arise put on strength put on thy glory Shake off the dust and arise sit down loose the chain of thy neck Lift up thine eyes round about and view thy children gathered together Behold they are gathered together and come to thee As I live saith the Lord thou shalt put them all on as an ornament and thou shalt put them about thee as a bride doth her bravery For thy desolate places and those that were wasted and ruinous shall now be too narrow for thy inhabitants And they shall be removed far from thee that devoured thee for thy sons which thou hadst lost shall say in thine ears The place is too straight for me make a place for me that I may dwell And thou shalt say in thine heart who hath begotten me these I am childless and a widow Who hath nourished these for me I was left desolate these where had they been All this Esaias hath predicted These things were in times past recorded in the holy Scriptures concerning us And it was requisite that we should now at length receive the truth of these words really and actually fullfilled In regard therefore the bridegroom the Word hath spoken in this manner to his spouse the sacred and holy Church agreeably hereto hath this Dresser of the Bride with the prayers of you all in common reaching out to her your helping hands by the appointment of God the supream King and by the appearance and presence of Jesus Christ's power raised and erected this desolate Church lying like a dead carcass on the ground and despaired of by all men And having lifted her up after this manner hath made her such an one as he was instructed to do by the delineation of the sacred Scriptures This Fabrick is indeed a stupendious miracle and doth surpass all the degrees of admiration especially to them who are only intent upon the outward appearance of things But the original Examples and Primitive forms hereof the spiritual and truely divine patterns are more admirable then all miracles I mean the reparations of that divine and rational building in our souls Which Structure when the Son of God himself had framed according to his own Image and had freely granted that in all parts it should bear the resemblance of God he bestowed upon it a nature incorruptible incorporeal rational different from all terrene matter and gave it a substance originally and of its self intelligent after he had once thus created it at the beginning out of nothing He made it an holy Spouse and framed it into a most sacred Temple for Himself and his Father This he himself in express words acknowledgeth saying I will dwell in them and walk amongst them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Such indeed is the perfect and purified soul which was so framed at the beginning that it bore the perfect Image of the celestial Word But when through the envie and emulation of the malitious Devil by its own voluntary choice it began to be a follower of its own passions and was inamored with vice God having withdrawn himself out of it being left destitute as it were of a Defender it was easily captivated and remained exposed to their treacheries who for a long time had been enviers of its glory and being now utterly battered down by the Engines and Machines of its invisible Adversaries and spiritual enemies it sunk down into such a total ruine that not one stone of vertue was left standing upon another all the parts of it lay prostrate on the ground as dead utterly deprived of all those notions concerning God which were naturally imprinted on it But this ruinated building which was framed after the Image of God was not laid waste by that wild bore out of the wood which is visible 〈…〉 eyes but by some destructive Devil and by â—â—telligent and spiritual wild beasts Who having put it into a flame by wicked passions as it were with the fiery darts of their malice have burnt with fire the truely divine sanctuary of God and destroyed the tabernacle of his name even to the ground Afterwards they buried it miserable wretch under a vast hoap of earth which they cast up and reduced it to an utter despaire of all manner of safety But its Patron the Divine and salutary Word obeying the love of his most gracious Father shown towards mankind restored it again after it had suffered condign punishment for its sins In the first place therefore having united to himself the minds of the Emperours by means of those most pious Princes he cleansed the whole world from all impious and pernicious men and also from those cruel and barbarous Tyrants hated of God Afterwards he brought to light men very well known to him persons that heretofore had been consecrated Priests to him for ever and were secretly concealed and secur'd by his defence during the storm of Persecution whom agreeable to their deserts he honoured with the magnificent gifts of the spirit by these
men he hath again purified and cleansed by their poinant and reprehensive Preaching of the divine Precepts as it were with shovels and spades those souls which â— little before were defiled and totally covered over with all manner of filthiness and heaps of impious Injunctions And when he had made the place of all your minds bright and clear he delivered it up to this most prudent Prelate most acceptable to God Who being a man endowed with great judgment and reason in other things and also most acute in discerning and distinguishing the disposition of the souls allotted to his care from the very first day as I may say even to this present he hath not ceased to build cementing together in you all one while glistering gold at other times purified and tryed silver and precious and rich stones So that by his workes towards you he hath again compleated that sacred and mystical Prophesie the words whereof are these Behold I prepare Carbuncle for thy stone and Saphire for thy foundations and for thy Bulwarks Jasper and for thy gates stones of Christal and for thy wall choice stones and all thy children shall be taught of God and great shall be the peace of thy children and thou shalt be built in righteousness He therefore building in righteousness hath aptly and fitly differenced the strength of all the people Some he hath inclosed with the outward wall onely that is he hath fortified them round with an unerring and strong faith of this sort there is a great multitude who cannot bear a more excellent structure To others he committeth the custody of the entrances into the Temple giving them in command to watch at the Gates and to conduct those in that come thither these may fitly be compared to the Porches of the Temple Other some he hath set to support the chief Pillars which are without about the Court quadrangular-wise Bringing them within the first Bolts of the literal sense of the four Gospels Some he hath also placed about the sanctuary on both sides these are such as are Catechumens as yet and do make a good progress and increase in the faith but yet they are not far from inspecting those most secret Mysteries which priviledge only the perfect believers do enjoy Out of this number he hath taken those whose immaculate souls have been purified like gold in the sacred Laver some of whom he hath set to support Pillars far more noble then those outward ones even the most intricate and Mysterious sentences of sacred Scripture others of them he illuminateth to be as it were windows to transmit light into the Temple He hath also beautified the whole Temple with one most spacious Portico that is with the glorious worship of the one and only God the supream King He hath represented Christ and the Holy Ghost on each side of the Fathers preeminence and authority as the second rays of light And he demonstrateth throughout the whole Cathedral a most copious and excellent light and evidence of the truth particularly coucht in the remaining Articles of our faith Moreover when he had from all parts selected living firm and strong stones of souls of all them he framed a stately and Royal sanctuary full of light and splendour both within and without in as much as not only in their souls and minds but their bodie 's also they are beautified with the glorious ornaments of Chastity and Modesty There are also within this Temple Thrones a great many Benches and Seats which are in all those souls whereon reside such gifts of the Holy Ghost as were heretofore seen by the holy Apostles To whom appeared cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them But on him that presides over all these Christ himself 't is likely does entirely and wholly reside and upon those who are next to him in dignity on every one of them proportionably according as he is capable of receiving the distributions of the power of Christ and of the Holy Ghost The Benches also are the souls of certain Angels the instruction and custody of every one whereof is committed to them But the August Great and only Altar what can it be else but the most pure soul and holy of Holies of the Common Priest of all On his right hand standeth the great High Priest of all Jesus himself the only begotten Son of God who with a chearful countenance and stretcht-forth hands receiveth from all that sweet smelling incense and those unbloudy and immaterial sacrifices of prayers and transmits them to his heavenly Father the supream God whom in the first place he himself worshippeth and he only exhibiteth due veneration to the Father afterwards he beseecheth him for ever to continue favourable and propitious towards all us Such is that August Temple which the great Creatour of all things the Word of God hath built throughout all that world under the sun he himself hath again framed upon earth this intellectual representation of those things beyond the Arches of Heaven that by every creature and by rational souls upon the earth his Father might be duely honoured and adored But that Region above the Heavens and the things there which are the originalls of what we here behold that Jerusalem which is above that Celestial mount Sion and that City of the living God far above the world in which are innumerable companies of Angels and the Church of the first born which are written in heaven who with praises unutterable which we cannot understand laud their Creatour and supream Prince the Blessedness of this Region I say and of its inhabitants no mortal is able deservedly to set forth For eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him Of which things since we are now vouchsafed to be partakers in part let us both men women and children small and great all together with one spirit and one soul never cease to give thanks and praise to the Authour of these our so great good things Who hath mercy on all our iniquities and healeth all our infirmities Who redeemeth our life from destruction and crowneth us with mercy and loving kindness who filleth our desire with good things For he hath not dealt with us according to our sins neither hath he rewarded us according to our iniquities For as far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our sins from us As a father pittieth his own children even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him Keeping these things fresh in our memories both now and throughout all succeeding times and moreover setting before the eyes of our mindes God the cause of this present days joyful solemnity and the Master of this feast both day and night every hour and as I may say every moment wherein we
Whenas therefore three hundred Bishops and upwards admirable both for their moderation and acuteness of understanding had unanimously confirmed one and the same Faith which according to the verity and accurate disquisition of the Divine Law can only be the Faith Arius vanquished by a diabolical force was found to be the only person who with an impious mind disseminated this mischief first amongst you and afterwards amongst others Let us therefore embrace that Opinion which Almighty God hath delivered Let us return to our beloved brethren from whom this impudent servant of the Devil hath separated us Let us with all diligence imaginable hasten to the common body and to our own natural members For this doth well become your prudence Faith and Sanctity that since his Error who has been evidently prov'd to be an Enemy of the Truth is confuted you should return to the Divine Grace For that which was approv'd of by three hundred Bishops can be judged nothing else but the determination of God especially since the holy Ghost residing in the minds of such great and worthy personages hath disclosed to them the will of God Wherefore let none of you continue dubious let none of you make delays but do you all with great alacrity return to the right way that when we come to you which shall be as soon as possible we may together with you return due thanks to God who inspects all things because having revealed the pure Faith he hath restored you that mutual love which was the subject of all mens prayers God preserve you beloved Brethren Thus wrote the Emperour to the people of Alexandria demonstrating to them that the determination of the Faith was not imprudently or unadvisedly made but that it was dictated with a great deal of disquisition and diligent examination nor does he say that some things were spoken in that Council and others passed over in silence but that all that was fitting to be said in confirmation of the opinion was produced and urged and that the controversie was not inconsiderately determined but was with great accuracy first discussed In so much that all things whatever which seemed to produce matter of ambiguity or dissention were wholly removed and destroyed In short he terms the determination of all those there assembled the will of God and does confidently aver that the unanimity of so many and such eminent Prelates was procured by the holy Ghost But Sabinus the Ring-leader of the Macedonian Heresie does wittingly and on set purpose oppose their authorities and Stiles the Fathers there assembled Idiots and men of no knowledge and he does in all appearance asperse even Eusebius Caesariensis with the imputation of ignorance but he does not in the least consider with himself that although those convened in that Synod were Idiots yet in regard they were illuminated by God and the Grace of the holy Ghost they could in no wise err from the Truth But let us hear what the Emperour by another Letter which he sent to all the Bishops every where and to the people Decreed against Arius and those that embraced his Opinion Another Letter of Constantines VICTOR CONSTANTINUS MAXIMUS AUGUSTUS to the Bishops and People In as much as Arius has followed the Practices of wicked and profane persons 't is but just that he should undergo the same ignominy with them Therefore as Porphyrius that Enemy of true Piety found a just recompence for composing impious Volumes against Religion and such a recompence as has rendred him ignominious to posterity covered him with infamy and many reproaches and his impious writings have been utterly destroyed so it also now seemes reasonable to term Arius and those that embrace his Opinion Porphyrians that they may derive their denomination from him whose morals they have so exactly imitated Moreover if any book written by Arius shall be found extant we do hereby Order that it be immediately burnt that by this means not only his wicked Doctrine may be wholly destroyed but also that there might not be left to posterity the least monument of him This also we declare that if any person shall be found to have concealed a book compiled by Arius and shall not immediately produce the said book and burn it his punishment shall be death For immediately upon his being found guilty of this fact he shall undergo a capital punishment God preserve you Another Letter Constantinus Augustus to the Churches Having sufficiently experienced by the flourishing posture of the publick affairs how great the benignity of the divine power has been towards us we judged it our chiefest concern and aim to labour for the Preservation of one Faith a sincere charity and one universally acknowledged Religion towards Almighty God amongst the most blessed Congregations of the Catholik Church But since this could not be otherwise firmly constituted and established unless all or at least the greatest part of the Bishops were conven'd in one place and every particular that concerns the most sacred Religion were by them first discussed upon this account when as many of the Clergy as could possibly be got together were assembled and we also as one of you were present with them for we will not deny what we account our greatest glory that we are your fellow servant all things were sufficiently discussed so long untill a determination acceptable to God the Inspector of all things was published in order to an universal agreement and union so that there is now no place left for dissention or controversie about matters of Faith Where also after a disquisition made concerning the most Holy day of Easter it was by a general consent concluded to be the best course for all men in all places to celebrate that Festival upon one and the same day For what can be more comely and commendable or what more grave and decent then that this Festival from which we have received the hopes of immortality should be unerringly kept by all men in one and the same order and in a manner apparently and expresly agreeable And in the first place all men lookt upon it as an unworthy thing and misbecoming the dignity of that most sacred Festival to follow the Jewish usage in the celebration thereof For the Jews persons who have defiled themselves with a most abominable sin are deservedly impure and blind as to their understandings Having therefore rejected their usage we may by a more certain and infallible order propagate that day to future ages for the completion of this solemnity which we have kept from the first day of the passion even to this present time Let us then have nothing in common with that most hostile multitude of the Jews We have received another way from our Saviour For there is proposed to us a lawful and decent leading to our most sacred Religion Let us therefore dearest Brethren with one accord constantly persist in this course and withdraw our selves from that most adverse Society and their
mention of the accusations against Athanasius This desire and resolution of theirs was assisted by Ursacius and Valens who at the beginning had been defenders of Arius's opinion but afterwards they publickly consented to the term Homoöusios by their Libel given in to the Bishop of Rome as we said before For these persons always inclined to the strongest side They were assisted by Germinius Auxentius Demophilus and Caius When therefore some were ready to propose one thing in the congress of Bishops then present and some another Ursacius and Valens said that all Forms of the Creed heretofore published were to be accounted null and void and that that last draught was to be admitted and approved of which they had a little before published in their convention at Sirmium Having said this they caused a paper which they had in their hands to be read wherein was contained another Form of the Creed which they had drawn up before at Sirmium but concealed it there as I said before which they then made publick at Ariminum This Creed was translated out of Latine into Greek the contents thereof are these This Catholick Creed was published in the presence of our Lord Constantius in the Consulate of the most Eminent Flavius Eusebius and Hypatius at Sirmium on the eleventh of the Kalends of June We believe in one only and true God the Father Almighty Creatour and Framer of all things And in one only begotten Son of God who was begotten of God without passion before all Ages and before every beginning and before all time conceivable in the mind and before every comprehensible notion by whom the Ages were framed and all things were made Who was begotten the only begotten of the Father the only of the only God of God like to the Father who begat him according to the Scriptures Whose Generation no person knoweth but only the Father who begat him We know that this only begotten Son of God by his Father's appointment came down from heaven in order to the abolishing of sin and was born of the Virgin Mary and conversed with the Disciples and fulfilled every dispensation according to his Fathers will and was crucified and died and descended into the Infernal parts and set in order what was to be done there At the sight of whom the doorkeepers of hell trembled He arose again on the third day and conversed with his Disciples and after the completion of fourty days he ascended into the heavens and sits at the right hand of his Father And he shall come in the last day in his Fathers Glory and render to every man according to his works And we believe in the holy Ghost whom the only begotten Son of God Jesus Christ himself promised to send as a Comforter to mankind according as it is written I go away to my Father and I will pray my Father and he shall send you another Comforter the spirit of truth He shall receive of mine and shall teach you and bring all things to your remembrance But for the term Ousia in regard it has been used by the Fathers in a more plain and ordinary sense and being not understood by the people gives an offence to many in as much as it is not contained in the Scriptures we thought good to have it wholly removed and in future to make no mention at all of this term Ousia when God is spoken of in regard the saecred Scriptures have no where mentioned the substance of the Father and of the Son But we do assert that the Son is in all things like the Father as the sacred Scriptures do affirm and teach After the reading of this paper those who were displeased with the contents thereof rose up and said we came not hither because we wanted a Creed For we keep that entire which we have received from our Ancestours But we are met that if any innovation hath hapned concerning it we might repress it If therefore what hath been recited doth contain nothing of novelty in it do you now openly Anathematize the Arian Heresie in such sort as the ancient Rule of the Church hath rejected other Heresies as being blasphemous For it has been made manifest to the whole world that Arius's impious opinion hath been the occasion of those tumults and disturbances which have hapned in the Church untill this present time This proposall being not admitted of by Ursacius Valens Germinius Auxentius Demophilus and Caius wholly rent in sunder the Church For these persons adhered to what had been recited in the Synod of Ariminum But the others did again confirm the Nicene Creed Moreover they derided the inscription prefixt before the Creed which had been read And especially Athanasius in the Epistle he sent to his acquaintance where he writes word for word thus For what was wanting to the Doctrine of the Catholick Church as concerning piety that disquisitions should now be made about the Faith and that they should prefix the Consulate of the present times before that Draught of the Creed forsooth which they have published For Ursacius Valens and Germinius have done that which never was done or so much as ever heard of amongst Christians For having composed such a form of the Creed as they were willing to admit of they prefixt before it the Consulate the month and the day of the present year in order to their making it manifest to all prudent persons that their Faith had not its beginning before but now under the Reign of Constantius For they have written all things with a respect had to their own Heresie Besideâ— pretending to write concerning the Lord they name another to be their Lord to wit Constantius For he it was who influenced and authorized their impiety And they who deny the Son to be Eternal have stiled him Eternal Emperour such bitter enemies are they against Christ by reason of their impiety But perhaps the holy Prophets specifying of the time wherein they prophesied gave them an occasion of assigning the Consulate Now should they be so audacious as to assert this they would most egregiously betray their own ignorance For the prophesies of thâ—se holy persons do indeed contain a mention of the times Isaiah and Hosea lived in the days of Uzziah Jotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Jeremiah in the days of Josiah Ezekiel and Daniel flourish't under Cyrus and Darius And others prophesied in other times but they did not then lay the foundations of Religion For that was in being before their times and always was even before the foundation of the world God having prepared it for us by Christ. Nor did they thereby manifest the times of their own Faith For even before those times they themselves were believers But the times which they mention were the times of the Promise which God made by them Now the chief and principal head of the Promise was concerning our Saviours Advent And by way of Appendix those
Emperour Mauricius received these Crosses with great pomp Dedicated them to and deposited them in the Sacred house of the Martyr Not long after the said Chosroes sent other presents also to the same Sacred Church and on a Bason made of Gold ordered this Inscription to be set in the Greek Tongue I Chosroes King of Kings the Son of Hormisda have ordered this Inscription to be set upon this Bason not that it might be seen by men nor that by my words the Greatness of Your Venerable Name might be made known but on account of the truth of what is inscribed and by reason of those many Favours and Benefits which I have received from You. For 't is my happiness that my Name is extant on Your Sacred Vessells When I was at a place called Beramais I requested of You Holy Man that You would come to my assistance and that Sira might conceive And in regard Sira is a Christian and I a Gentile Our Law allows Us not to have a Christian Wife On account therefore of my Benevolence towards You I disregarded this Law and have had a kindness for this Woman above my other Wives and doe Love her every day more and more Wherefore I have taken a resolution at present to desire of Your Goodness Holy Man that She might conceive I have requested therefore and solemnly vowed that if Sira shall conceive I will send the Cross worn by her to Your Venerable house And on this account I and Sira have this design that we will retain this Cross in Memory of Your Name Holy Man And we have resolved instead thereof in regard its value exceeds not Four thousand four hundred Miliaresian Staters to transmit Five thousand Staters And from such time as I conceived this Request within my self and entertained these thoughts untill we came to Rosumchosrum ten days had not fully past And Thou Holy Man not that I deserved it but because of Thine own goodness appearedst to me in a dream by night and didst affirm thrice to me that Sira should be with child And in the same Vision I answered Thee thrice saying 't is well And because Thou art a Giver of what is requested of Thee from that day Sira was not sensible of the Custome of Women But I might perhaps have doubted in relation to this matter had I not given credit to thy words because thou art an holy person and a Granter of requests that Sira should not in future be sensible of the Custome of Women From hence I understood the Virtue of the Vision and the truth of what was predicted by thee I have therefore forthwith transmitted the Cross it self and its value to your Venerable house with order that of its price one Bason and one Cup be made to be used at the holy Mysteries moreover that a Cross be made which is to be fixed upon the Sacred Table and a Censor all of Gold and Further an Hunnick Veyle adorned with Gold And our order is that the remaining Miliaresians of the price shall belong to thine holy house that by thy Genius Holy Man thou wouldest give assistance in all things to me and Sira but especially in relation to this Request and that what hath hapned to us from thine intercession by the mercy of thy Goodness may arrive at perfection agreeable to the will of Me and Sira To the end that I and Sira and all persons in the world may place our hope in thy power and in future believe in Thee These are the expressions contained in the Sacred Presents transmitted by Chosroes which disagree in nothing from Balaam's Prophecy the compassionate God having wisely disposed all things in such a manner that the tongues of Gentiles should some times utter salutary words CHAP. XXII Concerning Naamanes the Saracen AT the same time Naamanes also the Chief of a Tribe of those Saracens that were Enemies a Pagan so wicked and abominable that with his own hand he sacrificed men to his Daemons came to Holy Baptisme and having melted down a Statue of Venus which was nothing else but a reall Mass of Gold he distributed it amongst the poor and brought over all those persons about him to the worship of God But Gregorius after Chosroes's Crosses had been presented by the Emperour's order went a Circuit to the Solitudes of those termed The Limits wherein Severus's Tenets were highly prevalent in which places he set forth the Ecclesiastick Dogmata and brought over to the Church of God many Castles Villages Monasteries and whole Tribes CHAP. XXIII Concerning the Death of Saint Symeon Junior the Stylite BUt in the interim Saint Symeones fell sick of a distemper whereof he died and upon my giving Gregorius notice thereof he made all the hast he could to him to pay him his last Salutes But Gregorius obtained not what he desired Further this Symeones for Virtue far excelled all persons of his own time having from his tender years lead an austere Course of Life upon a Pillar in so much that his teeth were changed in that Station upon the Pillar He went up upon a Column on this account Whilst he was yet very young he wandred up and down over the Tops of the Mountain playing and leaping And by chance hapned upon a wild Beast termed a Libard about whose neck he cast his girdle and as with the rein of a bridle as 't were lead the Beast who forgat his naturall ferity and brought him to his own Monastery Which when Symeones's Instructer a person who kept his Station upon a Pillar beheld he asked the Boy what that was Symeones made answer that it was an Aelurus which they usually term a Cat. From hence his Instructer conjectured how eminent a person Symeones would prove in the Study of Virtue and therefore carried him up into a Pillar In which Pillar and in another that stood upon the very top of the Mountain he spent Sixty eight years being vouchsafed all manner of Grace both as to the casting out of Devills as to the curing every disease and all manner of languishing distempers and in relation to the foreseeing things future as if they had been present He foretold Gregorius that he should not see him die but said that he was ignorant of what would happen after his own death And when I my self was troubled with various thoughts at the loss of my children and doubted within my own mind why the same troubles befell not the Pagans who had many children although I had not opened my mind to any person whatever yet he wrote to me to abstain from such thoughts as those in regard they were displeasing to God Moreover when the wife of one of my Amanuenses had her milk stopt after her delivery by reason whereof the Infant was in imminent danger the same Symeones put his hand upon her husbands right hand and ordered him to lay it upon the breasts
prophetess suffered her long hair to hang down neglected and the Art of Divination being banish't lamented that great Evill amongst men But Let us see what manner of conclusion these things were brought to CHAP. LI. That Constantine when he was a youth heard that the just men were the Christians from him that had written the Edicts concerning the Persecution I Now appeal to Thee Most high God! Thou knowest that being then very young I heard how He who at that time held the chiefest place amongst the Roman Emperours a person wretched truly miserable imposed upon by the errour of his mind with a great deal of curiosity enquired of those that were his Guards who those just men were that lived upon the earth and that one of the Sacrificers about him made answer that they were the Christians The Emperour having devoured this answer like some honey unsheathed the Swords prepared to punish Crimes against an unblamable Sanctity Immediately therefore he wrote Edicts of Bloud with bloudy points of Swords as I may say and ordered his judges to stretch that subtilty implanted on them by nature to an invention of Acuter punishments CHAP. LII How many sorts of Tortures and Punishments were made use of against the Christians THen you might I say you might have beheld with how great a freedom and Licence the venerable worshippers of God daily underwent the severest of Contumelies caused by a continuedness of Cruelty For that modesty which even none of the Enemies ever affected with any injury was made the easie sport and pastime of the contumely of their own enraged Fellow-Citizens What fire what manner of Torments what sort of Tortures was not made use of upon every body and without distinction applied to persons of all ages whatever Doubtless at that time the Earth wept the Heavens within whose circumference all things are contained being defiled with Bloud lamented Also the very light of the day it self was clouded by the sorrow and horrour of that prodigy CHAP. LIII What reception was given to the Christians by the Barbarians BUt why do I mention these things On account hereof the Barbarians do now boast who gave reception to the men of our Country that fled at that time and treated the Captives with all imaginable tenderness and humanity For they allowed them not only safety but permitted them to retain their religious worship with security Therefore the Romans do now bear this perpetuall Brand of Infamy which the Christians at that time driven out of the Roman world and flying to the Barbarians fixt upon them CHAP. LIV. What manner of Revenge overtook them who on account of the Oracle raised a Persecution BUt what need I in many words rehearse those Lamentations and that common mourning of the whole world Those Authours of so horrid an impiety perished afterwards by a most ignominious end and were thrust down into the pits of Acharon to an eternall punishment For having been involved in intestine Wars they left no Remains either of their Name or Stock Which doubtless had never hapned to them had not that impious prophecy of the Oracles of Apollo had a false and depraved force CHAP. LV. Constantine's Glorification of God and his confession in reference to the sign of the Cross and his Prayer for the Churches and people NOw I beseech Thee Most supream God! Be mild and propitious to Thy Easterns Be mercifull to all thy Provincialls worn out by a lasting Calamitie by me Thy servant administer a Remedy And these things I aske of Thee not without Cause O Thou Lord of all Holy God! For by Thy Guidance and Assistance I have undertaken and perfected Salutary Affairs Every where carrying before Me Thy Sign I have lead on my Victorious Army And as often as the publick necessity requires following those very Ensigns of thy Virtue I march out against the Enemy For these reasons I have dedicated my mind to Thee purely tempered with love and fear For I love Thy Name with a sincerity but I have an awfull fear for Thy Power which Thou hast demonstrated by many indications and hast thereby rendred my faith firmer I hasten therefore to put my shoulders may own shoulders I say to the Work that I may re-edifie thy Most holy House which those detestable and most impious wretches have ruined by a wicked overthrow CHAP. LVI How he prayes that all persons may be Christians but forces no body I Desire that thy people may live in Repose and without Tumult or disturbance for the common advantage of the world and all Mortalls May those involved in the Errour of Gentilism with gladness partake of an enjoyment of the same Peace and Quiet with the Believers For this Reparation of mutuall society will be of great efficacy in leading men to the true way Let no person molest another Let every one do that which his soul desireth Yet it behooves those whose Sentiments are true to be firmly perswaded that they only shall live holily and purely whom Thou callest to this that they should acquiesce in Thy holy Laws But let those who withdraw themselves have their Temples of Lies since they desire them We retain the most splendid House of Thy Truth which Thou hast given us according to Nature We wish this likewise to them namely that by a common consent and agreement they also may reap a delight of mind CHAP. LVII He gives Glory to God who by his Son has enlightned those that were in Errour NOr is our Religion new or of a late date but from such time as we believe this beautifull Fabrick of the world to have stood firmly put together Thou hast instituted this Religion with a due observancy of Thy Deity Further Mankind seduced by various Errours hath stumbled But least this Evill should increase and grow stronger Thou by Thy Son hast raised up a pure Light and hast put all men in mind of the worship of Thy Deity CHAP. LVIII Another Glorification of God from his Government of the world THy Works give confirmation to these things Thy Power makes us innocent and faithfull The Sun and Moon have their stated and prescribed Road nor are the Stars moved round the Axis of the whole world in an irregular manner The Vicissitudes of Times recur by a certain Law By Thy word the firm site of the Earth hath been established And the wind makes its motion according to a set time Also the current and carriage of the waters proceeds from the motion of a restless Flux The Sea is contained within fixt and immovable Bounds And what ever is diffused thorow the Earth and Ocean every such thing is framed for certain admirable and great Uses Which unless it were in this manner governed according to the Arbitrement of Thy Will doubtless so great a diversity and
aim that as the authority of the truth doth daily demonstrate it self by new Miracles so the minds of us all should with all modesty and unanimous alacrity become more carefull and diligent about an observation of the Holy Law Which thing in regard I judge to be manifestly apparent to all men my desire is you should most especially be perswaded of this that there is nothing which I have a greater care about and concern for than that we should adorn that sacred place which by God's command I have unburthened of that most detestable accession of the Idol as 't were of some ponderous and heavy weight which place by God's determination was made holy from the beginning but was afterwards demonstrated to be more holy out of which he hath brought to light the Truth and Certainty of Our Saviour's passion with magnificent and stately structures CHAP. XXXI That He would have this Church built so as to exceed all the Churches in the world for beauty of Walls Columns and Marbles THerefore it does well become Your Prudence so to dispose and make provision of all materials necessary for the work that not only the Church it self may in stateliness excell all others in what place so ever but also that the other parts of it may be made such as that all the beautifullest structures in whatever City may be out-done by this Fabrick And as concerning the raising and exquisite workmanship of the walls We would have you know that the care thereof hath by Us been committed to Our Friend Dracilianus Deputy to the most Famous the Praefecti Praetorio and to the President of the Province For it has been ordered by Our Piety that Artificers and Workmen and whatever else they may be informed of from Your Prudence as necessary for the Structure shall by their care be forthwith sent But concerning the Columns or Marbles whatever You Your Self on sight of the Modell shall judge to be more sumptuous and usefuller make it Your business to inform Us by Letter that when we shall understand from Your Letter how many and what manner of Materials You stand in need of they may be conveyed to you from all parts For 't is but reasonable that that most admirable place of the whole world should be beautified according to its dignity and worth CHAP. XXXII That Macarius should write to the Presidents concerning the beautifying of the Concha and concerning Workmen and Materials FUrther I desire to know of You whether You think good to have the inner Roof of the Church Arched or Embowed or made of any other sort of Work For if it be Embowed it may also be gilded with Gold It remains therefore that as soon as may be Your Holiness should inform the forementioned Judges how many Workmen and Artificers and what money for Expences there will be need of and that Your Holiness take care to give Me a speedy account not only concerning the Marbles and Columns but in reference also to the Embowed Roofs if You shall judge that to be the more beautifull Work God preserve You Beloved Brother CHAP. XXXIII How the Church of Our Saviour was built which the Prophets had termed New-Jerusalem THese were the Contents of the Emperour's Letter his order was immediately followed by the things themselves effectually put in execution And in the very Martyrium of Our Saviour the New-Jerusalem was built over against that most celebrated Old Jerusalem which having been reduced to the utmost degree of Ruine and desolation after that nefarious Murder of Our Lord underwent the punishment of its impious Inhabitants Opposite to this City therefore the Emperour erected the Trophie of Victory which Our Saviour had gained over death with a rich and gorgeous splendour And this perhaps was that fresh and New Jerusalem spoken of in the Oracles of the Prophets concerning which there occurs so many and such large expressions uttered by the divine Spirit it self In the first place therefore he adorned the sacred Cave in regard it was the Head of the whole work to wit that divine Monument at which an Angel shining with a celestial light heretofore declared to all men that Regeneration which was demonstrated by our Saviour CHAP. XXXIV A description of the Fabrick of The most Holy Sepulchre THis Monument I say in regard it was the Head of the whole work the Emperour's Munificence in the first place adorned with Eximious Columns and with all imaginable beauty and rendred it glorious and splendid by various sorts of Ornaments CHAP. XXXV A description of the Atrium and of the Porticus's AFter that he passed to a most Spacious place open to the pure air The Ground whereof he beautified by paving it with shining or bright stone and inclosed it on three sides with Porticus's that were extended to a vast length CHAP. XXXVI A description of the Walls Roof Beauty and Gilding of the Church it self FOr to that side placed opposite to the Cave which side lookt towards the rising Sun the Basilica was joyned a Work admirable and stately raised to an immense height and extended to a vast length and breadth The In sides of which Structure were covered with Crusts of Marble that were of different colours but the outward surface of the Walls being beautified with polisht Stones cemented together by exact joynts made a most glorious and beautifull shew nothing inferiour to the appearance of Marble As to the top of the Church he covered the outward part of the Roof with Lead in regard that was the strongest defence against Winter showers But the Inner Roof being set with Carv'd Lacunaria and spread like some great Sea all over the Church by Tables joyned one with another and covered all over with the purest Gold made the whole Church shine as 't were with Rayes of Light CHAP. XXXVII A description of the double Porticus's on both sides and of the three Eastern Gates FUrther at both the sides double Porticus's as well beneath as above in length equalled the whole Church the Roofs of which Porticus's were likewise variously adorned with Gold Of these Porticus's they which were in the Front of the Church were under-prop't with vast Columns but those which were more inward were born up by piles of Stone most beautifully adorned on the outside Three doors fitly placed at the rising Sun received the multitudes of those that went in CHAP. XXXVIII A description of the Hemisphaere and of the twelve Columns with their Capitals OPposite to these doors was the Hemisphaere the Head of the whole Work which was stretch't to the top of the Church This Hemisphaere was begirt with twelve Pillars equall to the number of our Saviour's Apostles The heads of which Pillars were adorned with vast Capitals made of Silver
giving Life to the living and restoring Life to the dead the true Light enlightning every man that cometh into the world God and the Minister of Good things in regard he is begotten of the Goodness and Power of the Father who hath not divided with him that has imparted the Dignity nor with any other his Fathers Substance or Kingdom But by Generation is made Glorious and the Lord of Glory Who has received Glory from the Father but has not partaken of the Fathers Glory For the Glory of the Almighty is incommunicable as he himself has said I will not give my Glory to another Who has been glorified by the Father before ages Who has been glorified by the Father through ages and throughout the whole rational and created Substance Whom the whole celestial Milice doth guard For he is the Lord and King of Glory as being the Son of God and God the Framer of things immortal and mortal the Framer of Spirits and of all flesh For all things were made by him and without him nothing was made The King and Lord of all Life and breath of those Creatures that were made by him For all things were delivered unto him by the Father according to his holy expression and the Father hath given all things into his hand Obedient to the framing and creating of the things which are Obedient to every Administration Not receiving his being the Son or God from his obedience but in that he is the Son and is the only begotten he is made God Obedient in Works Obedient in Words The Mediatour in Sentences or Decrees The Mediatour in Laws Him we acknowledge to be the Sun of God and the only begotten God Him alone we acknowledge to be like to him that begat him upon account of an eminent similitude and a peculiar conception or signification Not as the Father is to the Father For there are not two Fathers Nor as the Son is to the Son there being not two Sons Nor as the Unbegotten to the Unbegotten For there is one only Unbegotten to wit the Omnipotent and one only begotten Son But he is like as the Son to the Father in regard he is the Image and Seal of every operation and power of the Almighty the Seal of all the Works Words and Councels of the Father Him we acknowledge to be one of those who covered the earth with a deluge of waters Who burnt the Sodomites with fire Who inflicted punishment on the Egyptians Who made Laws according to the Commandment of the Eternal God Who in the times of the Prophets converst with the Ancients Who called those that refused to obey Who has received all power of Judging For the Father judgeth no man but hath given all judgment to the Son Who in the last days was made flesh made of a woman Made man in order to the deliverance and Salvation of us men Who assumed man or humanity consisting of a Soul and Body Who by his tongue and mouth Preached peace to those that were near and such as were remote Who was made obedient unto the Cross and unto death And who saw not corruption but rose again the third day And after his Resurrection he compendiously expounded the mystery to his disciples He sits on the right hand of the Father and shall come to judge the quick and dead After this person We Believe in the Paraclete the Spirit of Truth The Teacher of Piety Made by the Only begotten to whom he was once subject Who is not to be reckoned after the Father nor together with the Father For there is one only Father who is God over all Nor is he to be equalled with the Son For he is the Only begotten and has no Brother begotten at the same time with him Nor yet is he to be compared with any other thing For he has transcended all other things that have been made by the Son in Generation Nature Glory and Knowledge In regard he is the first and best the greatest and most beautifull work of the Only begotten Who also himself being one and the first and the Only and the most eminent of all the Sons composures by reason of his substance and natural Dignity does perfect every operation and Doctrine according to the Sons arbitrement by whom he is sent and of whom he receives And he makes a relation to those that are instructed teaching the Truth sanctifying the Saints leading them who come to the Sacrament dividing to the Spirit all his free gifts who gives grace And he cooperates with the faithfull in order to their understanding and contemplation of the things commanded Who groans with them that pray is the Guide to what is profitable gives strength in order to Piety enlightens Souls with the light of knowledge purges the thoughts chases away devills cures the sick heals the diseased brings back the wanderers into the way comforts the afflicted erects those that stumble and fall refreshes those that labour encourages with shouts those that strive emboldens those that are fearfull is the Guardian and Overseer of all men takes all imaginable care and makes provision for the promotion or access of the well minded and for the preservation of the more faithfull Further We Believe in that Resurrection which shall be effected by our Saviour to wit of those very Bodies which have been dissolved together with their proper members and particles when nothing shall be wanting or changed of those things which composed every mans body in this present life Moreover We Believe the Judgment which shall be after this of those things which have been ill-thought or acted and likewise of all the works words actions practises conceptions of the mind and thoughts which have hapned in this present life so that nothing at all whether of the greatest matters or of the least shall be concealed nothing of those things which have been legally done or unjustly perpetrated shall be neglected or overlookt but a proportionate and just sentence shall be given or measured out And those that have continued impious and sinners to the end of their lives shall be sent away to an endless punishment But such as have led Holy and righteous lives shall be taken up to an eternall life These are our Sentiments which we have learned from the Saints and thus we think and believe We have omitted nothing of what we have learned on account of shame or out of fear Nor have we by reason of turpitude or contentiousness made any additions thereto or perverted any thing therein Neither are we conscious to our selves of any such falsity or detestable impiety as is framed against us by those Sycophants or slanderers Whose damnation is just That this is the confession of Faith which was delivered by Eunomius to Theodosius in the month June on the second Consulate of Merobaudes which he bore which Saturninus is evident from these words which occur at the beginning of this confession to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉