CAP. I.

BEcause therefore the consideration of the maner in Christ, is two folde, the one consisting as a head on the bodye, by the which he is vnderstoode God, the other to be pondered with paces, by the which he hath put on man, like vnto vs, sub­iecte to passions for our saluations sake. We shal make a right rehersal of those thinges which folowe, if that first we begin the declaration of the whole history from them which are principal and most proper pillers of this doctrine. In the meane space the auncientrie and dignitie of Christian Antiquitie, shal against them be declared, which suppose this religion newe, straunge, of late, and neuer hearde of before: but to declare the generation, dignitie, essence, and nature of Christe, no speache can sufficiently serue. sithence that the holy Ghost in the prophets hath testified: His generation vvho shalbe able to declare? for Esai. 53. Iohn. 10. the father no man hath knovven, but the sonne, neither at any time hath any knovven the sonne vvorthely, but the father alone vvhiche begate him. This light going before the worlde, and all worldes the intellectual and essentiall wisdome, and the liuing worde of God, being in the begin­ning with the father, who but the father alone hath rightly knowen? which is before euery crea­ture and workemanship, both of visible and inuisible thinges, the first and only sonne of God, chiefe captayne of the coelestiall, rationall, and immortall hoaste, the Angel of the great counsel, Esai. 9. & executour of the secrete will of the father, maker and worker of all thynges together with y ^• fa­ther, whiche after the father is cause and auctor of all thinges, the true and only begotten sonne of God, Lorde, md God, and King of all thinges whiche are created, receauing dominion and rule of the father hy the same diuinitie, power, and glorye, for according to the mysticall diuinitie con­cerning him in the scripture. In the beginning vvas the vvorde, and the vvorde vvas vvith God, Ioh. 1. and God vvas the vvorde▪ the same vas in the beginning vvith God▪ all thinges vvere made by it, and vvithoutit vvas nothing made that vvas made. The same doth Moses, the most auncient of al the prophets testifie, for describing by inspiration of the holy spirite the substance and dispo­sition of the vniuersall worlde, he sheweth the framer and workeman of all thinges, God, to haue graunted to Christ him selfe and none other, that is his deuine and only begotten worde, the fra­ming of these inferior thinges. For vnto him, conferring about the creation of man: God sayde Genes. [...]. (sayth he) let vs make man after our ovvne likenesse and similitude. And with this saying a­greeth an other prophet thus speaking of God in Hymnes, and saying: He spake and they vvere Psal. 32. made, he commaunded and they vvere created. By whiche wordes he bringeth in the father a maker, commaunding as vniuersall captayne with his kingly becke, but the worde of God next to him (not an other from that which amongst vs is preached) obseruing in al thinges his fathers ordinances: as many therefore from the first originall of mankinde as appeared iuste, godly, ver­tuous, and honest liuers, eyther about the tyme of Moses that great worshipper of the great God, or before him as Abraham and his sonnes, or as many in the times folowing accompted iust, and the prophets also which conceaued of God with the clensed eyes of the minde, haue knowen this same, and haue worshipped him as the sonne of God with conuenient and due honor: but he not degenerating from his fathers pietie, is appointed a teacher vnto all of his fathers knowledge.

CAP. II.

THe Lorde God therefore appearing, conferred as a common man with Abraham, sittinge in the oke groue of Mambre, he forthwith fallyng downe vpon his face, although with the outward eye he beheld but man, yet worshiped him as God, & made supplication vnto him as Lorde, with the same wordes he confesseth that he knewe him when he sayde: O Lord vvhich Genes 18. iu [...]gest the vvhole earth vvilt not thou iudge rightly? For if no reason permit the vnbegotten an [...]mmtable essence of the almightie to transforme him selfe vnto the lykenesse of man, neither [Page 4] agayne the imagination of any begotten suffer to seduce the sightes of them that see, neither the Scriptures to fayne such thinges falsely: the Lord and God which iudgeth the whole earth and executeth iudgement, being seene in the shape of man, what other should be praysed (if it be lawe­full for me to mention the Author of all thinges) then his onely preexistent worde? of whome it is Psal. 106. sayde in the Psalmes: he sent forth his vvorde and healed them, and deliuered them out of all their distresse. The same worde next after the father Moses playnely setteth forth saying: The Genes. 19. Lorde rayned brimstone and fire from the Lorde, out of heauen vpon Sodom and Gomorha. The same doth the sacred Scripture call God, appearing againe vnto Iacob in the figure of man, Genes. 32. & saying vnto Iacob: Thy name shal no more be Iacob, but Israel shalbe thy name, because thou hast vvrastled and preuailed vvith God. at what time Iacob termed that place the vision of God, Genes. 32. He preuen▪eth the ob­ [...]ection: per­ [...]aps they [...]vere Angels [...]vhich ap­ [...]eared vnto [...]en. [...]sus other­ [...]vise I [...]ho­ [...]a. [...] Secōdaryly [...]ot in digni­ [...]e but in per [...]n & order. [...]sue 5. saying: I haue seene God face to face and my life is preserued. Neither is it lawefull once to surmise that the apparitions of God in the Scriptures may be attributed to the inferior Angels and ministers of God, for neither the Scripture if at any tyme, any of them appeared vnto men concealeth the same: calling by name neither God, nor Lorde, but Angels or messengers which may easily be tryed by innumerable testimonies. This same also doth* Iesus the successor of Moses cal graund captayne of the great power of the Lorde, being as prince of all supernatural powers and of celestiall Angels and Archangels, and the famous power and wisedome of the father, to whome * secondaryly all thinges concerning rule and Raigne are committed, when as he behelde him in no other forme or figure then of man, for thus it is written: And it happened vvhen Iosua vvas in Iericho he lifted vp his eyes and behelde a man standinge ouer agaynst him, hauinge a naked svvorde in his hande, and Iosua comming vnto him saide: art thou on our side, or on our aduersaryes? and he sayd vnto him, I am chief captaine of the hoast of the Lorde, and novv am come hither. And Iosua fell on his face to the earth and sayde vnto him: Lorde vvhat com­maundest thou thy seruaunte? and the captaine of the Lordes hoast saide vnto Iosua: loose thy shoe from of thy foote, for the place vvhere thou standest is an holy place and the grounde is holy. By these words thou maist perceaue the self same, not to be different from him which tal­ked with Moses, for there also the Scripture hath vsed the same wordes: vvhen the Lorde savve [...]xod. 3. that he came for to see, God called him out of the middest of the bushe and sayd: Moses, Moses, and he aunsvvered, vvhat is it? and he sayde come not hither, put thy shoes of thy feete, for the place vvhere thou standest is holy grounde, and he sayde vnto him: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. And that it is a certayne essence liuing and subsisting with the father & the God of all thinges before the fundations of the worlde were layde, ministring vnto him at the creation of all creatures termed the worde, and the wise­dome of God (notwithstanding the aforesayde) wisedome her selfe in her proper person thus by Solomon plainly and pithely speaking, is to be hearde: I (sayth wisedome) haue framed or fixed a Prouerb. 8. tabernacle, counsel, knovvledge, & vnderstanding. I haue by calling allured vnto me. Through me Kinges do raygne, & Potentates put in practise iust lavves. Through me mighty men, and Princes are much made of▪ Through me Princes beare rule on earth. to this she addeth: The Lorde him selfe fashioned me the beginning of his vvayes, for the accomplishing of his vvor­kes. I haue bene ordayned before the fundations of the vvorld vvere layde, and from the begin­ning, or euer the earth vvas made, before the vvelspringes flovved out, before the fundations of the mountaynes vvere firmley sett, and before all hills begate he me, vvhen he spred and prepa­red the heauens, I vvas present, vvhen he bounde in due ordre the depth vnder heauen I vvas by. I vvas vvherevvith he daily delited, reioycing continually in so much that he reioyced at the perfect finishing of the vvorld. that he was before all thinges, and to whome (though not to [...]ll men) the heauenly worde was declared, it followeth that in fewe wordes we entreate.

CAP. III.

FOr what cause therefore the worde of olde, vnto all men, and vnto all nations, euen as [...] was not preached, thus it shall euidently appeare▪ that olde and auncient age of man [...] not attayne vnto this most wise and most absolute doctine of Christ, for immediatly the [...]r [...]t man, from his happy estate, being carelesse of the commaundement of God, fell into this [...]all [Page 5] and frayle life, and changed those heauenly delightes and pleasures of olde for this cursed earth▪ and consequently his posterity, when they had replenished the whole worlde, appearing farre worse (one or two excepted) haue chosen certayne▪ sauage and brutishe maners, and with all this bitter and sorowful life, & cast in their mindes nether city nether common weale, nether artes, ne­ther sciences whatsoeuer▪ and retayned amongest them not as much as the name either of lawes or iudgements, and to be short not once as much as the vewe of vertue and philosophie, but liuing among beastes, spent their time in wildernesse, as [...]eldish men and voyd of humanity, corrupting the reasonable vnderstanding agreable with nature, the reasonable seedes of mans minde with their wilful malice, yelding them selues wholy to al abominations, so that sometimes they infect eche other, sometimes they sleye eche other, sometimes they deuoure mans fleshe, presuming to wage batle with God after the famous battel of the foolish Giants, determining and imagining in Genes. 11. their minde to wall heauen and earthe in one, and beinge moued throughe the madnesse of their minde they went about to conquere God the gouerner of all thinges, whereby they haue thus sore incensed him agaynst them selues. God the duerseer and ruler of all things, reuenged them with floodes and destructions of fiery flames, as if they had bene a certaine wilde, vmnanured thickett, ouerspreadinge the whole earthe: also with famyne and continuall plagues, with bat­tayle and thunderboltes from aboue he cut them of, and subdued that seuere and most bitter mala­dye of their soules: by restrayning them with more sharpe punishments & imprisonments. When malice was now flowen vnto the brimme and had ouercast al with the couer thereof, ouershadow­ing & ouerdarkening the mindes of mortall men, as it were a certaine soking slumber of drunken­nesse: that first begotten wisedome of God, and the same worde that was in the beginning with God by his superabundant louing kindnes, appeared vnto the inhabiters on earth sometimes by vision of Angels, sometimes by him selfe, as the helping power of God vnto some one or other of the auncient worshippers of God, in no other forme or figure then of man, for otherwise their ca­pacity could not haue comprised the same. After that now by them the seede of piety was sowen & scattered amiddes the multitude of men, and the whole nations which from the Hebrewes linea­ly descended had now purposed to preferre godlines vpon earth: he deliuered vnto them of olde by his seruant Moses, after strait institutions certayne figures and formes of a mi [...]ticall Sabaoth and circumcision, and entrances vnto other spiritual contemplations, but not the perfect & playne mysteries thereof. When as the law was published and set forth as a sweete [...] vnto all men, then many of the Gentils through the law makers, euery where yea and philosophers changed their rude, brutish, and sauage senses vnto meeke and milde natures, so that thereby there ensued amongest them perfect peace, familiarity, and frendshipithen againe to al men and to the Gentils throughout al the worlde, as it were now in this behalfe holpen and fit to receaue the knowledge of his father, the same schoolemaster of vertue, his fathers minister in al goodnes, the deuine and celestiall worde of God through man with corporall substance not different from ours, shewed him selfe about the beginning of the Romaine empire, wrought and suffred such thinges as were consonant with holy Scripture which foreshewed there shoulde be borne such a one as shoulde be both God and man, a mighty worker of miracles, an instructor of the Gentiles in his fathers pie­ty, and that his wonderfull birth shoulde be declared, his new doctrine, his wonderfull workes, besides this the maner of his death, his resurrection from the dead, and aboue all his diuine resti­tution into the heauens. The Prophet Daniel beholdinge his kingdome in the spirit to be in the The King­dome of Christ, Daniel. [...] ▪ latter age of the worlde, whereas otherwhere deuinely yet here more after the maner of man des­cribeth the vision of God. I beheld (sayth he) vntill the thrones vvere placed, and the au [...]ent of dayes sate theron, his garments vvere as the vvhite snovve, the heares of his heade as pure vvoll, his throne a flame of fire, his chariots burning fire, a fyry streame slyded before his face, a thou­sande thousandes ministred vnto him, the iudgement vvas set, & the bookes vvere opened, &c. Againe: And againe after this I behelde (sayth he) and beholde one comminge in the cloudes like the Sonne of man, and he came still vnto the auncient of dayes, & he vvas brought [...]ore him, and to him vvas geuen principalitie, & honour, and rule, and al people, tribes, and to [...] shall serue him, his povver is an euerlasting povver vvhiche shall not pa [...]e, his kingdome [...] neuer be destroyed. These thinges truely may be referred to none other then in out [...] God that was the word, being in the beginning with the father, and named [...] reason of his incarnation in the latter tin [...]es, [...] [...]eause we haue in out [...] propheticall expositions touching our Lord [...] Christ, and therin hath [...] [Page 6] thinges which concerne him, at this present we wylbe content with the premises.

CAP. IIII.

THat the name both of Iesus and also of Christ among the holy prophets of old was honored, nowe is it time to declare. Moses first of all knowing the name of Christ to be of great re­uerence & glorious, deliuering types of heauenly things, & pledges & mistical formes (ac­cording vnto y ^• commaundement prescribed, saying vnto him: See thou doe all thinges after the Exod. 25. fashion that vvas shevved thee in the mount. Naming man (as he lawfully might) an highpriest of God, called the same Christ, and to this dignitie of highe priesthood althoughe by a certayne prerogatiue excelling all others among men, yet because of honor and glory he put to, the name of Christ. So then he deemed Christ to be a certayne deuine thyng. The same Moses also, when, being inspired with the holy Ghost he had wel forseene the name of Iesu, iudged the same worthy of singuler prerogatiue: for this name of Iesu appeared not manifest among men afore it was knowen by Moses, and this name he gaue to him first, and to him alone whom he knew very wel by tipe & figuratiue signe to receaue the vniuersal principality after his death. His successor ther­fore, before that time called not Iesu, but otherwise to weete [...] in this place I suppose to be corrupted commonlye in the greeke it is red [...] the Hebrues call him Ie­hoschua▪ ben Nun. [...]. The sonne of Nun. Num. 11. and▪ 14. Deut. [...]. Iosu. 24. Ause: He called Iesu, the which name his parents had geuen him: therby attributing to that name singuler honor farr passing al prince­ly scepters, because that the same Iesus Naue was to beare the figure of our Sauiour, & also alone after Moses to accomplish the figuratiue seruice committed vnto him, and thought worthy to be­ginne the true and most sincere worship. Moses to these two men after him thus surpassing all people in vertue and honor, attributed for great honor the name of our sauiour Iesus Christ to the one as highe priest, to the other as principal ruler after him. After this y ^• prophets playnely haue prophecied & namely of Christ, & of the peeuishe practise of the Iewishe people agaynst him, & of the calling of the Gentils by him. The testi­monies of the prophets touching Christ. [...]am. 4. Psal. 2. Psal. 2. Ieremie thus sayde: The spirite before our face, Christ our Lorde, is taken in their nets, of vvhom vve speake before vnder the shadovve of his vvinges vve shalbe preserued aliue among the Heathen. Dauid also being amazed because of his name, expo­stulateth the matter thus: VVhy (sayth he) haue the Gentiles raged, and the people imagined vayne thinges? The kinges of the earth stoode foorth, and the princes assembled together a­gainst the Lorde and against his Christ. To these he addeth in the parson of Christ saying: The Lorde sayde vnto me thou art my sonne, this day haue I begotten thee. Aske of me and I shall geue thee the Heathen for thine inheritaunce, and the endes of the earthe for thy pos­session, Kigs Priests and prophets among the Hebrevvs, because of their an­ [...]oynting evere called Christs. [...] types & [...] of Christ being [...] King and Prophet. The name of Christ therefore among the Hebrewes hath not onely honored those that were adorned with the high priesthood, anointed with figuratiue oyle prepared for that purpose: but also princes whom the Prophets by the precept of God haue anoynted and made figuratiue Christs: because they figuratiuely resembled the deuine worde of God, and the regall and prince­ly power of the onely and true Christ gouerning all thinges. And moreouer we haue learned cer­taine of the Prophets typicalye by their anoynting to haue bene termed Christs. Al they had a re­lation vnto the true Christ, the deuine and heauenly worde, the onely highpriest of all, the king of all creatures and the chiefe Prophet of the father ouer all other Prophets, the proofe hereof is playne: for none euer of all them that typicaly were anoynted, were they Princes, or Priests, or Prophets, haue purchased vnto them selues suche deuine power and vertue as our sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ sole and singuler hath shewed. None of all them howe famous so euer they were found, among their owne throughout many ages by reason of their dignitie and honor haue bestowed this benefit vpon their subiects, that by their imaginatiue appellation of Christ they should by name be consecrated Christians in deede. Neyther hath the honor of adoration bene ex­hibited by the posteritie vnto any of them, neither after their death hath there bene any such affec­tion, that for their sake any prepared them selues to dye for the maintenance of their honor, nei­ther hath there bene any tumult among the Gentils throughout the worlde for any of them, the power of the shadow was not of such efficacy in them, as the presence of the verity by our sauiour declared, which resembled nether the forme or figure of any: nether linealy descended according vnto the fleshe from the Priests: neither was exalted by the might of men vnto his kingdome: nei­ther [Page 7] prophecied after the maner of the auncient Prophets: neither obtayned any preeminence or prerogatiue amonge the Iewes: yet for all this, Christ, being by the diuine spirite adorned with all these dignities though not in types yet in trueth it selfe, and enioyinge all the gyftes of those men (whereof mention is made) he hath bene more published and preached, and hath pow­red vpon vs the perfect ornature of his moste reuerent and holy name, not turning henceforthe vnto types and shadowes such as serue him, but vnto the naked trueth, the heauenly life, and vn­doubted doctrine of verity, his anoynting was not corporall, but spirituall, by participation of the vnbegotten dyetie of the father, the whiche thinge Esai declareth when as in the person of Christ he breaketh out into these wordes: The spirite of the Lorde vpon me, vvherefore he a­noynted Esay. 61. me to preache glad tydinges vnto the poore, he sent me to cure the contrite in hearte, to preache deliuerance vnto the captiues, and sight vnto the blinde. Not Esay alone but Dauid also touching the person of Christ lifteth vp his voyce and sayeth: Thy throne ô God lasteth for Psal. 44. aye, the scepter of thy kingdome is a right scepter; thou hast loued righteousnes and hated ini­quitie, vvherefore God, euen thy God hath anointed thee vvith the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy felovves, of the which the first verse termeth Christ, God, the seconde honoreth him with regall scepter, thence consequently passing vnto the rest he sheweth Christ to be anoynted not with oyle of corporal substance but of deuine, that is of gladnes, whereby he signifieth his prerogatiue and surpassing excellencie and difference seuering him from them, which with corporall and typicall oyle haue bene anoynted. And in an other place, Dauid declaring his dignitie sayeth: The Lorde Psal. 110. sayde vnto my Lorde, sit thou on my right hand, vntil I make thine enemies thy footestole. And out of my vvombe before the day starre haue I begotten thee. The Lorde svvare, neither vvil it repent him, thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech. This Melchisedech in the Genes. 14 Heb. 4. 7. sacred Scriptures is sayde to be the Priest of the most highe God, so consecrated and ordayned neither by any oyle prepared of man for that purpose, neither by succession of kindred attayning vnto the priesthoode as the maner was among the Hebrewes. Wherfore our Sauiour according vnto that order and not others (which receaued signes & shadowes) is published by performance of the othe, Christ and Priest. So that the history deliuereth him vnto vs nether corporally anoyn­ted, among the Iewes, nether borne of the priestly tribe, but of God him self before the day starr, that is being in essence before the constitution of all worldly creatures, immortall possessinge a priesthoode that neuer perisheth by reason of age, but lasteth worlde without ende. Yet this is a The offi of Christ proued [...] consent the serui [...] of the fa [...] full Sain [...] greate and an apparent argument of his incorporeall and deuine power, that alone of all men that euer were, and now are, among all the wightes in the worlde, Christ is preached, confessed, testified, and euery where among the Grecians and Barbarians, mentioned by this name, and hi­therto among all his adherentes honored as King, had in admiration aboue a Prophet, glorified as the true and the onely high Priest of God, surpassing all creatures, as the worde of God, con­sisting in essence before all worldes, receauing honor and worship of the father & honored as God him selfe, and which of all other is most to be marueled at, that we which are dedicated vnto him honour him not with tongue onely, & garrulous talke of whispering wordes, but with the whole affection of the minde, so that willingly we preferre before our liues, the testimony of his trueth.

CAP. v.

I suppose these thinges to haue bene necessaryly placed by me in the beginning of this history, In the g [...] both th [...] chapter [...] were o [...] lest that any surmise our Sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ to be a newe vpstarte by reason of the time of his being in the fleshe. Nowe agayne leste that any so deeme his doctrine as newe founde and straung, deliuered by such a one so thought of, and nothing differing from other in [...] doctrines, let vs then in fewe wordes entreat and reason of this the which we may take for vndou­bted. For when as the comming of our Sauiour Christ was now freshe in the mindes of all men, The [...] an nat [...] and that a newe nation neither smale, nether weake, neither such as was conuersant and situate in corners of fountaynes and welspringes, but of all other most populous and most religious secure as toutching daunger, and of inuincible minde ayded continually by the deuine power of God, at certaine secret seasons sodenly appeared, the same I say being bewtified among all men by the the ti­tle and name of Christ, the which one of the Prophets being astonished and fore seeing to come to passe with the single eye of the deuine spirite, vttereth thus: vvho hath hearde such thinges▪ or [Page 8] vvho hath spoken after this maner? hath the earth traueling brought forth in one day? hath ere a nation spronge vp sodenly and at one time? in an other place also he hath signified the same Esay 62. to come to passe, where he sayeth: They that serue me shalbe called after a nevve name, vvhich shalbe blessed on earth. Although presently we playnely appeare to be vpstarts, and this name The life of Christians very aunciēt. of Christians of late to haue bene notified vnto all nations: yet that the life and conuersation of Christians is neither new founde neither the inuention of our owne brayne, but from the auncient creation of mankinde, and as I may say rectified by the naturall cogitations and wisedome of the asicient godly men, we wil thus by godly examples make manifest vnto the world. The nation of the Hebrevves, is no new nation, but famous among all people for their antiquity, and knowen of The fathers of the olde te stamentwere Christians. al. They haue bookes and monuments in writing containing auncient men. Though their nation were rare and in number few, yet they excelled in piety, & righteousnes, and al kinde of vertues, some notable and excellent before the flood, and after the flood others as the sonnes & Nephewes Isuppose this Atar to be Thare mēti­oned in the 11. of Genes. [...] The defini­tion of a Christian. of Noe, as Atar & Abraham, in whom the children of the Hebrevves do glory as their chiefe guide and forefather, if any affirme these famous men set forth by the testimony of righteousnes though not in name yet in deede to haue bene Christians, he shal not erre therin, * for he that vvil expresse the name of a Christian must be such a man as excelleth through the knovvledge of Christ and his doctrine, in modesty and righteousnes of mind, in constancy of life, in vertuous fortitude, & in confessing of sincere piety tovvardes the one & the onely vniuersall God. They of olde had no lesse care of this then we, nether cared they for the corporall circūcision no more do we, nether for the obseruation of the Sabaoths no more do we, nether for the abstinence from certaine meates & the distinction of other things which Moses first of all instituted & deliuered in signes & figures to be obserued, no more do Christians the same now, but they perceaued plainely the very Christ of God to haue appeared to Abraham, to haue aunswered Isaac, & reasoned with Israel, that he com­moned with Moses, and afterwards with the Prophets, we haue entreated before. Whereby thou maist finde the godly of old to haue sorted vnto them selues the surname of Christ, according vnto Psal. 104. Christs that anoynted. that of them spoken: se that ye touch not my *Christs, nether deale peruersly vvith my Prophets. It is manifest that the same seruice of God, inuented by the godly of old about the the time of A­braham, and published of late vnto all the Gentils, by the preaching of the doctrine of Christ is the first, the eldest, and the auncientest of all, but if they obiect that Abraham a long time after recea­ued the commaundement of Circumcision, yet afore the receit therof by the testimony of his faith hath bene accompted righteous, the Scripture declaring thus of him: Abraham beleued God & [...]nes. 15. [...]. 4. it vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnes, & he being the same before circūcision heard y ^• voyce of God, which also appeared vnto him. The same Christ, then the worde of God promised vnto the posterity folowing that they should be iustified after the maner of Abrahams iustification, saying: and all the tribes of the earth shalbe blessed in thee. againe, thou shalt be a great & a populous [...] [...]. 4. [...]nes. 12. [...]nes. 22. nation, & all the nations on earth shalbe blessed in thee. this is manifest in so much that it is ful­filled in vs, for he through faith in the word of God, and Christ which appeared vnto him was iu­stified, when as be forsooke the superstition of his natiue contrey, and the error of his former life, confessed the only God of al, & worshiped the same with vertuous works, & not with the Mosaical ceremonies of the law which afterwards ensued, vnto him in this case it was sayd: In thee shal al [...]es. 22. the tribes & al the nations of the earth be blessed, The same maner of sanctimony was seene ex­cercised of Abraham in workes farre excelling the words vsualy receaued among the Christians alone throughout the worlde, what then hindereth but that we may confesse the sole and the same conuersation of life, the same maner of seruice, to be common vnto vs (after the time of Christ) w ^t them which haue sincerely serued God of olde? so that we shew the same to be nether new, nether straunge, but (if it be lawful to testifie the trueth) the auncientest, the only, and the right restaura­tion of piety deliuered vnto vs by the doctrine of Christ, of these thinges thus farre.

CAP. VI.

NOwe that we haue conueniently proposed hitherto as by waye of preface, this our Eccle­siasticall [...]. 5. after [...]reeke. history, it remayneth then that we beginne after a compendious sorte from the comming of our Sauiour Christ in the flesh, & that this may take effect, we pray God the father of the word and the reuealed Jesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour, the heauenly worde of [Page 9] God to be our helper and felowe laborer to the setting forth of the true declaration therof. It was Iesus Christ vvas borne the 3963. yeare of the vvorld, in the 3. yeare of the 134 O­lympiade, th [...] 42. yeare of Augustusth [...] 34 of Herod [...] Luc. 2. Iosephus. Act. 5. Iosephus an­tiquit. lib. 18. cap. 1. the two and forty yeare of the raygne of Augustus the Emperour, after the subiection of Aegypt, and the death of Antonius and Cleopatra where last of all the Ptolemaees in Aegypt ceased to beare rule, the eyght and twentieth yeare, when as our Sauiour and Lorde Jesus Christ, at the time of the first taxing, ( Cyrenius then President of Syria) was borne in Bethleem a city of Iudea, accor­ding vnto the prophecyes in that behalfe premised. The tyme of which taxing vnder Cyrenius, Flauius Iosephus an auncient historiographer among the Hebrevves maketh mention of, adding thereunto an other history of the heresye of the Galilaeans, which sprong vp about the same time, wherof amongest vs also Luke in the Actes of the Apostles mentioneth writing thus: After this maner started vp on Iudas of Galilee in the dayes of tribute & drevve avvay many of the people after him, he also him selfe perished and as many as obeyed him vvere scattered abrode. The same doth Iosephus (before mentioned) in his eyghtenth booke of Antiquities confirme thus, by worde: Cyrenius of the number of Consuls vvhich enioyed other principalities, and by the con­sent of all men so preuailed that he vvas thought vvorthy of the Consulship & counted great by reason of other dignities, came vvith a fevve into Syria, sent for this purpose by Caesar that he should haue there the iurisdiction of the Gentiles, & be Censor of their substance. And a litle af­ter. Iudas (sayth he) Gaulanites a man of the city Gamala, hauing taken vnto him on Sado [...]hus a Pharisee, became a rebell, & affirmed together vvith this Pharise, that the taxing of this tribute Ioseph lib. 2. Iudaic. bell. cap. 7. callet this Galilae­an Simon & not Iudas as Eusebius doth. inferred nothing els but manifest seruitude, & exhorted the Gentils to set their helping hand to the maintenance of their libertie And in his second booke of the warres of the Ievves, he writeth thus of him: About that time a certaine Galilaean by name Iudas, seduced the people of that re­gion, misliking vvith this, to vvit: that they sustained the payment of tribute, vnto the Romaine empire, & vnder God that they suffred mortall men to beare rule ouer them. So farre Iosephus.

CAP. VII. Cap. 6. after the Greke.

VVHen Herode the firste of them whiche vnto Israel are counted straungers, re­ceaued Christ vvas borne vvhe as the scept taken from Iuda vvas helde of H [...] rode the Id [...] maean. Genes. 19. rule ouer the Jewishe nation the prophecye written by Moses in that behalfe was fulfilled, which said: There shal not vvant a Prince in Iuda, neither a leader faile of his loynes, vntil he come for vvhom it vvas kept & reserued, vvhom he pronounced to be the expectation of the Gentils. Then were not these thinges come to an ende which concerned this prophecy, at what time it was lawful for this natiō to be gouerned by their owne Princes which lasted by line of succession, euen from Moses vnto the raygne of Augustus the Emperoure vnder whome Herode the foreyner became ruler ouer the Ievves beinge graunted vnto him by the Ro­maines, who as Iosephus writeth, was by father an Idumaean, by mother an Arabian, & as Aphri­canus one not of the vulgare sort of Historiographers writeth by the report of them which dili­gently read him: The sonne of Antipater, & the same to be the father of on Herode Ascalonites, on Herode A [...] tipater the father of H [...] rode Ascal [...] nites. of the number of them which ministred in the temple of Apollo. This Antipater being a childe was taken by Idumaean theues, among whome he remayned because his father being poore was not able to redeme him, & being bred & brought vp in their maners, he became very familiar with Hyrcanus the high Priest of the Ievves, this had then a sonne borne called Herode, which raygned in the time of our Sauiour. The principalitie of the Ievves being at this point, then present was the expectation of the Gentils according vnto the rule of prophecy when as their Princes by suc­cession from Moses, ceased to beare rule & to raygne ouer the people. before they were taken cap­tiue Iudges. and led to Babylon, their Kings began to raigne, from Saul who was the first, & from Dauid. Kinges. Before their Kings Princes bare rule whom they called Judges, beginning the gouernment af­ter Moses & his successor Iesus oth [...] vvise calle [...] Iehosua. Priestes. Pompeye Aristobul [...] Iesus. After their returne from Babilon there wanted not those which gouerned the state, wherin the best ruled, & the state wherin few bare authority. Priestes had the preeminence vntil that Pompeye the Romayne captaine had by mayne force besieged Ierusalem, polluting the holy places by entring into the sanctuaries of the temple, & sending him which had continewed the succession of Kings from his progenitors vnto that time ( Aristobulus by name) Prince & Priest, captiue, together with his sonnes to Rome, committed the office of high Priest­hood [Page 10] vnto his brother Hyrcanus, so that from that time forth the Ievves became tributaryes vnto Hyrcanus. the Romaynes. Anone after that Hyrcanus (vnto whome the succession of the highe priesthoode befell) was taken of the Parthians, Herode the first foreyner (as I sayd before) tooke of the Ro­mayne senate and the Emperour Augustus the gouernement of the Ievvish nation, vnder whome when as the presence of Christ was apparent, the saluation of the Gentils long looked for, tooke effect. and their calling consepuently folowed according vnto the prophecye in that behalfe pre­mised. since which tyme the Princes and Rulers of Iuda ceasing to beare rule, the state of high­priesthoode (which among them by order of succession, after the decease of the former befell vn­to the next of bloode) was forthwith confounded. Hereof thou hast Iosephus a witnes worthy of creditte, declaring how that Herode after that he had receaued of the Romaines, the rule ouer the Ievves, assigned them no more Priests which were of the priestly progeny, but certayne base and obscure personages, the like did his Sonne Archelaus, and after him the Romaines bearing rule, committed the same against the priestly order. The sayd Iosephus declareth how that Herode first shutt vp vnder his owne seale the holy robe of the high Priest, not permitting the high Priests to retayne it in their proper custody. So after him Archelaus, and after Archelaus the Romaynes did the like. To this ende be these thinges spoken of vs, that we shewe what effecte (toutching the prophecye of the comming of our Sauiour Christ Jesu) ensued, but most playnly of all other the prophecye of Daniel describing the number of certayne weekes by name vnto Christ the ru­ler [...]Daniel. 9. (whereof we haue in an other place entreated) foretelleth, that after the ende and terme of those weekes, the Ievvishe anoyntinge should be abolished. This is playnly proued to haue bene fulfilled at the comming of our Sauiour Jesus Christ in the fleshe. these thinges I sup­pose to haue bene necessaryly obserued of vs, for the tryall of the trueth toutching the tymes.

CAP. VIII.

IN so much that Matthew and Luke committing the Gospell to writing, haue diuersly deliue­red vnto vs the genealogie of Christ, and of diuerse are thought to disagree amonge them sel­ues, so that euery one of the faythfull throughe their ignoraunce in the trueth, endeuour to commente on those places: nowe therefore concerning the premises, let vs propose a certayne history which came to our handes, the which Aphricanus (of whome we mentioned a litle be­fore) in an Epistle to Aristides, remembred, wryting of the concordancye of the genealogye of Christ, set forth in the Gospels, makinge there with al, a relation of the wrested and false opinions of others, the historye after his order of discourse, he hath in these wordes deliuered to the posteritie. * The names of the kinredes in Israel are numbred, eyther after the lyne of Cap. 7. after [...] greeke. [...]hricanus [...]st. ad Ari­ [...]ē. he liued [...]he tyme Origen. [...]eb. lib. 6. [...]. 30. [...]onnes by [...]ure, and [...]nes by [...] Lavve. [...]n argu­ [...]t of the [...]rection. nature, or after the rule limited in the Lavve. after the lyne of nature, as by succession of the naturall seede, after the rule in the Lavve, as by his succession vvhich raysed seede vnto his barren brother deseased. * For as yet the hope of the resurrection vvas not made manifest, they imitated the promise to come vvith mortall resurrection, * leste the name of the deseased vvith his deathe shoulde quite be cut of, for of them vvhich are ledde vvith this line of gene­ration, some succeaded as naturall children their fathers, some begotten by others haue after others bene called, yet of both mention is made as vvell of them vvhiche truely, as of them vvhich resemble the name of generation. Thus nere nother of the Gospels is founde false, hovv­soeuer it doth number, be it according vnto nature, or the custome of the Lavve. The kinrede of Solomon and of Nathan is so knit together, by reuiuing of the deseased vvithout issue, by second mariages, by raising of seede, so that not vvithout cause, the same persons are posted ouer to di­uerse fathers, vvhereof some vvere imagined, and some others vvere their fathers in deede, both the allegations being properly true, though in Ioseph diuersly, yet exactly by descente determi­ned. And that that vvhich I go about to proue may plainly appear, I vvil declare the orderly suc­cession of this genealogye, makinge a recitall from Dauid by Solomon. The thirde from the [...]th. 1. ende is Matthan founde, vvhiche begate Iacob, the father of Ioseph, but from Nathan the Sonne of Dauid, Descending according vnto the Gospell of Luke, the thirde from the ende is [...] 3. Melchi, vvhose Sonne is Hely, the father of Ioseph. For Ioseph is the Sonne of Hely, the Sonne of Melchi. Ioseph being the proposed marke to shoote at, vve must shevve hovv ether is termed his [Page 11] father, deriuing the pedegrevv of Iacob from Solomon, of Heli from Nathan. and first hovv Iacob, and Heli, being tvvo brethren▪ then their fathers, Matthan and Melchi, borne of diuers kinreds may be proued Graundfathers to Ioseph. Matthan therefore & Melchi, marying the same vvife, begate brethren by the same mother, the Lavv not forbidding a vvidovve either dimissed from her husbande, or after the death of her husbande to be coupled vnto an other man. First there­fore Matthan & Melchi hus­bandes to one and the same wife, be gate seuerall sonnes, to vvit. Matthan begate Ia­cob: & Mel­chi his sonne Heli. Iacob brother to Heli, on his sister the vvil of Heli be­gate Ioseph. * Math. 1. * Math. 1. * Luk. 3. Matthan descending from Solomon, begate Iacob of Esttha, for that is sayd to be her name. After the death of Matthan, Melchi (vvhich is, sayd to haue descended from Nathan) being of the same tribe, but of an other race, hauinge maryed this vvidovve to his vvife, begate Heli his sonne. Thus do vve finde Iacob and Heli of a different race, but by the same mother to haue bed brethren. of the vvhiche Iacob takinge to vvife his sister the vvife of Heli, his brother deseased vvithout issue, begate on her the thirde, to vvitt Ioseph: by naiuro [...]and the order of generation vnto him selfe. VVhereupon it is vvritten: Iacob begate Ioseph, by the Lavv vnto his brother He­ly deseased, vvhose sonne Ioseph vvas, for Iacob being his brother raysed seede vnto him, vvher­fore nether that genealogie vvhich concerneth him, is to be abolished, the vvhich Matthew the Euangelist reciting: Iacob (sayth he) begat Ioseph. & Luke of the other side: vvhich vvas the sonne (saith he) as it vvas supposed (for he addeth this vvith al) of Ioseph, vvhich vvas the sonne of He­li, vvhich vvas the sonne of Melchi. And the vvord of begetting, he ouerskipped vvith silence vn to the ende, vvith such a recital of sonnes, making relation vnto Adam vvhich vvas of God. nei­ther is this hard to be proued, or to smale purpose proposed. The kinsmen of Christ according vnto the flesh, either making apparēt or simply instructing, yet altogether teaching that vvhich is true: haue deliuered these thinges vnto vs: hovve that the Idumaean the eues inuading the city Ascalon in Palaestina, tooke captiue together vvith other spoiles out of the temple of Apollo, ad­ioyning vnto the vvalls, Antipater, sonne to one Herode▪ that vvas minister in that temple. VVhē the priest vvas not able to pay raunsome for his sonne, this Antipater vvas brought vp after the maner of the Idumaeans, & became very familiar vvith Hyrcanus the high priest of the Ievves. & hauing bene in embasye vvith Pompeye in Hircanus steade, he restored vnto him the kingdome vvhich vvas taken from his brother Aristobulus, assigned him selfe gouernour of Palaestina, and proceaded forvvardes in felicitie. VVhen this Antipater vvas enuyed for his greate felicitie, and vvas trayterously slayne, there succeded him his sonne Herode, vvhich at length of Antonius and Augustus, by decree of the Senate, receaued rule ouer the Ievves, vvhose sonnes vvere Herode, and the other Tetrarches. These thinges are common among the greeke historyes. And when as vnto that tyme the genealogies of the Hebrevves, yea of them also linealy descending of Pro­selytes, as Achior the Amanyte, and Ruth the Moabyte, likewise as many as fell, beinge deliuered from out of Aegypt, and mixt with the Israelites, were recorded amonge their aunci­ent monuments: Herode, whome the Israeliticall genealogie auayled nothinge, beinge pric­ked Herode bur­ned the genealogies of the Hebre­vves to make him selfe a gentleman. in mynde with the basenes of his byrthe, burned their auncient recorded genealogies, sup­posing thereby to deriue him selfe of noble parentage, if none other holpen by publique re­cordes were able to prone their pedegrewes from the Patriarches, or Proselytes, or such as were cleped strangers horne, and mingled of olde amonge the Israelytes. Very sewe studious in this behalfe doe glorye, that they haue gott vnto them selues proper pedegrewes or remembraunce of their names, or other wise recordes of them, for the retayninge of their auncient stocke in memorye, whiche these men mentioned of before, haue attayned vnto, beinge cal­led because of their affi [...]i [...]e, and kinred with our Sauiour after the name of the Lorde, and [...] Dominici. trauelinge from the Nazarites and Coc [...]oba, castles of the Ievves into other regions, they expounded the afore sayde genealogie o [...] of the booke of Chronicles, as farre for the as it exten­deth. Paralip. Nowe so euer then the case stande, eyther thus [...] otherwise, no man, in my iudgement can finde a playner exposition. Whosoeuer therefore he be that ruleth him selfe aright, he wilbe care­full of the selfe same with vs, although he wante prefe, to preferre a better, and a [...]ruet exposition. The Gospel in al respectes uttereth most true thinges. About the ende of the same epistle he hath these wordes: Matthan descending of Solomon, begate Iacob, Matthan deceased, Melchi vvhich Aphricanu [...] epist. ad Ari­stidem. descended of Nathan, on the same vvoman begate Heli then vvere Heli and Iacob brethren by the mothers side, Heli dying vvithout issue, Iacob raysed vnto him seede, by be getting of Ioseph, his ovvne sonne by nature, but Heli his sonne by the lavv th [...]s vvas Ioseph▪ sonne to both. so farre Aphricanus. Sithens that the genealogie of Ioseph is thus recited, after the same maner, Ma­ry is termed to be of the same tribe, together with him▪ For by the lawe of Moses, the mingling [Page 12] of tribes was not permitted, which commaundeth that matching in mariage, be made with one of the same people, and family, lest the lott of inheritaunce due to the ki [...]red, be tossed from tribe to tribe. of these thinges thus much.

CAP. IX.

VVHen Christ was borne in Bethleem of Ievvrye, according vnto Prophecyes for eshe­wed, and tymes already declared: Herode (because of the wise men which came from Matth. [...]. the East, enquiring: where the King of the levves should be borne, that they had seene his starre, and therefore had taken so great a iorneye in hande, to the ende they might worshippe God which was borne) was not a litle moued, supposing his principality to be in perill, and his rule to goe to wracke, and ruine▪ for he inquiring of the Doctors of the Lawe among the levves, where they looked that Christ should be borne, had no sooner perceaued the prophecy of Mi­cheas, foretelling the byrth of Christ to be in Bethleem, but with one edicte, he commaundes the Herode com naundeth he infantes [...] be slayne, [...]nno Christi Augusti 44 [...]useb in Chronic. Matth. 1. sucking babes in Bethleem, and in all the borders thereof, as many as were two yeare olde and vnder (according vnto the tyme that he had exactly enquired and knowen of the wise men) to be slayne, supposing certaynly thereby (as it was very likely) to destroy Iesus, in the same perill with his equals of the same age▪ but the babe Iesu preuented this deceatefull pretence of his, being con­ueyed into Aegypt, his parents also being forewarned by the appearing of an Angell, of that which should come to passe [...] his the holy Gospell doth declare. Moreouer I thinke it not amisse to let the worlde vnderstande, howe that the de [...]ine vltion without any delaye at all, apprehended the bolde enterprises of Herode agaynst Christ, and his equalls, while breath was yet in his body, shewing as it were by certayne preambles, what was like to be fall him after his death. And how he stayned his princely affayres, which in his owne censure seemed prosperous, by his interchan­geable domesticall calamities, that is: by the truell slaughter of his wife, of his children, of his The domesti all tragedies nd crueltye [...]f Herode. nearest kinsfolkes, of his most familiar friendes, so that it is impossible presently to repeate the whole. The matter it selfe so shamefull, that it ouershadowed euery tragicall action. The which Iosephus hath prosecuted at large in his historyes, howe that for his conspiracy and crafty coun­saile which he entended agaynst Christ, and the other infantes, an heuye scourge from aboue ap­prehended him, bexing him to the death. it will seeme pertinent to the purpose presently to heare the wordes of the historiographer him selfe describing in the 17. booke of the Antiquities of the oseph. Anti. ud. lib. 17. ca. [...]. 9. Anno Christi 6. Au [...]sti 47. Euse Chronic. Ievves, the lamentable ende of his life in these wordes: Herods desease vexed him, more & more, God executing iustice on him, for the thinges vvhich he had impiously committed. It vvas a slovve or slacke fire, yet yelding not so great inflamation outvvardly to the beholders, as vexa­tion invvardly to the internal partes, he had a vehement desire, greedely set to take some thing, yet vvas there nothing that sufficed him. moreouer invvarde rotting of the bovvels, and special­ly a greuous fluxe in the fundament, a ravve, and a running [...]leume about his feete, and the like malady vexed him about his bladder. his priuey mēbres pu [...]rified, engendring vvormes vvhich svvarmed out. a shrill stretched vvinde, he had great payne in breathing, and a grosse breathe, hauing throughout al the partes of his body such a crampe, as strength vvas not able to sustaine. it vvas reported by them vvhich vvere inspired from aboue, and to vvhome the gyft of Diuina­tion vvas graunted, that God enioined the Prince this punishment, for his great impiety. These thinges the aforesayd Iosephus in his commentaryes hath made manifest vnto vs, and in the second parte of his historyes, the like he noteth vnto vs, writing thus: From that time forth, sickenesse [...]oseph. bell. [...]d. lib. 1. cap 1. inuaded his vvhole body, and brought him subiect to diuerse passions. it vvas a hott burning fe­uer, an intollerable itche, ouerrunning the outvvard partes of his body, a continual payne in the fundament, hydropical svvellings in the feete, an inflamation of the bladder, putrefaction of the priuities, vvhich ingendred svvarmes of [...]ice. besides this, often, and difficult dravving of breath, vvith the crampe, contracting the synevves throughout all the membres of his body. so that the vvise men reported these deseases to be nothing else, but sure, and certayne plagues, or punish­ments. he, although strugling vvith so many sores, yet for all that, vvholy set to saue his life, ho­ped for health, & imagined after remedies. Passing ouer Iordane, he vsed for helpe the ho [...] ba­thes, nye Calliroe, vvhich runne vnto the [...] Asphaltitis, vvhich also by reason of their svveete­nesse [Page 13] are drinkeable. The Phisitians there, thought good that his vvhole body should be supled, vvith v vhot oyle, & he being dimissed into a vessell full of vvhot oyle, his eyes so dasled, & dis­solued them selues, that he came out, as dead. VVhen the seruantes, by reason of these circum­stances vvere sore troubled, he remembred his plague, and despaired thencefoorth of any reco­uerie at all, commaunding vvithall fiftie In the greke he vvri teth [...] de valuing fixe halfe pence the hundreth part of an At ticke pound. peeces of siluer to be deuided among his souldiers, but his chiefe captaines, and most familiare friendes to receaue great sommes of money. And taking his iourney thence he came to Hiericho, al madde, by reason of melancholy that aboun­ded in him, for he grevve to that passe that he threatned to him selfe death, and vvent about to practise an horrible offence. For gathering together the famous men in euery village through­out all levvrie, he cōmaunded them to be shut vp into one place called Hippodromus, calling vnto him vvithall, his si [...] [...]lome and her husbande Alexander. I knovve (saith he) the Ievves vvill merily celebrate as holy day the day of my death, yet may I be lamented of others, and so haue a glorious Epitaphe, and funerall, if that you vvill execute mine aduise. Those men there­fore, vvhich are kept in close prison (souldiers being circumspectly set on euery side) see that you immediatly slaye, as soone as breath departeth out of my body, so that therby al Ievvric, & euery house, vvill they, nill they, may revve, and lament my death. And agayne a litle after he sayth: VVhen as through vvant of nourishment, and griping coughe, ioyned vvithall, his sicke­nesse sore increased, and novve being quite ouercome, he coniectured that his fatal course vvas then to be finished. For taking an apple in his hande he called for a knife (for he vvas accusto­med to pare, and so to eate) then beholding on euery side vvhether any vvas redy to hinder his enterprise, lifted vp his right hande to do him selfe violence. Besides these, the same Historio­grapher writeth Antipater slame by the commaūde­mēt of his fa­ther Herode. The death of Herode. Math. 2. that a thirde sonne of his, besides the couple before staine, afore the ende of his life, by his commaundement was put to death, so that Herode left not this life without extreme paine. Such was the tragicall ende of Herode, suffering iust punishment, for the babes destroyed in Bethleem, practised purposely for our Sauiours sake. After whose death, an angel came to Io­seph in sleepe, as he remayned in Aegypt, and commaunded that he shoulde returne together with the chylde, and his mother, into Ievvrie, in asmuch as they were dead, whiche sought the childes lyfe▪ vnto these the Euangelist addeth, saying: VVhen that he hearde, that Archelaus raigned in Iudaea in his fathers steede, he feared to go thither, and being admonished in his sleepe from aboue, he departed into the partes of Galilee.

CAP. X.

HOwe that Archelaus was placed in the kingdome of his father Herode, the foresayde Herode. Archelaus. An. Christiti Augusti. 48. [...]. Chr [...] Phil [...]p. Herode [...]l Lysanias. Ioseph. Ant lud. [...]8. ca. [...] Historiographer doth testifie, describing the maner: that by the testament of Herode his father, by the censure of Augustius Caesar, he tooke to his charge the gouernement of the Ievves, also howe that tenne yeres after; he lost the sayde principalitie, and that his brethren Phi­lip, and the yonger Herode together with Lysanias gouerned there seuerall Tetrarchies. The same Iosephus, in his 18. booke of ludaicall Antiquities, declareth that about the 12. yere of the raigne of Tiberius, (after the fiftie and seuenth yere of the raigne of Augustus) Pontius Pilatus was ap­pointed president of Ievvrie, in the which he continewed welnigh whole ten yeres, vnto the death of Tiberius. The drea­ming san [...] of certayn Heathen [...] suted. Then manifestly is the falsehood of them confuted, whiche of late haue published lewd commentaries, agaynst our Sauiour, where euen, in the beginning, the time after their sup­putation layd downe, and beyng well noted, confuteth the falshood of these [...]ayning fooles. These commentaries do comprehende those thinges, whiche against the passion of Christ, were pre­sumptuously practised of the Ievves, within the fourth Consulship of Tiberius, the seuenth yere of his raigne, at which time it is shewed, that Pilate was not gouerner of Iudaea, if the testimonte of Iosephus be true, whiche playnely sheweth in his foresayde histories VVhen [...] began rule. that Pilate was appoynted procurator of Iudaea the twelfth yere of Tiberius his raigne.

CAP. XI.

ABout these times then, accordinge vnto the Euangelist (The [...]luetenth of Tiberius Caesar, Luk. 3. the fourth of the procuratorship of Pontius Pilate, Herode, Lysanias & Phillip ruling the rest of [...]udaea, in their Tetrarchies) the Sauiour, & our God, Iesus the anoynted of God, begin­ning Christ being 30. yeare old was baptized & beganne to preache. Christ did not preache full 4. yeares. to be about thirty yeares of age, came to the baptisme of Iohn, and began to publish the prea­ching of the Gospel. the sacred Scripture do declare, that he finished the ful time of his teaching, vnder the high priesthoode of Annas, & Caiphas, signifying, that within the yeares of their publi­que ministery, he ended y ^t course of his doctrine. for beginning about the high priesthood of Annas, & lasting vnto the principality of Caiphas, yet in this space, there we [...] not foure yeres fully expi­red. for the legall rites by his edict being in maner abrogated, it folowed then, that the succession of progenitors, by age and line vnto that tyme vsually obserued, should thenceforth be of no force. Nether were then those things, which concerned diuine worship, with due administration execu­ted, for diuerse seuerally, executing the office of high priesthoode, vnder Romayne princes, conti­newed not in the same, aboue one yeare. Iosephus, some where in his bookes of Antiquities, writeth Ioseph lib. 18 Antiq. cap. 4. Annas. Ismael. Eleazar. foure high priestes, by succession to haue bene after Annas, vnto the time of Caiphas. saying thus: Velerius Gratus (Annanus being remoued) ordayneth Ismael the sonne of Baphus, high prieste. And the same Ismael, not long after being deposed, he appoynteth Eleazar, the sonne of Anna­nus, high priest in his place. the yeare after, this Eleazar being reiected, he committeth the office of high priesthoode to Simon, the sonne of Camithus. And him (vvho enioyed this honor, no lon­ger Simon. Caiphas. then one yeare, Iosephus (vvhich vvas also called Caiphas) succeded. The whole tyme of our Sauiours preaching, is shewed to haue bene comprised, in the compasse of 4. yeares. foure high priestes also, in the same foure yeares, to haue bene from Annas, to Caiphas, executing the admi­nistration of the yearely ministery. The holy Gospell doth very well set forth Caiphas, to be high priest that yeare, in the which the passion of our Sauiour Christ, was finished, that the tyme of Christes preaching might not seeme to repugne with this obseruation. Our Sauiour, and Lorde Jesus Christ, not long after the beginning of his preaching, chose 12. Apostles, whome of all the 12. Apostles. 70. disciples. Math. 10. Luk. 10. rest of his disciples, by a certayne singuler prerogatiue, he called Apostles. Afterwardes he ap­poynted other seuenty, whome he enioyned by two and by two, to passe vnto euery place, and city, where he him selfe should come.

CAP. XII.

NOt longe after, the holy Gospel reporteth the be headding of Iohn Baptist. wherwithall Io­sephus Math. 14. by name, accordeth, making mention of Herodias, with whome Herode maried (be­ing his brothers wife) puttinge away his owne wife lawefully maryed, which was the daughter of Aretas, King of Persia. Herodias being separated from her husband which was aliue, In the greke [...]oppy of Eu­ [...]eb. Aretas is [...]ayd to be [...]ng of Per­ [...]ia, which I suppose to be corrupted [...]or he was [...]ing of Ara­bia as Iose­lius repor­ [...]th Antiq. [...]ud. lib. 14. [...]p. 2. This battel mentioned [...] Iosephus. [...]ntiq. lud. [...]. 18. cap. 9. Ca. 11. after [...]e greeke. (for the which he slewe Iohn) Herode warred agaynst Aretas, so that his daughter was ignomini­ously reiected. * In the which battell (then being fought,) he reporteth all Herodes hoaste, to haue vtterly perished, and these thinges to haue chaunced vnto him, for the death of Iohn, malici­ously executed. The same Iosephus when he had confessed Iohn Baptist, to be a very iust man, bea­reth witnesse also, with those thinges which concerne him, in the Gospels, he writeth further, that Herode was depriued of his kingdome for Herodias, & together with her, condemned, & banished into Vienna a city of Fraunce, & the same he declareth in his eyghtenth booke of Iudaicall Anti­quities, wherof Iohn Baptist he writeth thus, * Certayne of the levves vvere persvvaded, that the hoast of Herode vvas vtterly foiled, because that God had iustly plagued him, vvich this punishe mēt, reuenging the death of Iohn, cōmonly called the Baptist. for Herode had slaine him being a iust man. This Iohn cōmaunded the Ievves to embrace vertue, to execute iustice, one tovvards an other, & to serue God in piety, reconciling men by baptisme, vnto vnity. for after this sort, bap­tisme seemed vnto him a thing acceptable, if it vvere vsed not for the remissiō of certain sinnes, but for the purifiyng of the body, the soule (I say) being clēsed, before by righteousnes. & vvhē a [...] diuers slocked together (for thy vvere greatly delited in hearing of him) Herod feared lest that so forcible a povver of persvvadīg vvhich vvas in hī, should lead the people into a certain rebelliō, he supposed it far better, to bereaue hī of his lif, afore any nouelty vvere by hī put in vre, thē that [Page 15] change, vvith danger, being come in place, he should repent him and say: Had I vvist, Thus Iohn because of Herods suspicion, vvas sent bounde to Machaerous the vvarde (mentioned of before) and there beheaded. When he had thus spoken of Iohn in the same history, he writeth of our Sa­uiout in this sorce: There vvas at that time one Iesus, a vvise man, if it be lavvefull to call him, a Iosephus An tiq. Iud. lib. 18 cap. 6. testifi­eth thus of Iesus Christ. man, a vvcrker of miracles, a teacher of them vvhich embrace the trueth vvith gladnes. he drevv after him many, as vvell of the Ievves, as Gentils. This same vvas Christ. And though Pilate, by the iudgement of the chief rulers, amongest vs, deliuered him to be crucified: yet there vvanted not them vvhich from the beginning loued him. he appeared vnto them aliue, the third day af­ter his passion, as the holy Prophets haue foretolde, yea these, & an innumerable more marue­lous thinges of him, & to this day the christian people, vvhich of him borovv their name, cease not to encrease. Now when as this Historiographer, by blood an Ebrue borne, hath of olde deli­uered in writing these, & the like thinges, concerning Iohn Baptist, & our Sauiour Christ, what re­fuge now remaineth, but that they be condēned for impudent persons, which of their owne braine, haue fayned comentaryes, contrary to these allegations, and of these thinges also thus much.

CAP. XIII. Cap. 12. after the greeke.

THe names of the Apostles are apparent vnto euery one out of the holy Euangelists, but the The cataloge of the 70. di­sciples is to be seene in the ende of this volume vvritten by Dorotheus in greeke, & translated by the same tra [...] slator. Galat. 2. 1. Corinth. 1. Clemens. Galat. 2. Act. 1. Barnabas. Sosthenes. Cephas. Mathias. Barsabas. Thaddaeus. 1. Corint. 15 cataloge of the 70. disciples, is no where to be founde. Barnabas is sayde to be one of the number whome the Actes of the Apostles remembred, and no lesse, did S. Paul writing to the Galathians. Amonge these they number also Sosthenes which together with Paul wrote to the Corinthians. The history also of Clemens, in the fift of his Hypotypose on affirmeth Cephas to he one of the 70. of whome Paul sayde: vvhen as Cephas came to Antioche, I vvithstoode him to his face, because he vvas culpable. This Cephas was of the same name with the Apostle. And Ma­thias who of the Apostles was elected in the rowme of Iudas, the traitor, and Barsabas also, who is sayde by the same lott to haue bene worthely preferred to the number of the 70. disciples. Also Thaddaus whome Thomas by the commaundement of Iesu sent to cure Agbarus, is counted one of the number, concerning whome I will forth with declare a certayne historye which came to our handes. Thou shalt finde by diligent obseruation, that there were more then 70. disciples of our Sauiour. for prouf wherof thou maiest vse the testimony of Paul, which sayeth, that after Christs resurrection from the dead, he appeared first to Cephas, then to the tvvelue, After them to more then fiue hundred brethren at once, vvhere of (he sayth) some to haue fallen a sleepe, but more to haue remayned aliue, at that tyme when he wrote these thinges. Afterwards to haue appeared to Iames, which was of the disciples, and one of the brethren of Christ. last of all, as though besides these, there were more Apostles after the maner of the twelue (such as Paul him selfe was) he ad­deth saying: he vvas seene of all the Apostles. but of this so farre.

CAP. XIIII. Cap. 13. after he greeke.

THe history toutching Thaddaeus (of whom we spake before) was after this sorte. After that The fame of Christ went throughout [...]e whole worlde. Agbarus. the diuinity of our Lorde & Sauiour Iesus Christ, was made manifest vnto al men, through the working of miracles, he drewe vnto him an innumerable sorte of straungers, farre di­stant from Iudaea, affected with sundry diseases, and euery sorte of maladyes, hoping to recouer their health. of which number, king Agbarus, gouerner of the famous nations inhabiting beyond the riuer Euphrates, greuously diseased in body, incurable by mans cunning, hearing the renou­med fame of Iesu, & the wonderfull workes which he wrought, agreable vnto the same, published of all men: made petition vnto him by letters, that he would voutchsafe to deeme him worthy of deliueraunce from his disease. Iesus (though not presently) yelding vnto his petition, voutchsafed to aunswere him by an epistle, that shortly he would sende one of his disciples which shoulde cure his disease, promising with all that he shoulde not onely cure his disease, but as many of them as belonged vnto him, which promise not longe after he performed. for after his resurrection from the dead, and ascention into heauen: Thomas one of the twelue Apostles, sent his brother Thaddae­us, Thomas the apostle sent [...]haddaeus [...]to Edessa. accompted among the 70. disciples of Christ, by diuine inspiration, into the city Edessa, to be [...] preacher and Euangelist of the doctrine of Christ, by whome all thinges, which concerned t [...] promise of our Sauiour, were performed. The reader hath an approued testimony of these thin­ges in writing, taken out of the recorded registery, of the princely city Edessa. for there are found enrolled in their publique registery, things of Antiquity, & which were done about Agbarus time, yea and preserued vnto this day. There is no reason to the contrary, but that we may heart the letters themselues, copied out of their registery, & translated by vs, out of the Syrian tongue into these wordes.

These thinges he wrote after this maner, being a litle lightened from aboue, I thinke it also not amisse, to heare the letters of Iesu, sent backe to Agbarus by the same bearet.

These things were done the three and forty yeare, which being translated worde for worde out of the Syrian tongue, we thought not amisse to printe in this place.

CAP. I.

IN the former booke, as by way of proëme, we haue published which necessaryly That vvent [...]ore in the [...] booke [...]vhat fol­ [...]eth novv [...]e secōd. did concerne the Ecclesiastical history, ioyntly contriuing the declaration of the di­uinitie of the worde of saluation, of the auncient principles of our doctrine, of the antiquitie of Gospelike policy among Christians, of his late appearing among men, of his passion, and election of the Apostles. Now it remayneth that we vewe [Page 19] those things, which ensued after his assumption. so that partly we note them out of the sacred scri­ptures, & partly out of prophane historyes, knitting to our historye those thinges which we haue firmely committed to memory. First of al the Apostleship is allotted vnto Matthias, in the rowme Act. 1. Mathias c [...] sen to be a [...] Apostle. Act. 6. 7. Deacon [...] Act. 7. Stephen sig­nifieth a crowne. Matth. 1. of Iudas the traytour, which (as it is manifest) was one of the disciples of the Lorde. there were also seuen approued men ordayned Deacons, through prayer and laying on of the Apostles han­des, for the publique administration of the Churches affaires ioyned with Stephen, which first af­ter the Lorde, as soone as he was ordayned (as though he were appoynted for this purpose) is stoned vnto death, by them which slewe the Lord, and for this cause, as the first of the triumphing Martyrs of Christ, according to his name he beareth a crowne. After him folowed Iames, called the brother of Christ, and counted the sonne of Ioseph. This Ioseph was thought to be the father of Christ, to whome the virgin was betrothed, vvhiche before they came together, vvas founde to haue in her vvombe of the holy Ghost, as the holy Gospell declareth. This Iames whome of olde they priueledged for his vertue, with the syrname of Iustus, is sayd to be the first which occupied Iames the first bishop of Ierusalem Clemens. [...] 6. Clemens. 7. the bishoplike Seae at Ierusalem. Clemens in the 6. of his hypotyposeon writeth thus: Peter (saith he) and Iames, and Ihon, after the assumption of our Sauiour, though they vvere preferred by the Lorde, yet chalenged they not this prerogatiue vnto them selues, but appoynted Iames the Iust, Byshop of Ierusalem. The same Clemens in the 7. of his Hypotyposeon, also maketh mention of him thus: the Lorde after his resurrection, endued vvith knovvledge Iames the Iust, Ihon, & Pe­ter. They deliuered the same vnto the rest of the Apostles, the Apostles aftervvards vnto the 70. disciples, of vvhich number vvas Barnabas. There vvere tvvo Iameses, the one termed Iust, vvhich Iames bi­shop of Ie [...] salē throw downe fro [...] a pinacle [...] the temple and bray [...] Act. 12. Lib. 1. cap▪ vvas throvvne dovvne hedlon [...] from the pinacle, and brayned vvith a fullers clubbe.* the other beheaded. Of him that vvas [...]d Iust, Paul made mention, saying: I savve none of the Apostles saue Iames, the brother of the Lorde. Those thinges which the Lorde promised the King of the Osroënians, then were performed. Thomas by diuine inspiration sent Thaddaeus vnto the city E­dessa, to be their preacher, and an Euangelist of the doctrine of Christ, as a litle before out of the recordes we haue alleaged. But he after his comming, and hauing cured Agbarus, by the word of God, & astonished all them with his straunge miracles, & workes, which he wrought, brought them to the worshipping of the diuine power of Christ, and ordayned disciples of the doctrine of our Sauiour. From that time vnto this day, the whole city of the Edessaeans addicted vnto the name of Christ, shew forth no smale argument of the great goodnes of our Sauiour towardes them. But these thinges be premised, taken out of their auncient historicall recordes. and now let vs returne vnto the sacred Scripture. The first and the greatest persecution being raysed of the The perse [...] ­tion of th [...] postles by the Ievve [...] Act. 8. The disp [...] on of the ciples. Paula pe [...] cutor, Act. 8. Phillip p [...] cheth in S [...] maria. Act. 8. Simon Ma­gus a sor [...] rer. Simonia [...] Ievves agaynst the Church at Ierusalem, about the tyme of the martyrdome of Stephen, and al the distiples, the 12. onely excepted, being dispersed throughout Iudaea, & Samaria, certaine of them, as the holy Scripture beareth witnesse, came vnto Phaenices, and Cyprus, and Antioche. but these as yet dated not to deliuer vnto the Gentiles, the word of fayth, but shewed it onely vnto the Ievves. At that tyme also Paul raged agaynst the Church, entring into the seuerall houses of the faythfull, and giuing forth precepts, that both men and women should be imprisoned. And Phillip one of the ordayned Deacons with Stephen, and of the dispersed came to Samaria, and being plen­teous as toutching the diuine power, first of all preached vnto the inhabitantes there the word of God. The grace of God so mightely preuayled with him, that he drew vnto him by his preaching Simon Magus with many moe. Simon at that tyme was so famous, holding in awe them that were bewitched with his sorcery, so that they supposed him to be the great power of God. which then being amazed with the miracles wrought of Phillip by diuine power, came and grewe so farre for­wards to mens seeming, that he dissembled euen vnto the baptisme, y ^• is through fayth in Christ. Which at this day is wonderfull in them that hitherto walowing in that most detestable heresye, treade the trace of their forefather, encroatching vpon the Churche, as a pestilent and [...]ysome disease, infecting them which can not throughly discerne the incurable, & intractable venyme, ly­ing Simonia. hid within them, but diuerse of them (their implety being reuealed) were throughly knowne, and reiected, of which number Simon himselfe being apprehended of Peter, receaued the sentence Act. 8. of damnation, due to his desert. When that the preaching of the Gospel dayly proceeded with en­crease, it came to passe, by reason of some domest [...] affayres, that there came from the lande of the Aethiopians, the theef gouernour of the qeene, which after the custome of their contrey, held the kingdome, for as yet the people of that contrey, haue to their Prince a Queene. This same An Aethi [...] an Eunuc [...] being the first of the Gentiles, obtayned of Phillip, the holy mys [...]eeyes, by the inspiration of the [Page 20] heauenly worde, was made the first fruites of the faithfull throughout the worlde, and as it is re­ported [...]he Eunuch [...]uerted by [...]hillip, prea­ [...]eth the [...]ospell to [...]e Aethiopi [...]s his con­ [...]ymen. [...]sal. 68. [...]ul a prea­ [...]er. [...]ct 9. [...]alat. 1. after his returne vnto his natiue soyle, he preached the knowledge of the vniuersall God, geuing life vnto men, and the comming of our Sauiour. So that in his doing, the prophecy was fulfilled which sayth: Aethiopia shall stretch hir hand before vnto God. About this tyme Paule the chosen vessel, is declared an Apostle not of men, nether by men, but by reuelation of Iesus Christ, and God the father which raysed him from the dead, and is vouchsafed worthy of this vocation, by a vision, and a voyce reuealed from heauen.

CAP. II.

WHen as the wonderfull resurrection of our Sauiour, and his assumption into the hea­uens, was now made manifest vnto many, and the auncient maner among the heathen Princes had so preuayled, that if any nouelty by any were enterprised, the same forth with should be signified vnto him that helde the Princely scepter, lest that he should be ignorant of any thing which was done: it came to passe that Pilate, made Tiberius the Emperour priuy of those thinges, which concerned the resurrection of our Sauiour Iesu, & were published through­out Palaestina, adding thereunto his maruelous workes, whereof he was credibly enformed, and how that now after his resurrection, he was of many taken for a God. The report goeth, that Ti­berius [...]iberius [...]ould haue [...]d Christ [...]nonized in [...]e number the Gods. [...]he vvise­ [...]me of god this behalf made relation thereof vnto the Senate, which reiected his saying, for no other cause but for that they had not first approued the same, the auncient custome o [...]rued, that none should be ac­counted of the Romaynes, among the number of Gods: vnlesse he were canonized, by the sentence and decree of the Senate, which no doubt was done for this ende, that the holesome doctrine of the diuine preaching, should not neede the approbation, and commendation of man. Though this pe­tition toutching our Sauiour, were reiected of the Romayne Senate, after it was made vnto thē, yet Tiberius, reseruing vnto him selfe his former opinion, conceaued no absurdity preiudiciall vn­to the doctrine of Christ. These things Tertullian, a man well experienced in the Romane lawes, and besides, famous among them which flourished at Rome, in his Apologye which he wrote for the Christians, in the Romane tongue, and by translation writeth thus: and that vve may reason [...]ertull. in [...]polog. toutching the originall of these lavves, it vvas an auncient decree: that no God should be con­secrated by the King, vnlesse it vvere first agreed vpon, by the Senate. The like did Marcus Ae­milius practise, concerning a certayne Idole of A [...]burnus, and this is seene for our sake, that the deytye is deliuered amongst you by mans decree. Vnlesse that God please man, he is not made [...]skomme. God. So that by this decree, it is expedient for man, that he be fauorable vnto God. Tibarius then, vnder vvhome the Christian name vvas spred abroad in the vvorld, vvhen this doctrine vvas signified vnto him out of Palaestina, (vvhere it first sprang) communicated the same vnto the Senate, declaring vvithall, that this doctrine pleased him right vvell. The Senate reiected it, because they had not allovved the same. But he perseuered in his opinion, threatning thē death, that vvoulde accuse the Christians. This was the wisedome of the diuine prouidence, lightning his mind, that the preaching of the Gospel shoulde passe at the beginning, throughout the world, without let or hinderance.

CAP. III.

BY the diuine power, and helping hand of God, the holsome doctrine, sodaynely, as it were sonne beames, shined throughout the worlde, and forthwith according vnto the sacred Scri­pture, the sound of the holy Euangelists, and Apostles, passed throughout the whole earth, and their vvordes vnto the endes of the vvorlde. So that throughout all cities, and villages, af­ter [...]al. 19. the maner of barne floores replenished, forthwith very many, & the same very populous chur­ches, were established, and they which by auncient succession were blinded, through old errour, and the rooted disease of superstitious Idolatry, through the power of Christ, by the doctrine of his disciples, together with the wonderfull workes wrought by them, were at libertye from their cruell Lordes, and loosed out of their lothsome fetters, wholy abandoning the Idolatricall wor­ship [Page 21] of many Gods, confessing the one, and the alone God, the worker of all thinges, and worship­ping him with the rites of true piety, through diuine, and pure religion, gra [...]ed in the heart of man, by our Sauiour himselfe. But the diuine goodnesse, and grace of God, spred it selfe abroade among other nations, and first of all, Cornelius of Caesarea in Palaestina, with all his housholde, by Cornelius the Centuri­on is conue [...] ­ted vnto the fayth. Act. 10. The Antio­chians vver [...] first called Christians. Act. 11. a diuine vision, and the ministery of Peter, embraced the fayth of Christ, and many Graecians of Antioche, hearde the preachinge of those which dispersed them selues at the stoning of Stephen, when as at this tyme the Churche of Antioche flourished and multiplied exceedingly, and many Prophets of Ierusalem (among whome were Paul, and Barnabas) frequented thither, and besides them, an other multitude of brethren, so that the christian name, there sprange first, as of a freshe, and fertill soyle, & Agabus one of the Prophets then present, foretold them of the famine to come. Paul and Barnabus were chosen messengers for the ministery of the brethren.

CAP. IIII.

TIberius when he had raygned about 22. yeares, died. him succeded Caius, which anone com­mitted Anno Chri­sti 39. 40. Caius Cali­gula. Herode the Tetrarch ex­iled vvith h [...] harlet Herodias. Herode A­grippa King of the Ievv [...] Ioseph An [...] lib. 18. cap. [...] Philo Iudae [...] the principalitie of the Ievves vnto Agrippa, and together with his kingdome, the tetrarchies of Phillip and Lysanias, and not long after, the tetrarchy of Herode, which Herode together with Herodias beinge condemned for diuerse crimes and enormityes, was committed to perpetuall banishement. the same Herode was he which liued about the passion of Christ. these thinges Iosephus doth witnesse. About this tyme Philo did flourish, a man not onely excelling our owne men, but also such as passed in prophane knowledge, lineally by descent an Ebrue borne, in­ferior to none of them which excelled at Alexandria. But what labour and industrye he hath em­ployed in diuine discipline, and the profit of his natiue countrey, his workes now extant, playne­ly doe declare, and how farre forth he preuayled in philosophicall, and liberall artes, of prophane knowledge, I suppose it nothing necessary to repeate. But imitating the trade of Plato and Py­thagoras he is sayd to haue excelled all the learned of his tyme.

CAP. V.

VVHat befell vnto the Ievves vnder Caius, this Philo hath written in fiue bookes, wher­in he setteth forth the madnesse of Caius, how he published him selfe God, and besides dealt spicefully an innumerable sorte of wayes. Moreouer what calamities happened vnto the Ievves in his tyme, though Philo him selfe was sent in Embassye, for his owne nation which inhabited Alexandria, vnto the city of Rome, and how that he pleading for the lawes of his contrey people, gayned nothing but gibes, and iestes, returning with great hazarde of his life. Iosephus made mention of these thinges, in the eyghtenth booke of his Iudaicall Antiquities, thus Ioseph A [...]. lib. 18. cap. [...] Apion. by word writing. VVhen that dissention rose among the Ievves & Graecians inhabiting Alex­andria, both parties seuerally, sent three legates vnto Caius, vvhereof Apion one of the legates for the Graecians of Alexandria, shamefully entreated the Ievves, vvith many opprobrious, and blasphemous termes, adding this vvith all, that they despised the ma [...]estye of Caesar. And vvhen as all they vvhich vvere tributaryes to the Romaynes, dedicated altars and temples vnto Caius, and esteemed of him in all other respects as God: These onely Ievves be they vvhich disdayne­fully vvithstoode this honour, done vnto him of men, and accustomed to prophane his name. After that Apion had thus spoken many, and greeuous thinges, to the ende he might incen [...]e Caius agaynst thē (as it vvas very likely to be done) Philo, one of the Ievves legates drevv nigh, Philo. a man excelling in all thinges, and brother of Alexander Albarchus, not ignoraunt in philoso­phy, and of hability sufficient, to aunsvvere the opprobrious crimes, layde to their charge. But Caius excluded him, commaunding him forthvvith to departe, and because he vvas throughly moued, he seemed a [...] though he vvent about to practise some mischiefe tovvards him: Philo b [...] ­ing [...]euned, vvent forth, and vnto the Ievves vvhich vvere vvith him in company, he [...]ayd: VVe ought to be of good cheare, for by [...]ight, God should take our part; Insomuch that Caius is in­censed [Page 22] to the contrary. thus farre Iosephus: And Philo him selfe declareth at large, in his written Embassye, the thinges which then were done. Whereof omitting many thinges, I will present­ly toutch that whereby it may euidently appeare vnto the Reader, what euils not long after, hap­pened vnto the Ievves, for the thinges which by rashe enterprise, they practised agaynst Christ. First of all, Seianus in the city of Rome, vnder Tiberius in great creditt with the King, endeuored Seianus an enemy vnto the Ievves. Pilate vexed the Ievves. with al might possible to destroy al the Iewish nation. And Pilate in Iudaea, vnder whom that vil­lany was committed against Christ, practised against the temple, which stood at Ierusalem, that, which seemed vnto the Ievves vnlawfull, and intollerable, whereby he greeuously vexed them.

CAP. VI.

PHilo doth write, that after the death of Tiberius, Caius, hauing obtayned the empire, vexed many with manifold, and innumerable afflictions, but chiefly among all others, the nation of the Iewes, which in few of his wordes may be gathered, writing thus: so greeuous (sayth Philo Iudaeꝰ. The cruelty of Caius Caligula. he) vvas the dealing of Caius Caligula tovvards all men, but specially bent agaynst the nation of the Ievves, vvith greate indignation, that in other cities (yet beginninge in Alexandria) he vvoulde chaleng vnto him selfe, their prayers, and supplications, paynting in euery place, the fi­gure, and forme of his proper picture, and reiecting all others, successiuely by might and force to place him selfe, and dedicating the temple in the holy city (vntill that tyme vndefiled, & free euery vvay,) to him selfe, and his proper vse, translating and consecrating the name to nevv Ca­ius as a famous God. And infinite more mischeeues which can not be tolde, the same Philo repor­teth, to haue happened vnto the Ievves at Alexandria, in his second booke of vertues. And Iosephus agreeth with him, which likewise signifieth all the miseryes of these men, to haue had their origi­nall, from the tyme of Pilate, and their rashe enterprise against Christ. Heare then what he shew­eth in the second booke of the Iudaicall warres, thus writing worde by worde. Pilate being sent Ioseph bell. [...]ud. lib. 2. cap. 8. from Tiberius, Lieuetenant into Iudaea, couertly conueyed by night into Ierusalem, the vayled picture of Caesar, vvhich they call his Armes, vvhich thinge, vvhen day appeared, moued the Ie­vves not a litle. For they vvhich vvere nearest vnto them, at the sight therof, stamped them vvith their feete, as if they had bene abrogated lavves. They iudged it an haynous offence, that any carued image, should be erected in the city. But if thou conferre these with the trueth in the Go­spell, thou shalt easily perceaue, how that not long after, the voyce pressed them, which they pro­nounced before Pilate, saying: VVe haue no other King but Caesar. Moreouer the same historio­grapher [...]oh. 19. reporteth an other calamity, to haue eftsones ensued the former, saying: After this he rai­sed [...]oseph bell. [...]ud. lib. 2. [...]ap. 8. an other tumulte, for their heaped treasure, vvhich they call Corbon, vvas vvasted vpon a conduyte, reaching the space of three hundred furlonges. This vvas the cause of the commotion among the Ievves, and vvhen Pilate vvas present at Ierusalem, they compassed him, crying out vnto him. But he foreseeing their conspiracy, assigned certayne armed souldiers, in outvvarde shevv of apparell, like vnto the common people, vvhich he mingled vvith the multitude, com­maunding [...]ilate pla­gueth the Ieves. that no svvord should be vsed, but such as of the multitude, clamorously murmured (a signe being giuen from the tribunall seate) he caused to be beaten to death vvith clubbes. The Ievves being thus foyled, many perished of their vvoundes, and many in their flight, being trodden of their felovv citizens, vvere crushed to death. At this lamentable slaughter the multi­tude being thus quayled, vvas silent. Besides these an innumerable more altercations, to haue bene at Ierusalem, Iosephus declareth, teaching how that from that tyme, sedition, warres, and of­ten practises of mischeefs incessantly haue shaken not onely the city, but all Iudaea, vntil at length the vtter foyle, by their besieging vnder Vespasian ouerreached them. Thus hath vengeance ligh­ted vpon the Ievves, for their horrible fact committed agaynst Christ.

CAP. VII.

I suppose it necessary to know this also, how that it is reported of Pilate (President in the tyme of Christ vnder Caius, of whose tyme we made mention before) that he fell vnto such misery, so [...]he death of [...]late. that necessity constrayned him to vse violence vpon him selfe, and became his owne murtherer. [Page 23] The iustice of God, as it seemed best vnto his wisedome, not long wincking at his wickednes. Hereof the Graecians are witnesses, which commit to memory in their historyes the Qlimpiades of tymes.

CAP. VIII.

WHen as Caius had not fully helde the royall scepter, the space of foure yeares, Claudius Act. 11. Claudij An­no 4. Christi Anno 46. 1 Corinth. 16. 2. Corinth. 9. Galat. 2. the Emperour, succeeded him, vnder whome a great famine afflicted the whole world. The same also haue they deliuered in their Commentaries vnto vs, which farre dissent from our doctrine. And the prophecy of Agabus the Prophet, foreshewing in the Actes of the A­postles, the famine that shoulde ouerspred the worlde, came thus to passe. Luke in the Actes signi­fieth this famine to be vnder Claudius, saying: that the brethren of the Churche of Antioche sent reliefe, euery one after his hability, vnto the faythfull inhabiting Iudaea, by the handes of Paul and Barnabas.

CAP. IX.

About that tyme (that is vnder Claudius) Herode the King stretched forth his hande, to Act. 12. Clemens lib. 7. Hypot. vexe certayne of the Churche, and slevve Iames the brother of Iohn vvith the svvorde. Of this Iames, Clemens in the 7. of his Hypotyposeon, reporteth a certayne history worthy of memory, which he receaued by relation of his predecessors, saying: He truely vvhich drevv him before the tribunal seate, vvhen he savv that he vvould vvillingly suffer martyrdome, vvas ther­vvith moued, & voluntarily confessed him selfe to be a Christian. Then vvere they both brought The tormentor of Iames suffred mar­tyrdome with him. Act. 12. together, but he in the vvay requested Iames the Apostle, to pardon him, vvhich after he had paused a litle vpon the matter, turning vnto him, aunsvvered: Peace be vnto thee, and kissed him, and so they vvere both beheaded together. Then Herode as the holy Ghost witnesseth, per­ceauing the death of Iames to haue pleased the Ievves, layeth wayt for Peter, whome, when he had taken, he cast into prison, whose death he had procured, had not the Angel of the Lorde, by diuine apparition, assisted him by night, miraculously lousing his fetters, and restoring him to the office of preaching? And such was the will of God concerning Peter.

CAP. X.

THe enterprises of the king, against the Apostles of Christ, passed not long vnpunished. For immediatly after his priuy practises agaynst the Apostles (as it is in the Actes) when he was in Caesarea, vpon an high solemne day, arayed in a gorgeous, and princely robe, prea­ching vnto the people from his lofty tribunall seate, the plague of God (as messenger of iustice) apprehended him. and when as the whole multitude in compasse, had showted to his prayse, that to their hearing the voyce of God, and not of man proceeded from him▪ the Angell of the Lorde (as the Scripture witnesseth) smote him, so that he was consumed of wormes, and miserably fi­nished Act. 12. his mortal life. And that consent is worthy of memory, which is found betwene holy Scri­pture in this miraculous fact, and the history of Iosephus, wher he deliuereth vnto vs a manifest te­stimony of the trueth, to witt, in the ninetenth booke of Iudaicall Antiquities, writing this mira­cle in these wordes: Novv vvas the thirde yeare of his Lieuetenantshipp throughout all Iudaea, Ioseph. Anti. lib. 19. cap. 7. come to an ende, vvhen he vvent to Caesarea, vvhich of olde vvas called the tovvre of Straton. there he published spectacles, and stageplayes in the honour of Caesar, and ordayned a solemne feaste day, for his prosperous affayres. Vnto this feaste frequented the vvhole multitude of those vvhich vvere chiefe in that prouince, and aduanced to highest promotion, and dignity. The se­conde day of these spectacles, the king putting on a robe of siluer, vvonderfully vvrought, at the davvning of the day came to the theatre, vvhere his siluer robe, by reflexe of the sunne beames being lightned, yelded so gorgeous a glistring to the eye, that the shining thereof seemed terri­ble, and intollerable to the behoulders. Flatterers forthvvith, one, one thing, an other, an other thing, bolted out such sentences, as turned in the ende to his confusion, saluting him for God, [Page 24] and adding thervvithal, be gratious, though hitherto vve haue feared thee as man, yet hēceforth vve confesse thee to be aboue mortall nature. These thinges the king rebuked not, neither re­pelled this impious flatterie. But vvhen he a litle after looked about, he behelde an Angell han­ging This Angell in Iosephus is an Ovvle. ouer his head. The same foorthvvith he supposed to be a messenger of euill, vvho before vvas of goodnesse. Sodenly he felt him selfe pricked at the hart vvith extreme vehemencie of paine in his bovvels, & heauily beholding his friendes, saide: I vvhich seeme to you a God, am The oration of Herode Agrippa a litle before his death. novve constrayned to end the race of this lyfe. fatal destinie hath founde fault, vvith your fonde flatteries, vvhich of late you sounded to my prayse. I vvhich vvas saluted immortall, am novve caryed avvay, redy to yeelde vp the ghost. I his destinie no doubt is to be borne vvithall, vvhich God hath decreed. For vve haue liued not miserably, but in that prosperous estate vvhich is ter­med blessed. VVhen he had vttered these vvordes he sickned more & more. Then vvas he care­fully, & circūspectly caried, vnto the Palace. but the rumor vvas spred abroad, ouer al the con­trey, If thou had­dest lyued vvell, no doubt thou sholdest haue died vvel▪ thy life vvas very ill, thine end farre vvorse. Herode A­grippa king of the Ievves seuen yeres. He vvas cal­led somtimes Herod, som­times Agrip­pa. that vvithout peraduenture, he vvould dye shortly. The multitude foorthvvith together vvith vvomen, and children, couered vvith sackcloth, after their contrey manner, made suppli­cation vnto God for their king, so that all sounded of sorovve, and lamentation. The king lying in an high lodging, and beholding the people prostrate vpon their knees, could not re­frayne frō teares. But after that he had ben vexed, the space of fiue dayes, vvith bitter gnavving of his bovvels, he ended this lyfe, being the fiftie, and fourth yere, of his age, and the seuenth of his raigne. For the space of foure yeres he raigned vnder Caius Caesar, gouerning the tetrarchie of Philip three yeres. And the fourth yere, that vvhich he tooke of Herode. the other three yeres, he passed vnder Claudius Caesar. These thinges I deepely way that Iosephus, and others toge­ther with the diuine scriptures, hath truely alleaged. But if any seme to mislyke with them selues toutching the name of the kyng, the tyme it selfe, and the Actes do declare him, to be the same, so that eyther by the error of the writer, the name was changed, or that he had two names, as many others haue had.

CAP. XI.

IN so much that Luke in the Actes, brought in Gamaliel, who (when consultation was about Act. 5. the admission of the Apostles) sayd: that about the same time, there rose vp one Theudas̄, which came to nought, and as many as harkened vnto him: Nowe therefore let vs alledgé the testi­monie of Iosephus concerning him. He writeth in the place afore cited these wordes. VVhen Fa­dus Ioseph. Ant. lib. 20. cap. 4. vvas Liuetenant of Iudaea, a certaine sorcerer, named Theudas, persvvaded a great multitude to folovve him, vnto the riuer Iordane, bringing vvith them, their vvhole substance. For he re­ported himselfe to be a prophet, and that at his commaundement, the riuer should deuide it self parting in the middest, yelding vnto them a free passage through, and in so saying, he sedu­ced many. But Fadus suffered not their folly to take effect, for he sent out a troope of horsemen, vvhich apprehending them vnavvares, slevve many, tooke many aliue, but Theudas himselfe being taken, they beheaded, and brought his head to Ierusalem. After this consequently Iosephus reporteth of the famine, which was vnder Claudius in this manner.

CAP. XII.

AFter this there fell a great famine in Iudaea, where queene Helene bought much corne of the Aegiptians, and distributed to them that wanted. And these thinges accorde with that in the Actes of the Apostles, howe the disciples of Antioche, after their habilitie, sent suc­cour [...]ct. 11. vnto the saintes inhabiting Iudaea, to be deliuered vnto the elders, by the handes of Paul, and Barnabas. But of this Helene (whereof also this Historiographer mentioned) there remayne vnto this day certayne famous monumentes, in the suburbes of Aelia. It is sayd of olde that shee was These Adia­beni vvere a [...]tion dwel­ [...]g beyonde [...]phrates Io [...]. bel. Iud. [...]6. cap. 7. queene of the nation called Adiabeni. When that now the fayth in our Sauiour, and Lord Jesus Christ, was published among all people, the mortall enimie of mankinde, endeuouring to with­draw y ^• Regal citie, from the trueth: conueyed thither Simon (whereof mention was made before) and furthering his deuelishe enchauntementes: seduced many of them which dwelled at Rome. This doth Iustinus also declare, who a litle after the Apostles time, was famous as toutching our doctrine. Concernyng whome, I will lay downe those thinges that may seeme agreable vn­to the time. This Iustinus in the former Apologie, which he wrote in the defence of our doctrine sayth thus.

CAP. XIII.

AFter the ascention of our Sauiour into the heauens, the deuell brought forth certayne [...]inꝰ Mar­ [...]in Apo­ men vvhich called them selues gods, vvho not onely suffred no vexation of you, but at­tayned vnto honor amongst you, by name one Simon a Samaritane, borne in the village [Page 27] Gitton, vvho vnder Claudius Caesar, by the art of deuels, through vvhom he dealt: vvrought deuelish enchauntementes, esteemed, and counted in your Regall citie of Rome, for a God, and honoured of you as a God, vvith a picture betvveene tvvo bridges, vpon the riuer Tibris, hauing this Romayne superscription. Simoni deo sancto. To Simon the holy god. And in man­ner all the Samaritanes, certayne also of other nations, doe vvorship him, acknovvledging him for the chiefe god. And together vvith him, one Helena, vvho at that tyme vvandred This Helen was a com­mon harlot Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 20. cal­leth this He­len, Selen. tvvo, and fro, vvith him, vvhich first of all, had her abyding in Tyrus, a citie of Phaenicia at the receyt of custome, and termed of him, the principall vnderstanding. Thus farre Iustinus. Agreeable vnto this, is that of Irenaus, in his fyrst booke agaynst Heresies, where he writeth of this man, and of his impious and damnable doctrine, which at this present to recite, I thinke superfluous: In so muche that seuerally, if any be so disposed, he may easyly vnderstande the originall, the lyues, the fonde argumentes, and the whole enterprises of the graunde heretikes of these latter tymes, whiche of purpose, are largely published in the foresayde booke of Irenaeus. This Simon we learne to haue bene the first author of all heresies, and they that of him, holde Simon the father of here­tickes. this heresie vnto this day, fayning through puritie of lyfe, the chast philosophie of Christians renouned among all men: put in vre agayne the pestilent superstition of pictures, from the whiche they seemed once to be free, falling prostrate before the pictures, and carued Images, of Simon & his Iil Helena (mentioned of before) worshipping them with incense, and sacrifices, and sweete odours. They haue as yet certayne more detestable secrecies, and him which at the first heareth the same, they report to become astonyed, and that there is a written oracle amonge them, whiche bringeth astonishment. True it is these men are full of astonishment, ecstasy, and meere madnes, so that not onely, they may not be committed to writing: neyther also with modesty be vttered of chaste lippes, in so much they ouerflowe in filthines, and obscenitie. And what so euer may be imagined more fowle then any filthynes it selfe: the same hath their dam­nable heresye surpassed, who delude miserable women, pressed already with all kinde of impietye.

CAP. XIIII.

THe malicious power of Sathan, enemy to al honestye, & foe to all humane health: brought The comb [...] of light and darkenes. forth at that tyme, this monster Simon, a father, and worker of all such mischieues, as a great aduersary vnto the mighty, and diuine Apostles. But the diuine, and supercelestiall grace succored her ministers, that by their apparition, and presence, the kindled flame of wicked­nes was quenched, all pride by them abated, & humbled, which did sett it selfe agaynst the know­ledge of God. Wherefore, neyther the striuing of Simon, neyther of any other, that then started vp, was able to withstand those Apostolike tymes for the brightnes of trueth, & the diuine word, lately shining from aboue, preuayling on earth, working in his Apostles: victoriously ouercame, and mightely ouer grewe all thinges. But the afore sayd Sorcerer, hauing the eyes of his minde lightened with a diuine, and some sodayne shining from aboue, after that first of all, he was mani­festly knowne to haue maliciously deale agaynst Peter the Apostle in Iudaea: fled alonge iorneye by sea, from the East vnto the West, thinking to gett by that flight, to liue afterwards at hartes ease. And comming into the city of Rome, he was so ayded by his power, whiche preuayleth in Simon [...] commeth [...] Rome. this worlde, that in short tyme he brought his purpose to suche a passe, that his picture was there placed with others, and he honoured as a God. But this his impietye, did not longe pro­sper, for incontinently, vnder the raygne of Claudius, the wonderfull prouidence of the God of all Peter came to Rome der Clau [...] thinges, and carefull ouer mankinde: guyded vnto Rome Peter, that great, and constant Apo­stle, chiefe of all the rest for vertuous fauour: agaynst this so greate a corruptor of Christian life: who like a valyant Capitayne, sensed with the diuine armour of God, transported from East vnto West, the precious marchandise of spirituall brightnes, the wholsome doctrine, and light of soules, that is, the preaching of the glad tydinges of the celestiall kingdome.

CAP. XV.

WHen the heauenly worde came thither, Immediatly the power of Simon, together with him self, came to nought, and the flame was quenched. But of the contrary, such a light of piety shined in the mindes of such as heard Peter, that they were not suffi­zed with once hearing, neither satisfied with the vnwritten doctrine, that was deliuered: but earnestly besought Saynct Marke (whose Gospell is now in vre) that he woulde leaue in writing, The Romai­nes request S. Marke to write a Go­spell. vnto them, the doctrine which they had receaued by preaching, neither ceased they, vntill they had perswaded him, and so geuen an occasion of the Gospell to be written▪ which is nowe after Marke. It is reported, that the Apostle vnderstanding of this by inspiration of the holy spi­rite, was pleased with the motion of those men, and commaunded this Gospell nowe written, to be reade in the Churches. Clemens in the sixt of his Hypotiposcon, reporteth this story. Clemens. Papias. With him agreeth Papias, Byshop of Hierapolis in Asia, who sayth, that of this Marke mention is made by Peter, in his former Epistle, which he compiled being at Rome, and of him the citye of Rome figuratiuely to be called Babilon, the whiche is signified when he 1. Pet. 5. Rome figuratiuely called Babylon. sayth: the Church partaker of your election, vvhich is at Babylon saluteth you, and Marke my sonne.

CAP. XVI.

MArke is sayde first of all, to haue bene sent vnto Aegypt, and there to haue both prea­ched Marke the [...]rit preacher [...]f the Aegy­ [...]tians. the Gospell, which he wrote, and first to haue setled the Churches of Alexan­dria, and so a greate multitude of beleeuers, both men, and women, At the first mee­ting was gathered together, by a certayne philosophicall, and diligent exercise, that Philo thought good to commit in writing vnto vs, their exercise, their conuenticles, their dyet, and all the other trade of their life▪ It is reported that this Philo came to Rome vnder Claudius, Cap. 16. in he greeke. [...]hilo came [...]o Rome vn­ [...]r Claudius and had conference with Peter, who then preached vnto the Romaynes, neyther is it vn­like. That Commentary whiche we knowe to haue bene compiled by him in his latter dayes, contayneth manifestly the Canons, hitherto conserued in the Church. And in so much that cu­riously he hath described vnto vs, the lyues of our religious men, it is very like, that he did not onely see those Apostolike men, of his tyme, by originall Ebrevves, and therefore obserued the auncient rites, and ceremonyes of the Ievves: but also allowed of them, as godly, and honest.

CAP. XVII.

FIrst of all, this playnely appeareth, that he passed not the limites of veritye, by reason of him selfe, or of any other in reporting those thinges whiche he wrote in that booke, by him entituled: of the life contemplatiue, or vvorshippers, saying: that the men and women were called worshippers, eyther because like cunning Phisitians, they cured, and healed such as came vnto them of their malitious passions: or els because that religiously, they worship­ped the celestiall godhead, with pure and sincere worship. But whether he gaue them this name of his proper person, for the aforesayde cause: or whether at the beginninge they were so called, when as yet the name of Christians was not euery where published: I thinke it not needefull cu­riously to shift out. Yet first of all this he witnesseth: that they renounced their substaunce, and [...]o Iudaeus their proper goodes: they vvhich deuined of philosophye gaue place, they seuered them selues from all the secular cares of this life: they forsaking the cities, solitarily liued in fieldes, gar­dens, or Orchyardes: they accompanied them vvhiche follovved the contrary trade of life, [Page 29] as vnprofitable and hurtfull vnto them vvhich then liued thus (as requisite it vvas) to this ende, that vvith earnest and feruent desire they shoulde imitate them vvhich ledde this propheticall life. For in the Actes of the Apostles, whence no doubt this is rehearsed, it is written that Act. 4. all the familiares of the Apostles sould their substance, and possession, distributing to euery one, as need required, so that none wanted among them. For as many, (sayth the text) as had lands or houses, sould them, bringing the price thereof, and laying it at the Apostles feete, to this pur­pose, that seuerally euery ones want, and necessity, might be supplied. The like doth the same Philo testifie, writing thus: In many places this kinde of people liueth (for it behoued as Philo of the vvorshipers in Aegypt. vvell the Graecians, as the Barbarians, to be partakers of this absolute goodnesse) but in Aegypt, in euery prouince (so they terme them) they abounde, and especially about Ale­xandria. From euery vvhere, the best conuaye them selues, as it vvere into their natiue contrey, into the soyle of these vvorshippers, as a most commodious place, adioyninge to the lake of Marye, in a lovver vale, very fitt, both for the securitye, and temperature of the aëre Af­terwardes describing the maner of their mansions, he writeth thus of the Churches of that re­gion: Mansions. Churches. Religious houses. In euery village there is a religious house, vvhich they call Semnion, and a Monasterye, vvherein they inhabiting, do celebrate the mysteries of honest, and holy life, carying thither no­thing, nether meate, nor drinke, nether any other thing, necessary for the sustentation of the bo­dy, but the lavves, and the oracles of the Prophets, Hymnes, and such like (vvherby knovvledge Study of ho­ly Scripture. and pietye is encreased) there are consummated. And a litle after, he sayth: All the space that is from morning to euening, is of them spent, in godly exercise▪ for, reading the holy Scriptures, they meditate thereupon, handling allegorically, the diuine philosophy of their natiue contrey. And they suppose those types of secretye, vvhich by figures are signified, to be made manifest by the exposition of the Scriptures. They haue certayne Commentaryes of auncient vvriters, vvho beinge ringleaders of their opinions, haue left vnto their posterityes, monuments of ma­ny thinges Allegorically handeled, vvhiche they vsing as principall types, do imitate the drifte of their trade. These thinges seeme to haue bene vttered by this man, as thoughe he had bene an auditor, vnto their exposition of the Scriptures. It is also very like that the Commentaryes (whiche he reporteth to haue bene amonge them) were the Gospells, and the workes of the Apostles, and certayne expositions of the auncyent Prophetes, part­lye suche as that Epistle vnto the Hebrevves is, and also the other Epistles of Paul doe contayne. To be shorte, that they newely compiled, and collected Psalmes, thus he writeth: They contemplate not only diuine things, but they make graue canticles, & hymnes vnto God, Psalmes and Hymnes. in a more sacred ryme, of euery kinde of metre, and verse. And many more thinges he declareth in that booke, whiche we here mention. But those thinges seemed necessaryly selected of him, which paynte vnto vs the sure and certayne notes, of their Ecclesiasticall conuersation. But if any man suppose these thinges nowe spoken of, not properly to appertayne vnto the pollycye of the Gospell, but to be applyed vnto others, besydes these forementioned worshippers, let him at leste wise creditt that, which out of his wordes we will alleadge, and no doubt if he iudge indifferently, he shall finde an infallible testimonye. For thus he writeth: First of all, The conti­nency of th [...] vvorshiper [...] ▪ Abstinence▪ they place continency in the mynde, as a certayne foundation, next, they buylde thereupon, other vertues. Not one eateth, or drinketh before sunne sett, adiudging the diuine medita­ting of vvisedome, to be a vvorke of light, & the curious feeding of the carkasse, to be a vvorke of darkenes, geuing vnto the one, the daye, vnto the other, the lesser parte of the night. Ma­ny thinke not vpon meate, no not in vvhole three dayes, beinge rauished vvith a greater de­sire of knovvledge, then of foode. Many are so delighted, and enamoured vvith the foode of vvisedome, vvhich aboundantly, copiously, and plentifully ministreth all kinde of learning, that they abstaine from meate, tvvise as long, & scarse in six dayes, they receaue their necessary foode. These wordes of Philo, in our opinion, concerne without all contradiction, our men. But if any man as yet stifly gaynesaye, and looke to be further persuaded, let him creditt more e­uident demonstrations, whiche he shall not finde amonge any others, saue onely the Christi­ans who religiously▪ rule them selues, accordinge vnto the Gospel, for he sayth: Amonge them Virgines▪ of vvhome vve speake, there are vvomen to be found, vvherof diuers are elderly virgines, vovv­ing chastitye not by compulsion, or necessitye, (as the guyse and maner is of holy virgines▪ a­mong To compe [...] some to v [...] chastity i [...] paganisme▪ the Gentiles) but rather voluntarily, for the zeale, & desire they haue to vvisedome, vvith vvhose company, these vvomen acquaintinge them selues, despise corporall luste, desirous [Page 30] not of mortall, but immortall children, vvhich soly the amiable and godly minde of it selfe be­getteth. And afterwards he setteth forth the same more playnly, for the interpretations (sayth he) Allegoricall interpretati­ons. of the sacred Scriptures, are among them Allegoricall, and figuratiue. For vnto these men the vvhole Scripture, seemeth like a liuing creature, so that the externall shevve of vvordes, resem­ble the superficyes of the body, and the hidd sense, or vnderstandinge [...]f the vvordes, seeme in place of the soule, vvhich their religion began to contemplate, by the behoulding of names, as it vvere in a glasse, obseruing a passing beautye vvith the bright beames of shininge sentences. What neede we to adde vnto these, how that they gathered together, seuerally men, and seueral­ly Synods. Conference. women, haue their conuersation? and what exercise they practise among them? which as yet are in vse among vs, and especially, such as we haue bene accustomed to vse in our fastinges, vi­gils, Fastinges. and reading of diuine Scripture about the festiuall day of the blessed passion, which the a­foresayd author hath diligently noted after the same maner as they are obserued among vs, and deliuered it in writing, but especially describing the vigils of that greate feaste, and the exercises Vigils. thereof, with hymnes, as the maner is among vs. and how that one singing in verse, and the reste geuing diligent eare, with silence, they all close in the ende, and sing with him, the last verse of the hynme. He hath written also, how that in the afore sayde dayes, they lye vpon greene pallets, ca­sting Beddes made of leaues, chasse, and grasse. Bread and vvater. Bishops. Deacons. at all, neither wine, neither any liuinge creature, but their drinke, cleare water, and their foode, bread with salt, and Hyssope. He writeth moreouer of their gouernment, I say of them to whome the Ecclesiasticall Liturgies are committted, of their Deaconshippes, and of the presi­dency of Bishopes, placed aboue all. But if any man be desirous to knowe these thinges exactly, let him repayre vnto the history of the afore said author. Now that Philo writing of these things, entreated of the firste preachers of the Gospell, and the rites deliuered them of the Apostles of olde, it is manifest to euery man.

CAP. XVIII.

THis Philo flowed in wordes, he was deepe of vnderstanding, highe, and profounde in the contemplation of holy Scripture, he compiled a diuerous and variable exposition of the Scriptures, prosecuting after his order and maner, aswell the tract of the booke of Gene­sis, with the Allegoryes thereof, as the summe in the chapiters contayned, laying downe the que­stions incident, and solutions to the same, entitling his booke: the questions and solutions inci­dent in Genesis, and Exodus. There are besides extant, of his, seuerall tractes, of his Problemes. Namely, tvvo bookes of Husbandry, so many of drunkenes, and certayne others, hauing their proper, and peculiar title, whereof one is: vvhat the sobre minde prayeth or vovveth? also of the confusion of tongues, of vvandring and finding, of Conuenticles vnto discipline. of that: vvho can be heyre of the goods of God? or: vvhat diuision can be of equalls and contraryes? of the three vertues, whereof Moyses, with others hath written. Moreouer: of them vvhose names are changed, and vvhy they vvere changed, where he witnesseth him selfe to haue written agayne, and againe of testaments. There is extant a volume of his: of banishment, and of the life of a per­fect vvise mā, according vnto righteousnes, or: of vnvvrittē lavves. Agayne, of Gyaunts, or: that the Godhead is not changed▪ of dreames, which according vnto Moyses are giuen from aboue, fiue volumes. And thus much of them which he wrote on Genesis, that came to our handes. We haue also knowne vpon Exodus, fiue bookes of questions, and of the tabernacle, and of the tenn commaundements, and foure bookes of them vvhich by nature of lavves may be referred, vnto the tenn commaundements. of the sacrifices of beastes, vvhat kindes of sacrifices there be? of that: vvhat revvardes are set forth to the good and godly, in the lavv? vvhat punishmentes, and curses to the vvicked. There are founde also certayne seuerall bookes of his, as of Prouidence, and of the Ievves, of Politickes, and of Alexander, and concerning that: that brute beastes haue reason. Agayne: that he is a slaue vvhich is vvicked, and there foloweth an other booke: that he is free vvhich is godly. After these he wrote of the life contemplatiue, or vvorshippers, whence we borowed those thinges, which we alleadged concerning the Apostolike mens liues. the inter­pretations of the Hebrue names in the lawe, and Prophetes, are attributed vnto his industrye. This Philo comming to Rome in the time of Caius, wrote a booke of the impiety of Caius, witte­ly [Page 31] cloking it, with the title of vertues, which booke being read before the Romayne Senate, in the tyme of Claudius, was so well thought of, that his bookes were chayned in the publique library, as famous Monuments. At the same tyme, when Paul had trauayled in compasse, from Ierusalem Act. 18. to Illyricum, Claudius vexed the Ievves, when Aquila, & Priscilla with certayne other Ievves were expulsed Rome, and cam [...] to Asia, where they had their conuersation together with Paul, who Anno Chri­sti 51. then confirmed the Churches, whose fundations he had lately layed. Whereof the holy Scri­pture, in the Actes of the Apostles, sufficiently enstructeth vs.

CAP. XIX.

WHen Claudius as yet raygned, so great a sedition, and sturre was raysed in Ierusalem, about the feaste of Easter, that of them onely, which were pressed in the porches of the The iustice of God for contemning his sonne. Ioseph bell. Iud. lib. 2. cap 11. temple, crushed, and trodden to death vnder foote, there were slayne thirty thovvsand Ievves, and that festiuall day, was vnto the whole nation, a day of mourning, Lamentation being raysed throughout al their dwelling places. And this, Iosephus doth write worde, by word: Clau­dius assigned Agrippa (the sonne of Agrippa) King of the Ievves: When Felix was sent to be Lieuetenante of the whole prouince of Samaria, Galilaea, and the region beyonde Iordane. VVho after he had raygned thirtenth yeares, and eyght moneths, dyed, leauing Nero to succeade him in the Empire.

CAP. XX.

VNder Nero, Felix being procurator of Iudaea, there was then raysed a sedition betweene the Priestes, which Iosephus in the twentyeth booke of Antiquities describeth, thus: there Ioseph Anti. lib. 20. cap. 13 rose dissention betvveene the high priestes, and inferior priestes, and chiefe of the people at Ierusalem. Euery one gathering vnto him, a company of Russians, and cutters, plaied the cap­tayne, they skirmished among them selues, they vexed one another, they slynged one at ano­ther, but there vvas none to bridle them. And these things frely vvere done in the city, as though there had bene no President. So impudent and past all shame vvere the high priestes become, that they stucke not to sende, and take avvay from the barne floores, the tythes due vnto the in­ferior priestes, so that in the ende it fell out, that the priestes vvere seene to perishe for pouertye. The violence of these seditious persons prenayled beyonde all right and reason. Agayne the same Historiographer writeth that at Ierus [...], about that time, there rose a certayne multitude of theues, or robbers, which slewe them by day that mett them in the streetes, and especially on the holy dayes confounding them selues with the multitude, and carying weapons couered vnder their garmentes, they wounded the chiefe men, and when the wounded fell downe, they drewe them selues to them that were incensed agaynst the theeues, and so brought to passe through the cloking of their prankes, they could not be apprehended. To be briefe he writeth that Ionathas the Ioseph. Ant [...] lib. 20. cap. 1 high priest was slayne of them first, and dayly after him many, and the feare to haue bene greater then the calamity it selfe, because that euery man, euery houre looked for death as in warre.

CAP. XXI.

COnsequently aft [...]r these, he annexeth other thinges, saying: vvith a greater plague, did Ioseph. bel [...] Iud. lib. 2. c [...] 12. the Aegyptian, being a false prophet, afflict the Ievves. VVhen he came vnto those partes, and chalenged vnto him selfe (being a sorcerer) the credit of a Prophet, he gathered to­gether about a thirty thovvsand of seduced people, vvhome he guyded from the vvildernes vn­to mount Oliuet: vvhence he might make an embushment vpon Ierusalem, and if he obtayned his purpose, to exercise tyranny, partly vpon the Romayne vvatch, and partly vpon the people▪ vsinge to his vvicked enterprise, the company of headye and vvilfull svvashebucklers. But Felix [Page 32] preuenting his violence, mett him vvith armed Romayne souldiers, vvith vvhome all the rest of the people conspired, ready to reuenge them selues of them. After their meeting, and assault geuen, the Aegiptian vvith a fevv fledde his vvay, and many of his adhaerents, vvere foyled and taken aliue. Thus farre Iosephus, in the seconde of his historyes. I thinke it also very expedient, to conferre with these, that which is reade in the Actes of the Apostles, concerning this Aegiptian, where vnder Felix it is sayd of the tribune of the souldiours, that was at Ierusalem, vnto Paul, when the multitude of the Ievves raysed a tumulte agaynst him: art thou that Aegiptian, vvhich Act. 21. a fevv dayes agoe, hast raysed vvith thee foure thousand common theeues, & leddest them vnto the vvildernesse? and such are the thinges that happened vnder Felix.

CAP. XXII.

FEstus is sent by Nero to succeede Felix, vnder whome Paul pleading in his owne cause, is brought bound to Rome. There was with him Aristarchus, whome iustly in some place of Coloss. 4. his Epistles, he calleth his felowe captiue, and Luke when he had finished the Actes of the Apostles, concluded his history here, saying: that Paul liued peaceably at Rome tvvo Act. 28. vvhole yeares, and preached the vvord of God vvithout impediment. The which being expired, fame goeth that the Apostle (after accompt made of his doctrine) returned vnto the office of preaching, and afterwardes when he came the seconde time vnto the city, vnder the same Empe­rour, Whereof reade the 25. cap. of this 2. booke. to haue bene crowned with martyrdome. Where lying in fetters he wrote the latter Epi­stle vnto Timothe, instructing him both of the accompt of doctrine that he made in his former captiuity, and also of his death approching nigh. Take here of his owne testimony, for thus he writeth. At my former apparance none assisted me, for all forsooke me. I pray God that it be 2. Timoth. 4. not laide to their charge. But the Lord assisted me, and strengthned me, that by me the prea­ching should be accomplished, and that all nations might heare. And I vvas deliuered out of the Lyons mouth. Playnly he sheweth by these wordes that he was before deliuered out of the li­ons mouth (meaning as it appeareth Nero, because of his cruelty) that the preaching might be supplyed by him. Neither afterwardes hath he added the like, for he will deliuer me out of the li­ons mouth. He saw in the spirite his death to drawe nigh. Wherfore immediatly he sayth: I haue bene deliuered out of the Lyons mouth, and the Lord vvill deliuer me from euery euill vvorke, and reserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome. Noting, his martirdome to draw nigh. The which more euidently he foresheweth in the same Epistle, saying: For I am novv ready to be offred, & the time of my dissoluing is at hand. In the latter epistle, when he wrote, he declared Luke alone to be with him, but in his former apparance, and pleading, not one, no not Luke to be with him. Wherefore it is playne that Luke wrote the Actes of the Apostles vnto that time, knitting vp his history, with his absence from Paul. These thinges haue we spoken to this end, that we may war­rant the martyrdome of Paul, not to haue bene consummated when Luke finished his history, that is, when Paul came to Rome. It is very like that the apologye of Paul for his doctrine, might haue bene at the beginning sooner accepted, when Nero was somewhat milder in affection, & dea­ling. But after that he fell vnto such outragious wilfulnesse, he was quicke with others for the Apostles sake.

CAP. XXIII.

THe Ievves, when their purpose fayled them in their pretended malice towards Paul, after his appellation made vnto Caesar, being sent from Festus vnto Rome: they turne themsel­ues agaynst Iames, the brother of Christ, who was placed of the Apostles, Bishop of Ie­rusalem. [...]mesbishop [...]f Ierusalem The like they practise against him, placing him in the middest, and requiring of him, that in presence of all the people, he would renounce the fayth of Christ. When as he contrary to their expectation, freely, and with greater audacity then they hoped, in presence of all the multi­tude, had confessed Iesus to be the sonne of God, our Sauiour, and Lorde, they could no longer a­bide his testimony, for he was counted of all, most iust, for his excellent wisedome, & piety, which he shewed in life. Him they slewe, hauing gotten opportunitie to the accomplishing of this hay­nous [Page 33] fact, by the vacancy of the Regall seat. For Festus gouernour of Iudaea being deade, the pro­uince wanted a President, or Procurator. But how Iames was slaynt, the testimonye of Clemens (heretofore of vs alleadged) hath largely declared, that he being throwne downe from a pinacle of the temple, and brayned with a fullers clubb, gaue vp the ghost. And Aegesippus who imme­diatly succeeded the Apostles, repeateth the circumstance hereof exquistely in his fift booke, af­ter this maner: Iames the brother of Christ, tooke in hand the gouernment of the Church, after Aegesippus lib. 5. the Apostles, termed a iust and perfect man of all men, from the tyme of our Sauiour vnto vs. For many vvere called Iameses beside him, but this man vvas holy from his mothers vvombe, He dranke nether vvine, nor strong drinke, nether [...]are any liuing creature. He vvas neither sha­uen, neither anointed, neither did he vse bathe. Vnto him alone, vvas it lavvfull to enter into the holy places, he vsed no vvollen vesture, but vvore a Syndone, and alone frequented he the tem­ple, so that he vvas found prostrare on his knees, and praying for the sinnes of the people. His knees vvere after the guise of a camels knee, benummed, & bereft of the sense of feeling, by rea­son of his continuall kneeling in supplication to God, and petitions for the people. For the ex­cellency of his righteousnesse he vvas called Iuste, and Oblias, vvhich soundeth by interpretatiō: the bulvvarke, or defence of the people in righteousnes, as prophecies do go of him. VVhen di­uers asked him toutching the heresies among the people vvherof (vve mētioned before) vvhich vvas the gate or dore of Iesu, he aunsvvered: the same to be the Sauiour, by vvhose meanes they had beleeue Iesus to be Christ. But the aforesayde heresies, acknovvledge neyther the resurre­ction, nor the comming of any iudge, vvhich shall revvarde to euery one according to his vvor­kes. For as many as beleeued, they beleeued by meanes of Iames. VVhen many of the Princes vvere persvvaded, there rose a tumult of the Ievves, Scribes, and Pharises, saying: It is very dan­gerous lest that the vvhole people looke after Iesus, as though he vvere Christ, and being gathe­red together they said to Iames: vve pray thee refraine this people, for they erre in Iesu, as though he vvere true Christ. VVe pray thee persvvade this people, vvhich frequent to this feaste of the Passeouer, concerning Iesu, for vve all obey thee, yea vve, and all the people, testifie of thee, that thou art iust, and respectest not the person of any man, persvvade therefore this multitude, that they erre not in Iesu. For the vvhole multitude, and vve, obey thee. stand therefore vpon the pi­nacle of the temple, that thou mayst be seene aloft, and that thy vvord may be perceaued plain­ly of all the people, for because of this Passeouer, all the tribes are mett here, together vvith the Gentiles. The aforesayd Scribes, and Pharises placed Iames vpon the pinacle of the temple, and shouted vnto him, and sayd: Thou iust man, at vvhose commaundement vve all are, in so much that this people is seduced after Iesus, vvho vvas crucified, declare vnto vs, vvhich is the dore of Iesus crucified. And he aunsvvered vvith a lovvde voyce: vvhy aske ye me of Iesus, the sonne of man, vvhen as he sitteth at the right hand of the great povver in heauen, and shal come in the clovvdes of the aëer? VVhen as he had persvvaded many so that they glorified God at the testi­mony of Iames, and sayd: Hosanna in the highest to the sonne of Dauid: then the Scribes, and Pharises, said among them selues, vve haue done very il, in causing such a testimony of Iesu to be brought forth. But let vs clime vp, and take him, to the end the people being stroken vvith feare may renounce his faith. And they shouted saying O, O, and the iust also is seduced, and they ful­filled the Scripture vvhich sayth in Esay: Let vs remoue the iust, for he is a stumbling blocke vn­to Esay. vs. VVherfore they shall gnavve the buddes of their ovvne vvorks. They climed vp, & threvv dovvne headlong Iustus, saying: let vs stone Iames Iustus. And they vvent about him vvith stones, for after his fall he vvas not fully dead, but remembring him selfe, fell on his knees saying: I be­seech thee Lord, God, and Father, forgiue them, for they vvote not vvhat they doe. And as they vvere a stoning of him, one of the Priestes, the sonne of Rechab▪ the sonne of Ch [...]ra [...]im (vvhose testimony is in Ieremy the Prophet) cryed out: cease, vvhat do you? This iust man prayeth for you. And one of them that vvere present, taking a fullers clubb (vvith vvhich they pounce, & purge their clothes) stroke Iustus on the heade, and brayned him, & so he suffred martyrdome, vvhome they buried in that place▪ his piller, or picture as yet remayneth hard by the temple en­grauen thus: This man vvas a true vvitnesse both to the Ievves, and Gentiles, that Iesus vvas Christ. And Vespasianus immediatly hauing ouerrun Iudaea, subdued the Ievves. These at larg re­corded by Aegesippus, are correspondent with these thinges which Clemens wrote. This Iames was so famous and renowmed among all for his righteousnes, that the wise among the Ievves, imputed the cause of this sodayne besteging of Ierusalem after his martyrdome (which no doubt [Page 34] therfore happened vnto them) to be for the presumptuous offence, practised against him. Iosephus sticked not to testifie the same in these wordes. These thinges happened vnto the Ievves in vvay Iosephus. of reuenging the death of Iames the Iust, vvhich vvas the brother of Iesu vvhome they cal Christ. For the levves slevve him vvhen he vvas most iust. The same Iosephus describeth his death in the twentieth booke of Antiquities, saying: Casar hearinge the death of Festus, sendeth Albi [...]us Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 16. President into Iudaea. But Ananus the yonger, vvhome vve reported before to haue taken vpon him the high priesthoode, vvas a very presumptuous and heady cockbrayne, he claue vnto the sect of the Saduces, vvhich vvere mercylesse in iudgment, among all the Ievves, as vve signified before. Ananus then being such a one, hauing gotten opportunity to his thinking, in so much that Festus vvas deade, and Albinus not yet come: called vnto him a counsell, commaundinge the brother of Iesu, called Christ, vvhose name vvas Iames, vvith certayne others to be brought forth, accusing them that they had transgressed the lavve, and deliuered them to be stoned. As many in the city as vvere iust and due obseruers of the lavve, tooke this fact greeuously, sending priuely vnto the King, and beseeching him to vvrite vnto Ananus, that thence forth he attempt not the like, In so much that his former fact vvas vnaduisedly, and impiously committed. Cer­tayne of them mett Albinus comminge from Alexandria, and enstructed him hereof, that it vvas not lavvefull for Ananus to summone a counsell contrary to his commaundement. Albinus thus persvvaded vvrote fumishly vnto Ananus, threatning reuengement vpon him, for this fact. And king Agrippa vvhen he had gouerned the high priesthoode three moneths, depriued him, placing in his rovvme Iesus the sonne of Damaeus, Thus farre toutching Iames, whose epistle that is reported to be, which is the first among the vniuersall Epistles. Yet haue we to vnderstande that the same is not voyde of suspicion, for many of the auncient writers make no mention there­of, like as neyther of that, which is vnder the name of Iudas, being one of the seuen called vniuer­sall, for all this we knowe them to be publickly reade in most Churches.

CAP. XXIIII.

WHen Nero had raygned the space of eight yeares, first after Marke the Apostle, and E­uangelist: Anianus tooke the gouernment of the church of Alexandria, a man both ver­tuous, and renowmed, in all respects.

CAP. XXV.

NEro now setled in his seate, fell into abominable factes, and tooke armour agaynst the ser­uice due vnto the vniuersall, and almighty God. How detestable he was become, it is not for this present tyme to declare. for there be many that haue paynted out his willful ma­lice, which may easily appeare if we consider the furious madnes of that man. through the which, after that beyond all reason he had destroyed an innumerable company, he fell into such a sucking vayne of slaughter, that he abstayned not from his most deare, and familiar friendes. Yea he tor­mented with diuerse kindes of death, his owne mother, his brethren, his wife, & many of his nea­rest kinsfolkes, as if they had bene enemyes, and deadly foes vnto him. but it behoued vs to note this one thing of him aboue the rest, that he was counted the first enemy of all y ^• Emperours, vnto Tertul. in A­polog. the seruice of God. of him doth Tertullian in Romayne letters write thus: reade your authors, there shall you finde Nero, chiefely to haue first persecuted this doctrine at Rome. vvhen the vvhole East vvas novv subdued, he became cruell vnto all men, vve boast and bragge of such a famous persecutor. for they vvhich knevve him may easily perceaue, that this our doctrine had neuer bene condemned by Nero, had it not bene passing good. This enemy of God (wherein he was first espied) set vp him selfe to the destruction of the Apostles, for they write that Paule was beheaded, and Peter crucified of him at Rome, and that maketh for the credit of our history which is commonly reported, that there be churchyardes vnto this day, bearing the name of Peter and Paul. In like maner Gaius a Romayne, and an Ecclesiasticall person, and (after Zepherinus,) Bishop of Rome, writing vnto Proclus, captayne of the heresye which the Cataphrigaeans helde, Gaiu [...]. speaketh thus of the tombes wherein the Apostles were layde. I (sayth he) am able to shevve the banners of the Apostles. for if thou vvilt vvalke vnto Vaticanum, or the vvay Ostiensis, thou shalt finde, their victorius banners, of such as haue builded this Church. And that they were both crowned w ^t martyrdome at y ^• same time, Dionysius bishop of Corinthe affirmeth in his epistle vn­to Dionys. Bi­shop of Co­rinth. the Romaynes. And you obtaining so goodly an admonition, haue coupled in one, the buyl­ding of the Romayne, and Corinthian churches, for they both enstructed vs, vvhen they planted our church of Corinthe.

CAP. XXVI.

LIkewise such as taught together in Italy, suffred martyrdome the same tyme, and that this history may bring with it the more creditt, Iosephus declareth, that after the manifolde mise­ries which happened vnto this nation, many, and the same innumerable, and of them that were among the Ievves in estimation, were scorged in the city of Ierusalem, by the commaunde­ment of Florus, and nayled to the tree. He writeth that Florus was Liuetenant of Iudaea, when as the warres being begonne of olde, encreased the twelfe yeare of the raygne of Nero. Agayne, be­cause of the rebellion of the Ievves throughout all Syria, there rose such a tumulte, that the Gen­tiles without all compassion, as deadely foes destroyed the Ievves which inhabited the cities, so that the cities were seene full of sepulchres, olde men, and yong men, slaine in the streetes, women lying all along, hauing that vncouered, which nature commaunded to be kept in secrete, and the whole prouince miserably afflicted with vnspeakeable calamityes. and greater was the feare (sayth he) of that which was like to ensue, then the harme already committed. such was then the state of the Ievves.

CAP. I.

WHen as the Iewish affayres thus did stande, the holy Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour, were dispersed throughout the worlde. Thomas (as by tradition we re­ceaue) chose Parthia: Andrew, Scythia: Iohn, Asia: where he made his abode, and dyed at Ephesus. Peter is reported to haue preached to the dispersed Ievves through 1. Pet. 1. Peter the A­postle was martyred at Rome Anno Christi 70. Rom. 15. Paul behea­ded at Rome vnder Nero. The first of the 10 persecutions, was vnder Nero. Linus Anno Christi 70. 2. Timoth. 4. out Pontus, Gallacia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia, who about his latter time, tarying at Rome, was crucified with his head downewards, which kind of death, he him selfe de­sired. What shall I say of Paul, which from Ierusalem to Illyricum, filled all places with the Go­spell of Christ. And at the last suffred martyrdome at Rome vnder Nero? These thinges are ma­nifestly, and word by word declared by Origen, in the third tome of his Commentaryes vpon Ge­nesis.

CAP. II.

LInus first, after the martyrdome of Peter, and Paul, was chosen Bishop of Rome. Paul a­bout the latter end in the salucation of the epistle which he wrote vnto Timothe, from Rome, maketh mention of him, saying: Eubulus saluteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia.

CAP. III.

THe Epistle of Peter which is in number the first, hath bene receaued without controuersy. 2. epistles of Peter. The elders of olde without any doubting, haue alleadged this in their workes, but the lat­ter Epistle we haue learned, not to be allowed. And yet because it seemed profitable, of ma­ny it was reade amongest the rest of the Scriptures: but the Actes, which are called Peters, and Forged wri­tinges publi­shed vnder the names of the Apostles the Gospell vnder his name, and the preaching of his, published vnder his name, with the reuela­tion termed his, are no where receaued, as canonical scripture: neither hath any auncient or newe writer alleaged testimonies out of them. but in the processe of our history, we thought good to si­gnifie, together with the diligent annotation of successions: what ecclestasticall writers there flo­rished in their seuerall tymes: and what contrary allegations they vsed: and what writinges they lawfully receaued: and what they reiected. But of the writinges attributed to Peter, (whereof we acknowledge one Epistle lawfully receaued, and neuer doubted of, among the auncient fathers) 14. epistles of Paul. The epistle vnto the Hebrewes. The actes of Paul counter sett. Rom. 16. The booke of Hermes called Pastor was wont to [...]e reade in [...]he Church. thus much shall suffice. fourtene Epistles of Paul, are manifest and well knowen. but that diuers reiected the Epistle which is vnto the Hebrues, alleadging the contradiction of the Churche of Rome, that it was not Paules: I thinke it requisite to knowe, and what our Predecessors hereof haue thought: I will lay downe when occasion serueth. The Actes which goe vnder the name of Paule, were neuer taken as vndoubted. And because the same Apostle in his Epistle vnto the Ro­maines, saluteth certayne, and amongest others Hermes: therefore appoynt they the booke called Pastor to be his, which hath bene gaynesayd of many, therefore not to be numbred amonge those bookes, which are for certayne. Others thought this booke very necessary, especially vnto them that haue neede of an elementall introduction, but we haue knowne him to haue bene publikely reade in the Churche, and alleadged of many auncient writers in their workes. let this much be spoken of the holy Scriptures, as well of the generally receaued, as of the doubtfully reiected.

CAP. IIII.

THat Paul preaching vnto the Gentyles, planted the Churches from Ierusalem, vnto Illyri­cum, Rom. 15. Acts from 14 vnto 21. cap.. 1. Pet. 1. it is manifest, both by his owne wordes, and the testimony of Luke in the Actes. In what prouinces Peter preached vnto them of the circumcision, and deliuered the doctrine of the newe testament, it appeareth by his wordes, and also by the Epistle whiche of trueth is sayde to be his, written to the Hebrues, scattered throughout Pontus, Gallacia, Cappadocia, A­sia, and Bythinia. But how many, and what sincere followers haue fedd the Churches planted by the Apostles, it can not be affirmed, but as farre forthe as can be gathered out of the wor­des of Paul: He had many fellowe laborers, and companions as he called them, whereof di­uers Peter & Paul had many fe­low laborers. haue purchased immortall memorye, for so much as he maketh continuall mention of them in his Epistles, and Luke in the Actes repeting the most famous, remembreth them by name. Timothe is reported to be the firste Bishop of Ephesus, and Titus of the Churches in Creta. Timothe the first Bishop of Ephesus. Titꝰ the first Bishop of Creta. Luke wrote a gospell and the Actes of the Apostles Luc. 1. 2. Timoth. 2. Eusebiꝰ sayth Crescens was sent into Fraunce. S. Paul 2. Tim. 4. sayth he sē [...] him to Gall [...] cia. hereby we may ga­ther that the epistle to the Galathians was writtē b [...] S. Paul vnto the Frēchm▪ Luke by lyne of Antioche, by profession a Phisician, hauinge his conuersation of pur­pose, for the moste parte with Paule, and the reste of the Apostles: lefte vs proofes of skyll, comprysed in two volumes, medicinable for our soules healthe, sought out amonge them. One of the Gospell, whiche he reporteth to haue published, accordinge as he recea­ued of them, whiche from the beginninge were behoulders, and mynisters of this doctrine, so that he searched all from the originall: the other of the Actes of the Apostles, where he compi­led not onely the thinges hearde with his eares, but also the thinges whiche he sawe with his eyes. And of Paule they saye, that he accustomed to mention the Gospell of Luke when he spake, as of his owne, sayinge: accordinge vnto my Gospell. Amonge the other fellowes of Paule, Crescens is witnessed to haue bene sent by the Apostle him selfe into Fraunce. Toutchinge Linus we spake before, that he was the firste Byshop of Rome, after Peter, whome he remembreth to haue bene with him at Rome, in his latter Epistle vnto Timo­the. And Clemens the thirde Byshop of Rome, is proued by his testimonye, to be Paules fellovve laborer, and companion. Moreouer Dionysius the Areopagite, whome Luke in the Actes reporteth to haue firste beleued, at the Sermon of Paule vnto the Athenians, preached in Areopagus: was the firste Bishop of Athens. but an other Dionysius there was, Byshop of the Churche of Corinthe. In processe of our history, we will dilate of the successors of the Apo­stles, in their seuerall tymes succeeding. nowe let vs turne vnto that, whiche consequently de­pendeth vpon the historye.

CAP V.

AFter that Nero had raygned thirtene yeares: Otho and Galba one yeare, and six monethes: Vespasian i [...] proclayme [...] Emperour Anno Do. 7▪ Vespasianus was counted a potent Prince in Iudaea, amonge the armyes appoynted against the Ievves, and being proclaymed Emperour of the hoast that there was, forthe with he is sent to Rome, committing vnto his sonne Titus the warres, in hande agaynste the Ievves. therefore after the ascention of our Sauiour, because the Ievves, besydes the haynous offence committed agaynst Christ, had compassed manyfould mischiefes against his Apostles: firste sto­ning Stephen stoned Act. 7. [...] Iames beh [...] ded. Act. 1 [...] Iames the first Bishop of Ierusal [...] martyred▪ The Apo [...] persecute [...] Matth. 28▪ Stephen to death, next beheading Iames, the sonne of Zebede, and the brother of Iohn with the sworde, and aboue all, Iames their first Bishop after the ascention of our Sauiour, with the manner afore mentioned: and draue out of Iudaea, the rest of the Apostles, pursuing them to the deathe with innumerable wyles, when as nowe they were sent by the power of Christ to preache vnto all nations, sayinge vnto them: goe teache all nations in my name: Yea and the congre­gation of the faythfull in Ierusalem forewarned by an oracle, reuealed vnto the beste appro­ued amonge them, that before the warres beganne, they shoulde departe the cytye, and in­habite a village beyonde Iordan, called Pella, into the whiche when the Christians leauing Ie­rusalem had entred, and the holy men had forsaken the princely & principall citye of the Jevves, together with all the lande of Iudaea: the heauye hande of God apprehended that wicked generation vtterly to roote them from amonge men, whiche had practysed so presumptuously [Page 38] agaynst Christ, and his Apostles, howe many mischiefes haue happened at that tyme vnto this whole nation: and howe they chiefely whiche enhabyted Iudaea, were driuen to extreame my­serye: and how many millions of men throughout euery age, together with women and chil­dren, perished with the sworde, with famyne, and with infinite other kindes of deathe: and how many, and what cityes of the Ievves were destroyed: to be shorte, howe many calamityes, and more then calamityes they sawe, whiche fledde vnto Ierusalem, as the Metropolytane and best fortyfied citye: Moreouer the state of the whole warres, and the seuerall actes thereof: and howe at lengthe the abomination of desolation foreshewed by the Prophetes, standing in Matth. 24. Daniel. 9. that famous temple of olde, suffered a diuerous destruction, and an vtter ouerthrowe by fire: he that listeth to knowe, let him reade the historye of Iosephus, where all these are diligently descri­bed. I thinke it necessarye to note howe Iosephus writeth, that vppon the solempne dayes of Easter, there were gathered together at Ierusalem, out of all Iudaea, to the number of three hun­dred Millions, and there shutte vp as it were in prison, saying: It vvas requisite that destruction A million is tenne thou­sande. Iosephus bel Iud. lib. 7. cap 17. sayth that the iust number came to seuen & twenty hundred thousande. due for their desert, dravvinge nighe, by the iust iudgement of God, shoulde apprehende them vpon those dayes (being as it vvere shutte vp in prison) in the vvhiche they before, had dravvne the Sauiour and benefactor of al men, the anoynted of God, vnto his passion. Omiting those thinges whiche particularly happened vnto them, eyther by sworde, or by other kinde of misfortune: I thinke it expedient to expresse their onely calamityes by famine, so that the rea­der may partely hereby coniecture, howe that God, not longe after was reuenged on them, for their impiety practised agaynst Christ. go to then, hauing our recourse againe vnto the first booke of the historyes of Iosephus, let vs peruse their tragicall affayres.

CAP. VI.

FOr the riche men to abide in the citye (sayth Iosephus) vvas nothinge but deathe. and vn­der Iosephus bel [...]ud. lib. 6. cap 11. pretence of their trayterous flyght vnto the enemy, they vvere slayne for their sub­stance. The vvoodnes of these seditious men encreased together vvith the famine, & both mischiefes dayly as a double fire vvaxed hott. foode there vvas no vvhere any founde manifest. they rushed into the houses, and made searche, if they found any, they beate them vvhich deni­ed it, if they founde none, they tormented them as thoughe they had vvith diligence hidde it from them. the carkases of the poore vvretches declared, vvhether they had foode or no. they vvhich vvere of strong bodyes seemed to haue aboundance of meate, but such as pined avvay, vvere ouerskipped, for it vvas iudged an absurde thing, to slay them vvhich vvere ready to dye for vvant of vitayles. Many exchaunged priuely their vvealthe, the richer sorte for a measure of vvheate, the poorer sorte for a measure of barley, then hiding them selues in the inner and se­crete corners of their houses, some for meere pouertye, chevved the vnready graynes of ravve vvheate, some other sodde it, as necessitye and feare constrayned them. there vvas no vvhere any table couered. the meate as yet ravve, vvas snatched from the coales. the meate vvas mi­serable, the sight vvas lamentable, the mightier sorte abounded, the vveaker sorte lamented. fa­myne exceedeth any dolefull passion. for nothinge fayleth here so much as shamefastnes, the thing othervvise reuerenced is here quit contemned, vviues from their husbandes, children from their parents, & that vvhich vvas most miserable, the mothers snatched the meate from their in­fants mouthes. and vvhen their dearest friendes pined avvay in their armes, they pitied them not so muche, as to permitte them one droppe of drinke to saue their lyues. neyther yet escaped they thus miserably feeding. for on euery side they vvere besett vvith seditious persons, gree­dily [...]e cruelty [...] seditious [...] sons toge [...]r with [...] famine [...]ed them bent vppon their spoyle, vvhere they espied any dore shutt, they coniectured straight, that there vvas meate in preparinge, and forthvvith rushinge in, vvith the breakinge open of the dores, they violently did vvringe out from them, yea (and not onely) the lumpes of breade out of their iavves. the olde men vvere buffeted, if that egerly they endeuored to retayne their vitayles: the vvomen vvere lugged by the heare of the heade, if they hidde ought of that they had in their handes. no compassion vvas had on the hore headed, or the tender sucklinges. the infantes together vvith their nourishment, vvhere at they honge, and helde faste, vvere lyfted vp, and throvvne to be crushed agaynst the pauement. tovvardes [Page 39] them vvhiche preuented their assaulte, and lauished, (vvhiche vvas preiudiciall to their raue­ninge,) they vsed more crueltye, as if they had bene iniured by them. they inuented cruell kindes of torment, for the searchinge out of vitayles. they stopped vnto miserable men, the passage of their priuye members, vvith the graynes of the herbe Orobus: and pricked their fundamentes vvith sharpe tvvigges: so that horrible thinges to be hearde of, vvere ex­cercysed, and suffered, for the extorting to confession of one lofe of breade, and knovvledge of one handfull of meale. but the tormentors them selues tasted not of hunger. That is euer dea­med of lesse crueltye, vvhich commeth to passe of necessitye. but they thus practising their rage, prouided costage, or viaticall preparation, agaynst the dayes folovving: and meeting them vvhich in the night season crept out, as farre as the Romayne vvatche, to gather pott her­bes, and greene grasse, novv, being escaped the enemy, they spoyled. and vvhen as they had of­ten made supplication, and called the dreadfull name of God to helpe, that at least vvise they might haue some portion of that, vvhich they had gotten vvith daunger: nothinge vvas graun­ted, so that at length it seemed gratefull vnto them, that vvere spoyled, that they perished not vvith their vitayles. Vnto these thinges Iosephus addeth, saying: All hope of safety vvas denied Ioseph. bell. Iud. lib. 6. cap. 14. the Ievves, together vvith their passage excluded, and the famyne encreasing throughout their houses, and families, deuoured the people. the houses vvere full of carkases, of vvomen, and children: and the crosse vvayes replenished vvith the carkases of olde men: children, and yonge men that vvandred, vvere brought to the market place, after the likenes of pictures, and euery one fell dovvne, vvhere the fitt tooke him. Euery one being brought lovv, vvas not able to bury his kinsfolkes, & therefore vvaxed faint by reason of the multitude of dead men. & because that euery one doubted of his ovvne life, many fell dovvne dead vpon the carkases that they buried: many seeing no vvay but one, vvent and layd them dovvne vpon the beeres, to vvelcome death. neither vvas their lamentation, or vveping in these calamities, for famine suppressed euery ones passion. they vvhiche vvere very loth to dye, behelde vvith drye cheekes, the death of those vvhich hastened out of this life vnto rest. The citye vvas in deepe silence, the nyght nothinge but deathe, and theeues more intolerable then all these myseryes. They digged vp houses, and O tragicall factes. tumbes: they spoyled the deade: they tooke of the vvinding sheetes, or coueringes of the deade carkases: in a mockage, they tryed the sharpnes of their svvordes, vpon the deade bodyes. they launced certaine of them vvhiche laye along, and yet aliue, for the triall of their speares: such as prayed them to exercyse their myght, and crueltye vpon them, being vveary of their liues: they contemptuously reserued for famine. Euery one yelding vp the ghost, behelde the temple vvith immoueable and stedy countenance, sorovving that he left there behinde, seditious persons a­lyue. they vvhiche first by commaundement receiued revvarde out of the publike treasury to burye the deade: by reason of the intollerable stinche, and greatnes of the multitude, threvve them into a great trenche or pitt. VVhen Tytus passing by, savve the trenche filled, and the noy­some Titus soroweth at the miserable sight of the Iewes that were dead. Iosephꝰ with griefe vtte­red these wordes, be [...] Iud. lib. 6. cap. 16. Lib. 7. cap. 7. putrefaction stilling▪ and issuing out of the dead carkases, and running dovvne the sinkes, he sighed, and streatched forth his handes, and called God to vvitnes, that he vvas not the cause of this calamitye. Agayne, after a fewe lynes he addeth, saying: I can not refrayne my selfe, but that I breake out, and signifie my griefe: If the Romaynes vvere slacke in ouercomming vvicked persons, I thinke veryly that the cytye vvoulde eyther sincke, at the gapinge of the earthe: or be drovvned vvith a deluge: or after the manner of Sodome, be ouerthrovvne vvith fyre. It brought forthe abroode farre more pernicious, then they are that suffer this: and for their impietye, all this people vvallovveth in destruction. And in the seuenth booke he wri­teth thus, of them which perished by famine: the multitude vvas infinite, the afflictions, vvhich did fall on them can not be vttered. In euery house vvhere there appeared but a shadovve or shevve of meate, there vvas variance, so that the dearest friendes stroue among them selues, one seely soule depriuing an other of his dayly sustenance, and prouision. And lest the dying should be thought to vvant, the theeues searched them that vvere ready to dye, leste peraduenture any had hydd meate in his bosome, & therfore fained him selfe to dye. they vvhich greedely gaped by reason of their vvant, vvandred and trotted, like madd dogges, falling vpon dores like madd men, rushinge into the same houses, tvvyse and thryse in an houre, as men berefte of their vvittes. Necessitye made all meate that came to the teethe, supplying to be eaten those thin­ges, vvhiche vvere not commodious, no not for the fylthyest brute beastes. At lengthe they abstayned not from gyrdles and shoes, they eate the leathren skynnes that couered their tar­getts. [Page 40] Many eate chopt haye, or mynced grasse that vvas vvithered, other some gathered svvept and scraped dust, & dounge, selling the least measure thereof for foure pence. But vvhat should I rehearse, hovve that famyne spareth not thinges that haue no life, vnlesse vvith all I de­clare this vvorke of her: vvhose like vvas neuer reported, to haue bene done amonge the Gen­tyles, nor Barbarians: horrible to be spoken of, but true to the hearer. I of myne ovvne parte vvoulde gladly passe this calamitie, vvith silence, leste that I seemed to laye forthe monstrous lyes vnto the vvorlde: Vnlesse I had infinite vvitnesses in this behalfe. for other­vvise I should recompence my contrye vvith colde thanke, if I restrayned the rehearfall of such Ioseph. lib. 7. Cap. 8. thinges, as they smarted for. * A certayne vvoman vvhich dvvelled beyond Iordane, called Ma­ria, the daughter of Eleazar, of the village Bathezor, vvhich signifieth Hyssope: of good kindred An horrible history. and great vvealth: sled vvith the rest of the multitude vnto Ierusalem, and there vvas besieged: the rest of her substance, vvhich she had procured vnto her, out of the region beyonde lordane, and caused to be caryed into the city, the tyrantes of the contrye, tooke avvay: the reliques that vvere left, and the prouision for foode, the catchpoles rushing in dayly, snatched avvay. A cer­tayn grieuous indignation inuaded this seely vvoman, so that often tymes she prouoked against her selfe, by rayling and scolding, the cruell rauenners. VVhen as none either moued vvith pity, or prouoked vvith anger, slevve her: & she labored about, seeking vittailes, and could no longer finde any: and famine had entred into her bovvels, and inner partes: furious motions more then famine, inflamed her mind so, that she being ledd vvith the heat of anger, & pinching or pining necessity, offred violence vnto nature. for taking her sonne in her armes, vvhich vvas a suckling, she sayd: O vvretched infant, for vvhom shall I reserue thee in these vvarres, in this famyne, in A mother slayeth her owne childe to eate. this seditious conspiracy? Among the Romaynes, if so be that vve shall liue vnder them, there shall be bondage: this bondage hath famyne for gone: these seditious persons do afflict vs more grieuously then both. Passe on, be thou meate vnto me: a fury vnto these seditious men: a fable vnto the vvorlde: vvhiche yet alone hast not felt the Ievvish calamities. And immediatly vvith these vvordes, she slevve her childe, and boyled him: being boyled, she eate halfe, the rest she saued, and hidd secretly. Anone, these of the conspiracy come in, stamping & staring, threatning present death vnto her, vnlesse vvith speade she bring forth vvhat meate she had prepared. she aunsvvered that she reserued the better portion for them, bringing forth and shevving vvith all the reliques of her litle childe. A sodaine horror, and traunce of trembling minde, tooke them, that they vvere astonied at the sight thereof. But she sayd: this is my naturall sonne, and this is the vvorke of myne ovvne handes: Eate, for I haue eaten: be not you more tender then a vvo­man, or proner to compassion then a mother. If you are so godly, and mislike this my sacri­fice: I truely haue eaten in your name, and that vvhiche remayneth, I reserue for my selfe. vvhiche vvhen she had sayde, they all trembled at this one horrible fact, and scarse leauing this meate for the mother, they departed vvith greate feare. In a vvhile after, this haynous offence vvas bruted ouer the vvhole citye, so that euery man behoulding before his eyes this affliction, vvas no lesse moued, then if the fact had bene committed agaynst him selfe. But they that vvere pressed vvith famyne, desired death earnestly, and happy vvere they accomp­ted, vvhome death so preuented, that they neyther hearde nor savve the greate misery that hap­pened. such were the rewardes of iniquity, and impiety committed by the Ievves agaynst Christ and God. It shalbe thought well, if we adde the true prophecy of our Sauiour, declaring these thinges after this maner to haue come to passe.

CAP. VII.

WOE be to them vvhich are vvith childe, and geue sucke in those dayes, (sayth Christ) [...]uth. 24. but praye that your slight be neyther in vvinter, nor on the Saboth daye, for then shall be greate tribulation, suche as vvas not from the beginning of the vvorlde, [...]osep. (bel. [...]. lib. 7. cap [...]) saith the [...]ber was [...]e hūdred [...]usande. vnto this tyme, neyther shall be. When the Historiographer had collected the number of them that perished by sword, and famine, he reporteth that it mounted to * a hundred & ten myllions. besides the seditious and theeuish reuenners, betrayed on by an other, and slayne after the win­ning of the city: and yonge men of highe stature, and comlynes of bodye, that were reserued for [Page 41] their exercise in triumphe, of the rest of the multitude, as many as passed seuentene yeare olde, they were sent bounde to druggerye in Aegypt, many were sent into the prouinces, that be­ing layde on theatres, subiect to the sworde, and crueltye of beastes, so they might perishe▪ suche as were vnder seuentene yeare olde, were brought vnto captiuitie, and soulde, the num­ber of these he reporteth to haue mounted to nyne Myriades, or millions. these thinges hap­pened Iosephꝰ saith the number of the capti­ues was four score and se­uentenethou sande. after this manner, in the seconde yeare of the raygne of Vespasian, Anno Do­mini 73. forty yeares iust after the passi­on of Christ. Luk. 19. Luk. 21. truly, according vnto the foreshewed prophecye of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ, which by his diuine power, as if they had bene then present, he foresawe: and with the shedding of teares, as the holy E­uangelistes testifie, he be wayled: whiche alleadge these his wordes then vttered to Ierusalem. If thou hadest knovvne (sayth he) these thinges vvhiche belong vnto thy peace, euen at this daye, thou vvouldest take hede. But novve are they hidde from thine eyes, for the dayes shall come vpon thee, that thine enemyes also, shall cast a banke about thee, and compasse thee rounde, and keepe thee in vvith vexation on euery side, and make thee euen vvith the grounde, and thy children also. Then sayth he of the people: there shall be greate trouble in the lande, and vvrath ouer all this people, and they shall fall through the edge of the svvorde, and shall be ledde avvay captiue vnto all nations, and Ierusalem shall be troden dovvne of the Gentyles, vntill the tyme of the Gentyles be fulfilled. If any will conferre the wordes of Christe with the rest of those thinges that the Historiographer hath written concerninge the whole warres: how can he but fall into an admiration, and confesse, that the prophecy, and pre­science of our Sauiour was wonderfull, and passing naturall reason: of those thinges which (after the passion of our Sauiour, & there crying, when the whole multitude of the Ievves craued a thefe Luk. 23. and a murtherer to be deliuered) happened vnto this whole nation, I thinke it not necessary to entreate. But this is needefull to be noted, which commendeth the goodnes of the prouidence of God, in deferring their destruction, for the space of forty yeares after their presumptuous rashe­nes agaynst Christ, in the which yeares, many of the Apostles and Disciples, ( Iames by name, their first Bishop, called the brother of the Lorde) as yet aliue, and abiding in the citye of Ierusa­lem: haue endured and continewed as a most sure fortresse, for that place, God winking all that while, if peraduenture they woulde repent, to the ende they might be pardoned, and saued. And besides so notable a patience, how wonderfull signes from aboue were exhibited, to happen vp­pon the impenitent, which of the aforesayde Historiographer are sett forth to perpetuall memo­ry, and are now to be deliuered of vs, vnto the Readers handes. I will therefore propose what he hath published in his seuenth booke of historyes.

CAP. VIII.

SEducers (sayth he) and authors of lyes agaynst God, deceaued at that tyme, that seely and Ioseph. bell. Iud lib. 7. cap▪ 12. vvretched people, so that they neither marked those euident ougly shapes, forshevving the desolation to come: nether gaue any credit therunto, but as astonied, both blinde & sense­lesse, contemned the demonstrations of God, so that a starre stoode ouer the city, like vnto a A starre like a sworde. A commet [...] svvorde, and a Commett enduring the space of a vvhole yeare. Agayne, before their rebellion, and vvarlike tumulte, vvhen the people frequented the feaste of svveete breade, the viij. day of the moneth Aprill, in the night, at nyne of the clocke: so greate a light ouerspred the altar, and A light in the temple in the night time. the temple, that it seemed to be cleare daye, continevving the space of halfe an hovvre, vvhich sight vnto the vnlearned seemed good, but vvas numbred of suche as exercised them sel­ues in the holy Scripture, among thinges vvhiche shortly shoulde happen. At the same feaste, a covve ledde by the high priest to sacrifice, calued a lambe, in the middest of the temple. A cowe cal­ued a lamb [...] A great gat [...] opening it selfe. Moreouer the East gate of the inner temple, though of brasse, and most stronge, so that in the euening, tvventy men coulde scarse shutt it, being boulted vvith iron barres, and strengthe­ned vvith longe postes, and pillers: in the night tyme, about the sixt houre, vvas seene to haue opened voluntarily, of it selfe. A fevve dayes after the feaste, the xxj. daye of Maye, there A deuill in the forme [...] man. vvas seene the figure, and shape of the deuill, almoste incredible. some vvoulde thinke that I vvent about to reporte, a monstrous lye, vnlesse it had bene reported by them, that savve it: and the afflictions vvhiche folovved, vvere correspondent vnto the signes. For before sunne sett, there vvere seene in the aëre, throughout the contrye, charettes, and armed souldiers, [Page 42] marching in the cloudes, and compassing the citye. In the feaste of Pentecost, vvhen the priestes An army of souldiers in the cloudes. A cōmotion in the aëre. A voyce heard in the temple, Let vs go hence. One Iesus the sonne of Ananias, 4. yeres before the warres, cryed conti­nually woe, woe, all a­bout Ierusa­lem. after their maner, vvent into the temple, in the night season to offer sacrifice, they reported to haue hearde a commotion, and a ratling sounde, vvith this voyce folovving: Let vs goe hence. And that vvhich vvas more terrible on Iesus, the sonne of Ananias, a rude, and a contrey fellovv, came vnto the feaste, in the vvhich the lavve geuen by God, vvas deliuered vnto all, as in the tyme of their tents, foure yeares before the vvarres, vvhen the citye vvas in peace, and prosperi­tie, and so dainly about the temple cryed out, and sayd: A voyce from the East: a voyce from the VVest: a voyce from the foure vvindes: a voyce vpon Ierusalem, and the temple: a voyce vp­pon the bridegrome, and nevve maried vvife: a voyce vpon all this people. this, day, and night, cryed he out, in the crosse vvayes of the streates, Many of the chiefe of the people, not pleased vvith this infortunate voyce, vvere throughly moued, so that they chastized, and scourged him, vvith many, and grieuous stripes: he of the contrary, saying not a vvorde for him selfe, ceased not to cry seuerally, vnto them that vvere present, the same songe. The magistrates supposing him to be possessed of a fanaticall spirite, as it vvas in deede, brought him vnto the Romayne president, vvhere he vvas scourged, from top to toe, so that the bare bones might be seene, yet neuer entreated he for him selfe, nor shedd a teare, but as much as in him laye, lifted his voyce vnto lamentation, sounding at euery stripe, vvoe, vvoe, vnto Ierusalem. An other thing yet more straunge, the same Historigrapher writeth, that a certayne oracle was found in the holy Scri­ptures, An oracle to be vnder­stoode of Christ. contayning in it this sense: y ^• there should one rise out of their owne region, which shoulde rule the worlde, which Iosephus vnderstandeth to haue bene ment by Ʋespasian. yet ruled he not the whole worlde, but the Romayne Empire. This oracle may better be referred vnto Christ, vnto whome it was sayd of the Father: Aske of me, and I vvill geue thee the Gentiles, for thyne inhe­ritance, Psal. 2. and the endes of the earth, for thy possession, the sound of vvhose Apostles, vvent at the Psal. 19. very same tyme, throughout the earth, and their vvordes to the endes of the vvorlde.

CAP. IX.

BEsides all this, I thinke it good, not to be ignorant of Iosephus him selfe, that hath stoode vs in so great steade, for the furnishing of this our present historye, whence, and of what kin­dred he came, which circumstance he him selfe sheweth, saying thus: Iosephus the sonne of sephus of [...] selfe An [...]. lib. 16. cap [...]el. lud. lib cap. 25. lib. contra A­nem. Mattathias, a priest, of Ierusalem, vvhich him selfe also at the first impugned the Romaynes, and vvas necessarily present, at the finall ende of their vvofull miseryes, because of the Ievves of that tyme. This man was famous, not onely among his owne nation, but also among the Romaynes, so that at Rome, he was thought worthy the honor of a grauen picture, and the bookes which di­ligently he wrote, were thought worthy of the publike librarye. He wrote tvventy bookes of Iu­daicall [Page 45] Antiquities. he testifieth him selfe, therefore worthy of creditt, that he gathered in seuen bookes the Romayne vvarres of his tyme, and published it both in the Greeke, and Hebrewe ton­gues. Certayne others worthy the reading, passe vnder his name, for example: Tvvo volumes of the Antiquitie of the Ievvish nation, where he aunswereth Apion Grammaticus, and certayne o­thers: which at that tyme impugned the Ievves, and endeuored to disgrace the natiue lawe, of the Iewishe nation. In the first he layeth downe the number of the bookes of the olde testament, deli­uered by tradition, and receaued without gainfaying, of the Ievves, saying as foloweth:

CAP. X.

THe bookes of the holy Scripture (sayth he) are not innumerable amongst vs, disagreeing, Iosep. lib. 1. contra Apiō. The Iewes acknowledg 22. bookes. 5. Bookes of Moses. 13. Bookes of the Prophets 4. Bookes of psalmes and admonitions & dissenting one from an other, but only xxij. contayning the circumstances of all times, and vvorthy of creditt. fiue of these are Moses vvorkes, contayning the lavves, & the state of man, continevved vnto his death. the tyme of them contayneth litle lesse, then three thousand yeares. The Prophetes vvhich liued after Moses, comprised in thirtene bookes, the famous actes of their tymes, from the death of Moses, to Artaxerxes, vvho after the death of Xerxes, vvas king of Persia. The other foure, containe Hymnes vnto God, and admonitions for the amendment of mans life. From Artaxerxes vnto our tymes, there are continuall bookes, yet not of such creditt as the former, in so much there is not diligently layd dovvne a continuall succession of the Pro­phets. It is very apparent, vvhat affection vve beare vnto our Scriptures, because there is novv so much time past, and yet none of vs dare presume, either to adde any thinge thereto: or to dimi­nish anything therefro: or to alter any thinge thereof. this is engrassed in the sevves, from their youth vp, that they persvvade them selues, this doctrine to be the vvritinges of God, and to per­seuere in the same, and vvillingly, if necessity so constrayne, to dye in the quarrell. these wordes I haue thought commodiously to haue bene by vs alleadged out of his commentaryes. this writer hath published one other, and no simple volume of the rule of reason, whiche some haue fathered vppon the Machabees, because it contayneth the combats of the Hebrues, so termed in the bookes of the Machabees, manfully fighting in the defence of their pietye towardes God. And about the ende of the twentieth booke of Iudaicall Antiquities, Iosephus him selfe signifieth, that he wrote foure bookes, of the proper opinions of the Ievves. of God. of his essence. of the lavves. and vvhy according vnto them, certayne thinges are lavvfull, and certayne forbidden. He mentioneth in his workes other treatyes of his. it shall seeme agreable with order, if we recite those thinges, which he wrote about the ende of his Iudaicall Antiquities: that our allegations may the better be confirmed, for he endeuoring to confute Iustus Tyberianus, (who writinge the historye of that This is foūd in losephus first booke a­gainst Apio [...] ▪ tyme, reported many vntruthes,) among others, of his confutations, thus he sayth: I feared not thy censure so much of my vvritings, but that I exhibited my bookes vnto the Emperours them­selues, vvhen the dedes done, vvere novv fresh in memory, my conscience bare me vvitnes, that Ierred not, but deliuered the trueth, hauing obtayned their testimonies vvhich I hoped for. And to diuers others, I offred my historye, vvhere of some vvere encombred vvith the vvartes, as king Agrippa, and diuers of his kinsfolkes. And the Emperour Tytus him selfe vvoulde haue the cer­tayne knovvledge of these vvarres, deliuered vnto the vvorlde, by my bookes onely, commaun­ding them to be published, vvith the priuiledge of his ovvne hande. King Agrippa vvrote three­score, & tvvo epistles, vvherin he testifieth of the true history deliuered by me. Two of these epi­stles he alleadgeth. but so farre concerning Iosephus, now we wil proceede to that which foloweth.

CAP. XI.

AFter the martyrdome of Iames, and the captiuity of Ierusalem now ended, the reporte [...] ­eth, that the Apostles and Disciples of our Lorde, which then were aliue (whereof many yet remayned) gathered them selues from euery where, vnto one place, together with the kinsmen of the Lorde, according to the fleshe, there to haue consulted, who was thought best wor­thy to succeede Iames: so that all, with one voyce, iudged worthy of the seae of Ierusalem, Simeon the sonne of Cleopas, mentioned in the Gospell, and called the cosin of Christ, for Aegesippi [...] wri­teth that Cleopas was the brother of Ioseph.

CAP. XII.

MOreouer, he declareth that Ʋespasian after the siege of Ierusalem, caused enquirie to be made, of such as were of the lyne of Dauid: lest that any remayned yet among the Ievves, of the royall bloude, so that thereby agayne, there was raysed a great persecution among the Ievves.

CAP. XIII.

WHen Vespasian had raigned tenne yeares, Titus his sonne, succeeded him in the empire, Titus crea­ted Empe­rour Anno Domini 81. Linus. Anacletus. Domitiā created Empe­rour Anno Domini 83. Anianus. Abilius. The 2. of the tenne perse­cutions was raised by this Emperour Domitian. Clemens. in the seconde yeare of whose raygne, Linus after he had bene Byshop of Rome, the space of xii. yeares, deseased, and him succeeded Anacletus. When Titus had raygned two yeares and two monethes, his brother Domitian tooke the imperiall crowne. In the fourth yeare of the raigne of Domitian: Anianus the first Bishop of Alexandria, (hauing continued there xxii. yeares) dyed. the seconde after him that succeeded, was Abilius.

CAP. XIIII.

IN the twelfe yeare of the raygne of Domitian, when as Anacletus had bene Bishop of Rome twelue yeares: Clemens succeeded, whome S. Paul writing to the Philippians, calleth his fe­lovv laboter, when he sayth: Cap. 15. af­ter the greke Philip. 4. vvith Glemens, and the rest of my felovv laborers, vvhose names are vvritten in the booke of life. Cap. 16. af­ter the greke The epistle of Clemens [...]nto the Co­inthians eade in the Churche. [...] Cap. 17. af­ter the greke [...]omitian dy [...]d Anno Do [...]ini 98. cap. 18. after [...] greeke. one vndoubted epistle there is of his, extant, both worthy & no­table, y ^• which he wrote from Rome, vnto Corinthe, when sedition was raysed among the Corin­thians: the same Epistle we haue knowne to haue bene reade openly, & publikely, in many chur­ches, both of olde, and amongest vs also▪ that at that tyme there was raysed a sedition amongest the Corinthians, Aegesippus is a witnes of creditt.

CAP. XV.

DOmitian, when he had executed much cruelty agaynst many, and put to death no smal mul­titude of the Nobles of Rome, and notable men, beyond all rightfull iudgement: and pu­nished an infinite company of famous men, with the hurtful exile & losse of their substance, dyeth: and appoynteth him selfe successor of the hatred owed to Nero, & of the warre against God. this man secondarily raysed persecution agaynst vs, although his father Vespasian practysed no presumptuous Lordlynes towards vs.

CAP. XVI.

ABout this time, Iohn y ^• Apostle, & Euangelist, is sayd to haue bene banished into y ^• Ile Pat­mos, [...]hn being [...]iled into [...]tmos An. [...]omini 97. [...]ote the relation. [...]naeus lib. 5 for the testimony of the worde of God. Irenaeus in his fift booke agaynst the heresies, writing of the epitheton of Antichrist, layde downe in the reuelation of S. Iohn, sayth thus, word by word of Iohn: If his name ought publikely to haue bene preached, at that present tyme: by him veryly it vvas preached vvhich vvrote the reuelation. for it vvas not seene a long time af­ter, but vvelnigh in this our age, about the ende of the raygne of Domitian. Our religion so flo­rished in the forsayd times, that the heathen writers, noting exactly the tymes: voutchsafed to pu­blish in their historyes, this persecution, and the martyrdomes suffred in the same.

CAP. XVII.

[Page 47]THey haue written that in the fiftenth yeare of Domitian, one Flauia, descending of the sister of Flauius Clemens, which then was of the Romayne Consuls, was exiled with many others vnto the Ile Pontia, for the testimony of Christ. When Domitian commaunded such as ly­nealy descended out of Dauid to be slayne, the old report goeth, that certayne of this opinion, were accused to haue come out of the auncetors of Iudas, who was the brother of Christ, according vn­to the fleshe, as if by this meanes they were of the stocke of Dauid, and the kinsmen of Christ. this Aegesippus declareth, saying: Cap. 20. af­ter the greke Aegesippus. there suruiued as yet certayne of the kindred of the Lorde, ne­phevves of Iudas, called his brother, according vnto the flesh, vvhom they brought forth, as be­ing of the line of Dauid. these Iocatus doth bring before the Emperour Domitian, for he feared the comming of Christ, euen as Herode did, and demaunded of them, vvhether they vvere of the stocke of Dauid. vvhich vvhen they had acknovvledged, he demaunded againe, vvhat possessi­ons they enioyed, and vvhat money they had. They aunsvvered: both vve haue onely ix. thou­sande pence, so that halfe that summe sufficeth either of vs, yet this summe haue vve not in mo­ney, but in vallovved land, contayning not aboue xxxix. acres, out of the vvhich vve pay tribute, and relieue our selues through our labour, and industry. Then shevved they him their hands, for testimony that they labored them selues, and the hardnes of their bodies, and the hard bravvne of their handes grovven by continuall labour. and vvhen as they vvere asked of Christ, and his The kinsmē of Christ ac­cording vn­to the fleshe, make an ac­compte of their fayth, before Domitian the Em­perour. kingdome, vvhat maner, vvhen, and vvhere, it should appeare, they aunsvvered: that his kinge­dome, vvas neither vvorldly, nor earthly, but caelestiall and Angelicall, and that it shoulde be at the consummation of the vvorlde, vvhen that he comming in glory, shall iudge the quicke and the dead, and revvarde euery man according vnto his vvorkes. After they had thus aunsvvered, the report goeth, that Domitian condemned them not, but despised them, as vile, and base crea­tures, & let them goe free, & stayed by his edict, the persecution then raysed against the church. VVhen they vvere gone, it is sayde, that they vvere rulers ouer Churches, in so much that in the ende they vvere martyres, and of the line of our Lorde, and aftervvardes peace ensuing, the re­port goeth, that they liued vntill the raigne of Traian. So farre Aegesippus. Tertullian also repor­teth Tertullian. the like of Domitian. Domitian (sayth he) some time assayed the like practise, being a porti­on of Neroes cruelty. but he hauing some humane sense, (as I suppose) forthvvith relented, cal­ling home agayne such as he had exiled.

CAP. XVIII. Cap. 21. after the greeke.

AFter that Domitianus had raygned fiftene yeares, and Nerua had succeeded him: the Hi­storiographers Nerua crea­ted Empe­rour Anno Domini 99. Traian crea­ted Empe­rour Anno Domini 100. The 3. perse­cution of the 10. famous persecutions was vnder this Traian. Cerdo. Cap. 22. after the greeke. Peter. Linus. Anacletus. Clemens. Euodius. Ignatius. Simeon. Cap. 23. after the Greeke▪ of that tyme do write, that the Romayne Senate decreed, that the honors exhibited vnto Domitian shoulde cease, and such as were iniuriously exiled, shoulde returne vnto their natiue soyle, and receaue their substance agayne. it is also amonge the auncient traditi­ons, that then Iohn the Apostle returned from banishment, and dwelt agayne at Ephesus. When Nerua had raigned a litle aboue a yeare: Traian succeeded him. In the first yeare of whose raigne, Cerdo succeeded Abilius, which was Bishop of Alexandria, the space of thirtene yeares. This is the thirde after Anianus of that Churche.

CAP. XIX.

AT that tyme Clemens ruled the Churche of Rome, beinge the thirde Bishop after Paul, & Peter. the first was Linus. the seconde Anacletus. And of them which gouerned the church of Antioche, the first was knowne to be Euodius. the second Ignatius. likewise Simeon at the same tyme, the seconde after the brother of our Sauiour, gouerned the churche of Ierusalem.

CAP. XX.

AS yet the Apostle and Euangelist, whome the Lorde loued, remayned aliue in Asia, who after the death of Domitian, being returned from the Ile Patmos, gouerned the Churches there in Asia. And that he liued at that time, the confirmation of two witnesses shall suffice. [Page 48] They are worthy of creditt, such as haue gouerned the Churche with sounde doctrine. These are Irenaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus. the former in his seconde booke agaynst the heresies, writeth thus: All the Elders beare vvitnes, vvhich liued together vvith Iohn, the Disciple of our Sauiour Irenaeus lib. 2 cap. 39. Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 3. in Asia: that he deliuered these thinges. he endured vvith them vnto the tyme of Traian▪ also in the thirde of his sayde argument, he declareth the same in these wordes: The churche of the E­phesians planted by Paul, confirmed by Iohn, vvhich remayned there vntill the tyme of Traian, is a true testimony of this Apostolicke tradition. Clemens with all, signifieth the tyme, and also a very necessary historye is by him adioyned, for suche as are recreated with honest and profitable Sozomenus an Historio­grapher is crept into this greeke coppy, I wot not how, he liued an hun­dred and odd yeares after Eusebius, & dedicated his history▪ vnto Theodosius iunior, the autor there­fore of this history tout­ching Iohn, was Clemens as Eusebius writeth be­fore & after. thinges, whereof also one Sozomenus in his history hath made mention, at large in his commen­taryes, if thou reade it, thou shalt finde thus written. Heare a fable, and yet no fable, but a true tale reported of Iohn the Apostle: deliuered vnto vs and committed to memory after the desease of the tyrant. VVhen he had returned to Ephesus, out of the Ile Patmos, being requested, vvent vnto the contreyes adioyning, partly to consecrate Bishops, partly to set in order vvhole Chur­ches, and partly to chuse by lott, vnto the Ecclesiasticall function, of them vvhome the holy Ghost had assigned. VVhen he vvas come vnto a certayn city not farre distant (the name vvherof diuers doe expresse) and among other thinges had recreated the brethren: beholding a yong man of a goodly bodye, a gracious face, and seruente minde, he turned his face vnto him, that vvas appointed chiefe ouer all the Bishops, and sayd: I commend this yonge man vnto thy custody, vvith an earnest desire, as Christ, and the Churche, beare me vvitnes. VVhen he had re­ceaued his charge, and promised diligence therein: he spake and protested vnto him, the selfe same, the second time. Aftervvardes he returned to Ephesus. but the elder taking the yong man, that vvas deliuered vnto him, brought him vp at home, ceased not, cherished him still, and in processe of time baptized him. he came at length to be so diligent & seruiceable, that he made him a liuery garment or scrole, signed vvith his masters seale of Armes. but this yonge man be­came dissolute out of season, perniciously accompanyed him selfe vvith them, of his ovvne yea­res, idle, dissolute, and acquainted vvith ill behauiour. first they bringe him to sumptuous ban­quetts: next they guyde him in the night to steale, and to robbe: after this they require that he consent vnto the committing of a greater offence. but he acquainting him selfe by a litle, and a litle, through the greatnes of his capacitye, much like a horse of a hardned mouth, fierce, strong, and hardy, forsaking the right vvay, vvith the biting of the bridle, bringeth him selfe vnto a bot­tomlesse pitt, of all misorder and outrage. At length despayring of the saluation that commeth of God, being past all hope of grace▪ he practised no toye nor trifle, once being ouer the shoes, he proceeded forvvardes, and tooke the like lott vvith the reste of his companions. takinge vnto him companions, and a rout of theues being gathered together, he became a most violent cap­tayne of theeues, vvholy bent to slaughter, & murther, & extreame cruelty. In the meane vvhile, necessitye so constrayning, the Bishops sent for Iohn: he vvhen he had ended, and finished the cause of his comming, goe to (sayth he) O Byshop: restore vnto vs thy charge, vvhiche I, and Christ haue committed vnto thy custody, the churche vvhereof thou art heade, bearing vvitnes. the Byshop at the first vvas amazed, supposing some deceite to be vvrought toutching money, vvhich he had not receaued, yet vvas he not able to aunsvvere them, for that he had it not, ney­ther to mistrust Iohn. but vvhen Iohn had sayd: I require the yong man, and the soule of our bro­ther, then the elder looking dovvne, vvith a heauy countenance, sobbing and sighing, sayde: he is deade: to vvhome Iohn spake, hovve? and vvhat kinde of death? vvhich aunsvvered: he is dead to God. for he is become vvicked, and pernicious, and to be short, a theefe. for he keepeth this mountayne ouer against the church, together vvith his associates. the Apostle then renting his garment, and beating his heade vvith greate sorrovv, sayde: I haue left a vvise keeper of our brothers soule: prepare me a horse, and let me haue a guyde. he hastened out of the churche, & rode in post, being come vnto the place appoynted, he is straight vvayes taken of the theeuishe vvatch, he neither flyeth, neither resisteth, but exclam [...]th: for this purpose came I hither, bringe me vnto your captaine, vvho in the meane space as he vvas armed, behelde him comminge. but eftsones vvhen he savve his pace, and knevve that it vvas Iohn, he vvas stroken vvith shame, and fledd avvay. the olde man forgetfull of his yeares, vvith might pursueth him flying, and cryeth: My sonne, vvhy flyest thou from me thy father, vnarmed and olde? O sonne tender my case, be [...]he wordes [...]f Iohn the [...]uangelist vn [...] the theefe not afrayde, as yet there remayneth hope of saluation, I vvill vndertake for thee vvith Christe. I vvill dye for thee, if neede be, as Christ did for vs. I vvill hazard my soule for thine, trust to me, [Page 49] Christ sent me▪ but he hearing this, first stoode still, turning his countenance to the ground, next Tokens of true repen­tance. shoke of his armour, anone trembled for feare, and vvept bitterly. He embraced the olde man, comming vnto him, aunsvvering as vvell as he coulde for vveeping, so that agayne he seemed to be baptized vvith teares, the shaking of the hande onely omitted. The Apostle vvhen he had promised and protested to procure for him pardon of our Sauiour, and prayed, and fallen vpon his knees, and also kissed his right hande, novve clensed through repentance, brought him vn­to the Churche agayne. VVhen that also he had povvred forth often tymes prayers for him, and stro [...]gled vvith him in continuall fastinges, and mollified his minde vvith diuers and sun­dry sermons, and confirmed him: departed not (as the reporte goeth) before he had fully resto­red him vnto the Churche▪ and exhibited a greate example of true repentance a greate tryall of nevve birth, and a singular token of the visible resurrection. this haue I taken out of Clemens, partly for the history, and partly also for the profit [...] of the Reader.

CAP. XXI. Cap. 24. after the Greeke.

NOw we will forwardes, and entreate of the vndoubted wrytinges of this Apostle. And The Gospell of Iohn. firste let there be no staggering at his Gospell, which is well knowne of all the Chur­ches vnder heauen. Why it was of olde placed the fourthe, after the other three, it shall thus appeare. The diuine & holy men, namely the Apostles of Christ, leading a passing pure life, hauing their mindes be decked with euery kinde of vertue, vsed, rude and simple speache, yet of a diuine and forcible power, which they had receaued of Christ, neither knewe they, nether en­deuored they to publish the doctrine of their [...]ister, with curious paynting of wordes: but vsing The Apostle in their prea­ching vsed no curious eloquence▪ the demonstration of the holy spirite which wrought with them, and the onely power of Christ, which brought miracles to perfection, they shewed the knowledge of the kingdome of heauen to the whole worlde, being nothing carefull at all for the writinge of bookes. And this they brought to passe being occupied with a greater worke, and in maner exceeding the strength of man. Paul the mightiest of all the rest, in the setling of wordes, and best armed with the power of perfect sen­ses, wrote but very short epistles, whereas he might haue layd downe infinite thinges, yea and se­cretes, 2. Corinth. 12. being rapt vnto the thirde heauen, and behoulding celestiall things, yea brought into pa­radyse it selfe, and there thought worthy to heare secrete mysteries. neyther were the rest of the Disciples of our Sauiour, namely the tvvelue Apostles, and the seuenty, with other innumerable, ignorant and vnskilful herein. And yet of al these the Disciples of our Sauiour, Matthew, & Iohn, wrote gospels. Who (as report goeth) were constrained therunto. for Matthew, when he had first The Gospell after Mat­thewe writtē in Hebrewe. Why Iohn the Apostle wrote a Go­spell. preached vnto the Hebrevves, & now passing vnto other people, wrote his Gospell in his contrey language, supplying by writing in his absence, y ^• which was desired in his presence. When Mark and Luke had published their gospels▪ Iohn (say they) in all y ^• space preached without writing, but at length was moued to write for this cause. It is reported that when the bookes of the three E­uangelistes were through out the worlde, and come into his handes, he allowed them, and yelded of them a true testimonye, wishing that the declaration of such thinges had bene printed in their bookes, which were done at the first preaching of Christ. the Reader may perceaue these three Euangelistes to haue onely sett forth the doinges of our Sauiour, one yeare, after the impryson­ment, and captiuitye of Iohn the Baptist, which may be gathered by the beginning of their histo­ries. for after the xl. dayes fasting, and the annexed temptation, Matthewe sheweth the time of Matth. 4. the beginning of his historye, saying: VVhen he had hearde that Iohn vvas taken, he returned from Iudaea into Galilee And Marke likewise: after that (sayth [...]e) Iohn vvas taken, Iesus came Marck. 1. into Galilee. And Luke also before he had mentioned the doings of Iesu, obseruing the same man­ner: Luke 3. Herode (saythe he) proceeding in his haynous offences, shutt vp Iohn in prison. Iohn the Apostle beinge for these causes entreated, wrote the tyme passed ouer of the former Euange­listes with sylence, and therein the Actes of our Sauiour, namely which went before the impri­sonment of Iohn, which he partly signified, writing thus: this vvas the first of the miracles vvhich Iohn. 2. Iesus did: partly with all mentioning the doinges of Iohn the Baptist, who as then baptized in [...] ­non, by Salem. which is euident, when he sayth: for as yet Iohn vvas not cast into prison. Iohn Iohn. 3. then in his Gospell, deliuereth such thinges as were done of Christ, before the co [...]i [...]ing of Iohn. the other three, beginne with the mention of Iohns imprysonment, vnto him that reco [...]yleth [Page 50] the Euangelistes thus they shall not seeme discrepant, in so much that the Gospell of Iohn con­tayneth the former doinges of Christe, the other, the latter, lastinge vnto the ende. therefore not without cause Iohn passeth ouer with silence, the genealogye of our Sauiour accordinge vnto the fleshe, being afore amply layde downe by Matthewe, and Luke, and beginneth with his diuinitie, reserued of the holy Ghost for him, as the mightier, thus much shall suffice con­cerning the Gospell written by Sainct Iohn. The cause why Marke wrote his Gospell we haue Why Luke wrote a Go­spell. declared before. Luke in the beginninge of his historye, sheweth the occasion of his writing, si­gnifying that diuers nowe already had imployed their diligent care, to the setting forthe of such thinges, as he was fully perswaded of, deliuering vs very necessarily from their doubtful opini­on, why left that he by his Gospell, declareth vnto vs the sure, and certaine narration, of such thinges whereof he had receaued the truthe sufficiently, partely by the company, and conuer­sation of Paul, partely also throughe the familiaritie had with the rest of the Apostles. but of these thinges thus farre. for hereafter more properly in place conuenient, we will mention what the fathers of olde hereof haue written. Among the rest of Iohns writinges, his first epistle hath bene generally of olde, and late wryters receaued, without any staggering. the two latter, haue bene gainesayed. toutching his Reuelation as yet among many, there is a variable opinion, some allowing, and some disalowing of it. likewise of this hereafter, what the Elders haue thought shalbe entreated.

CAP. XXII. Cap. 25. after the Greeke.

IT shall seeme conuenient if in this place we collect briefely, the bookes of the newe Testa­ment. 4. Euangelists The Actes of the Apostles. The epistles of Paule. The 1. epistle of Iohn. The 1. epistle of Peter. The reuelation of S. Iohn The epistle of Iames. The epistle of Iude. The 2. of Pe­ter. The 2. and 3. of Iohn. Acts of Paul. Pastor. Reuelation of Peter. epistle of Barnabas. Doctrine of the Apostles The Gospell vnto the He­brewes. Also of Pe­ter, Thomas, Mathias, An­drewe, &c. Cap. 26. after the greeke. Menāder the Sorcerer cal­eth him self [...] Sauiour. In the first place we must sett the fourefolde vvritinges of the Euangelistes: next the Actes of the Apostles: then the Epistles of Paul are to be added: after these the first of Iohn: and that of Peter which is autenticke: lastly, if ye please the Reuelation of Iohn. of the which what is to be thought shall followe hereafter, all these are receaued for vndoubted. the bookes which are gaynesayde, thoughe well knowne vnto many, are these: the Epistle of Iames: the Epistle of Iude: the latter of Peter: the seconde and thirde of Iohn, whether they were Iohn the Euangelistes, or some others of the same name. take these which followe for forged workes: the Actes of Paul. the booke called Pastor. the Reuelation of Peter. moreouer the Epistle fathered vppon Barnabas, and the Doctrine called the Apostles, and the Reuelation of Iohn (if it so please you) which (as I haue sayde before) some disalowe, some other receaue as an vndoubted true doctrine. diuers doe number amonge these the Gospell vnto the Hebrevves, vsed specially of them, which receaued Christ of the Hebrevves. these writinges are they which commonly of all others are impugned. I suppose that necessaryly we made rehearsall hereof, to the ende we may discerne and seuer the vnfayned, the vndoubted, the true writinges, accor­ding vnto the Ecclesiasticall tradition: from the vnlawfull wrytinges of the newe Testament, from such as are impugned, and yet dayly read of diuers Ecclesiasticall persones, that we may knowe them and such as vnder the name of the Apostles, as of Peter, of Thomas, or Matthias, & besides, the Gospells of others, as of Andrewe, of Iohn, contayning the Actes of the other Apo­stles: are published by Heretickes, whereof not one Ecclesiasticall writer hath with reuerence alleadged in his Commentaries. moreouer the forme of the phrase, varieth from the manner of the Apostles: their sentence: their drifte in discourse disagreeth very much with the trueth of the tryed doctrine. for nowe being conuinced, they plainely expresse the fond sigments of hereticall persons. In fine they are not to be placed as forged, but altogether to be reiected as absurde and impious. but let vs proceede vnto that which followeth.

CAP. XXIII.

MEnander succeeding Simon the Sorcerer, is found nothing inferior vnto him for deuelish operation, for inuention, and behauiour. he was also a Samaritane, and preuailed no lesse in the blinde misteryes of magicall artes, then his maister. yea rather added vnto these monstrous sayned illusions, somewhat of his owne, terming him selfe now a Sa [...]iour, sent downe [Page 51] from aboue of the inuisible worldes for the saluation of mankinde, teachinge with all, that none was otherwise able to subdue the Angels, workers of this worlde, then first of all by his ma­gicall experience, deliuered for the purpose, and by the Baptisme receaued of him, the which as many as doe accept of it, they purchase into them selues, sempiternall immortalitie, yea in this present lyfe, so that they dye no more, but continually remayne amonge them selues, without wrinckled olde age, and become immortall▪ these thinges out of Irenaeus may easi­ly appeare. and Iustinus likewise making mention of Simon, remembreth also this Menander▪ saying: vvo haue knovvne one Menander, and the s [...]me a Samarytane, of the village Capa­rattaea, Iustinus Martyr Apolog. 2 pro Christ. the Disciple of Simon, throughly moued of deuils, and abyding at Antioche, to haue bevvitched many vvith magicall artes, persvvading his follovvers, that they shoulde not dye. And as yet there be diuers which can testifie the same of him. it was the drifte of the deuill by the meanes of such Sorcerers, cloked vnder the name of Christians, to defame by magicke the greate mistery of godlinesse, and by them to choke the Ecclesiasticall doctrine, which concer­ned the immortalitie of the soule, and the resurrection of the deade. but such as embraced these The craft of the deuill. Sauiours, haue lost the sauing healthe of their soules. When the spyte of Satan coulde not se­uer vnto him selfe such as syncerely bare affection towards Christ, he linked vnto him selfe the wauering and wandring turnecoates.

CAP. XXIIII. Cap. 27. after the greeke.

THese the Elders properly called Ebionites, that is poore men. for they were poore and Ebionites. abiectes in deliuering the doctrine which concerned Christ, they iudged him a simple and a common man, and for his perfection of manners founde iustified as man onely, borne by reason of the company of man, and his mother Marie▪ againe they thought the obseruation of The heresie of the Ebio­nites, which thought that fayth alone did not iusti­fie. the lawe to be necessarye, as thoughe saluation were not by faythe alone in Christ Christ [...] [...]uer­sation of lyfe correspondent vnto the same. Other some of the same name haue au [...]yded the fowle absurditie of the wordes, nor denying the Lorde to haue [...]e [...]e borne of the virgine, and the holy Ghoste: yet when they confesse him to be God, the worde and wisedome to haue bene before the natiuitie of the fleshe they sincke in the same sinne, with their former felowes, especially when as they busily goe aboute to sette vp the corporall obseruation of the lawe. these Heretickes all doe reiecte the epistles of the Apostle Paul, accusinge him that he felle from the lawe. they vse onely the Gospell whiche is after the Hebrevves, other they passe not for. the Iewishe Sabothe, and other their ceremonyes, they obserue a like, with the Ievves. they celebrate the Sonnedayes, as we doe, in remembrance of the resurrection of our Sauiour. for hence it came to passe by reason of these their fancies, that they allotted vnto them selues the name of Ebionites, signifyinge their pouertie. for by this name or title poore men Ebionites what it signifieth. are called of the Hebrevves. About the same tyme, we learne there was one Cerinthus, an au­thor of an other heresie. Gaius whose wordes we haue before alleadged, in the controuersie cary­ed about vnder his name, writeth thus of him.

CAP. XXV. Cap. 28. after the greeke.

CErinthus also by reuelations vvritten, as of a greate Apostle, brought vnto vs certayne Gaiꝰ writeth thus of Ce­rinthus the Hereticke. monstrous thinges, fayning them to haue bene reuealed vnto him by Angels. that the kingdome of Christ after the resurrection shoulde become earthly: that in Ierusalem our fleshe agayne shoulde serue the concupiscence and lust of the flesh: and being set vvholy to seduce, as enemy vnto the vvorde of God, he sayd there shoulde be the terme of a Millenarie feaste allotted for mariage. Dionysius also Bishop of Alexandria, in his seconde booke, after Dionysius bishop of Alexandria lib. 2. he had remembred the reuelation of Sainct Iohn, receaued by tradition of olde, he reporteth of this man, thus: Cerinthus vvhiche founde the Cerinthian heresie▪ gaue his figment a name for the further creditt thereof. his kinde of doctrine vvas this [...]he dreamed the kingdome of Christ shoulde become earthly, and sett vppon those thinges vvhich he lusted after, novv being coue­red vvith his fleshe, and compassed in his skinne, that is: the satisfying of the belly, and the [Page 52] thinges vnder the belly: vvith meate, vvith drinke, vvith mariage, and that he might the more colerably bring his deuelish deuices to passe, he dedicated thereunto holy dayes, oblations, and slaughter for sacrifices. so farre Dionysius. but Irenaus in his first booke against the heresies, layeth downe certayne more detestable opinions of his. And in his thirde booke he reporteth a historye worthy the memorye, as receaued by tradition of Polycarpus, saying: that Iohn the Apostle on a Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3. certayne time to bayne him selfe, entred into a bathe, and vnderstandinge that Cerinthus there vvithin bayned him selfe also, started a side, and departed forthe, not abiding any tariance vvith him vnder the same [...]ouffe, signifying the same to his company, and saying: let vs speedely goe hence, lest that the bathe come to ruyne, vvherein Cerinthus the enemy of the truth baineth him selfe.

CAP. XXVI. Cap. 29. after the Greeke.

AT the same time the heresie of the Nicolaïtes spronge, whiche lasted not longe after, wher­of Apocalyps. 2. Nicolas the 7. Deacon. Act. 6. Clemens Bi­shop of Alex andria. the reuelation of S. Iohn made mention. they boast, that he was one of the Deacons, or­dayned together with Stephen, of the Apostles, to minister vnto the poore. Clemens Alex­andrinus in his thirde booke of stromatôn reporteth thus of him. This Nicolas (sayth he) hauing a beautifull vvoman to his vvife, after the ascention of our Sauiour, vvas accused of ielousie, and to cleare him selfe of that cryme, brought forth his vvife, and permitted him that lysted to ma­rye her. but his follovvers say, that their doing is agreable vvith that saying, that is: the fleshe is to be brydled: and so follovving that doing and saying vvithout all discretion, they sinne vvith­out all shame, in silthy fornication. but I heare that Nicolas accompanied with none other, then Eusebius ex­cuseth this Nicolas whose folowers the holy Ghost in the reuelation abhorreth. Mathias. his proper wife, allotted vnto him by wedlocke: and of his children, his Daughters to haue endu­red virginity: his sonne to haue remained vncorrupt. the case being thus, in y ^• he brought forth his wife (for ielousie ouer the which he was accused) into the middest of the Apostles, it was to cleare him o [...] the [...]me layde to his charge, and to teache the brydling of the fleshe, by contayning and refrayning voluptuous lust and pleasure. He woulde not (as I suppose) accordinge vnto the pre­cept: serue two masters, lust, and the Lorde. they say that Mathias after this maner, commaun­ded by instruction, the fleshe to be ouercome, and tamed, yelding vnto it not one iote which might tende vnto pleasure, and that the soule hereby shoulde take encrease by fayth, and knowledge. Thus much shall seeme sufficiently spoken, toutching them which then depraued the truth, and sodainely came to naught.

CAP. XXVII. Cap. 30. after the greeke.

CLemens whose wordes lately we alleadged, after the premises, against them which relece and rebuke mariage, reciteth the Apostles which liued in wedlocke, saying: VVhat doe Clemens A­lexandrinus. Peter. Philip. Paul was maried. Philip. 4. they condemne the Apostles? for Peter, and Philip, employed their industry, to the brin­ging vp of their children. Philip also gaue his Daughters to mariage. And Paul in a certaine epi­stle sticked not to salute his vvife, vvhiche therefore he ledd not aboute, that he might be the re­dier vnto the ministation. In so much then that we haue made mention hereof, it will not seeme tedious if we alleadge an other historye worthy the notinge, which he wrote in his seuenth booke after this manner: they say that Sainct Peter going to his house, and seeing his vvife ledd to be Clemens A­lexandrinus. executed, reioyced greatly because of the calling, and cryed out vnto her vehemently, exhorting and comforting her, calling her by her name, and saying: O vvoman remember the Lorde. such The wordes of Peter vnto his wife whē she went to martyrdome vvas the mariage of the godly, and the entire affection of faithfull friendes. And thus muche as pertinent to my purpose hereof, I thought good here to alleadge.

CAP. XXVIII.

OF the deathe of Paule, and Peter, the tyme eke, and the manner, their resting place also after their departure hence, we haue spoken of before, and of Iohn toutchinge his appoynted tyme, we haue tolde before. but of his resting place, or tombe, we are enstru­cted [Page 53] by Polycrates his epistle, (this Polycrates was Bishop of Ephesus) whiche he wrote vnto Ʋictor Bishop of Rome, where he remembreth also Philip the Apostle, and his Daughters af­ter Policrates Bishop of Ephesus, vn­to Victor Bi­shop of Rome. this maner: fo [...] in Asi [...] (sayth he) greate pleadges of Christian religion rested them selues▪ vvhiche shall rise the laste daye at the comming of the Lorde, vvhen he shall come from hea­uen vvith glorye, to seeke out all the Sainctes▪ Philip one of the tvvelue Apostles▪ resteth in the dust of the earthe at Hierapolis, and tvvo of his Daughters vvhiche ledd their vvhole lyfe in virginitye. the thirde vvhose conuersation vvas directed by the holy Ghoste, resteth at Ephesus. And Iohn (vvhiche leaned on the breaste of our Sauiour, vvho beinge also a Iohn the A­postle called a Priest, he vvore a Bi­shops atyre called Petal [...] ergo mini­sters had thē pecullar ap­parell. Act. 21. Priest, vvore the garment petalum, A martyre and a doctor,) rested at Ephesus. thus much of their endes. In the Dialogue of Gaius mentioned before, Proclus, (agaynst whom be proposed the question) testifieth agreeable vnto that before, of the death of Philip, and his Daughters, say­ing: After this the foure Prophetisses, the Daughters of Philip vvere at Hierapolis in Asia, their sepulchre is there to be seene, and their fathers also▪ so farre he▪ Luke in the Actes of the Apo­stles, maketh mention of the Daughters of Philip, dwelling at Caesarea, in Iudaea, with their father, which were endued with the gift of prophecye, saying: VVe came to Caesarea, and entred into the house of Philip the Euangelist, vvhiche vvas one of the seuen, and there made our a­bode. this Philip had iiij. Daughters vvhiche vvere virgines, and Prophetisses▪ thus much of the Apostles, and apostolicke tymes: and the thinges deliuered vnto vs by holy Scriptures: of the ca­nonicall, and disalowed Scriptures, though read of many in many Churches: of the forged, and farre from the Apostolicall rule, as farre forth as we could learne. Now to that whi [...] followeth▪

CAP. XXIX. Cap. 32. after the Greeke.

AFter Nero, and Domitian, vnder that Emperour, whereof we minde now to entreate, the rumor went euery where throughout the cityes, that persecution was raysed agaynst vs Christians, through populare seditions, in the which we learned that Symeon the sonne of Cleopas, the seconde Bishop of Ierusalem, ended his life with martyrdome. hereof is Aegesippus a witnesse, whose wordes we haue oft alleadged. for he writing of certayne Hereticks geueth vs to vnderstand, how that the afore sayd Symeon was then diuersly by them accused to be a Christian, for the space of many dayes he was scourged, so that the Iudge, and his company, was mar­uelously amazed, and in the ende he dyed a deathe agreeable with the passion of Christe. but let vs heare the Historiographers owne wordes. Certayne (sayth he) of the Heretickes accused Aegesippus writeth thus of Symeons martyrdome Symeon the 2. Bishop of Ierusalem was crucified Anno Dom. 110. being a hundred and twenty yeare olde. Aegesippus writeth of the kinsmen of Christ. Symeon the sonne of Cleopas, that he linealy descended of the stocke of Dauid, and that he vvas a Christian. he suffered martyrdome being a hundreth, and tvventy yeare olde, vnder Traian the Emperour, and Atticus the Consul. The same Aegesippus reporteth, how that his accusers (enquiry being then made of such as came of the royall bloude among the Ievves) were founde to haue their originall, of the Regall Iewish trybe. whosoeuer wayeth this, with him selfe, he will confesse, that this Symeon was of them, whiche both hearde, and sawe the Lorde, in that he liued so long a tyme, and in that the Gospell maketh mention of Marie Cleopas, whose sonne we haue sayde this Symeon to haue bene before. Agayne the same Historiographer writeth, how that cer­tayne others of the posterity, of some one of them, called the brethren of our Lorde, namely Iude, were alyue, vntil the same tyme, yea after the testimony of them whiche vnder Domitian were tri­ed, for the true faythe of Christe. for thus he writeth▪ they come and gouerne vvhole Chur­ches, as martyrs, being also of the kindred of Christ. VVhen peace novve had possessed the Churches, they remayne aliue vnto the tyme of Traian the Emperour, vntil the afore sayd Syme­on the Lords consingermaine, the sonne of Cleopas, vvas il entreated of Heretickes, accused vnder Atticus the Consul, often scourged, tollerated such martyrdome, that all vvondred, & the Con­sul him self marueiled, hovv that he, being a hundred, & xx. yeares old, vvas able to endure that bitter torment. to be short, in the end he vvas by commaundement crucified. Vnto the afore said the same Historiographer annecteth this▪ vnto those tymes the Church of God remained a pure The Church of God was a pure [...] 110 yeares [...] [...] Christ. & an vncorrupted virgin. for such as endeuored to corrupt the sound rule & the right preaching of the vvord (if then there vvere any such) hidd them selues vnto that time in some thicke miste▪ or dongeon of darkenes, but after that the sacred company of the Apostles, vvas vvorne, and come to an end, & that, that generation vvas vvholy spent, vvhich by special fauour had heard [Page 54] vvith their eares, the heauenly vvisedome of the sonne of God▪ then the detestable error of con­spiracy, through deceate of such as deliuered straung doctrine, tooke rooting, and because that not one of the Apostles suruiued, they publish boldely, vvith all might possible, the doctrine of falsehoode, and impugne the open, manifest, and knovvne trueth. Thus of these thinges, hath this Historiographer written. Now to that which by order of history we are bound vnto.

CAP XXX. Cap. 33. after the greeke.

SO greate a persecution was raysed agaynst vs in sundry places, that Plinius secundus a no­table Plinius secundus wrote vnto the Emperour Traian in the behalf of the Chri­stians. President, made relation thereof vnto the Emperour, being very much moued with the number of martyrs, which suffred death for the testimony of their fayth, signifying with­all, that they committed no haynous offence, that they transgressed no law, sauing that they rose before day, and celebrated Christ with hymnes, as God. forbidding adulteryes, & slaughter, with such other like abominable factes, conforming all thinges agreable vnto the lawes. After which reporte, it is written that Traian commaunded by edicte, that the Christian nation shoulde not be enquired for, but if happily they were founde, they ought to be punished. by which edicte, the ve­hement heate of that greuous persecution was somewhat delayed, yet neuerthelesse, there was scope enough left for such as were willing to afflicte vs. so that in one place the people, in an other place the Princes, and rulers of the regions, layde wayte for our men, whereby seuerall persons, suffred martyrdome in their prouinces, and sundry of the faithful, sundry kindes of death, without open, or manifest persecution. which history we haue selected out of the latine Apollogye of Ter­tullian, whereof we haue alleadged before, by interpretation thus: Although vve haue knovvne Tertullian. the inquisition directed for vs to be inhibited, it vvas by reason of Plinius secundus President of the prouince, vvhich hauing condemned some of the Christians, and depriued some others of their dignities, vvas moued vvith the greatnes of the multitude, and doubted vvhat vvas best to be done. he made the Emperour Traian priuy thereof, saying: that he founde nothinge in them that vvas impious, but that they refused the vvorshippinge of Idoles. signifyinge this vvith­all, that the maner of the Christians vvas to ryse before daye, to celebrate Christe in Psalmes as God: and to the ende their discipline might straitly be obserued, to forbid shedding of bloude, adultery, fraude, trayterous dealing, & such like. for aunsvvere hereunto, Traian vvrote againe: that there shoulde be no inquisition for the Christians, but if they vvere mett vvith, to be puni­shed. And thus went the affayres of the Christians then.

CAP. XXXI.

AMonge the Bishops of Rome, when as the afore sayd Emperour had raigned three yea­res, Euarestus. Clemens committed the ministery vnto Euarestus, and finished his mortall race, when he had gouerned the Churche, and preached the worde of God, the space of ix. yeares.

CAP. XXXII. Cap. 35. after the greeke.

AFter Symeon had such an ende, as before we haue reported, a certayne Ievve, called Iustus, Iustus Bishop of Ierusalem one of that infinite number, which of the circumcision beleued in Christ, was placed in the Bishops seae of Ierusalem. And vnto that time Polycarpus a Disciple of the Apostles, liued Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna. Papias Bi­shop of Hie­rapolis. Ignatius Bi­shop of Anti­oche. in Asia, beinge placed Bishop of the Churche of Smyrna, by suche as sawe the Lorde, and mi­nistred vnto him. the same time florished Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis, a man passing eloquent, & expert in the Scriptures. And Ignatius likewise vnto this daye, amongest most men famous, the seconde Bishop by succession after Peter, of the Churche of Antioch. the reporte goeth, that this Ignatius was sent from Syria to Rome, for the confession of his faith, to be foode for wilde beastes, who passing through Asia, and curiously garded with a greate troope of keepers, confirmed the [Page 55] congregations throughout euery citye where he came, with preaching of the worde of God, and wholsome exhortations, and specially geuing charge to auoide the heresies lately sprong, and at that time ouerflowing, and to cleaue stedfastly vnto the traditions of the Apostles, which for the a­uoyding of error, and corruption, he thought very necessary to be diligently written. And being at Smyrna where Polycarpus was Bishop, he wrote an epistle vnto the Church of Ephesus, making mention of Onesimus their Pastor. An other vnto the Church of Magnesia, lying on the riuer Me­ander▪ making mention of Dama their Bishop. An other vnto the Church of Trallis, whose ouer­seer then was Polybius, and besides these epistles, he wrote vnto the Churche of Rome, prefixing an exhortation, lest that they refusing martyrdome, shoulde be depriued of the hope layde vp for them. but it may seeme needefull, that we alleadg thence some part of the wordes for proofe here­of, for thus he writeth: Cap. 36. af­ter the greke Ignatiꝰ epist. ad Rom. from Syria (sayth he) vnto Rome, I striue vvith beastes, by sea, by land, nightes, and nightes, fettered among tenne Leopardes, that is a bande of souldiers, & the more benefit they receaue, the vvorse they become. I thus exercised vvith their iniuries, am the more instructed, yet hereby am not I iustified. I desire to enioy the beastes prepared for me, vvhiche I vvishe to fall vppon me vvith fierce violence, yea I vvill allure them forthvvith to deuoure me, that they abstayne not from me, as they haue left some for feare vntoutched. If they as vnvvil­ling vvill not. I vvill compell them to fall vpon me. pardon me. I vvott vvell vvhat this shall a­uaile me. Novv doe I beginne to be a Disciple, I vvay neither visible, nor inuisible thinges, so that I gaine Christ▪ let fire, gallovves, violence of beastes, bruysing of the bones, racking of the members, stamping of the vvhole body, and all the plagues inuented by the mischiefe of Satan light vpon me, so that I vvinne Christ Iesu. this he wrote from the aforesaid city, vnto the Chur­ches before named. And beinge beyonde Smyrna, he wrote vnto the Churches of Phila­delphia, and Smyrna, and seuerally to Polycarpus their Bishop, whome he knewe for a right Apostolike man, commending as a syncere and right Pastor ought to doe, the congrega­tion of Antioche, praying him to be carefull of the busines there, namely about the election of a Bishop in his rowme. this Ignatius writing vnto the Church of Smyrna, reporteth certaine wor­des Ignatiꝰ epist. ad Smyrnen­ses. vttered by Christ, which he founde I wott not where: I knovve and beleue that he vvas in the fleshe, after the resurrection, for comming vnto them vvhich vvere vvith Peter, he sayde vn­to them. Come, feele me, and knovve that I am not a spirite vvithout body, and anone they felt him, and beleued. Irenaeus also knewe his martyrdome, & remembred his epistles, writing thus: Irenaeus lib. 5 Euen as one of our men condemned vnto the beastes, for the confession of his fayth sayde: In so much that I am the vvheate of God, I am to be grinded vvith the teeth of beastes, that I may be founde pure breade, or fine manchet. And Polycarpus maketh mention hereof in the epistle vnder Polycarpus epist. ad Phi­lip. his name vnto the Philippians, writing thus: I beseeche you all, that you be obedient, and exer­cise patience, vvhich you haue throughly seene, not only in blessed Ignatius, Rufus, and Zosimus, but in diuers of your selues, and in Paul, vvith the rest of the Apostles, being persvvaded for cer­taine, that all these ranne not in vayne, but in fayth, and righteousnes, novve resting them vvith the Lorde, in the place appointed, due for their deserts, vvith vvhom they suffred together. they loued not this present vvorlde, but him that dyed for our sinnes, and rose agayne for our sakes. agayne he addeth: both you, and Ignatius, vvrote vnto me, that if any did trauell vnto Syria, he might conuey thither your letters, of vvhich I vvill be careful, if fitt opportunity be offred, vvhe­ther I my selfe goe, or send, that your busines there, may be dispatched. according vnto your re­quest, I haue sent you the epistles of Ignatius, both vnto vs vvritten, and the others in my custo­dy, annexed vnto this epistle, vvhere you may gayne much profitt, they contayne fayth, and pa­tience, Heros. and all maner of edifying in the Lorde. thus much concerning Ignatius, whom Heros suc­ceeded in the Bishopricke of Antioche.

CAP. XXXIII. Cap. 37. after the greeke▪

AMong them which were then famous, was Quadratus, whome they say together with the Quadratus▪ Daughters of Philip, to haue bene endued with the gift of prophecying, and many others also at the same tyme florished, which obtayning the first stepp of Apostolicall succession, and being as deuine Disciples of the chiefe and principall men, buylded the Churches euery where, planted by the Apostles: preaching, and sowing the celestial seede of the king [...] of hea­uen, throughout the worlde, filled the barnes of God with encrease. for the greater [...]e of the [Page 56] disciples then liuing, affected with greate zeale towards the worde of God, first fullfilling the heauenly commaundement, distributed their substance vnto the poore: next taking their iourney, fullfilled the worke, & office of Euangelistes, that is they preached Christ, vnto them which as yet heard not of the doctrine of fayth, and published earnestly the doctrine of the holy Gospell. These men hauing planted the fayth in sundry newe, and straunge places, ordained there other pastors, committing vnto them the tillage of the newe ground, & they lately conuerted vnto the fayth, pas sing them selues vnto other people, and contries, holpen there vnto by the grace of God which wrought with them, for as yet by the power of the holy Ghost they wrought miraculously so that an innumerable multitude of men, embraced, yea at the first hearing, with prompte and wil­ling mindes, the Religion of the Almighty God. In somuch that it is impossible to rehearse all, by name, when, and who were pastors, and Euangelistes, in the first succession after the Apo­stles, in the Churches scatered throughout the worlde: it shall seeme sufficiente onely to commit in writing to memorie, the names of such as are recorded vnto vs by tradition, from the Apo­stles them selues, as of Ignatius in the epistles before alleadged, and of Clemens mentioned in the epistle which for vndoubted he wrote vnto the Corinthians, in the person of the Romayne churche, where he imitating very much the epistle wrytten vnto the The epistle vnto the He­brewes vn­doubted is Pauls, writtē by him in Hebrewe, but traslated into greeke, by Clemens bishop of Rome, or by the reporte of Clemens bi­shop of Ale­xandria, (as Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 13. wry­teth) transla­ted by Luke the Euange­list. Hebrewes, and alleadging thereof whole sentences worde by worde, manifestly proueth, that this epistle vnto the Hebre­wes, was nether newe, nether of late founde: wherefore it semed good to number it among the rest of the Apostles writings. whē as Paul wrote vnto the Hebrevves in his mothers tonge, some affirme that Luke the Euangelist: some other (which seemeth more aggreable) that Clemens tras­lated it, for bothe the Epistle of Clemens, and that vnto the Hebrevves, vse the like manner of speach, and differ not much in sense.

CAP. XXXIIII. cap. 38. after the greeke

WE haue to learne that there is a seconde epistle of Clemens, yet not so notable, and fa­mous as the former, and we knowe that the elders did nether vse, nether alleadge it. Now diuerse haue thrust out in his name, certaine vabling, and tedious comentaries, containing the dialogues of Peter, and Apion, which none at all of the elders haue mentioned, nether doe they obserue the sincere forme, and rule of the Apostolicke doctrine.

CAP. XXXV. Cap. 39. after [...]he greeke.

THe vndoubted wrytinges of Clemens are apparent, we haue spoken likewise of the wry­tinges The workes [...]f Papias. of Ignatius, and Polycarpus. The wrytinges of Papias, are sayde to be fiue bookes en­tituled the exposition of the Lordes sermons. Of these Irenaeus reporteth, as wrytten alone by this man, saying thus: This truely Papias, the auditor of Iohn, the companion of Polycarpus, testifieth in the fourth booke of his vvrytinges, for he vvrote fiue. Thus farre Irenaeus. Papias [...]enaeus. him selfe in the preface to his bookes signifyeth that he nether heard, nether sawe the Apostles, but receiued the vndoubted doctrine of fayth, of their familiars, and disciples, When he sayth: It shall not seeme greuous vnto me if that I compile in vvriting, and commit to memorie, the [...]pias in the [...]oēm to his [...]okes. thinges vvhich I learned of the elders, and remember as yet very vvell, vvith there expositions hauing fully tryed already the trueth thereof. Nether am I pleased vvith such as say many thinges (as many are accustomed to doe) but vvith such as teach true thinges: nether vvith such as repeate straunge precepts, but vvith such as alleadge, the thinges deliuered of the Lorde, for the instruction of our fayth, proceding from the trueth it selfe. if any came in place vvhich vvas a follovver of the Apostles, forthvvith I demaunded the vvordes of the elders. VVhat An­drewe, vvhat Peter, vvhat Philip, vvvhat Thomas, or Iames, or Iohn, or Matthewe, or any other of the Lordes disciples: vvhat Aristion, and the elder Iohn, disciples of the Lord had sayd. I be­leued verely not to profit my self so much by their vvrytinges, or bookes, as by the authori­tie of the persons, and the liuely voice of the reporters, making relation thereof. It may [...]n the E­ [...]elist. seeme worth the notinge, that by these wordes wee marke the name of Iohn, to bee twise [Page 57] repeated. The first numbred with Peter, Iames, Matthewe, and the rest of the Apostles, signifying Iohn▪ the Euangelist; the second with a different terme, without the cataloge of the Apostles, ioy­ning him with Aristion, & playnly calling him the Elder: that hereby the truth of the history may Iohn the El­der. appeare, which declareth two of the same name, to haue bene in Asia, and two seueral monuments of them both, to be at Ephesus, whereof [...]oth as yet beare the name of Iohn, which may not light­ly be passed ouer of vs for it is very like, that the seconde (vnlesse ye are pleased with the first) saw that reuelation, which beareth the name of Iohn. Papias then (of whom we spake before) confesseth him selfe to haue hearde the wordes of the Apostles, of them which were their followers, namely of Aristion, and Iohn the elder. for often tymes by mentioning them, he alleadgeth their traditi­ons in his bookes. I suppose these thinges to haue bene spoken to good purpose. agayne, to that which hath bene already spoken, I thinke it not amisse to adde out of the bookes of Papias, things very straung, which he reporteth to haue receaued by tradition. before we haue written how that Philip the Apostle, together with his Daughters, had his abode at Hierapolis, nowe we haue to signifie how that Papias remayning amongest them, reporteth a certayne history tolde him by the Daughters of Philip he writeth that a deade man rose to life againe, and moreouer an other mi­raculous thinge to haue happened to Iustus, whose syrname was Barsabas, that he dronke deadly poyson, and tooke therby no harme, the godnes of God preseruing him. The history of the Actes declareth of this Iustus, how that after the ascention of our Sauiour, the holy Apostles seuered him together with Mathias, praying ouer them, that ereother of them might be allotted in the place of Iudas the traytor, to the complete number of the Apostles: They appointed tvvo, Ioseph Act. 1. called Barsabas, by syrname Iustus, and Mathias. Certayne other thinges the same writer repor­teth, of the which some he receaued for tradition, by worde of mouthe: also certayne straunge pa­rables of our Sauiour, mixt with fabulous doctrine, where he dreameth that the kingdome of Papias was of the here sy of the Chili­asts. traditiō and not the truth ledde him thereun to. Irenae [...] a Chiliast. Christ shall corporally here vppon earth, laste, the space of one thousande yeares, after the resur­rection from the deade. which error (as I suppose) grewe hereof, in that he receaued not rightly the true, and mysticall meaning of the Apostles, neither deepely wayed the thinges deliuered of them, by familiar examples. for he was a man of smale iudgement, as by his bookes playnly ap­peareth. yet hereby he gaue vnto diuers Ecclesiastical persons, occasion of error, which respected his Antiquity. namely vnto Irenaeus, and others, if there be any founde like minded. other traditi­ons he alleadgeth of Aristion, and the Elder Iohn, vnto the which we referre the studious reader, yet one thinge toutching Marke the Euangelist, the whiche he reporteth, we may not omitt, for thus he writeth: The Elder (meaning Iohn) sayd: Marke the interpreter of Peter, looke vvhat Papias reporteth of Mark the Euange­list. he remembred, that diligently he vvrote, not in that order, in the vvhich the Lorde spake, and did them. neither vvas he the hearer, or follovver of the Lorde, but of Peter, vvho deliuered his doctrine not by vvay of exposition, but as necessity constrayned, so that Marke offended no­thing, in that he vvrote as he had before committed to memory. of this one thinge vvas he care­full, in omitting nothinge of that he had hearde, and in deliuering nothing vvhiche vvas false. so farre of Mark. concerning Matthewe he writeth thus: Matthewe vvrote his booke in the hebrevv Matthevve. tongue, vvhich euery one after his skill interpreted by allegations. Papias alleadged testimonies out of the first epistle of Iohn, & of Peter. he expounded a certayne historye of a woman accused be­fore Christ of many crymes, written in the Gospell after the Hebrevves, of these thinges thus much we suppose to haue bene necessarily spoken, and added vnto that which went before.

CAP. I.

ABout the twelfe yere of the Raygne of Traian after the death of the Byshop of A­lexandria Anno Chri­sti. 111. Primus. Alexander. before mentioned: Primus was placed the fourth byshop, after the Apo­stles. The same time Alexander (when Euarestus had gouerned full eight yeares) was the eight byshop of the Church of Rome, after Peter and Paul.

CAP. II.

THe doctrine of our Sauiour, & the Church of Christ, so florished, that dayly it encreased, and was more and more furthered. But the calamities of the Ievves, grewe so great that one mischief ensued vpon an other. When the Emperour was nowe come to the eigh­tenth yere of his raygne, the rage of the Ievves was so stirred that a greate multitude of their na­tion The rebelliō and tumultes of the Ievves in Aegypt Anno Chri­sti. 117. was destroyed. for at Alexandria, and throughout the rest of Aegypt, and Cyren, the Ievves (as if they were possessed of a raging, seditious, and fanaticall spirite) so bestirred them selues, that they made an vprore among the Gentiles where they abode, & kindled such a firye sedition, that the yere folowing, they waged no small battaile. Lupus then being president throughout Ae­gypt, In the first battaile the Ievves had the victorie. Then the Gentiles fled to Alexandria, and as many Ievves, as they founde there they tooke & executed. The Ievves which wandred through­out Cyren, a region of Aegypt being destitute of ayde, spoyled the countrey of corne and cattell, ha­uing one Lucas to their captaine, against whome the Emperour sent Marcus Turbo, with a great power of footemen and horsemen by lande, and a nauye by sea, who nether in shorte space, nether without long & cruell warres slewe many millions of the Ievves, not onely of them of Cyrene, but also of the Aegyptians, which ayded their King, & captaine Lucas. The Emperour also suspecting the Ievves, which inhabited Mesopotamia lest that they traiterously shoulde ioyne with the o­ther, The calami­ties of the Iewes in Mesopotamia. commaunded Lucius Quintius, to banish them the prouince, who hauing gathered an hoaste, marched towardes them, and ioyning with them, slewe a greate multitude of the Ievves there a­biding, for the which facte he was appointed by the Emperour, president of Iudaea These thinges haue the Heathen historiographers then liuing paynted for the knowledge of the posteritie fo­lowinge.

CAP. III.

WHen Traian had raigned twentie yeares, six moneths excepted, Aelius Adrianus succe­ded Traian rai­gned 19. yeres and six mo­nethes. him succeded A­drian Anno Domini. 119. Quadratus. Apolog. him in the Empire. Unto whome Quadratus dedicated a booke, intitled an Apo­logie of the Christian fayth. for certain spitefull, and malicious mē, went about to mo­lest the Christians. This booke is as yet extant among diuerse of the brethren, & a coppye there­of remayneth with vs. By the which we may perceaue, & vnderstande, the markes of this man, to be according vnto the true vnderstanding, and the right rule of the Apostolicke doctrine. That he was of the auncient elders it may be gathered by his owne testimony, where he writeth thus: The vvorkes of our Sauiour vvere manifest, and open, for they vvere true. such as vvere healed, & [Page 59] raysed from the dead, vvere not onely healed, and raysed in sight, and outvvarde shevve, but they continually, & constantly remayned such in deede. Nether liued they onely the tyme our Sauiour had his abode here on earth, but a longe time after his ascention, yea and a numbre Aristides an Athenian philosopher, wrote an A­pologie of the christian fayth. of them, vnto our time. Suche a man was Quadratus. Aristides likewise, a faythfull man, one that laboured for the furtherance of godlines, published an Apologie (as Quadratus did be­fore) of the Christian fayth, with a dedicatorie epistle vnto Adrian the Emperour, which booke of his, is read in many handes at this daye.

CAP. IIII.

THe third yere of this Emperours raygne, Alexander bishop of Rome, after that he had gouerned Anno domi­ni. 122. Xystus. b. of Rome. Iustus. b. of Alexandria. tenne yeres, departed this life, whome Xystus succeded. And about that time Primus byshop of Alexandria, when he had preached there, twelue yeres, dyed: after whome Iustus succeeded.

CAP. V.

THe yeares of the bishopes of Ierusalem, I find wrytten no where. It is sayd they liued a shorte time. Onely out of certaine bookes, I haue learned that vntill the destruction of the Ievves vnder Adrian, there were fifteene byshops of Ierusalem, successiuely, all which they say by auncient lyne, to haue bene Hebrevves, and sincerely to haue embraced the word of God and there to haue bene thought worthy to rule, by such as then could well discerne such thinges. The church then stoode, & flourished through the faithfull Hebrevves, which continued from the Apostles vnto y ^• Calamity, in the which the Ievves rebelling againe vnder the Romaines with no small warres were ouerthrowne. because that then the byshops of y ^• circumcision fayled: I thinke it necessary to name them from the originall. The first was Iames, called the brother of the Lord: 15. Bishopes of Ierusalem from the A­postles vnto the 18. yeare of Adrian all Hebrewes. Telesphorus b. of Rome. Eumenes b. of Alexādria. the second, Sym [...]on. the third, Iustus: the fourth, Zach [...]us: the fift, Tobias: y ^• sixt, Beniamin: the seuenth Iohn: the eight, Matthias: y ^• ninth, Philip: the tēth, S [...]nnecas: the eleuenth, Iustus: the twelfe, Leui: the thirteneth, Ephrem: the fourteneth, Ioseph: the fifteneth, & last of all, Iudas. So many bishops were there of Ierusalem, from the Apostles tymes, vnto the sayd Iudas, & all of the circumcision. In the twelf yeare of the raigne of Adrian, after that Xystus had ben bishop of Rome tenne yeares Teles­phorus succeded him, being the seuenth from the Apostles. After a yeare, & fewe moneths Eume­nes was chosen byshop of Alexandria, the sixt by succession, when as his predecessour had gouer­ned that church, eleuen yeares.

CAP. VI.

WHen as the Jewish rebellion waxed vehement, and greuous, Ruffus Liuetenant of Iu­daea, Ruffus pro­curator of Iudaea. Barchoche­basthe Iewes captayne. being sente with a great power from the Emperour, fiercely withstood their fu­rie. And forthwith, slewe an innumerable multitude, of men, women, & children, de­stroying (as by law of armes it was lawfull) their regi [...]s, & contries. The Ievves thē had to their capitain one called Barchochebas which be interpretation is a starre, a man otherwise giuē to murther & theft. Which alluding to his name, lyed shamefully saying y ^• he was come frō heauen, as a light, to shine comfortably, in the face of the Ievves, now oppressed with slauery, and bondage, & afflicted to death. When the warres, in the eighteneth yeare of the emperour Adrian, waxed hott about the towne Beththera (well fortifyed, neither farre distant, & belonging to Ierusalem) & the slege lasting longer then was looked for, and the rash raysers of sedition, by reason of famine, were redy to yelde vp the last gaspe, and the guide of this vngodly dealing had receaued due vn­to his desert (as Aristion P [...]ll [...]us writteth) this whole nation was vanished that towne, and gene­rally, the whole contrey of Ierusalem, by the lawes, decrees, and specially, the constitutions of The Iewes being foyled, Ierusal [...] was ouerthrowē and called af­ter the empe­rours name Aelia. Marke of the Gentiles the first byshop of Ierusalē. when perse­cution fayled then heresies sprang. Adrian, so that by his commaundement it was not lawfull for these seely soules, to behould their natiue soyle, no not through the least chinke of the dore. This citie then at the vtter ruyne of the Jewish nation, and the manifold ouerthrowe of auncient inhabitours, being brought to confusion [Page 60] began to be inhabited of straunge nations, and after that it was subdued to the Romaine empire, the name was quite changed, for vnto y ^• honour of the conquerour Aelius Adrianus, it was called Aelia. And the church being gathered there of the Gentiles, Marke was first byshop there, after them, of the circumcision. When as the churches of God now shined as starres throughout the world, and the faith of our Lord, and Sauiour Christ Iesu, flourished: Sathan enimie to all ho­nesty as a sworne aduersary to the trueth, and mans health and saluation, impugneth the churche with all meanes possible, arming himself against hir with outward persecution, then depriued of that vsed the ayde of subtle sorcerers, and sleyghty inglers, as fitt instrumēts, and authors of per­ditiō, to the destruction of seely soules. Which sorcerers, & iuglers bearing the same name, & ti­tle, and in shewe professinge the same doctrine with vs (by his subtle inuention) might the sooner snare the faythfull, in the slipery way of perdition, & vnder pretence of reducing them to the fayth, to ouerwhelme them, in the whirpoole, & deepe dungeon of damnation. Out of Menander there­fore Menander (whome before we termed the successor of Simon) there budded out, a doubtfull, a viperous, & a twofolde heresie, by the meanes of Sathan, hauing two heades or captaynes, varying among themselues: Saturninus of Antioch, and Basilides of Alexādria, whereof the one throughout Syria, Saturninus of Antioch. Basilides of Alexandria Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 22. 23. the other throughout Aegypt, published hereticall, and detestable doctrine. Irenaeus sayth that Sa­turninus for the moste parte, dreamed the same with Menander: and that Basilides vnder pretence of more mysticall matters, enlarged his deuise into infinitie, inuenting monstrous fables to the furtherance of his Heresie.

CAP VII.

WHen as many ecclesiasticall persons in those dayes, striued in the behalf of the trueth, and contended with sure, and certaine reasons, for the Apostolicke, and Ecclesiasticall doctrine: some also as forefencers, haue exhibited instruction to the posterity, by their commentaries, leuealing at the aforesayd heresies, of which number one Agrippa Castor, a stout champion, and a famous wryter of those times, published a confutation of Basilides, disclosing all Agryppa Castor confuted Basilides. Barcabus. Barcoph. his Satanicall iugling. hauing displaied his secrety, he reporteth that Basilides wrote foure and twenty bookes vpon the gospell, fayning vnto him self prophets, whome he calleth Barcabus, and Barcoph, and certaine others neuer heard of before: Inuenting those barbarous names, to amaze the hearers withall: teaching that indifferently thinges offred to Idols may be eaten: that in time of persecution, the fayth with periury may be renounced: cōmaunding silence after the manner of Pythagoras, for the space of fiue yeares. And such like heresies of Basilides, the sayd writer hathe plainely confuted. Irenaeus wryteth, that in the time of these two: Carpocrates liued, y ^e father of that Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 24. The opiniōs of Gnostici whose father was Carpo­crates. heresie, which the Gnostici hould, who thought good, not to publish the sorcery of Simon priuely, after his manner, but openly. Glorying of charmed loue drinkes: of diuelish, & dronken dreames: of assistent, and associate spirites: with other like illusions. They teach farther, that who so will attaine vnto the perfection of their mysteries, or rather abhominable deuises, must worke such fa­ctes, by they neuer so filthy, otherwise can they not ouercome (as they terme them, the secular po­tentates, vnlesse euery one play his parte, after the same secret operation. So it came to passe that Sathan reioycing in his deuelish subtlety, seduced many of thē thus already snared, whome he led to perdition, by the meanes of such wicked ministers, & gaue hereby great occasion to y ^e in­fidels, of blasphemy agaynst the diuine doctrine, and spred a great slaunder in that the fame of The here­ticks were a sclaūder vnto christian re­ligion. them was bruted abrode throughout christendome. By this meanes it fell out often that the infi­dels of those times conceaued a wicked, absurde, and shamefull opinion of vs, that that we vsed the vnlawfull company, of Mothers, & sisters: that we fed vpon the tender infantes & sucklinges. But these reports preuailed not long for the trueth tride it self, & in tyme folowing shined as the sonne beames. for the sleyghts, and subtleties of the aduersaries turned to their owne confusion, whilest that new heresies dayly sprong, creeping one vpon an other, the latter taking place, the former vanished away, & encreasing into diuerouse, & manifold sectes chaunging now this way, Falsehood vanisheth a­way the trueth remaineth still. anone that waye, they were destroyed. The brightnes of the catholicke, and onely true churche, continuing alwayes the same, encreased, & enlarged dayly the boundes thereof, that the grauitie sinceritie, liberty, and temperancy of Godly conuersation, and christian philosophie, shined and florished among all the nations, both of the Grecians, and Barbarians. Thus the slaunder slyded [Page 61] away with the time, and the doctrine famous among as, and forthered of all men, specially for the pietie, and modestie, for the diuine, and mysticall doctrine thereof, tooke place: so that from that time vnto this day, none durst note y ^• same of any haynous crime, or [...]famy, as they durst before, which conspired agaynst vs, and the Christian fayth. But the trueth brought forth, many in those dayes which contended and dealt with these Heretickes, some with inuincible arguments, with­out the Scriptures: some with manifest proofes, and authorities of Scripture, confuting their hereticall opinions.

CAP. VIII.

OF the number was Aegesippus, whome we haue before ofte [...]ymes [...], one ofth [...] Apostles tyme, who in fiue bookes wrote the syncere tradition of the Apostles preaching▪ signifying his owne time, and making mention of such as in former times, erected Idols, where he writeth thus: To vvhome they erected Idols, and monuments, and [...]alo [...]d temples, Aegesippus. it is vvell knovvne. Antinous the seruant of Adrianus Caesar, had a festiual triumphe decreed vnto him, called after his name Antinous vvrastling, celebrated in our daies. They buylded him a city after his name Antinoia; they consecrated Priestes, they appoynted Prophets. At the same tyme Iustinus Martyr, an embracer of the true philosophy, well studied, and exercised in the doctrine of the Gentiles, maketh mention of the same man, in his Apologie vnto Antoninus, writing thus: It Iustinus A­polog. pro Christianis. shall not seeme impertinent; if that vve propose vnto you, the remembrance of Antinous, and of that vvhich they celebrate in his name. VVhome all doe vvorship as it vvote for feare, vvhen as they knovv vvell inough vvho, and vvhence he vvas. The same Iustinus maketh mention of the warres, helde against the Ievves, saying thus: In the Iudaical vvarres fresh before your eyes, Bar­chochebas a captayne of the Ievvish rebellion, commaunded the Christians only to be greuou­sly punished, vnlesse they renoūced Christ, & blasphemed God In the same place he declareth, how that not rashly, but after good aduisement taken, he left p [...]gauisme, and embraced the true, and onely piety. For I my self (sayth he) delighted vvith the doctrine of Plato, hearing the Chri­stians led captiues, nether fearing death, nether all the torments most terrible▪ thought it could not be, that this kinde of men, vvas subiect vnto malice, & set on pleasure. For vvhat voluptuous person, or intemperate, or delighted vvith deuo [...]ing of mans [...]: can so embrace death, that he be depriued of his desire, & not rather endeuour▪ that this life may alvvayes [...]ste, that he be able to deceaue Princes, & not betray him self to the death▪ Moreouer this Iustinus writeth, how that Adrianus, receauing letters of Serenius Granianus, a noble President, signifying in the behalf of the Christians, that it was very iniurious for no [...]e, but onely at the out [...]ry of the people, they should be brought forth, and executed: wrote agayne vnto M [...]ius Fundanus, Proconsul of Asia, and commaunded that none, without greeuous crime, and iust accusation, shoulde dye the death. The coppy whereof, obseruing the Latins phrase, as much as in him lay, he added, prefi­ring these fewe wordes: And vvhen as vve might iustly require, by vertue of the epistle, of the most victorious, & noble Caesar Adrian, your father, that as he graciously commaunded, so sen­tence should be giuen: yet vve require not this as commaunded by Adrian, but in as much as you knovve, that at the request of the people, iustice is to be craued. vve haue annexed the cop­py of Adrianus his epistle, to the ende you may vnderstand, vve tell nothinge but that vvhich is true. for thus he vvrote.

CAP. IX.

VNto Minutius Fundanus, Proconsul of Asia, Adrian fendeth greeting: I receaued an E­pistle Adrian the Emperour writeth in the behalfe of the Chri­stians. from Serenius Granianus that right vvorthy man, and [...]hy predecessor, the occasion vvherof I can not vvith silence leaue vntoutched, lest that thereby, men be troubled, & a gappe left open, to the malice of Sycophants. VVherfore if your prouincialls can proue ought against the Christians, vvhereof they charge them, and iustifie it before the barre, let them pro­ceede on, & not appeach them only for the name, nether crau [...] vvith outcries against thē ▪ for it is very expedient, that if any be disposed to accuse, the accusation be throughly knovvne of you, and sifted. Therefore if any accuse the Christians, that they transgressed the [...]vves, see that you [Page 62] iudge and punish according to the qualitie of the offence, but in playne vvordes, if any vpon spyte, or malice, comense or cauill against them, see you chastice him for his malice, and punish him vvith reuengement. This was the epistle of Adrian.

CAP. X.

AFter that Adrian, ruling in the regall scepter, the space of one and twenty yeares, had Adrian the Emperour died Anno Domini 140. him succee­ded Antoni­nus Pius. Hyginus b. of Rome. Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 3. runne the race of his naturall life: Antoninus called Pius, succeeded him in the empyre. In the first yeare of whose raygne, Telesphorus hauing gouerned the Ecclesiasticall seae, ele­uen yeares, depar [...]ed this life, whome▪ Hyginus succeeded. Irenaeus writeth that this Telesphorus was crowned at his death, with martyrdome, and signifieth withall, that in the tyme of the sayde Hyginus▪ Valentinus; the inuentor of his owne heresy, and Cerdon, author of that error which Mar­cion afterwardes sucked, were manifestly knowne at Rome. For thus he writeth.

CAP. XI.

VAlentinus came to Rome, in the tyme of Hyginus, [...]e flourished vnder Pius, and continu­ed Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 4. Valentinus. Cerdon. vnto Anicetus. Cerdon likevvise (vvhome Marcion succeeded) came vnder Hyginus the nynth Bishop from the Apostles. vvho hauing protested his fayth, one vvhile perseuered: an other vvhile taught priuely: aftervvardes confessed his error: Agayne being reprehended for the doctrine, vvhich he had corruptly taught, refrayned the company of the brethren. This he wrote in his third booke, against the heresies▪ Cerdon also sucking error of such as vvere Simons Irenaeus lib. 1 cap. 28. 29. adhaerents, abiding at Rome vnder Hyginus, (the nynth by succession from the Apostles) taught This here­sy is cōfuted by Origen, [...] lib 2. cap. 4. 5. Marcion of Pontus. that God, preached of the lavv, and Prophets, vvas not the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ. He said moreouer that Christ vvas knovvne, the father of Christ, vnknovven: Christ vvas iust, the fa­ther good. After him succeeded one Marcion of Pontus, a shamles blasphemer, vvhich encrea­sed this doctrine. Irenaeus dilating that infinite profundity of matter, inuented by Valentinus, sub­iect to many errors, discloseth openly the malice of the Hereticke, being cloked and concealed, as it were a serpent, hid in his denne. After this he remembreth one Marke by name, most expert in inagical artes, to haue bene in that time. for he reuealing their prophane ceremonies, and detesta­ble mysteries, writeth thus: Some prepare their vvedding chamber, and accomplish the seruice Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 18. to be sayd ouer them that are to be consecrated, vvith charmed vvordes, and hauing thus done, they call it a spiritual mariage▪ conformable to the celestial copulation. Some bring them to the vvater, & in baptizing say thus: In the name of the vnknovven father of all thinges, in the truth mother of all thinges, and in him vvhich descended vpon Iesus. Some other pronounce hebrevv vvords, to the end the yong conuerts, might thervvith be the more amazed. But omitting these things, after that the fourth yeare of Hyginus was expired: Pius tooke the publicke ministery of y ^• Pius bish. of Rome. Marcus b. of Alexandria. Celadion b. of Alexādria. Anicetus b. of Rome. Aegesippus. church of Rome. At Alexandria Marke is chosen their shepherde, when Eumenes had continued there Bishop, thirteene yeares. After Marke had bene Bishop ten yeares: Celadion succeeded him in y ^e church of Alexandria. And at Rome, after y ^e death of Pius, which departed the fiftenth yeare: Anicetus was placed minister, vnder whom Egesippus sayth of him self y ^• he came to Rome, where he remained vnto the time of Eleutherius. But specially Iustinus at that time, disposing the heauē ­ly doctrine, in a Philosophers atyre, contending by his commentaryes for the faith which he em­braced: Wrote a booke against Marcion, who at y ^• present time liued, & was wel knowne, for these are his words. Marcion of Pontus at this present, teacheth such as harken vnto him, to beleue in a Iustinus Martyr. certaine God, greater then the maker of all things, vvho among all sortes of men, (ayded by the subtiltie of Satan) hath seduced many, to blaspheme, and to deny the maker of all thinges to be the father of Christ, and to confesse some other that should be greater then he▪ as many as come of him are called Christians, euen as it fareth vvith Philosophers, though they be not addicted to the same precepts in philosophie: yet the name of a Philosopher is common to all. To these he addeth: VVe haue vvritten a booke against the heresies novv raigning if you please you may reade it. The same Iustinus hath valiantly encountred with the Gentiles, & dedicated Apologies [Page 63] in the defence of our fayth vnto Antoninus, by syrname Pius, and to the Senate of Rome, for he dwelled at Rome, and declareth who, and whence he was, in his Apologie writing thus.

CAP XII.

VNto the Emperour Titus Aelius. Adrianus vnto Antoninus Pius, most noble Caesar, Iustinꝰ Mar­tyrs Apolog. Antoninus was called T. Aelius Adri­anus because he was ado­pted of T. Aelius Adri­anus the Emperour. and vnto Verissimus his adopted sonne and true Philosopher, vnto Lucius sonne of the Philosopher Caesar, and adopted of Pius, fauourer of learninge, and vnto the sa­cred Senate, vvith all the people of Rome, in their behalfe, vvhich among all sortes of men, are vniustly hated, and reprochfully dealt vvithall: Iustinus the sonne of Priscus Bacchius, borne in Flauia, a nevve city of Syria in Palaestina, one of them, and one for them all, doe make this request, &c. The same Emperour receauing a supplication of others, in the behalfe of the bre­thren in Asia, which were greeued with all kinde of contumelyes practised vppon them by their prouincialls: graciously sent vnto the commonaltye of Asia, this constitution.

CAP. XIII.

THe Emperour Caesar, Marcus, Aurelius, Antoninus, Augustus, Armenicus, Pontifex maximus Antoninus the Empe­rour, vnto the commōs of Asia. fiftene times tribune, thryse Consul, vnto the communalty of Asia, sendeth greeting. I am sure the Gods are not so secure, but that they disclose hurtfull persons. For these men pu­nishe such as vvil not vvorship the Gods, more greuously then you doe, vvhich thus vexe them, and confirme the opinion vvhich they conceaue of you, to be Atheists, or godlesse men. It is their desire in Gods quarell, rather to dye, then to lyue. so that they become conquerers, yel­dinge their liues vnto the deathe, rather then they obey your edictes. It shall seeme very ne­cessarye to admonishe you of the earthquakes, vvhich haue and doe happen among vs, that be­ing thervvith moued, ye may compare our estate, vvith theirs. They haue more confidence god­vvardes, then you haue. you during the tyme of your ignorance, despise other Gods: contemne the religion of the immortal God: banish the Christians vvhich vvorship him, & persecute them vnto the death. In the behalfe of these men, many of the prouinciall Presidentes haue vvritten heretofore vnto our father, of famous memory, vvhome he aunsvvered in vvriting againe, that they vvere not to be longer molested, vnlesse they had practised treason, agaynst the Romayne empire. & many haue giuen notice vnto vs of the same matter, vvhom vve aunsvvered as our fa­ther did before vs. If any therefore hereafter be founde thus busied in other mens affayres: vve commaund that the accused be absolute, & free, though he be founde such a one, I meane faul­ty, and that the accuser be greeuously punished. This edict was proclaymed at Ephesus, in the hearing of the greate assembly of Asia, witnesse hereof is Meliton, Bishop of Sardis, (which flo­rished Melitō wrot an Apology. at y ^e time) in his profitable Apologie for our doctrine, deliuered vnto the Emperour Verus.

CAP. XIIII.

IRenaeus reporteth that while Anicetus was Bishop of Rome, Polycarpus as yet liued, and came to Rome, and questioned with Anicetus▪ concerning the day of Easter. An other thinge yet, he reporteth of Polycarpus, in his thirde booke against heresies, which needefully must here be an­nexed, Polycarpus (sayth he) vvas not only instructed by the Apostles, and conuersant vvith ma­ny Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 3. Polycarpus the Disciple of S. Iohn being olde was seene of Ire­naeus being yonge. vvhich savve Christe but also of the Apostles ordayned Bishop of Smy [...]na in Asia▪ vvhome vve in our youthe haue also seene, for he lyued long, and vvas very olde, and at lengthe fini­shed this lyfe vvith moste glorious▪ and renovvned Martyrdome▪ vvhen he had continually taught that he learned of the Apostles vvhich the Churche at this daye deliuereth for vndoub­ted trueth. All the Churches of Asia, and as many vnto this daye as succeeded him in that seae beare vvitnesse that Polycarpus vvas vvorthier of credit, th [...]n Valentinus, & Marcion, & then the vvhole rabble of peruerse people. For he being [...] Rome, in conference vvith Anicetus, con­uerted [Page 64] many of the foresayd Heretickes, vnto the Church of God, preaching the one, and one­ly trueth, receaued of the Apostles, and deliuered by the Churche. There be yet aliue vvhich hearde him reporting, hovve that Iohn the Disciple of Christ, entring into a bath at Ephesus, to bayne him selfe, and spying vvithin the Hereticke Cerinthus, departed the bath vnbayned, and sayd: Let vs departe hence, lest the bath fall, vvherein Cerinthus, the svvorne enemy of the trueth bayneth him selfe. And Polycarpus on a tyme meeting Marcion face to face, vvhich sayd vnto him, knovve vs, aunsvvered: I knovve thee for the firste begotten sonne of Satan. So zelous vvere the Apostles, and their Disciples, that they communicated not in vvorde, vvith the corrupters of the trueth, according vnto that of Paul: eschevv him that is an Hereticke, after the Tit. 3. Antoninꝰ Pi us died Ann. Domi. 163. & him succe ded Marcus Aurelius Ve­rus, vnder this Verꝰ the 4. of the tēne persecutions was raysed. Lucius being the sonne of Verꝰ was called the bro­ther of Antoninꝰ because he vvas ado­pted togither with him. first and seconde admonition, knovving that such a one is peruerse, and condemned a sinner by the testimony of his ovvne conscience. There is extant an epistle of Polycarpus vnto the Philip­pians, very profitable for such as are carefull of their saluation, vvhere they may knovve the true character of fayth, and the right rule of doctrine. So farre Irenaeus. Polycarpus in the fore­sayde Epistle vnto the Philippians (at this daye extant) alleadgeth testimonyes out of the for­mer Epistle of Peter. When that Antoninus syrnamed Pius, had ended twenty and two yeares, in the Romayne Empire: Marcus Aurelius Ʋerus, and Antoninus his sonne, togither with Lu­cius his brother, succeeded him.

CAP. XV.

WHen Asia was visited with greate persecution, Polycarpus was crowned with martyr­dome. I suppose it necessary, to penne in this our historye, his ende, which at this daye is published in writing. The Epistle is in the person of the Churche where he was President, vnto the Parishes throughout Pontus, signifying the circumstance about Po­lycarpus, in this sorte:

Specially they wrote of Germanicus, that he valiantly endured and ouercame through the grace of God Germanicus torne in pee­ces of wilde beastes. that corporall feare of death, graffed in the frayle nature of man. For when as the Proconsull exhorted him to relent, admonished him of his tender yeares, prayed him to pitye his owne case, being nowe in the flowre of his youth▪ He without intermission, enty [...]ed the beaste to deuoure him, yea constrayned, and compelled, that with speede, he might be dispatches of this wrongfull, and wicked life. Which patience and constancye of the blessed Mar [...] ▪ and of the whole Christian nation, the multitude of In [...]dels behoulding, sodainly began to sho [...]: [...]oue the vvicked, seeke out Polycarpus. And when there was a great tumu [...]e raysed, by reason of this clamor, a certaine Phrygian, by name Quintus, lately come out of Phrygia, trembled at the fler [...]e Qulntus vn­constant in persecution. rage of the terrible beasts, and shrinked at the sight of their grimme visage, and betrayd his owne safety, with his slacknes of courage. For the same epistle testifieth of him, that he personally ap­peared together with the rest before the barre, more of rashues, then of any religion, and being taken, be publickly protested: that none ought to intru [...]e him selfe, amonge such men, without good deuotion, neither intermedle in m [...]s wherewith he hath not to doe. But of these men [Page 65] thus much. Toutching the renowned Polycarpus, they write, that he hearing the report of this cruell persecution, was nothing therewith moued, but retayned the immoueable tranquilitye of his minde, continued still in the city, vntill at length he was perswaded through the petitions of such a [...]: prayed him, to goe aside for a season, and to get him to a certayne farme place, not farre from the city, where he abode with a fewe, occupied day and night onely in prayer, making hum­ble supplications after his vsuall manner: for the tranquillitye, and peace of all congregations throughout the world. Being in prayer, three dayes before he was taken, and now fallen a sleepe, Polycarpus is forewar­ned by a visi­on of his mar tyrdome. he sa [...]e in a vision by night, the pillowe vnder his heade set a fire, and sodainly consumed to ashes, when he waked, forthwith he enterpreted this vision vnto them that were then present, playnly progn osticating, that it shoulde come to passe, that his life shoulde be ended, that his bodye shoulde be burned for the testimonye of Christ. They write further, that when the searchers were nowe at hande, at the instant, and earnest entreaty of his friendes, be fleeted thence vnto an other village, where incontinently the pursuers came, which tooke two boyes of that place, and scourged them vntill that one of them confessed the circumstance, and ledde them vnto the lodginge of Polycarpus. When they had entred in, they founde him lying in an vpper cham­ber, where he might haue escaped, if that it had pleased him. But he sayde▪ The vvill of the Lorde be fulfilled. for he vnderstandinge of their pretence, as the reporte goeth, came downe, commoned with them pleasantly, and chearefully, so that they which knewe him not before, stedfastly eyed his comely age, his graue, and constant countenance, marueyling that such a doe was made, so much labour spent, and that a man of such yeares shoulde be taken. He com­maunded the table forthwith to be couered, meate to be layde on, requested them to make mea­ry, craued of them the space of one houre for prayer, that being graunted, he rose vp, went to prayer, so replenished with the grace of God, that such as were present, and prayed, hearing his deuotion, were rauished, and many sorowed, that so honest, and godly a father, shoulde dye. After these thinges the Epistle contayneth in manner these wordes following:

Such was the end of the blessed Apostolicke Polycarpus, published in wrytinge by the brethren of the Church of Smyrna in the aforesayde Epistle, where is also contayned the martyrdome of sundrye others, that suffred then with Polycarpus, whereof one Metrodorus Metrodorus burned. Pionius bur­ned. suspected of the heresie of Marcion was burned with fire, and consumed to ashes. And amonge the Martyrs of that tyme, there was one Pionius, very famous, who for his protestations and liberty of speache and Apologies for the fayth bothe in the presence of the people and Magistra­tes: for his godly sermons, and comfortinge perswasions of such as faynted in persecution: for his consolation vnto suche as were imprisoned: for his exhortations vnto the brethren resorting vnto him: for his constancye in his manyfolde, and greeuous torments and afflictions: for his pa­cience in the firye pyle flashing about: and last of all for his quiet death: is highly commended, Eusebius wrot a book of Martyrs which is not extant. Carpus, Papylus, Agathonica, martyrs. and published to the prayse of God, in that booke of ours which contayneth his Martyrdome, Whereunto I referre the reader. Also there are extant other monuments of certayne Martyrs that suffred at Pergamus, a Citie of Asia. As of Carpus, Papylus, and Agathonica a woman, who after their notable confessions, suffred gloriouse Martyrdome.

CAP. XVI.

AT that time Iustinus of whome we made mention before, when he had dedicated a booke in the defence of our doctrine, to the foresayd Emperours was crowned with martyrdome by the maliciouse meanes of Crescens the philospher, professing in life and learninge the sect of Cynickes, for Iustinus in open disputations, and publicke conference had with this philoso­pher, bare away the bell which tended to the shortning of his life, and the hasteninge of his ende. This thinge did this famous philosopher in his foresayd Apologie foresee and signifie in these words. I looke for no other thinge then this, but that I be betrayed of some one of thē called philosophers Iustinus mar­tyr Apolog. 2. , or knockt in the head vvith a clubbe by Crescens, no philosopher in deed, but a state­ly iangler. It is not requisite that vve call him a philosopher, vvhich of ignorance reporteth that the Christians are impious and irreligious, to the ende he may please and flatter such as are ouer­shadovved vvith the miste of error and darkenesse. For either he impugneth the doctrine of the Christians vvhich he hath neither readd nor knovven, then is he full of malice & farre vvorse then Idiotes that alvvayes bevvare they reason not of vnknovven matters, least they beare false vvitnesse: or els he readeth them, but vnderstandeth not the mystery and maiesticall meaning [Page 68] thereof, or if he vnderstande, he dothe it that he be not taken for suche a one, then is he a­gayne farre more vvicked, and spitefull, the bondslaue of vayneglo [...]ye, and bruti [...]he seare: for I vvoulde haue you vvell to vnderstande, and to recount my tale for trueth, that I haue proposed certayne questions, and demaunded certayne interrogatoryes of him, vvherein I haue founde and knovve rightvvell that he knovveth nothing. If that these conferences haue bene neyther bruted, neyther blased in your hearing: I am ready agayne to rehearse the same vnto you. This vvill be a Princely parte and a vvorthye vvorke, for your honour to heare. If you knevve bothe vvhat I demaunded, and vvhat he aunsvvered: you vvoulde soone gyue sentence, that he is altogether ignorant in our doctrine. Or if he knovveth it, he dareth not vtter it for feare of his auditours, and hereby to be proued (as I sayde before) no philoso­pher, but a flatterer, contemninge that vvhich Socrates highly esteemed. No mans fonde, vayne, or foolish humor vvith flatterye to be fedde. Thus farre Iustinus. And that he peri­shed through the practise of Crescens, Tatianus a man instructed from his youth vp in pro­phane literature, and praysed very much for the profit he tooke therein, testifleth in his booke against the Gentiles wryting thus: The famous philosopher Iustinus sayd very vvell, that the Tatianus lib. contra gen­tes. philosophers then vvere to be likened to theeues. A litle after he sayth: Crescens being nevvly come vnto that great Citie passed all men, in that vnnaturall, and shamefull sinne of Sodom, de filing himself vvith mankind, inferior to no mā in couetousnes, taught, that death vvas not to be feared, yet he vvas so feareful of it that he procured Iustinus death for a great mischiefe, pouring out the poyson of his malice, bycause that he preachinge the trueth reprehended the philoso­phers, for gluttonous and deceitfull persons. such was the cause of Iustinus martyrdome.

CAP. XVII.

THe same Iustinus before he suffred, remembred in his Apologie, such as were martyred before him, very pertinent for this our purpose, wryting thus: A certain vvoman there Iustinus in his Apology reporteth a certain hi­story of a mā & his vvife. vvas maryed vnto an husbande vvholy giuen vnto lasciuious life and leudnes, vvhereun­to she hir self vvas in times past addicted, vvho vvhen she had learned the doctrine of Christ re­pented hir of hir former life, and embraced chastitie, and exhorted hir husbande likvvise to repēt, expounding vnto him the doctrine vvhich threatned vnto intemperate, and beastly liuers euerlasting punishment, of endlesse fyre. But he neuerthelesse altogether set vpō the same levvd nesse, separateth by his vnlavvfull meanes his vvife from him. for she sayd that it vvas thence­forth vnlavvfull for hir, to vse company at bedd, and at borde, vvith that man, vvho contrarie vnto the lavve of nature, beyonde all right and reason, sought meanes to satisfie his filthy luste and therefore vvould be diuorced from him. But through the persvvasions of her frends, she re­uoked hir sentence, & changed hir mind, vvho counsayled hir, a litle vvhile quietly to liue toge­ther that there vvas great hope at length of his repentance: refrained hir self and continevved vvith him in vvedlocke. VVhen hir husbande vvas gonne to Alexandria, and there knovven to haue practised farre more levvd factes, least that she should be made partaker of his vvicked fa­ctes and haynous offences by continevving in his company at bedd and boord, in the bonde of matrimony: she made a bill of diuorce (as vve tearme it) she vvas separated and vvent a­vvay from him. Then this good man (vvhen he shoulde haue reioyced that his vvife vvhich Ironia. of olde vvas slaundered of hir seruantes and accused of hir levvdnesse: vvhich of olde vvas giuen to dronkennesse, and all kinde of spite: novve had renounced hir former life, and ex­horted him to the same repentance vvith hir, vvhome she diuorced because he kept other com­pany) accused hir that she vvas a Christian. And she gaue vp a supplication vnto thee (ô Empe­rour) humbly requesting, that she might first dispose hir househould affaires, & after the dispo­sition and ordering thereof, to aunsvvere vnto that vvhich she vvas accused for, the vvhich thing thou diddest graciously graūt, but he (hir husband somtimes) hauing no colour, nor cloke, to accuse his vvife: bent his bovve and leueled thus at Ptolomaeus, vvho instructed hir in the Christian fayth, & endured tormēts vnder Vrbicius the Iudge. He had to his frend the Centurion, vvhom he persvvaded to impryson Ptolomaeus: to entreat him roughly vvithall: & to demaund of him if he vvere a Christiā. vvhich vvhen Ptolomaeus, one that vvas zealous for the trueth, no flatterer, no dis­sembler, Ptolomaeus martyred. had confessed himselfe to be: the Centurion cast him into pryson vvhere he vvas longe [Page 69] punished. Aftervvardes being brought before Vrbicius, of this onely he vvas examined: if he vvere a Christian, vvhose conscience bearing him vvitnesse of no crime, but in a iust cause: con­fessed that he had preached the true, and heauenly doctrine of Christ. For he vvhich denyeth himselfe to be that man he is, either condemneth that vvhich is in him by denyall: or knovving him vnvvorthy and estranged from the matter, refuseth to confesse: vvhere of neither is found in a true Christian. And vvhen Vrbicius commaunded that he should be brought forth: one Lu­cius (that vvas also a Christian) seing the sentence giuen contrary to all reason, sayde to Vrbicius VVhat reason is it (O Vrbicius) that thou shouldest condemne this man for confessing the name of Christ: vvhich hathe committed neither adultery: neither fornication: neither manslaughter, neither theft: neither robbery: neither any vvicked offence, that he may iustly be charged vvith­all. Thy Iudiciall sentences do become neither Pius the Emperour: neither the philosopher the sonne of Caesar: neither the sacred Senate. Vrbicius aunsvvering nothing to these thinges sayde to Lucius: and thou seemest to me, to be such a one. Lucius aunsvvered: I am so, and he com­maunded him forthvvith to be brought forth to the place of executiō. For this, Lucius thanked Lucius mar­tyred. him, & sayd that by this meanes he should be deliuered, from such vvicked maysters, & go vnto a gracious God, his father, and King. After this a third stept forth vvhich suffred the like. In the end Iustinus concludeth with y ^• rehersall of that which we remembred before, saying: And I looke for no other, then that I be betrayed by some one of them, that are called philosophers.

CAP. XVIII.

IVstinus hathe leaft vnto the posterity many monuments, of his instructed minde, and right vn­derstanding: full of all kind of profitt, vnto the which we referre the studious readers, and withall we will note such as came to our knowledge. first: a supplication vnto Antoninus Pius: and his sonnes: and to the Romayne Senate: in the defence of our doctrine. Agayne: an Apo­logy vnto y ^• sayd Emperours successor, by sirnam [...] Antoninus Verus, whose time we presently do prosecute. He wrote also agaynst the Gentiles: where at large he disputeth many questions, both of ours, and the heathenish philosophers doetrinet of the nature of spirites, altogether impertinent for this our present purpose. He wrote an other booke also agaynst the Gentiles, intituled a con­futation or reprehension. After that of the monarchie of God, collected not onely out of the sa­cred Scriptures, but also out of prophane wryters. Next one intituled: Psaltes. An other: of the soule, as by way of annotation, alleaging diuers [...] questions, and many opinions of the hea­then philosophers, differring the consutation and his definitiue sentence, vntill an other place. Lastly of all he wrote a dialogue agaynst the Ievves disputing at Ephesus with Tryphon, then a famous Doctor among the Ievves, where he beela [...]eth how the mercifulnes of God brought him to the knowledge of the true fayth: how he diligently studied philosophie: and earnestly sought after the trueth. In that dialogue of the Ievves, declaring their spite against the doctrine of Christ he inueieth against Tryphon thus: You haue not onely hardened your selues from repentance, but haue sent chosen men from Ierusalem, vvhich shoulde passe through out the vvorlde, and pronounce: that there vvas a certaine Christian Heresie spronge, slaunderinge vs as the rest doe, vvhich knovve vs not, so that thereby you proued your selues authors of falsehood, not onely to The gifte of prophecye was in Iusti­nus, and Ire­naeus time [...] Irenaeus li. 5. Irenaeus li. 4. cap. 14. Erasmus no [...] without caus [...] suspecteth this opinion of Irenaeus in his prolo­gue to the fif [...] booke of I­renaeus. Anno Do­mini. 171. Soter b. of Rome. Agryppas byshope of Alexandria. Cap. 20. after the Greeke. Teophilus b. of Antioch Cap. 21. after the Greeke. Egesippus. Dionysius. Pinytus. Philippus. Apolinarius Meliton. &c. Cap. 22. after the greeke. your ovvne people but to all other nations. He wryteth also, how that vnto his time the gifte of prophecy flourished in the Church. He remembred the reuelation of Iohn, plainely affirming: that it was the Apostles, he alleageth many places of the prophets, charging Tryphon: that the Ievves rased them out of the Bible. It is reported he wrote many other things, well knowne vn­to diuerse of the brethr [...]. His workes of old, were in great reuerence, Ir [...] in his fourth booke remembreth him, saying: Iustinus vvryting agaynst Marcion sayth very vvell. Nether vvoulde I haue beleued in the Lord, if he had shevved any other God, besides the ma [...] of all thinges. And in his first booke▪ Iustinus sayd vvell that before the cōming of our Sauiour, S [...]thā durst not blaspheme God, in so much he knevve not certainely of his condemnation before that tyme. These thinges were needfull to be noted: that the [...]sous might [...]nestly embrar [...] his workes. so farre concerning Iustinus.

CAP. XIX.

IN y ^• eight yeare of the sayd Emperours raygne, when as Anicetus had bene byshope of Rome eleuen yeares: Soter succeded. And in Alexandria after that Celadion had gouerned fourteene yeares: Agryppas came in place* In the Church of Antioche Theophilus was the sixt from the Apostles: Heros the fift: Cornelius the fourth.

CAP. XX.

IN those dayes Egesippus flourished in the Churche, one of the moste auncient: and Dionysius byshope of Corinthe: and Pinytus byshope of Creta: Philippus: Apollinarius: Meliton: Mu­sanus: Modestus: but specially Irenaeus. of all which number, there are monuments leaft in wryting vnto the posteritie of their Apostolicke traditions and sounde fayth.

CAP. XXI.

EGesippus in his fiue bookes, left vnto the posteritie a full remembrance of him, where he de­clareth that comminge to Rome, and conferringe with many byshopes: he founde them all of one minde, and the same doctrine: we haue also to vnderstande of the worthy reporte al­leaged by him toutching the Epistle of Clemens, wrytten vnto the Corinthiās saying: The church Egesippus. of Corinthe remayned in the pure and right rule of doctrine, vnto the tyme of Primus byshop there, vvith vvhome (meaninge the Corinthians) sayling to Rome, I conferred: and abode many dayes: and vvas conforted very much by reason of them and their doctrine. Being come Thebulis through am­bition be­came an he­reticke. Simon. Cleobius. Dositheus. Gorthaeus. Masbothaei. Menandria­nists. Marcionists. Carpocra­tians. Valentinians Basilidians. Saturnilians. Essaeans. Galilaeans. Hemeroba­ptists. Masbothaeās Samaritans. Saduces. Pharises. The Gospell after the He­brewes, and Syrians. Prouerbes of Solomon. Apocrypha published by heretickes. Cap. 23. after the greeke. to Rome, I stayd there vntill that Anicetus vvas stalled byshop, vvhose Deacon vvas Eleutherius vvhome Sother succeded, and after him Eleutherius. In all their successions, and in euery one of their Cities: it is no othervvise then the lavve, and prophets, and the Lorde himselfe preached. The same author reciteth y ^• originalles of y ^• heresies in his tyme wryting thus: After that Iacobus Iustus, had bene martyred, in such sorte as Christ himself vvas put to death this vncle Simō Cleo­pas vvas chosen byshope, vvhome all preferred, because that he vvas the Lordes seconde kins­man, vvherefore they called that church a pure virgin, for as yet the deuell had not sovvne there any corrupt seed of false doctrine. But Thebulis because he vvas not chosen byshop, vvent about to corrupt the same, beinge partaker of the seuen heresies vvhere of one is Symon, of vvhome the Simoniani: and Cleobius, of vvhome Cleobiani: and Dositheus, of vvhome Dositheani: and Gor­thaeus, of vvhome Gorthaeani: and Masbothaei, of vvhome spronge the Menandrianists: Marcionists: Carpocratians: Valentinians: Basilidians: and Saturnilians, vvhereof euery one hath sett a broche, a proper & seuerall opinion. Of these sprang the false christs: the false prophets: the false­apostles: renting a sunder the Church vvith their false doctrine directed agaynst God, & Christ our Sauiour. The same author describeth likewise y ^t old heresies of the Ievves, saying: There vvere in the time of the circumcision sundry sectes among the children of Israell, varying in opinions, & sett opposite agaynst the tribe of Iuda, and Christ, namely theese: the Essaeans▪ the Galilaeās: the Hemerobaptistes: the Masbothaeans: the Samaritans: the Sadduces, the Pharises. diuerse other thinges he wryteth of, the which haue bene partly remembred of vs before, and applyes to their proper and peculier places. Afterwardes he maketh relation of the Gospell after the He­brevves, and Syrians, and seuerally of certayne Hebrue dialectes: and that [...] mean [...]s of the He­brevves, he attained vnto the Christian fayth: with a recitall of other vnwrytten traditions of the Ievves▪ Moreouer Egesippus, and yet not onely he but also Irenaeus, with the whole assembly and company of the elders [...] haue termed the prouerbes of Salomon, wisedome it self, replenished with all kinde of vertue and godlines, and by occasion, reasoninge of the Scriptures called A­pocrypha he sayde that in his time, diuerse of them were published by Heretickes. hereof thus much, now to that which by order of history we are bounde vnto.

CAP. XXII.

FIrst we haue to speake of Dionysius▪ who being byshop of Corinthe freely communicated his diuine and godly labour and industry not onely to such as were his charge, but also to stran­gers, shewing himself most profitable vnto all people, by those, Catholicke epistles which he directed vnto the Churches. of which numbre is that epistle written by him vnto the Lacedae­monians▪ contayning y ^e right institution of christian peace, & vnitie, Moreouer his epistle wrytt vnto the Athenians stirreth the mindes of faythfull men vnto the embracing of the trueth, and e­uangelicall conuersation of life: rep [...]en [...]endeth the gainesayers & despisers thereof: chargeth di­uerse of them, that they were now in manner fallen from the fayth: although Publius there bishop Publius a Martyr. Quadratus Dionysius Areopagita 1. b. of A­thens. in their time had there bene martyred. He remembreth Quadratus the successor of Publius (after his martyrdome in the byshoprick) & testifieth of him, that by his meanes they were vnited, and stirred to the fayth. He sheweth moreouer howe that Dionysius Areopagita conuerted vnto the fayth, according vnto that which is wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles▪ was by Paul placed the first byshop of Athens. There is extant also an other epistle of his vnto the Nicomedians, where repugninge the heresie of Marcion: he fortifieth the right rule of fayth. And vnto the Churche of the Gortynenses, together with other congregations throughout Creta he wryteth: commen­ding Philip there byshope, for that the Church committed vnto his charge was beautified and be­decked Philip. by the proufe of many vertuous properties: warninge withall that they should auoide the wilfulnes of peruerse heretickes. And wryting to the Church of Amastris together with the rest throughout Pontus: he mentioneth Bachilides, and Elpistus, at whose instant motion he wrote: Bachilides. Elpistus. Galma. and Galma there byshop: interlacing expositions of sundry places of Scripture. He admonisheth them at large toutching mariage and virginitie [...] commaundinge also to receaue after repentance such as fell, how soeuer it happened, eyther of purpose, or by heretical perswasiō. Unto this there is annexed an epistle vnto the Gnosij, where theyr byshope Pinytus is admonished not to charge Pinytus. Vowed cha­stitie forbid­den. necessarily the brethren, with the greuous burthen of vowed chastitie: but to haue consideration of the frail imbecillity of many natures. vnto the which epistle Pinytus making answere extolleth & commendeth Dionysius, yet agayne by way of admonition requireth, that stronger meat beinge deliuered, he fead the flocke cōmitted vnto his charge, with more absolute and profound doctrine, least that they lingering in their milkesoppes, and smothe exhortacions, waxe old through negli­gence, in childish nurture. In the which epistle of Pinytus the right rule of fayth: diligent care for the saluation of his flocke: discretion also & vnderstanding of holy scripture, is liuely set forth. last of all there remaineth an epistle of Dionysius vnto the Romaines, namely vnto Soter their byshop Dionysius wryteth of the Romains then: if he were nowe to wryte he could tell an other tale. whereof if we alleage some parte it shall not seeme impertinent, where he commendeth the Ro­maine manner obserued vnto the persecution of our time, wryting thus: It hath bene your accu­stomed manner, euen from the beginning: diuersely to benefitt all the brethren, and to send re­lief throughout the citie, supplying the vvant of the poore by refreshing them in this sorte, and specially the vvante of the brethren appointed for slauishe drudgerie, and digging of mettalls, you Romaynes, of old do retaine the fatherly affection of Rome, vvhich holy Soter your bishop not onely obserued, but also augmented, ministringe large and liberall relief to the vse of the sainctes: embracing louingly the conuerted brethren, as a father doth his sonnes, vvith exhorta­tion of vvholsome doctrine. Here also he remembreth y ^• epistle of Clemens wrytten to the Corin­thians, shewing the same of aunciēt custome, to haue bene read in the Church, for thus be writeth Dionysius readeth in the Churche of Corinthe the epistle of the Churche of Rome, and of Clemens. Dionysius complaineth that here­tickes corru­pted his epi­stles. Cap. 24. after the greeke. VVe haue this day solemnized the holy sunday, in the vvhich vve haue read your epistle & al­vvaies vvill for instructions sake, euen as vve do the former of Clemens vvritten vnto vs. The same author reporteth of his owne epistles that they were patched, & corrupted in these words: VVhen I vvas intreated of the brethren to vvrite, I vvrote certaine Epistles, but the messengers of Satan haue sovven them vvith tares, pulling avvay some, putting to other some, vvhose condemnation is layd vp for certaine. no maruell then though some endeuored to corrupt the sacred Scriptures of God, vvhen as they vvent about to counterfett such vvrytinges of so smale authoritie. Yet be sides all these, there is founde an other epistle of Dionysius to Chrysophora a faithfull sister, where, as it was most mete, he ministreth vnto her spirituall foode conuenient for her calling. thus much toutching Dionysius.

CAP. XXIII.

OF Theophilus byshop of Antioch before mētioned: there are found three bookes of Elemē ­tall Theophilus. Institutions, dedicated vnto Antolicus. again an other entitled: Against the heresie of Hermogenes, where he alleageth many testimonies out of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn. there are also certaine other bookes of his, intitled: of Institutions, but there was neuer no grea­ter plague or pestilence, then the poyson of heretickes: which then infected after the manner of tares, the true seede of Apostolicke doctrine. whome the pastors of the Churches repelled from the flocke of Christ, as if they had bene certen sauadge beastes, partely by adinomtions & exhor­tations vnto the brethren: partly also by encountring with the heretickes them selues: sometimes disputing and questioning with them face to face, to the vtter ouerthrow of their trifling fantasies & sometimes by theyr wrytten commentaries, diligently confuting by way of reprehension theyr fonde opinions. Among whome Theophilus together with others which then labored against thē, was counted famous, who also wrote a booke leaueling at Marcion, the which we knowe toge­ther with the rest, at this day to be extāt. after the desease of this Theophilus, Maximinus being the Maximinꝰ b. of Antioche Anno Domini 179. cap. 25. after the greeke 7. from the Apostles, succeeded him in the Church of Antioche.

CAP. XXIIII.

PHilip whome by the reporte of Dionysius we haue learned to haue bene byshop of the Church Philip. Irenaeus. Modestus. of Gortyna: wrote a most exquisite tract agaynst Marcion. so did Irenaeus, and Modestus which of all others chiefly detected his error vnto the worlde. so did sundrye other learned men, whose bookes are yet to be seene with diuerse of the brethren.

CAP. XXV. Cap. 26. after the greeke.

ABoute this time Melito byshop of Sardis, and Apollinarius byshop of Hierapolis florished, Melito and the cataloge of his bookes who both wrote vnto the Emperour of Rome then raygning, seuerall bookes, and Apo­logies, in the behalfe of our faith: whereof these of Melito his doinges, came to our handes 2. bookes of Easter. of Politicke conuersation, and the Prophets. of the church. of the sundaye. of the nature of man. of the molde of man. of the obedience of fayth of the senses. Moreouer: of the body, and soule. also of our regeneration, or nevvbirth. of the trueth▪ of the faith, and the na­tiuitie of Christ. likewise a booke of his: of prophecie. of the soule, & body▪ of hospitalitie. And a booke intitled: a key an other: of the deuell. an other: of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn, and of God incarnate. last of all a booke dedicated vnto Antoninus. In his booke of Easter he declareth the time when he wrote it, begining thus: In the time of Seruilius Paulus proconsul of Asia, vvhat time Sagaris suffred martyrdome, and the great sturre vvas moued at Laodicea, tourchinge the Melito in his booke of Ea­ster. Sagaris mar­tyred. Apece of the Apologie of Melito vnto the Empe­rour. Sabaoth, vvhich then by reason of the time fell out, these thinges vvere vvrytten of this booke Clemens Alexandrinus made mention, in a seuerall tracte which he wrote of Easter, and purpose­ly (as he testifieth himselfe) by occasion of Melito his booke. In his Apology vnto the Emperour he reporteth the thinges practised against the Christians, wryting thus: The godly people gre­ned, by reason of nevve edictes, published throughout Asia and before neuer practised: novve suffer persecution. for impudent Sycophantes, & greedy gapers after other mens goods, hauing gotten occasion through those proclamations: openly robb and spoile, day and night, such as committee no trespasse at all. And after a fewe lynes he sayth: If this be done through your pro­curemēt, let it stand for good. for the Emperour that is iuste, neuer putteth in practise any vniust thing, & vve vvillingly vvill beare avvay the honor of this death, yet this onely vve hūbly craue of your highnes, that you (after notice and tryall had of the authors of this contention) doe iustly geue sentence, vvhether they are vvorthy of death & punishment, or of lif and quietnesse. but if this be not your maiesties pleasure, and the nevve edicte proceed not from your povver and authoritie, (vvhich vvere not seemely to be sett forthe agaynst barbarian enemies) the ra­ther vve pray you, that you despise vs not, vvhich are greued and oppressed, vvith this common [Page 73] and shamefull spoyle. Agayne to these he addeth: The philosophie novve in aestimation amon­gest Christian re­ligion began to be made manifest in the time of Augustus, for then Christ was borne. vs, first florished among the Barbarians. for vvhen as it florished vnder the great dominion of Augustus, your forefather of famous memorie, it fell out to be a most fortunate successe vnto your empire. For thence forvvardes vnto this daye, the Romaine empire increased and enlarged it selfe vvith greate glorie, vvhose successor novve you are, greatly beloued: and haue bene long vvished for: and vvilbe together vvith your sonne continually prayed for. retaine therefore this religion, vvhich encreased vvith the empire, vvhich began vvith Augustus, vvhich vvas reueren­ced of your auncetors, before all other religions. This vvas a greate argument of a good begin­ning, for since that our doctrine florished together vvith the happie beginning empire: no mis­fortune befell vnto it from the raygne of Augustus vnto this daye: but of the contrary all prospe­rous, and gloriouse, and gladsome, as euery man vvished him selfe. Onely of all others Nero, & Domitian, through the persvvasion of certaine enuious, & dispitefull persons: vvere disposed to bring our doctrine into hatred. From vvhome this sclaunder of flattering persons, raised against the Christians sprong vp, after a brutishe maner or custome. but your godly auncetors corrected their blinde ignorance, and rebuked oftentimes by their epistles, their sundry rashe enterprises. Of vvhich number Adrianus your graundefather, is knovven to haue vvritten both vnto Funda­nus Proconsul, and President of Asia, and to manie others. And your father (yours, I saye, in that you gouerned all thinges together vvith him) vvrote vnto the cities in our behalfe, and vnto the Larissaeans, Thessalonians, Athenians, and to all the Grecians: that they should innouate nothing, nether practise any thing preiudiciall vnto the Christians. but of you vve are fully persvvaded to obtaine our humble petitions, in that your opinion, and sentence is correspondent vnto that of your predecessors, yea and that more gracious, and farre more religious. Thus as ye reade, he wrote in the aforesayde booke. And in his Proeme to his annotations of the olde Testamente, he reciteth the cataloge of the bookes of the olde Testament, then certeine & canonicall (the whiche necessarilie we haue annexed) writinge thus: Meliton vnto the brother Onesimus sendeth gree­ting: Melito wri­teth vnto O­nesimus of the canonical Scripture of the olde te­stament. VVhereas oftentimes (you beinge inflamed vvith earnest zeale tovvardes our doctrine) haue requested of me, to select certaine annotations out of the lavve and prophets, concerning our Sauiour, and our vvhole religion: and againe to certifie you of the summe of the bookes, contained in the olde testament, according vnto their number, and order of placinge: novve at length I (beinge mindefull heretofore also of your petitions) haue bene carefull to performe that you looke for, knovving your endeuer, your care and industrie in setting forth the doctrine of faith, marching forvvards vvith loue tovvards God, and care of euerlasting saluation, vvhich you preferre before all other thinges. VVhen that I traueled into the east and vvas there, vvhere these thinges vvere both preached and put in practise: I compiled into order the bookes of the olde testament, suche as vvere vvell knovven, and sent them vnto you, vvhose names are these: The fiue bookes of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leuiticus, Numeri, Deuteronomium. Then Iesus Naue, the Iudges, the booke of Ruth, foure bookes of kinges, tvvo of Cronicles, the Psalmes of Dauid, the Prouerbes of Solomon, the booke of VVisdome, Ecclesiastes, the Canticles, Iob, Esay, and Ieremie the Prophets. on booke of the tvvelue prophets, Daniel, Ezechiel, Esdras. vpon the vvhich vve haue vvritten six bookes of commentaries. Thus farre Meliton.

CAP. XXVI. These. 2. chapters in the Greeke were one.

ALthoughe there were many volumes written by Apollinarius, yet these onely came to our Apollinarius handes. A booke vnto the foresaide Emperour. fiue bookes against the gentiles, 2. bokes of the trueth. 2 bookes againste the Ievves. and suche bookes as afterwardes he wrote a­gainst the Phrygian heresie, whiche not longe after waxed stale, then firste buddinge out, when as Montanus together with his false prophetisses ministred principles of Apostasie. so farre of him. Montanus the heretick. Musanus. Encratitis. Tatianus. Musanus also spoken of before, wrote a certaine excellent booke intituled: Vnto the brethren, lately fallen into the heresie of the Encratits, which then newely had sprong, and molested man­kinde, with a strange and perniciouse kinde of false doctrine, the autor whereof is sayde to bee Tatianus.

CAP. XXVII.

WE meane that Tatianus, whose testimony a litle before, we haue alleaged toutchinge the renoumed Iustinus, whome also we haue reported to haue bene the Martyrs disci­ple. The same dothe Irenaeus declare in his first booke against heresies, wryting of him and his heresie thus: Out of the schole of Saturninus and Marcion sprange the Hereticks Irenaeus li. 1. cap. 30. 31. Saturniani. Marcionitae. vvhome they call Encratits (that is to say continent persons) vvho taught that mariadg vvas to be abhorred, contemning the auncient shape and molde of man, framed of God and so by sequel, reprehending him that made the generation of man and vvoman. Againe they haue commaunded abstinence from liuing creatures, for so they call them, shevving themselues vn­gratefull tovvards God, vvhich made all thinges for the vse of man. They deny that the first man vvas saued and this blasphemie lately spronge vp, Tatianus beinge originall thereof. vvho Tatianus. vvhilest that he vvas the auditor of Iustinus, reuealed no such thinge, but after his Martyrdome, falling from the Church, & being puffed vp vvith presumptuous estimation and selfe opinion of Doctorship, as though he passed all others: inuented a selfe and a seuerall character or maner of Doctrine. he dreamed of certaine inuisible vvorldes, vvith the Valentinians, preachinge of Valentiniani. mariadge and corruption, and fornication as Marcion, and Saturninus had done before, calling into controuersie of himselfe the saluation of Adam. This doth Irenaeus write in the place be­fore cyted, and a litle after thus: One Seuerus reuiued the foresayd heresi, and became an author Seuerus. Seueriani. vnto his follovvers that of him they vvere called Seueriani. These receaue y ^• Lavve, the Prophets and the Gospells: they expounde names of holy Scripture, as pleaseth them best: they reuile the Apostle Paul: they reiect his Epistles: they deny the Actes of the Apostles. there first author was Tatianus, who patched together, I wot not what kind of mingle mangled consonancy of the Gospells and termed it Diatessaron, which as yet is to be sene of many. some reporte that he pre­sumed Diatessaron. metaphrastically to alter the wordes of the Apostle, correcting as it were the order of the phrase. He left in wryting vnto the posteritie a great numbre of commentaries, but of all the rest that booke of his, against the Gentiles is recounted famous, and taken for the best, and most pro­fitable: Tatianus though an hereticke yet wrote [...]e a learned book agaynst the Gentiles. where mention is made of the former times, with a bold protestation, that Moses and the Prophets among the Hebrevves, were farre more auncient, thē the famous men among the Gen­tiles, and thus stoode these thinges then.

CAP. XXVIII.

VNder the raygne of the same Emperour, when heresies increased, a certaine man in Me­sapotamia by name Bardesanes, being very eloquent and skilfull in logicke: published in Bardesanes a Syrian. wryting in the Syrian tongue, Dialogues together with other bookes, against Marcion, and other graundeheretickes. the which certaine learned men (whereof he had then a great numbre to his disciples, his gift of vtterance did so passe) translated from the Syrian into the Greeke tongue, of which bookes, that dialogue intitled of Desteny, and dedicated vnto Antoninus the Emperour, is of greate force. The report goeth that he wrote many other bookes, by occasion of the persecution raysed in those times. This man was first schooled by Valentinus, but afterwards reprehendinge and condemning his fabulous dreames: transformed and altered himselfe of his owne accord embracing the sounder sentence, and yet scarcely so, washed he altogether away the spotts of the former heresie. About this time Soter byshop of Rome departed this life. Anno. 179.

CAP. I.

IT was the countrey of Fraunce, wherein the theatre of this wrastlinge (before mentioned) laye. whose chief cities and most frequented in respect of the rest in the same region are Lions and Vienna. Through bothe which Cities the riuer Rhodanus doth runne compassinge that whole countrey. The holy Churches there, sent this letter toutching their martyrs, vnto the Churches throughout Asia and Phrygia, making relation of their affaires after this manner.

CAP. II.

SUch were the calamities which happened vnto the Churches of Christ, vnder the sayd Em­perour, whereby me may [...] by all likely hoode, what befell vnto other prouinces. neither shal it be amisse, if out of the same epistle we alleadge farther testimony, concerning The French men write thus of their martyrs. Philip. 2. the mercy and mekenesse of the foresayd Martyrs, written in this manner: They vvere such fol­lovvers of Christ (vvho vvhen he vvas in the forme of God, thought no robbery to be equall vvith God) that being sett in such a glory, they suffered torments, neither once, nor tvvyse, but often, and againe being reskued from the beastes, hauing the prynt of hott irons, and skarres, and vvoundes in their bodies, neither called they them selues Martyrs, neither permitted others so to terme them. but if any of vs so named them in our epistles, they sharply rebuked vs, they The suffring of Christ is rather to be termed [...] redemption. 1. Pet. 1. then [...] martyrdome. Who be martyrs and who confessors. attributed the name of martyrdome vvith full minde vnto Christ, vvho vvas the faythfull and true Martyr, the first frutes of the deade, the guyde vnto life. they called to minde their misera­ble torments, vvhich ended the race and course of this life vvith blessed martyrdome, and saide: They novv are Martyrs, vvhome Christe voutchsafed to receaue vnto him by confession, and through the passage of this persecuted life, to seale their martyrdome among the number of the blessed Sainctes: but vve are meane, and base, and humble confessours. they beseached the bre­thren vvith vvatrish eyes, and vvett cheekes to pray incessantly for their happy endes. they ex­pressed liuely the povver of martyrdome, vvhile they resisted the Heathens vvith libertye and boldenesse, shevving their noble corage through pacience, their constancy vvithout feare, or trembling, and being called Martyrs of the brethren, refused it vvith the fulnesse of the feare of God. And a litle after, thus they writ [...]: they humbled them selues vnder the mighty hande of 1. Pet. 5. God, by the vvhich they are novv highly exalted: they rendred vnto all men an accompt in the defence of their fayth: they accused none, loosed all, and bounde no man: they prayed for their persecutors after the example of Stephan, that perfect Martyr, vvhich sayde: Lorde lay not this Act. 7. sinne to their charge, if he prayed for them that stoned him, hovv much more for the brethren? Againe, a litle after they say: the greatest combatt they had vvith him (meaning the serpent) vvas for the syncerity of loue. so that the roring lyon being foyled before, novv quickened and sturred vp such as he thought to haue had deuoured. they shevved no insolent atrogancye to­vvards They re­ceaue after repentāce such as fell in per­secution. them that fell, but ministred vnto such as vvanted of their aboundance, being affectio­ned vvith motherly pity and compassion tovvards them: and sheading many teares vnto God the father for their sakes, they craued life, and he graunted it them, vvhich life they communica­ted to their neighboures: and so they passing as Conquerours in all thinges, embracing peace, and shevvinge the same vnto vs, departed this life vvith peace, and posted vnto the heauen­ly & celestiall paradise: leauing no griefe behinde them vnto the mother, no sedition or vvarre vnto the brethren: but ioye, and peace, and concorde, and loue. I suppose these thinges not to be vnprofitably spoken of vs, toutching the loue of the blessed Martyrs towardes the brethren that fell, whereby we may note the vnnaturall, and mercylesse mindes of such as after these ex­amples greeuously afflicte the members of Christ.

CAP. III.

THe same epistle of the foresayd brethren, contayneth an history worthy of memory, which without let of the enuious, may be layd downe to the knowledge of the Reader, and it is thus: There vvas among them one Alcibiades, vvho liued beastly and miserly, feeding on­ly The French­men in their foresayd epistle writ thu [...] also of Alci­biades. on breade and vvater. VVhen he had so determined vvith him selfe to liue in prison, it vvas re­uealed vnto Attalus after his torment on the Theatre: that Alcibiades behaued not him selfe a­right, in that he vsed not the lavvfull creatures of God, and thereby also gaue an occasion of falling vnto others, hereof vvhen Alcibiades vvas persvvaded, he vsed all indifferently, and pray­sed God. for they vvere not destitute of the grace of God, but had the holy Ghost for their di­recter. Montanus Theodotus and Alcibia­des (not the former) false prophets. of these thinges thus much. When as Montanus, and Alcibiades, and Theodotus, then fresh, and first of all, of many throughout Phrygia, were thought to be endued with the gyfte of prophe­cye, [Page 82] (for many other miraculous operations, wrought by the diuine power of God in many places, perswaded them that these had also the gifte of prophecye) and because of them, sediti­on was raysed: agayne, the brethren inhabiting Fraunce, layde downe in writing, their godly and Catholicke censure of them, and withall, alleadged sundry epistles of the holy Martyrs that suffered among them, which (being in close prison) they had written vnto the brethren throughout Asia, and Phrygia, in the which also they called and prouoked Eleutherius then▪ Bi­shop of Rome, to the defence of the Ecclesiasticall peace.

CAP. IIII.

THe same Martyrs highly commended Irenaeus, minister of the Church of Lions▪ vnto the foresayd Bishop of Rome, as their owne wordes declare in this manner: Father▪ Eleuthe­rius The Martyrs in Fraunce to Eleutheriꝰ b. of Rome in the com­mendation of Irenaeus b. of Lions. vve vvishe you health in all thinges, and alvvaies in God. VVe haue requested: Irenae­us our brother & fellovv laborer, to deliuer you these letters, vvhome, vve pray you to accept of▪ as a zelous follovver of the vvill of Christ. for if vve vnderstoode that any mans degree yelded forth, and deliuered righteousnes vnto the graduate, namely as being minister of the Church▪ vvhich this man is, vve vvoulde haue chiefly commended this in him. To what ende shoulde I now out of the same epistle, rehearse the catalogue of Martyrs, I meane of them which were be­headed, and of them which were deuoured of wilde beastes, and of them which dyed in prison, and the number of those confessors, who then as yet liued? for if any man be disposed at large to reade thereof, let him take in hande my booke of Martyrs, where the collection thereof is im­prynted. Eusebius wrote a boke of Martyrs, which is not extant. these thinges were after this manner in the tyme of Antoninus the Emperour.

CAP. V.

THe historyes doe recorde, that when his brother Marcus Aurelius the Emperour, warred Marcus Au­relius the brother of An­toninus. against the Germans and Sarmatians, his hoast in manner perished with thirste, so that he wist not what to do: and that the souldiers of the legion called Melitana, moued againe & a­gaine with faithfulnes towards their Prince, bowed downe vppon their bare knees (as our accu­stomed manner of praying is) in the middest of the army, turning them to the enemyes, and made supplication vnto God. When as this sight seemed straung vnto the enemies, there was shewed a The Christi­an souldiers doe pray for rayne, imme­diatly it ligh­tened & ray­ned. farre more straung spectacle, to wit: lightening, which put the enemies to flight & ouerthrowe, & withall a showre of rayne to refreshe the armye, which welnigh perishing with thirst, powred out their prayers before the high throne of the maiestie of God. This history is reported by such as fauored not the Christian fayth, yet were careful to set forth the things which concerned the fore­said persons. it is also written by our men. but of the heathen Historiographers them selues, the miracle is mentioned, not expressly to proceede by the meanes of our men, yet our writers as friendes, and fauorers of the true doctrine, haue deliuered simply, and plainly the deede, as it was done. wherof Apollinarius, is a witnes of creditt, who reporteth that this legion (by whose praiers this miracle came to passe) was from y ^• time forth called by y ^e Emperour in the Romayne tongue after a peculier name, the Lightening legion. Tertullian also a man worthy of good creditt, dedi­cating The lighte­ning legion. an Apology in y ^• Latine tongue, vnto y ^• Romayne Senate, in the defence of our faith (wher­of we mentioned before) hath confirmed this history w ^t a mightier & more manifest proofe, for he writeth y ^• the most prudent epistles of Marcus, are yet extant, where he testifieth him selfe, y ^• war­ring w ^t the Germanes, through the scarsitie of water, his army welnigh perished, but yet was sa­ued through y ^e prayers of y ^e Christians. he saith y ^t this Emperour threatned them w ^t death, which went about to accuse them. vnto the aforesaid thinges he addeth: vvhat maner of lavves are these Tertullian in Apolog [...]. against vs? impious, vniust, cruell, vvhich neither Vespasian obserued, although conquerour of the Ievves: vvhich Traian partly frustrated, commaunding the inquisition, for the Christians, to cease: vvhich neither Adrianus, although busying him selfe vvith euery matter, nether he vvhich vvas called Pius confirmed. but weye of this euery man as pleaseth him, we will prosecute that Irenaeus who in his youth was the auditor of Polycarpꝰ succeedeth Pothinus in the Bishoprik of Lyons in Fraunce. [Page 83] which followeth in order of historye. When Pothinus of the age of foure score and tenne yeares, had ended this life, together with the other Martyrs in Fraunce: Irenaeus succeeded him in the Bishoprike of Lions. whome we haue learned in his youthe to haue bene the auditor of Polycar­pus. this same Irenaeus in his thirde booke against the heresies, annecteth the succession of the Ro­maine Bishops, vnto Eleutherius, whose tymes presently we prosecute, and reciteth the cataloge of them, as if it were his speciall drift, writing in this manner:

CAP. VI.

THe blessed Apostles planting, and buylding the Church, committed vnto Linus the go­uernment Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 3. 2. Timoth. 4. Paul. Peter. Linus. Anacletus. Clemens. Euarestus. Alexander. Xystus. Telesphorus Hyginus. Pius. Anicetus. Soter. Eleutherius. of the ministery▪ This Linus, Paul remembred in his epistle vnto Timothe▪ him succeeded Anacletus, after him Clemens, the thirde from the Apostles: vvhich both savve them, had his conuersation vvith them, and had both the preaching and tradition of the blessed Apostles, graffed in his minde, and paynted before his eyes. neither vvas he yet alone, for there liued at that time, a great many vvhich vvere ordayned by the Apostles. In the time of this Cle­mens there vvas raysed no small sedition among the brethren at Corinthe, vvherfore the church of Rome vvrote vnto the Corinthians a vvorthy epistle, reconciling them vnto peace, and re­nevving their faith, and tradition, lately receaued of the Apostles. A litle after he sayth: After this Clemens, succeeded Euarestus: after Euarestus, Alexander: after Alexander, Xystus: he vvas the sixt from the Apostles. aftervvards Telesphorus, vvhich vvas gloriously crovvned vvith mar­tyrdome. him follovved Hyginus. then Pius. after him Anicetus, vvhome Soter succeeded. Novv Eleutherius vvas the tvvelfe Bishop from the Apostles. after the same order, the same doctrine, & tradition of the Apostles, truely taught in the Church, at this day continevved vnto our time.

CAP. VII.

THese thinges Irenaeus agreeable vnto the historyes mentioned before, hath layde downe in those fiue bookes, which he wrote to the subuersion and confutation of the falsely named science. agayne in the seconde booke of the same argument, he signifyeth how that vnto his tyme, signes and examples of the straunge, and wonderfull power of God, were seene florishing in certayne Churches, saying: they are farre from raysing of the deade, Irenaeus lib. 2 cap. 57. as the Lorde and his Apostles did, through prayer, and as many of the brethren many times, the vvhole Churche of some certayne place, by reason of some vrgent cause, vvith fasting, and chaste prayer, hath brought to passe, that the spirite of the deade returned to the body. and man vvas by the earnest prayers of the Sainctes, restored to lyfe agayne. A litle after he sayth: But if they say the Lorde vvrought these thinges phantastically, vve vvill leade Irenaeus lib. 2 cap. 58. them vnto the practised examples of the Prophetes, and proue out of them, that they all prophecied of him after this manner, and that these thinges vvere done in deede, and that he vvas the onely sonne of God. VVherefore in his name they that be his true Disciples, receauing grace of him, bende their vvhole might to this ende, that euery one, after the quantitie of the talent receaued, doe benefitt the other brethren. some soundely and truely expell deuills, so that they being deliuered of their euill spirites, embraced the fayth, and vvere receaued into the Church: others haue the foreknovvledge of thinges to come, they see diuine dreames, & pro­pheticall visions: others cure the deseased and sickly, restore them to their health, by their lay­ing on of handes. Novv according to our former saying, the deade vvere raysed to life, and li­ued together vvith vs many yeares. for the gracious giftes of the holy Ghost are innumerable, vvhich the Church, dispersed throughout the vvhole vvorlde, hauing receaued, disposeth day­ly in the name of Iesus Christ crucified, vnder Pontius Pilate, to the benefitt of the Gentyles: se­ducing none, neither selling to any at any pryce, as she hath receaued them freely, so freely she bestovveth them. Againe, in an other place Irenaeus writeth: as vve haue hearde of many Irenaeus lib. [...] brethren in the Churche vvhich had the gift of prophecying: vvhich vvere able through the ho­ly Ghost to speake vvith sundry tongues: vvhich coulde reueale the secretes of men vvhere it so behoued, and expounde the darke mysteries of God. thus much of the diuersity of giftes, which florished among the worthy men vnto that time.

CAP. VIII.

FOr as much as in the beginning of this our treatise, we haue promised in their seuerall pla­ces, to alleage the testimonies of the auncient ecclesiasticall elders, and writers, which they haue written to our knowledge, & deliuered to the posteritie toutchinge the canonicall scri­ptures of bothe the olde and newe testament: nowe we will endeuour to performe the same. And beginninge with Irenaeus, firste of all let vs see, what he hath written of the newe testament, his Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 1. Matthewe. Marcke. Luke. Iohn. wordes are these: Matthewe deliuered vnto the Hebrues the historie of the Gospell, vvritten in theire ovvne tongue. VVhen Peter and Paul preached at Rome, and planted the churche, after their departure Marke the disciple and interpreter of Peter also, deliuered vs in vvritinge suche thinges as he had hearde Peter preache. and Luke accompanyenge Paul, comprised in one vo­lume the Gospell preached of him. After these, Iohn the disciple of our Lorde, vvhich also lea­ned on his breaste, published a Gospell vnto the posteritie remaining at Ephesus. This hath he written in his thirde booke. And in the fifte of the same argument he reasoneth of the reuelation Irenaeus lib. 5 of Sainct Iohn, and the calculation of Antichristes name: These thinges beinge thus, vvhen as in all true and auncient copies, this numbre is layde dovvne: and they also testifie the same vvhiche savve Iohn vvith their eyes, and the vvorde it selfe teacheth vs, that the number of the beastes name, according vnto the numbring of the Gentiles, is declared by the letters, ex­pressed in the vvord it selfe. (A litle beneath of the same thus he sayth,) VVe doubte nothing of the name of Antichrist, of the vvhich vve affirme sure & certenly. for if his name at this present VVhen the reuelation of Sainct Iohn was first sene vvere openly to be published, no doubt it had bene done by him vvhich pronounced the reue­lation▪ neither vvas the reuelation seene long agoe, but vvelnighe in this our age, vnder the end of Domitians raigne. thus muche he sayed of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn. He hath made mention of the firste Epistle of Iohn citing thence many testimonies. also of the former of Peter. and he, not onely knewe, but allowed of the booke of Hermes intituled Pastor, sayeng: That vvritinge hath Irenaeus allea geth pastor lib. 2. mādat. 1. very vvell pronounced vvhich saithe: before all thinges beleue there is one God, vvhich hath created and made perfect all thinges, &c. Hee hath vsed also certaine sentences selected out of the booke of VVisdome of Solomon, where he sayeth: The sight of God bringeth incorru­ption, incorruption dravveth a man vnto God. He cyteth the woorkes of some one Apostolicke elder, whose name he passeth ouer with silence, yet pronounceth his interpretation of holy scrip­ture. Moreouer he remembred Iustinus Martyr and Ignatius, alleaging their writinges for testi­monies. he hath promised to confute Marcion in a seuerall volume. but of the translation of the Marcion. Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 23. 24. Esay 7. Theodotiō. Aqnila. Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 25. olde testament by the septuagintes heare what he writeth in these wordes: God then vvas made man & the Lord himselfe hath saued vs geuing vs a Virgine for a signe, not as some saie vvhich presume to interprete the Scriptures: beholde a damsell shall conceaue and bring forth a sonne as Theodotion the Ephesine, and Aquila of Pontus translated, vvhich vvere both Ievvish prose­lytes, vvhom the Ebionites folovving, haue taught that Christ vvas borne of Ioseph and Marie. After a fewe lynes he addeth sayinge: Before the Romaine empire grevve to be of suche force vvhen as yet the Macedonians helde Asia, Ptolomaeus the sonne of Lagus fullie minded to erect a librarie at Alexandria, and to replenishe the same vvith all such good bookes as vvere extant: requested of the Ievves inhabiting Ierusalem, that they vvould sende him their bookes, transla­ted into the Greeke tongue. they (forasmuche as they vvere as yet subiect vnto the Macedoni­ans) The septua­gints. sent vnto Ptolomaeus, seuentie elders, from among them, very skilfull in their bookes, and both the tongues. God no doubt disposinge this thinge after his pleasure. Ptolomaeus for tryals sake, fearing, if they conferred together they vvould conceale the truth reuealed in their bokes: commaunded them seuerally euery man by himselfe to vvrite his translation, and this in euery booke throughout the olde testament. VVhen as they all came together in presence of Ptolo­maeus, and conferred the translations one vvith an other, God vvas glorified, and the Scriptures diuine in deede, vvere knovven. for all they from the beginninge to the endinge, had expressed the selfe same thing, vvith the selfe same vvordes, and the selfe same sentences. so that the Gen­tils then present, pronounced those scriptures to haue bene translated, by the instincte and mo­tion of the spirite of God. neither may it seme maruailous vnto any man that God brought this to passe, for vvhen as in the captiuitie of his people vnder Nabuchodonosor, the scriptures vvere [Page 85] perished (the Ievves returning into their ovvne region, after seuenty yeares, in the tyme of Ar­taxerxes King of Persia) he inspyred Esdras the priest of the tribe of Le [...], that he restored a­gayne all the sayinges of the former Prophetes, and delyuered vnto the people the lavve geuen by Moses. thus farre Irenaeus.

CAP. IX.

WHen Antoninus had raigned ninetene yeares, Comodus succeeded Antoninus, Anno Domi 1826. Agrippinꝰ b. of Alexan­dria. Iulianus b. of Alex. Pantaenꝰ mo derated the schole of A­lex. Euangelistes. Comodus tooke the rule of the imperi­all scepter: in the first yeare of whose raigne Iulianus was chosen Bishop ouer the Churches of Alexandria, after that Agrippinus had gouerned there twelue yeares. There moderated there, at that tyme, the schole of the faythfull, a famous learned man, called Pantaenus. for that of olde, exercise and disputation in holy Scripture florished among them, insti­tuted (as we are giuen to vnderstande) by such men as excelled in eloquence, and studye of holy Scripture. it is written that amonge them which then liued, this Pantaenus was in great estima­tion, brought vp among the secte of Philosophers, called Stoickes. he is sayd to haue shewed such promptnes of a willing minde, towards the publishing of the doctrine of Christ, that he became a preacher of the Gospell, vnto the Easterne Gentiles, and was sent as farre as India. there were, (I say) there were then, many Euangelistes prepared for this purpose, to promote, & to plant the heauenly word with godly zeale, after the guyse of the Apostles. Cap. 10. af­ter the greke. The Gospell of Matthewe in Hebrew at India. Bartholo­mew prea­ched in India Cap. 11. after the Greeke. of these Pantaenus being one, is sayd to haue come into India, where he founde the Gospell of Matthewe, written in the Hebrewe tongue, kept of such as knewe Christ, preached there before his comming by Bartholomewe, one of the Apostles, and as they reporte, reserued there vnto this daye. This Pantaenus then after he had done many notable thinges, gouerned the Church of Alexandria, where by rote, and by wri­ting, he published much precious doctrine.

CAP. X.

TOgether also at that time was Clemens founde at Alexandria, well exercised in holy Scripture, of the same name with him which of old was byshop of Rome, and disciple of the Apostles, and namely in his bookes intitled Hypotyposeon he maketh mention of Pantaenus by the name of his master. I suppose him to haue meante the same, in his first booke in­titled Stromatôn when he recited, the moste renowmed, and famous men, of the Apostolicke suc­cession, Clemens. Alexandrinꝰ lib. 1. Stro­matôn. whome he embraced saying: If it be best to confesse the trueth, this present taicte of mine is not made for any ostentation, but for a monumente graffed in minde: or rather a medi­cene, to expell the forgetfulnes of mine olde age, that it may be vnto me a simple resemblance, or a sleyght kinde of portracture, of those notable and liuely men, vvhome sometimes I harde vvith mine eares, of vvhich both sayinges, and sainctes, on vvas of Grece an Ionicke, an other of great Grece, one of Caelosyria, an other of Aegypte: some from the east, vvhereof one vvas an Assyrian: an other of Palaestina of the Hebrevve bloode. he vvhich is last in order of name, vvas the first in renovvned vertue. I remained in Aegyptshiftinge out such thinges as lay in secrett, vvhē I founde him. these haue obserued the right tradition of true doctrine, vvhich before they had receaued of Peter, Iames, Iohn, Paul, holy Apostles, as a sonne of the father, yet very fevve like theyr fathers. God no doubt disposing that those fatherly & Apostolicke seedes should by them be layed vp and reserued for vs.

CAP. XI. Cap. 12. after the greeke.

AT this time was Narcissus byshop of Ierusalem, a man very famous, the fifteeneth in suc­cession Narcissus. b. of Ierusalem Marcus. Cassianus. Publius. Maximus. Iulianus. Caius. Symachus. Caius. Iulianus. Capito. Valens. Dolichianus Narcissus. Cap. 13. after the Greeke. from the ouerthrowe of the Ievves, vnder Adrian. from which time we haue signi­fied before the Churche after the Ievves, to haue bene gouerned by the Gentiles, and the first byshop of them to haue bene Marcus, next him was Cassianus, after him Publius, after Publius [Page 86] Maximus. after Maximus, Iulianus. after Iulianus, Caius. after Caius, Symachus. after Symachus an other Caius. after him, an other Iulianus. him succeeded Capito. after him Valens. after Valens, Doli­chianus. after all Narcissus, the thirtieth in succession from the Apostles.

CAP. XII.

ABout the same time florished one Rhodon, an Asian, sometime at Rome, by his owne report the disciple of Tatianus, who wrote many bookes, and together with others impugned the heresie of Marcion. he paynteth this heresie in his time to haue bene seuered, into sundry sectes. the Authors of which schisme, and their false positions, seuerally inuented, he hath sharply and in fewe wordes reprehended. heare him if you please, writing thus: VVherefore they varied Rhodon an Asian. Apelles. Philumaena. Marcion. Pontinus. Basilicus. Lycus. among themselues, coursing an vnconstant sentence. of that crue vvas Apelles, pretending a po­liticall kinde of conuersation, and sadde grauitie: confessing one beginning, and saying, that prophecyes are of a contrary spirite: fully crediting the sentences and deuelishe doctrine of a mayde called Philumaena. others some (as the rouer Marcion) haue layde dovvne tvvo begin­ninges, of vvhich opinion are Pontinus, and Basilicus. these follovving Lycus of Pontus, not per­ceauing the right distinction of thinges, (no more did he) runne headelong out of the vvay, and published barely, and nakedly vvithout shevv, or proofe of reason, tvvo principall beginnings▪ againe others some, falling farre vvorse, haue dreamed, not onely of tvvo, but of three natures, vvhose author and ringeleader is Synerus, by the report of them vvhich fauour his doctrine. The Synerus. Rhodon re­porteth of the disputati on betwene him and A­pelles. same Rhodon writeth, that he had conference with Apelles, saying: by reasoninge vvith this olde Apelles, I tooke him vvith many falsehoodes, vvhereupon he sayd: that no man vvas to be exa­mined of his doctrine, but euery man to continevve quietly, as he beleued. he pronounced sal­uation for such as beleued in Christ crucified, so that they vvere founde exercised in good vvor­kes. his doctrine of the God of all thinges, vvas maruelous darke, and obscure. he confessed on beginning agreeable vvith our doctrine. after he had layde downe his whole opinion, he sayth: VVhen I demaunded of him hovv prouest thou this? hovve canst thou affirme that there is one beginning? tell vs. he made ansvvere that he misliked vvith the prophecies them selues, for that they vttered no trueth, but varied among them selues that they vvere false, and contrary to them selues. hovv that there vvas one beginning, he sayd: He knevve not, but yet he vvas so persvva­ded. aftervvards I charged him to tell me the trueth. he svvare he sayd the trueth, neither knevve he hovv there vvas one God vnbegotten, yet beleued he the same. I truly condemned him vvith laughter, for that he called him self a doctor, and coulde not confirme his doctrine. In the same booke Rhodon speaking to Calliston, confesseth him self at Rome to haue bene the disciple of Tati­anus. he reporteth that Tatianus wrote a booke of Problemes. Wherefore when as Tatianus pro­mised to sifte out, the darke speaches and hidd mysteries of holy Scripture: Rhodon promised al­so Rhodon in Hexameron. Apelles the Hereticke wrote infinit bookes. in a peculiar volume, to publish the resolutions of his Problemes. his commentaries vpon the six dayes vvorkes, are at this day extant. but Apelles wrote infinite tractes, impiously agaynst the lawe of Moses, reus [...]ing in most of them, the holy Scriptures, very paynfull and earnest in the re­prehension, and (as he thought) in the ouerthrowe of them. of these thinges thus farre.

CAP. XIII. Cap. 14. after the greeke.

THat sworne enemy of the Church of God, hater of all honesty, embracer of all spite & ma­lice, omitting no opportunitie or subtle shift to snare men in, stirred vp againe straunge he­resies, to molest the Church, and of those Heretickes some crept into Asia, and Phrygia, af­ter Montanus. Priscilla. Maximilla. the manner of venemous serpents. whereof the Montanists bragge and boaste of Montanus as a comforter and of his women Priscilla and Maximilla as Prophetisses of Montanus. others some preuayled at Rome, whose captayne was Florinus, a Priest excommunicated out of the Churche. Cap. 15. af­ter the greke Florinus. Blastus. cap. 16. after the greeke and together with him one Blastus, subiect to the same daunger of soule. both these haue subtly circumuented many, and perswaded them to their purpose, euery one seuerally establishing newe doctrine, yet all contrary to the trueth.

CAP. XIIII.

THe victorious and inuincible power of the trueth alwayes preuailing, hath raysed vp A­pollinarius of Hierapolis (of whome we spake before) as a stiffe and strong defence, to­gether with many other discreate persons of those tymes, to the confutation of the fore­sayd Phrygian heresie. whiche haue left behinde them matter sufficient, and very copious, for this our historye. Wherefore one of them taking penne in hande, to paynte out these heretickes, signi­fieth at the entrance how he rebuked them with vnwritten elenches, he beginneth thus: It is novv Apollinarius b. of Hiera­polis tout­ching Mon­tanus & his originall. a great vvhile agoe (vvelbeloued Auircus Marcellus) since thou diddest enioyne me this taske▪ that I should publish some booke against the follovvers of the hereticke Miltiades, vvherupon I doubted vnto this day, vvhat vvas best to be done. not but that I vvas able to confute their false­hoode, and geue testimony vnto the trueth: but that I feared greatly, lest by vvriting, I shoulde adde something vnto the perfect vvordes of the nevv testament. vvhereto nothing may be ad­ded, and vvherefro nothing may be taken avvay, by him, that vvill leade a life agreeable to the Gospell. I being of late at Ancyra in Galatia, founde the Churche throughout Pontus, filled, not vvith Prophets, (as they call them) but rather, as it shall be proued, vvith false Prophets: vvhere through the Lorde, as much as in me laye, I disputed in the Churche, the space of many Apollinarius disputed and cōfuted Mō ­tanꝰ figmēts at Ancyra in Galatia. Zoticus O­trenus. dayes, against them, and their seuerall obiections. so that the Churche reioysed, and vvas there­by confirmed in the trueth. but the contrary parte yet repyned, and the gaynesayers vvere very sorovvefull. and vvhen the Elders of that place required of me, in the presence of our fellovve minister Zoticus Otrenus, that I vvould leaue them in vvriting, some commentary of such things as vvere vttered against the aduersaries of the trueth: At that time I did not, but promised, that I vvoulde shortly, through the helpe of the Lorde, vvrite somevvhat therof vnto them. these and the like thinges layd downe in the proeme, in processe of his booke he writeth thus: VVherefore the originall of them, and their nevve founde opinion against the Churche of God, vvas af­ter this sorte: there is a certaine village in Mysia, (a region of Phrygia) called Ardabau, vvhere Ardabau. Montanus. histories recorde, that first of all, one Montanus, a late conuerte, in the time of Gratus, Proconsul of Asia, pufte vp vvith an immoderate desire of primacy, opened a gappe for the aduersary to enter into him. and being madde and sodainly estraunged, and berefte of his vvitts, vvaxed furious, and published straunge doctrine, contrary to the tradition, and custome, and auncient succession (novv receaued) vnder the name of prophecy. they vvhich then vvere auditors of this vnlavvfull preaching, some chasticed & checked him, for a lunaticke, & one that vvas possessed of the spirite of error, & forbad him to preach, being mindful of the forevvarning, & threatning of our Sauiour, tending to this ende: that vve shoulde take diligent heede of false prophets: o­thers Matth. 24. some vvaxed insolent, boasted & bragged of him not a litle, as if he vvere endued vvith the holy Ghost, & the gift of prophecye: being forgtefull of the forevvarning of God, they cal­led vpon the dissembling, the flattering and seducing spirite of the people, (by the vvhich they vvere snared, & deceaued) that through silēce he should no more be hindred. the deuil through a certain arte, or rather the like subtle methode, vvorking the destruction of disobedient persons being more honored thē his merit did require: stirred vp & kindled their mindes, svvarued alrea­dy from the faith, & slumbring in sinne, so that he raised tvvo vvomen, possessed of a foule spirit 2. womē the prophetisses of Montanꝰ. vvhich spake fonde, foolish, & fanaticall thinges (euen as he had before) they reioyced, & glori­ed in the spirite vvhich pronounced them happy, and puffed them vp, vvith infinite faire promi­ses. yet sometimes by signes and tokens he rebuked them to their faces, so that he seemed a cha­sticing spirite. there vvere fevve of the Phrygians seduced, notvvithstanding, that boulde and blinde spirite, instructed them to blaspheme, and reuile generally, euery Church vnder heauen, because they neyther did homage, neyther curteously receaued amonge them, that false spi­rite The Chur­ches, the sy­nodes & faith full of Asia▪ condemned Montanus. Apollinarius of the endes of the false prophets of prophecye. the faithfull throughout Asia, for this cause men often and in many places, examined the nevve founde doctrine: pronounced it for prophane▪ they excommunicated, reiected, and banished this hereticall opinion, out of their churches. When he had written these thinges, in the beginning, and throughout his first booke reprehended their error: in his seconde booke he writeth thus of their endes: because they charge vs with the deathe of the Prophets, for that vve receaue not their disordered fantasies (these saye they are the Prophets vvhiche the Lorde promysed to sende his people) let them aunsvvere me, I charge them in the [Page 88] name of the liuing God, ôye good people: is there any one of the secte of Montanus, and these vvomen, vvhich hath bene persecuted by the Ievves, or put to deathe by any tyrant? not one of them bearing this name, vvas eyther apprehended, or crucyfied. neyther vvas there any vvoman of them in the Synagogues of the Ievves, eyther scurged, or stoned at all. but Mon­tanus, and Maximilla, are sayde to dye an other kinde of deathe. many doe vvrite that Montanus & Maximilla hanged them selues. both these, throughe the motion of their madde spirit, not together at one tyme, but at se­uerall tymes, hanged them selues, and so ended their lyues, after the manner of Indas the traytour. euen as the common reporte goeth of Theodotus, that iolly fellovve, the first foun­der Theodotus the hereticke flying vp, broke his necke. of their prophecye, vvho being frenticke, persvvaded him selfe on a certayne tyme through the spirit of error, to take his flight vp into the heauens, and so being caste into the ayre, tom­bled dovvne and dyed miserably. thus it is reported to haue come to passe. yet in so muche vve savve it not vvith our eyes, vve can not (Ovvorthy Syr) alleadge it for certayne, vvhether Montanus, Theodotus, and the vvoman dyed thus, orno. Agayne he writeth in the same booke, howe that the holy Bishops, going about to rebuke the spirite, which spake in Ma­ximilla were hindered by others, that wrought with the same spirite, sayinge as followeth: let not the spirite of Maximilla saye as it is in the Epistle to Asterius Ʋrbanus: I am cha­ced as a vvolfe from the sheepe. I am no vvolfe. I am the vvorde, the spirite, and povver: but let him manifestly expresse that povver, by the spirite, and preuayle. let him compell such men as then vvere present to trye, and conferre vvith that talkatyue spirite. namely these vvorthy men and Bishops: Zoticus of Comanum, and Iulian of Apamia: to confesse the same. vvhose mouthes vvhen the companions of Themison had stopped, they suffered not the lying spirite, and seducer of the people to be rebuked. In the same booke after he had layde downe other thinges to the confutation of Maximilla his false prophecyes, he declareth with all, the tyme when he wrote, and their prophecyes foreshewing warres and sedicions, whose fonde fantasies he confuteth in this sorte: And hovv can it othervvise fall out but that this be Apollinarius of the salse prophecies of the Mon­tanists. founde a manifest vntrueth and open falsehoode. For novve it is more then thirtene yeares agoe since this vvoman dyed, and yet in all this space, hath there happened in this vvorlde neither ci­uill, neither generall vvarres, but especially the Christians, through the mercy of God haue had continuall peace. Thus much out of the seconde booke. out of the thirde booke we will alleadge a fewe lynes, agaynst them which gloried that many of them were crowned with martyrdome, for thus he writeth: VVhen as they are in the premisses blanked, confuted, and voyde of argu­ments, Apollinarius lib. 3. they flye for shift and refuge vnto martyrs, reporting them selues to haue many, affirming that to be a sure and a certayne proofe of the propheticall spirite raygning among them. nei­ther is this a most euident proofe as it appeareth, for diuers other hereticall sectes haue many Martyrs, vnto vvhome for all that, vve neither condescende, neither confesse that they haue the Not the death but the cause of it proueth a Martyr. trueth among them. And first for all the Mareionites affirme they haue many Martyrs, vvhen as for all that their doctrine is not of Christ him self according vnto the trueth. a litle after he sayth: these that are called to their tryall, and to testifie the true fayth by suffring of Martyrdome, are of the Churche: they communicate not vvith any of the Phrygian hereticall Martyrs, but are seuered from them, consenting no not in one iote vvith the fonde spirite of Montanus, and his vvoman, and that this vvhich I saye is moste true, it shall euidently appeare by the examples of Caius, and Alexander, Martyrs of Eumenia, vvho suffered in our tyme at Apamia, situ­ated vppon the ryuer Maeander.

CAP. XV. Cap. 17. after the greeke.

IN the afore sayd booke, this Apollinarius remembred the Commentaries of Miltiades, who likewise wrote a booke against the foresayd heresie. the wordes by him cyted were in this sort: these things haue I briefly alleadged, and found vvritten in some one of their commentaries, Apollinari­us out of Miltiades works alleadgeth this. vvhich confute the booke of Alcibiades, vvhere he declareth that it is not the property of a Pro­phet, to prophecye in a traunce. a litle after he rehearseth the Prophets of the newe Testa­ment, among whome he numbreth one Ammias, and Quadratus, saying as followeth: A false Prophet in a traunce, vvhere licence, and impunitie doe concurre, beginneth vvith rashe igno­raunce, & endeth vvith furious rage and frensie of mind, as it is sayd before. of this sort, & in such [Page 89] traunce of spirite they shalbe able to shevve vs non of the prophetes, ether of the olde, or of the nevve testament, neyther shall they be able to glory of Agabus, of Iudas, of the daughters of Agabus. Iude. The daug­hters of Philip. Aminias. Quadratus. Philip, of Ammias the Philadelphian, of Quadratus, neither of any other, vvhich may any thing auaile them: Againe he wryteth: If that as they say, after Quadratus, and Ammias the Philadelphian, these vvomen of Montanus, succeeded in the gift of prophecy: lett them shevve vvho aftervvardes succeeded Montanus, and his vvomen. for the Apostle thinketh good, that the gift of prophecie should raigne in euery Church, euen vnto the ende, but novve for the space of these fouretene yeares, since Maximilla dyed, they are able to shevve vs not one. so farre he. this Militiades whome he remembreth, leaft vnto vs in wryting other monu­mentes Miltiades bookes. of his laboure, and industrie, in the holy Scriptures: aswell in the bookes he wrote agaynst the Gentiles as also in the books agaynst the Ievves. satisfieng & confuting in two books their seuerall argumentes, and opinions. afterwardes he wrote an Apologie of the Christian philosophie, which he embraced vnto the potentates and princes of this world.

CAP. XVI.

TO be briefe this Phrygian heresie was confuted by Apollonius an ecclesiasticall writer who then (I saye at that time) florished in Phrygia: he published a seuerall booke against it, he refuted their prophecyes, accompting them for vayne lyes: he plainely opened and re­uealed the conuersation of such as were principall and chief patrons of this heresie of Monta­nus, he wrote in this manner: But vvhat kinde of nevve Doctor this is, his vvorkes and do­ctrine Apollonius against the Montanistes. doe declare. This is he vvhich taught the breakinge of vvedlocke: this is he vvhich prescribed lavves of fastinge: this is he vvhich called Pepuza and Timium (peltinge pari­shes of Phrygia) Ierusalem, to the ende he might entice all men from euery vvhere to frequent thither. this is he vvhich ordayned tolegatherers & taxers of money▪ this is he vvhich vnder pre­tense and colour of oblations, hath conningely inuented the arte of bribinge: this is he vvhich giueth greate hyre vnto the preachers of his doctrine, that by feedinge of the panche his pro­phecies may preuaile. Thus much of Montanus, and immediatly of his Prophetisses he wry­teth: VVe haue shevved before, these first prophetisses, from the time they vvere filled vvith theyr false spirite, to haue forsaken theyr husbandes, hovve shamefully then do they lye calling Priscilla a virgin? He addeth sayinge: Doth not the-vvhole Scripture forbydde, that a pro­phete The prophe­tisses of Mon tanus re­ceaue gifts. Themison a montanist with money deliuered himself from pryson. shoulde receaue revvardes, and money? VVhen I see a prophetisse receaue golde and siluer, and precious garmentes, hovve can I chuse but detest her? Agayne of an other he sayth: And besides these, Themison also inflammed vvith the burninge thurst of couetousnesse, tasted not of the tarte conyzance of confession, before the tyrant, but shifted himself out of fetteres, vvith much money. And vvhen as therefore he shoulde haue humbled himselfe, yet he all in braggery, as if he vvere a martyr after the example of the Apostle vvrote a catholicke epistle, very presumptuously, to enstructe them vvhich beleued better then he did, and to exhort them to striue for the nevve doctrine together vvith him, and to reuile the Lorde, and his Apo­stles, and his holy Churche. Againe speakinge of one of theyr highlye esteemed Martyrs he wryteth in this sorte: And that vve trouble not our selues vvith many, lett the prophetisse tell vs toutchinge Alexander, vvho called himselfe a Martyre: vvith vvhome she hathe banque­ted: Alexander a thief yet a martyr of Montanus secte. Math, 10. Luk. 9. vvhome also many doe adore: vvhose theftes and other haynous crimes vvhich he suf­fred for, I vvill not presently rehearse, for they are publickely knovven and registered, vvhose sinnes hathe he pardoned? vvhether doth a prophete yeld thefte vnto a Martyre, or a mar­tyr an immoderate desire of plenteousnesse and gathering vnto a prophete? vvhen as Christ cō ­maunded you shall not possesse gold, neither siluer, neither tvvo coates, these of the contrarye, seke after the possession of vnlavvfull substance. vve haue declared, that they, vvhome they call prophetes, and martyrs, haue extorted money, not onely of the riche, but of the poore, the fatherlesse, and the vvidovves. but if they pleade innocency, let them staye and ioyne vvith vs in ishvve, in the same matter, vpon this condition that if they be ouerthrovven at leaste vvise from hence forthe, they vvill cease to committe the like sinne agayne. VVe haue to proue the vvorkes of Prophetes. The tree is to be knovven by his fruyte. And that Math. 7. the case of Alexander maye be knovven, of suche as desire it [...] he vvas condemned at [Page 90] Ephesus by Aemilius frontinus, liuetenant, not for his pofession, but for presumpteous and Stibium is a white stone founde in sil­uer mines by rubbinge the skinne it maketh it looke very faire. Thraseas a martyr. boulde enterprised theft, being a levvd person, and vnder false pretense of Christian profes­sion, vvherevvith he cloked the mater, seducinge the faythfull of that place: he vvas pardo­doned and sett at liberty. the congregation vvhereof he vvas pastor, because he vvas a thiefe, vvoulde not admitt him. They that vvill knovve further of his offences, I referre them vnto publicke recordes▪ for by confutinge him, vvhome the prophete hathe not knovven by dvvellinge together many yeares, vve declare vnto the vvorlde by him the stedfastnesse of the prophete. VVe are able to shevve at large the conformity of bothe partes. But if they haue any confident perseuerance, lett them beare the reprehension. Agayne in an other place of the same booke, he wryteth of theyr Prophetes thus: If they deny theyre Prophetes to haue bene bribers, lett them affirme it condicionally that if it be proued: they be no lon­ger Prophetes. hereof vve are able to alleadge many particular proufes. all the vvorkes of a Prophete are necessarily to be proued. tell me (I beseche you) is it seemely for a Prophete to paynte himselfe in coloures? is it seemly for a Prophete to smothe himselfe vvith the vvhite glisteringe stibium? is it seemly for a Prophete neatly to pyncke and gingerly to sett forthe himselfe? is it seemely for a Prophete to dise and to carde? is it seemely for a Prophete to be an vsurer? let them ansvvere me vvhether these be lavvefull, or vnlavvefull. I vvill proue these to be theyre practises. This Apollonius in the same booke sheweth the time of his wryttinge, to be the fortyeth yeare since Montanus inuented this false, and forged prophecy. Agayne he declareth howe that Zoticus (mentioned before by the former Author) went about at Pepuza, to reprehende, and confute the fayned prophecy of Maximilla, and the spirite which wrought in her: but yet was forbidd by such as fauored her folly. he remembreth one Thraseas a martyr of that time. This tradi­tion first is to be suspected for that christ ( Matth. 28. Marc. 16.) commaūded the Apostles to passe throughout the worlde & to preache the Gospell. secondly for that he char­ged them ( Luc. 24. Act. 1.) to tary in Ie­rusalem but vntill they were endued with power from an high which was fifty dayes after the a­scention. Cap. 19. after the Greeke. he declareth as receaued by tradition, that the Lorde commaunded his Apo­stles not to departe from Ierusalem vntill the twelfe yeares ende. he alleageth testimonyes out of the Reuelation, and reporteth howe that Sainct Iohn raysed at Ephesus, by the deuine power of God, one that was deade to life againe. other thinges he wryteth by the which he hath fully confuted, and ouerthrowen the subtle sleighte of the foresayed heresie, these thinges of Apollonius.

CAP. XVII.

THis Serapion remembred the workes of Apollinarius, where he confuted the sayed he­resie, who then is sayd to haue succeeded Maximinus in the byshopricke of Antioche. he maketh mention of him in a peculier Epistle vnto Caricus Ponticus where also the sayed Serapion byshop of Antioch Epist. ad Cari cum ponticū heresie is confuted thus: I vvoulde haue you to vnderstande this also, hovve that the opera­tion of this deceatefull purpose called the nevve prophecy, is impugned, and counted for de­testable, and cursed doctrine of all the Churches throughout Christendome. I haue sent vnto you the learned vvrytinges of Claudius Apollinarius that holy byshope of Hierapolis in Asia. In this Epistle of Serapion there are subscriptions of many byshops, one subscribeth thus: I Au­relius Cyrenius martyr vvishe you health. An other thus: Aelius Publius Iulius byshop of De­beltum a citie of Thracia, as sure as the Lorde liueth in heauen, vvhen as holy Zotas of An­chia vvoulde haue cast out the deuell vvhich spake in Priscilla, the dissemblinge hypocrites vvoulde not permitt it. And many other byshops gaue the same censure, and subscribed with theyr owne handes to the sayed Epistle. the affayres then went after this forte.

CAP. XVIII.

I Renaeus wrote diuers Epistles to the confutation of suche as corrupted at Rome the sincere rites of the Churche. he wrote one to Blastus of schisme, an other to Florinus of Monarchie or the rule of one. or she winge that God is not the author of euell. which opinion Florinus [Page 91] seemed to be of, but afterwardes he being seduced with the error of Ʋalentinus: Irenaeus, wrote against him that booke intitled: ogdoas by interpretation the number of eightie, where he si­gnifieth himselfe Immediatly to haue succeeded the Apostles. the ende of which booke hathe this notable protestation necessarily to be graffed in this our history for it is read as followeth: Cap. 20. after the Greke. Irenaeus lib. de Ogdoade which is not extant. I charge thee in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and his glorious comminge, at vvhat time he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead, vvho so euer thou be that copiest this booke: that thou peruse this copie, and diligently correcte it after the example of my ovvne hande vvrytinge, and that thou putt to likevvise this charge and sett it dovvne after the vvrytten co­pye. This was profitably spoken and faithfully remembred of vs, that we may behoulde the aunciente and right holy men, as a moste exquisite and right paterne of earnest care and dili­gence. Againe Irenaeus in his epistle to Florinus, reporteth, that he had conuersation with Po­lycarpus Irenaeus vn­to Florinus the schisma­ticke. Florinus a courtier then a schismatick last an here­ticke. sayinge: This doctrine (O Florinus) if I may boldly pronounce the trueth, sauoreth not for sounde: this doctrine disagreeth from the Churche, and bringeth such as geue care vn­to it into extreme impietie: this doctrine no, not the heretickes vvhich vvere out of the Church, euer durste to publishe: this doctrine such as vvere elders before vs, and disciples of the Apostles, neuer deliuered vnto thee. I savve thee vvhen I vvas yet a boye vvith Polycarpus in the lovver Asia, liuinge gorgeously in the Emperoures palace, and busienge thy selfe vvith all might, to be in fauoure and creditt vvith him. For I remember better the thinges of oulde then the affayres of late. For the thinges vve sucke of a childe, sincke farther in our mindes, and grovve together vvith vs. So that I remember the place vvhere Polycarpus sate, vvhen he taughte: his goinge out, and his comminge in: his trade of life, the figure and pro­portion of his body: the sermon he made vnto the multitude: the reporte he made of his conuersation vvith Iohn and others, vvhich savve the Lorde: hovve he remembred their sa­ynges, and vvhat he hearde out of theyr mouthes toutching the Lord, of his povver, and do­ctrine: recitinge preceptes, and all thinges consonante to holy Scripture, out of theyr mou­thes I say vvho themselues had seene vvith their eyes the vvorde of life in the flesh. these thinges at that time, through the mercy of God vvhich vvrought in me, I diligently marked, and paynted it not in papyr, but printed it in my harte, vvhich continually throughe the grace of God I ponder, and meditate. And I am able to testifie before God, that if that holy and A­postolicke elder, had hearde any such thinge, he vvoulde haue straight reclaimed, and stop­ped Polycarpus vsed oft to re peate this saying. his eares, and after his maner pronounced: good God into vvvhat times hast thou reser­ued me, that I shoulde suffer such thinges, yea and vvoulde haue straight shunned the place vvhere he sitting or standing had hearde such speaches. to bee shorte this may be reported for true out of the epistles vvhich he vvrote to the confirmation of the borderinge Churches, or out of the Epistles vvhich he vvrote to certaine brethrē for admonition and exhortation sake. thus farre Irenaeus.

CAP. XIX.

THe same yeare vnder Comodus the Emperoure, the rage of the Gentiles was mitigated towardes vs, so that peace was graunted through the grace of God, vnto the vniuer­sall Churche through out the worlde. When as the heauenly doctrine leade the mindes of all mortall men to the embracinge of the true Religion of the onely and vniuersall God: so that many of the nobles of Rome brewe neare, to their soules health and saluation, together with their whole houses and families: It was a thinge altogether intollerable for the deuell, whose nature is altogether enuious, and spitefull, therefore he taketh vs in hande againe, and inuenteth diuerse snares to entrape vs in. he procureth at Rome, Apollonius, a man amonge The accuser of Apollo­nius with the breaking of his legges died misera­bly. the faythfull of that time, for learninge and philosophie very famous, to be brought forth be­fore the tribunall seate, raising his accuser among them, that were fitt ministers for so mali­cious a purpose. But the vnhappie man came out of season to receaue the sentence of iudge­ment. because it was decreed by the Emperoure, that the accusers of the Christians shoulde dye the death: Perennius the Iudge forthwyth gaue sentence agaynste him, that his [Page 92] legges shoulde be broken. Then the beloued Martyre when the iudge had earnestly, and with many wordes entreated him to render an accompte of his fayth before the noble senate: he Apollonius a Christian philosopher exhibited an Apollogie vnto the se­nate of Rome, and afterwards is beheaded. A cruell law. Cap. 22. after the Greeke. Anno Dom. 192. all these bishops flo­rished at one tyme. Victor. b. of Rome. Demetrius. Serapion. Theophilus. Narcissus. Banchillus. Polycrates. exhibited in the presence of them all a notable Apollogie of his fayth in the whiche he suffred martyrdome. Yet neuerthelesse by decree of the senate he was beheaded and so ended this life. For the auncient decre was of force and preuayled amonge theym, that the Christians whiche were once presented before the tribunall seate and not reuoked their opinions shoulde no more be sette at libertie. Wherefore the wordes of Apollonius whiche he answered to Perenius, stan­dyng at the barre and his whole Apollogie offered to the senate who lysteth to knowe: lette him reade our booke of Martyrs.

CAP. XX.

IN the tenthe yeare of the raygne of Comodus, when Eleutherius had gouerned the bishop­ricke of Rome thertene yeares: Victor succeded him. at what tyme also Iulianus after he had continewed tenne yeares, in the bishopes seae of Alexandria, dyed, and Demetrius came in place. at what tyme likewise Serapion, (mentioned a little before) was knowen to be the eyght Bishope of Antioche after the Apostles. Then was Theophilus bishope of Caesarea in Palesti­na, and Narcissus (before remembred) bishope of Ierusalem, and Banchillus bishope of Co­rinthe in Hellada, Polycrates bishope of Ephesus, and an infinite number more (as it is verye likelie) besydes these, excelled at that tyme. but we rehearse theim by name and that, iustlye by whose meanes and writinges the catholicke fayth hath bene continewed vnto our tyme.

CAP. XXI.

AT the same time there rose no small contention because that all the churches throughoute Asia, of an aunciente tradition, thought good to obserue the highe feaste of Easter in the foreteenthe moone. on whiche daye the Ievves were commaunded to offer their Pascall Lambe. as muche to saye as vpon what daye soeuer in the weeke, that moone fell, the fastinge Easter & the fasting dayes going before layde downe by decree. Theophilus & Narcissus were chiefe in Palaestina: Victor at Ro. Palmas a [...] Pōtus: Irenae us in Fraūce: The bishops of Ostroëna in their pro­uinces: Ban­chillus at Corinth & not the bishope of Rome o­uer all. dayes finished, and ended. when as the other churches throughout the worlde, accustomed not to celebrate Easter after this manner, but obserued the Apostolicke tradition and custome, as yet retayned, to wete: the fastinge dayes on no other daye to be broken vp, afore the daye wherein our Sauiour rose from death to lyfe. Wherefore synodes and meetinges of Byshopes were summoned, where all with one accorde ordained an ecclestasticall decree whiche they pu­blished by their epistles vnto all churches: That vpon no other then the sondaye the mysterie of our sauiours resurrection shoulde be celebrated. And that one that daye, and no other, the fasting vsed before Easter shoulde haue an ende. Theire epistle is at this daye extant, who at that tyme for this cause assembled together in Palaestina, whereof Theophilus bishope of Caesarea, and Narcissus bishope of Ierusalem were chiefe. At Rome likewise there was a synode gathered to­gether for the same cause, the whiche Ʋictor their bishope published. Agayne there was an o­ther of bishopes at Pontus, where Palmas, as the moste auncient, did gouerne. An other of bi­shops throughout Fraunce whiche Irenaeus did ouersee. to be shorte an other of the bishopes throughout Ostroëna, and the cities therein contained, and speciallye of Banchillus bishope of Corinth with many others, al which with one and the same sentence, and iudgement, ordained the same decree, and their vniforme assent, was thus made manifest vnto the worlde.

CAP. XXII.

POlycrates moderated the bishops throughout Asia, whiche affirmed that their aunciente custome deliuered them of olde was to be retayned. This Polycrates in his epistle vn­to the churche of Rome, sheweth the custome of Asia, obserued vnto his tyme in these wordes: VVe celebrate the vnuiolated daye of Easter, neither addinge anye thinge thereto, [Page 93] neither takinge oughte therefro. for notable pillers of Christian religion, haue rested in Polycrates byshope of Ephesus wri­teth to Vi­ctor and the churche of Rome. Iohn the A­postle being a priest wore the priestly attyre. Asia, vvhiche shall rise at the laste daie, vvhen the Lorde shall come from heauen vvith glorie, and restore all the sainctes to ioye: Philip one of the tvvelue Apostles, novve lienge at Hierapolis, & his tvvo daughters vvho kept them selues virgins, all the dayes of their liues, the third also after the ende of hir holie conuersation rested at Ephesus. Againe Iohn vvho laye on the Lordes breast, being a Priest, vvore the priestlie attire, both a Martyr, and a Doctor, slept at Ephesus. Moreouer Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, and a Martyr. Thraseas an Eumenian, both a Bishop & a Martyr, slept at Smyrna. VVhat shal I speake of Sagaris both a Bishope & a Martyr, lyenge at Laodicea. And of blessed Papyrius, and Melito an eunuche, vvho vvas ledde and guided in all thinges that he did by the holie ghoste, and novve resteth at Sardis, vvaytinge the message from heauen, vvhen he shall rise from the dead. Cap. 25. af­ter the greke All these celebrated the feaste of Easter according vnto the Gospell, in the fouretenth daye of the moneth, svvaruing no vvhere, but obseruinge the rule of faith. to be shorte and I Polycrates the meanest of you all, do retaine the tradition of my forefathers, of vvhich some I haue imitated, for there vvere seuen Bishopes before me, and novve I the eighth, vvhich alvvaies haue celebrated the feaste of Easter on that daye, in the vvhich the people remoued the leauen from among them. I therfore (my brethren) vvhich novve haue liued threescore and fiue yeares in the Lorde, haue conferred vvith the bre­thren throughout the vvorld, haue reade, & ouerreade the holy scriptures, yet vvill not be mo­ued at al vvith these things, vvhich are made to terrifie vs. for my auncetors & elders haue saied that vve ought rather to obey God then men. Afterwardes he speaketh of the bishops that con­sented, and subscribed to his epistle, after this maner: I could repeate the bishops vvhich vvere Act. 4. present vvhome you requested me to assemble, vvhome also I haue assembled together, vvhose names if I should vvrite vvould grovve to a greate number: they haue visited me a simple soule, and a man of small accompt, and haue consented vnto this epistle. they also knovve that I beare not this gray heare in vaine, but alvvaies haue had my conuersation in Christ Iesu.

CAP. XXIII.

IMmediately vpon this, Victor Bishope of Rome, goeth aboute to seuer from the vnitie in the communion, all the churches of Asia together with the adioyning congregations, as sauoring not aright, and iuueyeth againste them in his epistles, & pronounceth flattly, all the brethren there for excōmunicated persons. but this pleased not al the bishops, for they exhorted him to seke after those thinges which concerned peace, and vnitie, and loue betwene brethren. Ca. 26. after the Greeke. where then was the say­ing that the bishope of Rome muste iudge all and be iudged of none? Irenaeus bi­shop of Liōs. Victor bi­shop of Rome. Their words are at this daye extant that sharpely reprehended Ʋictor, of which number, Irenaeus, in the name of all the brethren in Fraunce that were vnder his charge, wrote and allowed the same sentence, to wete: The mysterie of the resurrection of our Sauiour to be celebrated on the sondaye onely. Yet as it was very meete he put him in remembrance at large of his dutie that he shoulde not e­straynge or cut of all the churches of God, whiche retayned the tradition of olde custome. his wordes are these: Nether is this controuersie onely of the daye, but also of the kinde or maner of fasting. Some thinke they ought to faste one daye, some tvvo, some more, some fortie, and tel­ling the houres throughout day and nyght they counte a daye. nether beganne this varietie of fa­stinge in our tyme, but longe before, through them vvho then bare rule, and as it is very likelye, through their double negligence, they despised and altered the simple and common custome retayned of olde. yet for all this vvere they at vnitie one vvith an other, and as yet vve retayne it, for this varietie of fastinge commendeth the vnitie of fayth. After this he adioyneth a certeine hi­storie, whiche I will alleage as peculierly incident to this place▪ They (sayeth he) that vvere bi­shops before Soter, of that sea vvhich novve thou gouernest, I meane▪ Anicetus, Pius, Hyginus, Telesphorus and Xystus, nether did they so obserue it them selues, nether did they publishe anye suche president vnto the posteritie, & for all that, they (though not obseruing the same custome) vvere at vnitie neuerthelesse vvith them, vvhich resorted vnto them from other churches, and did not obserue the same, although their obseruation vvas contrary to the mindes of suche as obser­ued it not. nether vvas the like euer heard of, that any man, for suche kind of fasting vvas excō ­municated. yea the bishopes them selues vvhich vvere thy predecessours, haue sent the Eucharist vnto the brethren of other churches, that obserued a contrary custome. And Polycarpus beinge [Page 94] at Rome, in the tyme of Anicetus, they both varied among them selues about trifling matters, yet vvere they soone recōciled, & not a vvord of this matter. Neither vvas Anicetus able to persvvade Polycarpus that he should not retaine that, vvhich he had alvvaies obserued, vvith Iohn the disci­ple of our Lord, & the rest of the Apostles, vvith vvhome he had bene cōuersant: neither did Po­lycarpus persvvade Anicetus, to obserue it, but told him, that he ought to obserue the aunciēt cu­stome of the elders, vvhome he succeeded. These thinges being at this poynt, they cōmunicated one vvith an other. & in the churche Ruffinus trāslatīg these wordes vn­derstandeth that Anice­tus graunted the ministra­tiō of the cō ­munion vnto Polycarpus, which is very like to be true. Irenaeus signifieth a peace maker. Anicetus graunted the Eucharist vnto Polycarpus, for reue­rēce he ovved vnto him. in the end they parted, one from an other in peace. and al such as retay­ned cōtrary obseruations throughout the vvhole vniuersal churche, held faste the bonde of loue & vnitie. Thus Irenaeus not degenerating from the etymologie of his name, passing all other in y ^e gyft of reconciling the brethren practised for the ecclesiasticall peace. he wrote not only to Victor, but also to sundrye gouernours of diuers other churches, in seuerall epistles, concerninge the sayde controuersie.

CAP. XXIIII.

THe bishops of Palaestina (mentioned a little before) Narcissus, Theophilus & with thē Cassius Cap. 27. after the greeke. bishope of Tyrus, and Clarus bishop of Ptolomais, together with other bishops in their cō ­pany, when they had reasoned at large toutching the celebration of Easter, & the tradition deliuered vnto thē by succession from y ^e Apostles, in the end of their epistle they write thus: Sende The prouin­ciall councel held at Pale­stina write thus vnto the prouince throughout. Certaine workes of Irenaeus. Comodus was emperor 13. yeares. Pertinax 6. moneths. Seuerus created emperor anno Dom. 195. vnder this Seuerus the 5. greate persecution was raysed. out vvith speede the copies of our epistle throughout the parishes that vve be not charged vvith their errour, vvhich easily are brought to snare euē their ovvne soules. vve signifie vnto you that at Alexādria, they celebrate the feast of Easter vpon the selfe same day vvith vs. their epistles are brought vnto vs & ours vnto thē that vve may vniformely & together solemnize this holy feast. Besides these alleaged, & trāslated letters, & epistles of Irenaeus, there is extāt an other boke of his very learned and necessary against the gentiles, intituled of Science or knovvledge. an other vnto Marcianus his brother intituled A declaration of the Apostles preaching. & an other booke of di­uers tracts▪ where he maketh mētion of the epistle vnto y ^• Hebrevves, & the booke of VVisdome, called Solomons: whence he alleageth testimonies. these are the workes of Irenaeus which came to our knowledge. whē Comodus had bene Emperour. xiii. yeares, & Pertinax after him not fully the space of six moneths: Seuerus succeeded him in the empire. there are reserued at this day in many places many notable workes of diuers ecclesiasticall persons, whereof these came to our handes. the cōmentaries of Heraclitus vpō Paul. Maximus of y ^• common question in hereticks mouthes: vvhence euill proceedeth: and that this substance vvas made. Candidus of the creation of vvorke of the sixe dayes. Appion of the same argument. Sixtus of the resurrection, and a certein tracte of Arabianus, with a thousande mo. all whiche writers, time doth not permitte, neither is it possible to publishe them in this our history because they minister no occasion to make mention of them.

CAP. XXV.

AMong these bookes there is found a volume written against the heresie of Artemon▪ which Paulus Samosatenus in our daies endeuored to reuiue: wherin is cōtained ah history worthy to be published, among these our histories, diuersly & from euery where collected▪ whē this The opinion of Artemon the hereticke▪ boke had cōfuted y ^• said presūptuous heresy, which affirmed Christ to be a b [...]e & naked mā, & that the authors therof had gloried of it, as an auncient opiniō after many lynes, & leaues, to the cōfu­ [...]acion of this blasphemous vntrueth, he writeth thus: They affirme that all our aun [...]ours▪ yea and the Apostles them selues vvere of that opinion, and taughte the same vvith them, and that An auncient writer (as I suppose Maximus) in the confuta­tion of the sect of Arte­mon. this their true doctrine (for so they call it) vvas preached & embraced vnto the time of Victor the thirtenth bishop of Rome, after Peter, & corrupted by his successour Zephyrinus. this peraduen­ture might seeme to haue some likelyhoode of trueth, vnlesse firste of all, the holy scriptures re­clamed, next the bokes of sūdry mē, lōg before the time of Victor, vvhich they published against the gentiles, in the defence of the trueth, & in the confutation of the hereticall opinions of their time. I meane Iustinus, Meltiades, Tatianus, and Clemens, vvith many others in all vvhich Christ is preached and published to be God. VVho knovveth not that the vvoorkes of Irenaus, [Page 95] Melito and all other Christians do confesse Christ to be both God and man? to be shorte hovve many psalmes and hymnes, and Canticles, vvere vvritten from the beginninge, by the faythfull Christians, vvhich [...]ounde and singe Christ the vvorde of God, for no other then God in deede? hovv then is it possible accordinge vnto their report, that our auncetors vnto the time of Victor, should haue preached so? vvhen as the ecclesiasticall censure, for so many yeares is pronounced for certeine, and knovven vnto all the vvorlde. and hovve can they chuse but be ashamed, thus Theodotus a tanner and an hereticke. vntruely to reporte of Victor, vvhen as they knovve for suretie that Victor excommunicated The­odotus a tanner, the father and founder of this Apostasie, vvhich denyed the diuinitie of Christ? because that he firste affirmed Christ to be but onely man. if Ʋictor (as they reporte) had bene of their blasphemous opinion, hovv then could he haue excōmunicated Theodotus, the author of that heresie. but Victor was thus affectionated. when he had gouerned y ^• ecclesiasticall function Zephyrinus b. of Rome. Anno Dom. 203. A worthy historie of Natalius an hereticall bi­shope repen­ting him selfe the space of tenne yeares Zephyrinus succeeded him, about the tenth yere of the raigne of Seuerus. The same author which wrote the aforesaid booke against the founder of this heresie, declareth a certeine historie that was done in the time of Zepherinus after this maner. Therfore to the ende I may aduertise diuerse of the brethren, I vvil rehearse a certaine historie of our time, vvhiche as I suppose if it had bene in Sodome, they vvold haue fallen to repentāce. There vvas one Natalius, vvho not lōg before, but euē in our time becam a cōfessor. this Natalius vvas on a tyme seduced by Asclepiodotus, & an other Theodotus an exchaūger, they both vvere disciples of Theodotus the tāner, vvho thē being author of this blasphemous opiniō (as I sayd before) vvas excōmunicated by Victor bishop of Rome. for Natalius vvas persvvaded by thē for a certeine hire, & revvarde, to be called a bishop of this heretical opiniō, to vvete: a hūdreth & fifty pēce, monethly to be payd him. Novv he being thus linked vnto thē, the Lord vvarned him oft by visions. for God and our Lord Iesus Christ full of mercy & compassion, vvold not that the vvitnesse of his passiōs, should perishe vvithout the churche. & for that he vvas altogether carelesse, & negligēt in marking the visions frō aboue being novv as it vvere hooked vvith the svveete baites of primacie, & honour, & filthy lucre, vvherby thousands do perishe: at lēgth he vvas scurged by an Angel of the Lord. God sendeth his Angell to scourge by night. & for the space of a vvhole nyght chasticed not a little, so that vvhen he rose earely in the mor­ning couered in sackcloth, & sprinckled in ashes, vvith much vvoe, & many teares, he fel dovvn flatte before the feete of Zephyrinus bishope of Rome, not after the manner of a cleargie man, but of the laye people, beseaching the churche (prone alvvayes to compassion) vvith vvatrishe eyes, and vvette cheekes, for the mercie of Christ, to tender and pitie his miserable case, so that vsinge many petitions, and shevvinge in his bodie the printe of the plaguye stripes, after muche adoe he vvas receaued vnto the communion. We thinke best to adde vnto these other relations of the same author, for thus he writeth. They corrupted the holye & sacred scriptures, vvithout The practises of the hereti­call secte of Artemon. any reuerence: they reiected the canon of the auncient faith: they haue bene ignorant of Christ: not searching vvhat the holie scriptures affirmed, but exercisinge them selues therein, & siftinge it to this ende: that some figure or forme of a syllogisme myght be founde to impugne the di­uinitie of Christ: and if any reasoned vvith them out of holie scripture, forthvvith they demaund vvhether it be a coniuncte, or a simple kinde of syllogisme. layenge asyde holye scripture, they practise Geometrie, as beynge of the earth they speake earthlye and knovve not him vvhiche came frome aboue. Euclides amonge a greate many of them measureth the earth busielie. Ari­stotle Euclides. Aristotle. Theophrast▪ Galen. Heretickes presume to correct, alter & trāslate holy scripture. and Theophrastus are hyghlye esteemed. Galen is of diuerse vvorshipped. but vvhat shall I saye of these, vvho (beynge farre from the fayth) abuse the arte of infidels to the establyshinge of theyr hereticall opinion, and corrupt the simplicitie of holy scripture, through the subtle craft of sinfull persons? for to this purpose they put their prophane handes to holie scripture, sayinge: they vvolde correcte them. and that I reporte not this vntruely of them, or parciallie agaynste them, if any man please he may easily knovve it. for if any vvill peruse their copies, and conferre one vvith an other, he shall finde in them great contrariety. The bookes of Asclepiades agree not vvith them of Theodotus. there is found betvvene them great difference, for their disciples vvrote obscurely such things as their masters had ambiciously corrected. againe vvith these the copies Hermophilus do not consent. neither are the copies of Apollonius at concord among thē selues. if their alligatiōs be cōferred vvith their trāslatiōs, & alteratiōs, there shalbe found great diuersity. A notable dilemma. belike they are altogether ignorāt vvhat presumptiō is practised in this levvd fact of theirs. ether they persvvade them selues, that the holie scriptures vvere not endited by the instinct of the holy ghost, & so are they infidels: or else they thinke thē selues vviser thē the holy ghost, & vvhat other [Page 96] thing do they in that, then shevv thē selues possessed of a deuill? they cā not deny this their bold enterprise, for they haue vvrittē these things vvith their ovvne hands. they can not shevv vs vvho instructed them, vvho deliuered them such scriptures, & vvhence they trāslated their copie [...] di­uerse of them voutchsafe not to corrupt the scriptures, but flattly they denie the lavve, and the prophetes, vnder pretense of their detestable, and impious doctrine of fayned grace, they fall into the bottomlesse gulfe of perdition. but of them thus muche shall suffice.

CAP. I.

WHen as Seuerus persecuted the churche of God, there were noble martyrdomes of Anno Dom. 204. suche as suffered for the profession of the true faith▪ but speciallye at Alexandria, whither chosen champions out of Aegypt, and all Thebais, as vnto a moste notable Theatre of God, were brought, and after a moste pacient sufferance of simdry tor­mentes, and diuerse kindes of deathe, were crowned of God with garlandes of im­mortalltie. Of this number was Leonides called the father of Origen, and there beheaded, who left Leonides the father of O­rigen behea­ded. his sonne very yonge, and of tender yeares. howe also he was disposed, and affected towardes Christian religion from that tyme forth, it shall not be at this tyme vnseasonably written. Speci­ally for that he is famous and renowned throughout the whole worlde. Some man will saye it is no small peece of worke to printe in paper the lyfe of this man, and that it will require a whole Seuerus wēt on the tenth yeare of his raigne, when the greate persecution was raysed. Laetus ruled Alexandria and Aegypt. volume to it selfe: but at this present cutting of many things, vsing as muche breuitie as may be, we will runne ouer certaine thinges which concerne him, selected out of their epistles and histo­ries, which were his familiars, whereof some lyued in our tyme, and reported certaine things of him. To be short we will declare suche things as shall seeme worthye of memorie, and that were done from his cradell vnto this tyme. Seuerus then had ended tenne yeares, Laetus then gouerned Alexandria, and the rest of Aegypte▪ Demetrius lately after Iulianus had taken vpon him the ouer­sight of the congregations there.

CAP. II.

THe heate of persecution was very vehemēt, & an infinite number of persons were crowned with Martyrdome: when as Origen yet verye yonge, bare in his minde a feruent desire of Martirdome, so that he hazarded himselfe, skipped, and brake forth, and coueted volunta­rily to be doyng in that daungerous combatt. Cap. 3. after the Greeke. Yea narrowsie did he escape, for it had coste him his life, had not the diuine and celestiall prouidence of God stayed him, by the meanes of his mo­ther, to the further commoditie and profite of many. She at the firste entreated him with manye Origen by the meanes of his mother auoydeth greate perill. Origen be­inge a childe, exhorteth his father to mar tyrdome. Origen of a childe brought vp in holy Scri­ture. wordes to tender hir motherly affection: but perceauing him to be more vehemently incensed and kindled▪ knowing his father to be kept in close prison, and wholly minded to suffer Martyrdome, she constrayned him to remaine at home, hydinge from him all his apparrell. He then being able to do no other thinge, more prompte in minde than rype in yeares, could not reste, wrote vnto his father a letter, in the whiche he exhorteth him thus: O father, faynt not, neither imagin [...] amisse [Page 97] bicause of vs. Let this be the firste token of the industrie and syncere minde of Origen in his child­hood towards christian religiō set forth in this our history▪ for he beyng of a child trained vp & ex­ercised in holy scripture, shewed then no small signes of the doctrine of faith. his father furthered him not a little to the knowledge of them, when as besides the studie of liberall artes, he instru­cted him in these, not as the lesser parte. For first of all before the exercise of prophane literature, he instructed him in holy Scripture, and demaunded of him daily a certaine taske, of that he lear­ned and rehearsed. And this trade was not vnprofitable for him being a child, but he grewe therby vnto such facility and promptnes, that he contented not him selfe with the bare and casual reading of the words, but sought farther, searching the perfect and profound vnderstanding therof, so that diuers times he would set his father demaunding of him what was meant by this & that place of holy Scripture. But his father checked him to his face in outward sight, admonishing him not to search ought aboue the capacity of his yeares, & more then plaine letter gaue to vnderstand. Yet to him selfe he reioyced greatly, yelding vnto God the author of all goodnes harty thankes, for that he had made him the father of such a sonne. The report goeth that the father often vncouered the breast of his sonne in his sleepe, and solemnly kissed it as if the holy ghost had taken there the inner parte for his priuy closset, and thought him selfe happy of such an ofspringe. These and the like thinges they remember to haue happened vnto Origen, being yet a childe. When his father dyed a Martyr, he was left an orphane of the yeares of seuenteene with his mother, and other children his brethren, to the number of six, his father [...] substance was confiscated to y ^• Emperours treasorie, y ^• want of necessaries pinched him together with his mother & brethren, he casteth his A certaine Matrone of Alexandria receaueth Origen with▪ his mother & brethren. care vpon the diuine prouidence of God, he is receaued and refreshed of a certain matrone which was very ritch & also religious, which harbored in her house a certaine man of Antioche, an er­rant heretike of the sect then fresh at Alexandria, one that was accepted of her, for her sonne and deare friende. Origen then of necessitie vsing his company, shewed forth manifest proofes of his cleaning fast vnto y ^• right and true faith. For when as an infinite multitude not only of heretikes, but also of the true faith frequented vnto Paulus (so was he called) for he was counted a profounde and a wise man: he could not be perswaded to be present with him at prayers, but obserued the ca­non of the Church from a childe, and detested▪ (as he witnesseth him selfe in a certaine place) the Origen ta­keth heede of Heretikes. Tis. 3. Origen stu­dieth rheto­ricke. doctrine of heretikes. he was of his father absolutely instructed in the profane learning of y ^• Gen­tils, but after his fathers death, he applied a litle more diligently the study of rhetoricke, and ha­uing before meanely applied humanity, now after the death of his father he so addicteth him vnto it, that in short space he got sufficiency to serue his turne, both tollerable for the time, & correspon­dent to his yeares. for he being idle at schole (as he him selfe in a certaine place reporteth) when as none occupied the rowme of Catechizing at Alexandria, because that euery one was fayne to flye away by reason of the threatning thunderbolts of persecution, diuers of the Gentils came to him, to heare the preaching of the word of God. whereof he sayth the first to haue bene Plutarch, Plutarch a martyr. Heraclas af­ter Demetri­us b. of Alexandria. Origen a ca­techizer be­ing 18. yeare olde. Origen corn forteth the martyrs. who besides that he liued well, was crowned with martyrdome. The seconde was Heraclas y ^• bro­ther of Plutarch, who after he had profited very much, and sucked at his lippes, the iuyce of chri­stian religion and heauenly philosophy: succeeded Demetrius in the bishopricke of Alexandria. Origen went nowe on y ^• eyghtenth yeare when he catechized in the schoole of Alexandria, at what time he happely prospered whilest that vnder Aquila Lieuetenant of Alexandria, in the heate of persecution he purchased vnto him selfe a famous opinion among all y ^• faithful, in that he cheare­fully embraced all the martyrs, not only of his acquaintance, but such as were vnto him vnknow­en. he visited not only such as were fettered in deepe dungeons, & close imprisonmēt: neither only such as looked for the last sentence of execution, but after iudgment geuen & sentence pronounced he was present with the martyrs, boldly accompanying them to y ^• place of execution, putting him selfe in great peril, oftentimes boldly embracing, kissing & saluting them, so that once the furious rage of the fonde multitude of the Gentiles, had stoned him to deathe if the diuine power of God, had not maruelously deliuered him. y ^• same diuine & celestial grace of God at other times againe & againe, so oft as can not be told, defended him, being assaulted of the aduersaryes, because of his noble hardines & prompt mind to publish the doctrine of Christ. so extremely was he dealt with­all of the Infidels, that souldiers were commaunded to watch his house in compasse, for the ba­nishing of the multitude that came to be instructed of him, in the Christian faythe. The persecu­tion daily preuailed and was so vehemently bent against him, that he could no where passe safely throughout Alexandria, but often chaūging lodging [...], he was from euery where pursued, bicause [Page 98] of the multitude which frequented vnto him for instructions sake. for his workes expressed moste Origē as he taught he li­ued & as he hued he taught. notable rules of the most true & christian philosophie. they say, as he taught so he liued, and as he liued so he taught. Wherfore the diuine power of God specially preuayling with him [...] infinite number were sturred vp by his zeale. when he perceaued many Disciples to frequent [...] to him, & that the charge of the schoole was now by Demetrius the Bishop, committed vnto him alone, he supposed the reading of humanitie to be out of season, and transformeth the schoole as altogether vnprofitable by reason of profane literature & humanitie opposite vnto sacred letters, to the exer­cise of godly discipline. againe after good aduise taken for necessary prouision he soulde the pro­fane writers which he had diligently perused, & lay by him, enioyning the buyer, to pay him daily Origē sould his philoso­phy bookes. foure halfepence of the set price, wherwith he contented him selfe. & this philosophicall trade con­tinewed he y ^• space of many yeares, cutting of from him self all occasion of youthly concupiscence▪ for throughout the whole day he tooke no small labor in this godly exercise, & the greater part of the night also he spent in meditating of holy Scripture, and in his philosophicall life, as much as lay in him, he vsed fasting, taking his reste at certayne temperate tymes of the yeare, not on his bedde, but very warely on y ^• bare ground. specially aboue al other places, he supposed y ^• sayings of our Sauiour in the Gospell to be obserued, which exhorted vs not to weare two coates, neyther shoes, neither to care for the time to come with a greedy, or couetous desire. for he endured colde and nakednesse more chearefully then became his yeares, & suffered such extreame neede & neces­sitie, which greatly amazed his familier friends, & offended many that willingly woulde haue sup­plied his want and necessity, for the paynfulnes they sawe him take, in setting forth the heauenly doctrine of Christ Iesus our Sauiour. but he being geuen to pacient sufferance, passed many yea­res without the wearing of shoes, ioyning naked foote to bare grounde. and he is sayde moreouer for the space of many yeares, to haue abstained from wine, & other such like (necessary sustenance onely excepted) so that he ranne in great danger, lest that through weakenes of lymmes, & faynt­nesse of body, he shoulde destroy & cast away him selfe. this philosophicall trade of life being won­dred Origen had many followers. at of others, stirred vp a great many Disciples, to imitate the like trade and study. so that of the faythfull & vnfaithfull, of the learned and wise, & the same not of the meaner sort, a great num­ber became zelous and earnest followers after his doctrine. in so much that the heauenly worde of God taking deepe roote in their faythfull mindes, florished and continewed stedfastly during the persecution of that time, so that some of them were apprehended and suffered martyrdome.

CAP. III.

THe first of them was Plutarchus remembred a litle before. whome Origen accompanied to the place of execution, not without great danger of his life, when as his owne citizens went about to practise violence towards him, as being author of Plutarchus death. yet the wise­dome of God deliuered him then. The next of the disciples of Origen after Plutarchus, was Sere­nus, who is sayd to be the seconde Martyr which gaue triall and proofe of the faith he receaued, & Serenus bur­ned. Heraclides beheaded. Heron beheaded. Serenus be­headed. Rhais a wo­man burned. Cap. 5. after the greeke. that by fire. The third Martyr out of the same schoole was Heraclides, the fourth after him Heron. of the which two latter, the first was a Catechumenist, the second lately baptized, but both behea­ded▪ as yet out of the same schoole came forth the fift champion, a seconde Serenus, who after paci­ence in great torments and greeuous payne, was beheaded. and of the women also, Rhais, as yet a Catechumenist, baptized (as Origen him selfe reporteth) in fire, departed this life.

CAP. IIII.

BAsilides shalbe numbred the seuenth among the former Martyrs, which led forth the renow­med virgine Potamiaena to execution, of whome vnto this day a great fame is blased abroade among the inhabitants of that prouince, how that for the chastitie of her body and puritie of minde, she stroue very stoutly with her louers. she was endued with ripenes of mind, and goodly bewty of body. when she had suffered infinitely for the faythe of Christ, last of all after great and Potamiaena burned. Marcella burned. greeuous, and dreadfull, and terrible torments to be tould of, together with her mother Marcella, [Page 99] she is burned with fire and consumed to ashes▪ the report goeth that Aquila the iudge commaun­ded her whole body to be scurged ouer, and that very sore, and threatned her, he woulde deliuer her body shamefully to be abused of Fencers and ruffians: and after she had muzed a while with her selfe, and they demaunding an answere, to haue sayd such thinges as pleased not the Gentiles, and therefore immediatly after sentence pronounced, to haue bene taken and ledd of Basilides (a souldier of authority among the hoast) to execution. When the multitude molested her sore, spite­fully handling her with opprobrious termes: Basilides repressed and rebuked their rayling spea­ches, pytying her very much, and practising great curtesie towardes her. she of the other side ap­proued and acknowledged his curteous dealing towards her, and bad him be of good cheere, say­ing: that after her departure she woulde entreate her Lorde for him, and shortly requite the cur­tesie shewed vnto her. When she had ended this communication, pitche scalding hott was powred by a litle and a litle ouer all her body, from the crowne of her heade to the soule of her foote, the which she manfully endured in the Lorde, and such was the sore combatt which this worthy vir­gine sustayned. but not long after, Basilides being required of his fellowe souldiers to sweare for Basilides be­fore a Pagan now a Chri­stian, before a murtherer, now a martyr some occasion or other, affirmed plainely it was not lawfull for him to sweare, for he sayd he was a Christian, and that he woulde in very deede protest the same. at the first he was thought to daly, but when he constantly auoutched it, he is brought before the iudge, and there hauing confessed the same, is clapt in prison. but when the brethren had visited him, & demaunded of him the cause of his sodaine and maruelous alteration, the report goeth he declared them how that Potamiaena three daies after her martirdome, appeared vnto him by night, & couered his head with a crowne and sayd: she had entreated the Lorde for him, and obtayned her purpose, and that not long after Basilides ba­ptised in pri­son, after­wards beheaded. he shoulde ende this life. after these sayinges, and the seale of the Lorde receaued by the brethren he was beheaded, and so suffered martyrdome. they write that many others in Alexandria, embra­ced plentifully the doctrine of Christ, for that Potamiaena appeared vnto them in sleepe, & called them to the fayth. of these thinges thus much.

CAP. V. Cap. 6. after the greeke.

CLemens succeeded Pantaenus, and vnto that tyme he was a catechizer in the Churche of A­lexandria, Pantaenus, Clemens & Origen were catechizers in the schole of Alexādria so that Origen became one of his Disciples. This Clemens writing his bookes stromatôn, compriseth in the first volume a Cronicle, containing the times vnto y ^• death of [Page 101] Comodus, so that it is euident, he finished his bookes vnder Seuerus, the history of whose time we doe presently prosecute:

CAP. VI. Cap. 7. after the greeke.

ABoute this time there florished one Iude, who published comentaries vpon the 70 weekes Iude. of Daniel, ending his Chronographie the tennth yeare of Seuerus raigne, he thought vere­ly that the coming of Antichrist was then at hande because the greate heate of persecu­tion raysed against vs at that time, vexed out of measure the mindes of many men, and turned vpside downe the quiete state of the Churche.

CAP. VII. Cap. 8. after the greeke.

AT that time Origen executing the office of a Catechizer at Alexandria practised a certaine Origen gel­deth himselfe. acte, which expressed the shewe of an vnperfecte sense, and youthly hardines, but a nota­ble example of faith and chastitie. he vnderstanding simply and childishly the sainge of the Lorde: There be some vvhich make themselues Eunuches for the Kindome of heauens sake: & Math, 19. with all purposing to fulfill the wordes of our Sauiour, for that he being yong in yeares prea­ched, and made manifest, not onely to men, but also to women the mysteries of God: sought mea­nes to cutt of, all occasion of wantonesse and the sclaunder of the infidels, practised vpō himselfe to performe the words of our Sauiour, carefully minding to conceale from his familiar frends this facte of his. but it was vnpossible to cloke and couer so great a matter, which thing when Deme­trius Demetrius byshop of Alexandria one while li­keth another while misli­keth through enuie with the gelding of Origen. The byshops of Caesarea and Ierusalē allowed of Origen and made him minister. byshop of that place had vnderstoode he wondred at his bolde enterprise, yet allowed of his purpose, and the sinceritie of his faithfull minde, he bidds him be of good cheere and continewe the office of a Catechizer. Though Demetrius was then of that minde, yet not long after, seeing Origen luckely to prosper, to be highely estemed, reuerenced, renowmed and famous amonge all men: he was pricked with some humane passion, so that he painted and published abroad, vnto all the byshops throughout the worlde the geldinge of Origen as a moste foule and absurde facte. yet the best accepted and worthiest byshops throughout Palaestina, to wete of Caesarea & Ierusalem, because they had found him worthie of dignitie and great honor, made him minister through the laying on of hands. then after that he came to great estimation, and was well accepted of all men, and gotten no small commendation for his vertue & wisedome: Demetrius hauing no other thinge to charge him withall, accused him of the olde facte done of a child, & for company wrapped with accusations such as aduaunced him vnto the order of the ministerie, which were putt in practise within a while after. from that time forth Origen without lett or hinderance fulfilled the worke he had in hand, preached at Alexandria day and night the word of God vnto such as frequented vnto him, appliyng his whole minde vnto holy Stripture and the profit of his disciples. when Seuerus had held the emperiall sceptre the space of eightene yeares, his sonne* Antoninus succeeded him. Antoninus was created Emperour anno Domi­ni. 213. And of them which manfully perseuered in the persecution of that time, and after confession and sundry torments & conflicts, by the prouidence of God were deliuered: on was Alexander whome a litle before we signified to haue bene byshop of Ierusalem. He because he perseuered constante in the confession of the name of Christ, was there chosen byshop, Narcissus his predecessor being yet a liue.

CAP. VIII.

THe Citizens of that seae remember many miracles wrought by Narcissus, which they re­ceaued If thou thin­kest (gentle Reader) this miracle to be a tale, take it, as cheape as thou findest [...] it be true maruell not at all thereat, for God bringeth straun­ger thinges then this to passe. ceaued by traditiō deliuered from one to an other, among which, such a miracle is reported to haue bene done. when on a certaine time the solempne vigills of Easter were celebra­ted, the ministers wanted oyle, the whole multitude being therewith much greued: Narcissus cō ­maunded [Page 102] such as had charge of the lightes speedely to bringe vnto him water drawen vp out of the next well, that being done, he prayed ouer it and bad them poure it into the lamps with feruēt faith towards God, which whē they had fulfilled, y ^• nature of the water beyond all reason & expectation, by the wonderfull power of God was chaūged into the qualitie of oyle. & they report farther that a smale quantitie thereof for miracles sake was reserued of many of the brethrē a long while after, euen vnto this our time. many other notable things worthy of memory they reporte of this mans life, whereof this is one: certaine lewde varletts seeing the constancie & vprightnesse of his life, could not brook nether away with it, fearing that if through his meanes they were attainted there was no other way but execution: therefore they in conscience being priuey to infinite lewde practises, preuēt the same and charge him with a greuous accusation. afterwards to perswade the hearers y ^• sooner, they confirme their accusatiōs with othes. y ^• first swore: if I lye let me be burned to ashes. the seconde: if I reporte not the trueth let my whole body be tormented and wasted away with some cruell disease. The third: if I beare false wittnesse let me be s [...]itten with blindnesse. but for all their swering and staring, not one of the faithfull beleued them, the chastitie and vpright conuersation of Narcissus so preuailed among all men. He tooke greuously theyr despitefull dea­ling, and because that of olde he had bene of the Philosophicall secte, he fledd and forsooke his Churche, hidd himselfe priuely in the deserte and obscure places, for the space of many yeares. yet the great and watchfull eye that iustely auengeth, woulde not permitt such as had malicious­ly practised this lewdnes to haue perfect rest: but speedely and swiftely compassed them in theire owne crafte, and wrapped them in the same curses (if they lyed) they had craued vnto them­selues. The iustice of God a­gainst pe [...]iu­ted persons. The first therefore without any circumstance at all in plaine dealinge, had a smale spar­cle of fire fallen in the night time vpon the house where he dwelt, whereby he, his house, and his whole family by fire were consumed to ashes. The seconde was taken with the same disease from toppe to toe which he had wished vnto himselfe before. The thirde seeing the terrible ende of the two former, and fearinge the ineuitable vengeance of God that iustely plagueth periured persons, confesseth vnto all men theyre compacted deceate, and pretended mischiefe agaynst that holy man, and wasteth awaye with sorowefull mourninge, punisheth his body and pineth wyth teares so long, till bothe his eyes ranne out of his heade. and such were the punishmentes of false wittnesses and periured persons.

CAP. IX. Cap. 10. after the greeke.

AFter the departure of Narcissus when it was not knowen where he remained, the bishops of the borderinge and adioyninge Churches ordayned there an other byshop whose name was Dios, whome (after he had continewed but a smale space) Germanion succeeded, and Dios. Germanion. Gordius. Narcissus & Alexāder his helper. after Germanion, Gordius. In whose time Narcissus shewed himselfe againe as if he had risen from death to life, and is entreated of the brethren to enioye his byshopricke againe, beinge much marueiled at, for his departure, for his philosophicall trade of life, and especially for the ven­geance and plagues God powred vpon his accusers. and because that for his olde yeares and he­uie age he was not able to supplie the rowne, the deuine prouidence of God through a vision by night reuealed vnto him prouided Alexander byshop of an other prouince to be Narcissus his felowe helper, in discharging the function due vnto the place.

CAP. X. Cap. 11. after the greeke.

FOr this cause therefore (as warned by a vision from aboue) Alexander who afore was by­shop of Cappadocia tooke his iorney to Ierusalem for prayer sake, and visitinge of the pla­ces there: whome they of Ierusalem receaue bountifully, and suffer not to returne whome againe, and that did they accordinge vnto the vision which appeared vnto them in the night, and plainely pronounced vnto the chief of them: charging them to hasten out of the gates of their ci­ty and receaue the byshop ordained of God for them. this they did through thaduise of the borde­ring byshops, constraining him of necessitie to remayne among them. Alexander himselfe in his [Page 103] epistles (at this day extant) against the Antinoites, maketh mention of this byshopricke, in com­men betwene him and Narcissus, wryting thus about the later end of an epistle: Narcissus greeteth Alexander. b of Ierusalem Epist contra Atinoitas. Ascleprades. you, vvho gouerned this byshopricke before me, and novve being of the age of a hundreth and sixtene yeares prayeth vvith me and that very carefully for the state of the church, & beseacheth you to be of one mind vvith me. These thinges went then after this sorte. when Serapion had de­parted this life, Asclepiades was stalled bishop of Antioch and constantly endured the time of per­secution. Alexander remembreth his election writing to the church of Antioch after this maner: Alexander. b of Ierusalem vnto the church of Antioch. Alexander the seruant of the Lord, and the prisoner of Iesus Christ vnto the holy church of An­tioch sendeth greeting in the Lorde. The Lord eased & lightened my fetters and imprisonment vvhen that I hearde Asclepiades, a man vvell practised in holy Scripture, by the prouidence of God, for the vvorthines of his faith to haue bene placed bishop of your church. This epistle he signifieth in the end to haue bene sent by Clemens. This epistle I haue sent vnto you my Maysters and brethren by Clemens a godly minister, a man both vertuous & vvell knovven, vvhome you haue seene, and shall knovve, vvho also being here present vvith me by the prouidence of God hath confirmed & furthered the church of Christ.

CAP. XI. Cap. 12. after the greeke.

IT is very like that sundry epistles of Serapion are reserued amonge others, vnto our knowe­ledge onely such came as he wrote vnto one Domnus which renounced the fayth of Christ in Domnus. Pontius. Caricus. the time of persecution and fell to Iewish Apostasie: and vnto one Pontius and Caricus ecclesi­asticall persons. againe epistles vnto other men. and also a certaine booke of the Gospell which they call after Peter wrytten to this end that he might confute the falsehoode specified in the same for that diuerse of the churche of Rosse, went astray after false doctrine vnder coloure of the fore­sayd Scripture. it shall seeme very expedient if we alleage a fewe lines out of it, whereby his cē ­sure of that booke may appeare. thus he wryteth: VVe (my brethren) receaue Peter & the other Serapion bi­shop of An­tioch vnto the Churche of Rosse tout­ching the Gospell after Peter. Marcianus an hereticke. Apostles as messengers of Christ himselfe, but their names being falsely forged vve plainely do reiect, knovving vve receaued none such. I truely remaining amongest you supposed you vvere all sounde and firme in the right fayth, and vvhen I had not perused the booke published in Pe­ters name entitled his Gospell, I sayd: if this be onely the cause of your grudginge and discora­ging let it be redd: but novve in so much I perceaue a certaine hereticall opinion to be thereby cloked and coloured by occasion of my vvordes I vvill hasten to come vnto you. vvherefore my brethren expecte shortely my comming. For vve knovve vvell inough the heresie of Marcianus vvho vvas founde contrary to himselfe, he vnderstoode not that vvhich he spake as you may ga­ther by the things vvhich vve vvrote vnto you. vve might peraduenture our selues, laye dovvne more skilfully the grounde of this opinion vnto his successors, vvhome vve call coniecturers. for by perusing the expositiōs of their doctrine vve haue foūd many things sauoring of the true do­ctrine of our Sauiour, and certaine other things borovved and interlaced vvhich vve haue noted vnto you. Thus farre Serapion.

CAP. XII. Cap. 13. in the greeke

THe bookes of Clemens entitled Stromatôn are in all eight, and extant at this daye, bea­ring [...] this inscription: The diuerous compacted bookes of Titus Flauius Clemens, of the science of true Philosophie. There are also of the same number bookes of his intitled: Dispositions or Informatiōs, where he namely remembreth his maister Pantaenus, expounding his [...] interpretations & traditions. there is extant an other booke of his for exhortatiō vnto the gentils, and three bookes intitled the schoolemaister, & other thus: vvhat ritch mā can be saued? againe a booke of Easter and disputations of fasting, and of sclaunder. an exhortation to nevvenes of life for the late conuerts. The canon of the church, or against the Ievves dedicated vnto Alexander the bishop aboue named. In the bookes Stromatôn he explicated not onely the deuine but also the heathenish doctrine, and he repeating their profitable sentences, maketh manifest the opi­nions both of Grecians and barbarians, the which diuerse men highely doe esteeme. and to be shorte he confuteth the false opinions of Graunde heretickes, dilatinge manye Historyes and [Page 104] ministringe vnto vs muche matter of sundry kindes of doctrine. With theese he mingleth the opinions of philosophers, fittlye entitling it for the matter therein contained a booke of di­uerous doctrine. He alleageth in the sayde booke testimonies out of wryters not allowed and out of the booke called the vvisedome of Solomon, Iesus Sirach, the Epistle to the Hebrvves, Barnabas, Clemens, Iude. He remembreth the booke of Tatianus against the Gentils, and of Cas­sianus as if he had wrytten a Chronographie. Moreouer he remembreth Philo, Aristobulus Iose­phus, Demetrius, Eupolemus Iewish wryters, and howe that all they pronounced in their writings that Moses and the nation of the Hebrevves and Ievves were farre more auncient then the Gen­tils. The bookes of the aforesayd Clemens containe many other necessary and profitable tractes. In the first of his bookes he declareth that he succeded the Apostles, and there he promiseth to publish comentaries vpon Genesis. In his booke of Easter he confesseth himself to haue bene ouer treated of his friendes that he shoulde deliuer vnto the posteritie in wryting those traditions which he hearde of the elders of olde. he maketh mention of Melito and Irenaus and of certain others whose interpretations he alleageth. To conclude, in his bookes of Dispositions or In­formations: He reciteth all the bookes of y ^• Canonicall Scripture neyther omitted he y ^• rehear­sall of such as were impugned. Cap. 14. in the greke. I speake of the Epistle of Iude, the Catholicke epistls, the epistle of Barnabas, the Reuelation vnder the name of Peter.

CAP. XIII.

THe Epistle vnto the Hebrevves he affirmeth to be Pauls for vndoubted, and therefore writ­ten in the Hebrewe tongue for the Hebrews sakes, but faithfully translated by Luke and preached vnto the Gentils, and therefore we finde there the like phrase and maner of speache vsed in the Actes of the Apostles, it is not to be misliked at all, that: Paul an Apostle is not prefixed to this Epistle. For (saith he) vvryting vnto the Hebrevves because of the ill opi­nion they conceaued of him very vvisely he concealed his name, lest that at the first he shoulde dismay them. Againe he sayth: For euen as Macarius the elder sayd: for so much as the Lorde Clemens al­leageth this out of Ma­carius. himself vvas the messenger of the almighty & sent vnto the Hebrevvs; Paul for modesty his sake being the Apostle of the Gentils, vvrote not himselfe the Apostle of the Hebrevves, partly for the honor due vnto Christ, and partly also for that he frely & boldly being the Apostle of the Gentils vvrote vnto the Ievves. Afterwardes of the order of the Euangelists according vnto the Clemens of the order of the Gospells. Matthewe. Luke. Marke. tradition of the elders he writeth thus: The gospels vvhich containe the genealogies are placed and counted the first. The Gospell after Marke, vvas vvritten vpon this occasion. VVhen Peter preached openly at Rome and published the Gospell by rote, many of the auditors intreated Marke being the hearer and follover of the Apostle a long vvhile, & one that vvell remembred his vvords: to deliuer them in vvryting such things as he had heard Peter preach before, vvhich thing vvhen he had signified to Peter he nether forbad him neither commaunded him to do it▪ Iohn last of all seing in the other Euangelists the humanitie of Christ set forth at large, being en­treated Iohn. of his friends and moued by the holy Ghost vvrote chiefly of his diuinitie. Thus farre Clemens byshop of Alexandria. Againe the aforesayd Alexander in a certaine epistle vnto Origen, Alexander byshop of Ierusalem vnto Origen. writeth howe that Clemens & Pantaenus were become familiar friends after this manner: This as you knovve very vvell vvas the vvill of God that our frendship should continevve and remaine immoueable, begonne euen from our progenitors & become yea more feruent & stedfast. vve tak [...] [...]em for our progenitors vvho going before, haue taught vs they vvaye to follovve after, vvith vvhome after a vvhile vve shalbe coopled, I meane blessed Pantaenus my Mayster, & holy Clemens my maister also, vvhich did me much good and if there be any other such, by vvhose meanes I haue knovven you throughly for my maister and brother. So farre Alexander. but A­damantius (so was Origen called) writeth in a certaine place that he was at Rome when Zephyri­nus Origen came to Rome about Ann. Domini. 210. was bishop there, for he was very destrous to see the most auncient churche of the Romains, where after he had continewed a litle while, he returned to Alexandria executing most diligētly y ^• accustomed office of Catechizing, when as Demetrius also bishop of Alexandria vsed all meanes possible together with him to thende he might profitt and further the brethren.

CAP. XIIII. Cap. 15. after the Greeke.

WHen Origen sawe himselfe not sufficient neither able alone to searche out the profound mysteries of holie scripture neither the interpretation and right sense thereof, because that suche as frequented vnto his schoole graunted no leasure at all▪ for from morning Heraclas ca­techizer at Alexandria. to nyght in seuerall companies, one ouertakinge an other they flocked to his preachinge: he or­dained Heraclas of all the other his familiers, his fellowe helper, and Usher, a man experte in ho­ly scripture, discrete and wise, and a profounde philosopher, committing vnto him the instruction of the inferiour sort and lately come to the faith, reseruing vnto himselfe the hearinge of suche as were father and better entred.

CAP. XV.

ORigen had so greate a desire of searching out the deepe mysteries of holy scripture that he studied the Hebrevve tongue and bought the copies vsed among the Ievves, whiche were written in Hebrevve letters. he searched and conferred the septuagints translation of ho­ly scripture with others at that time extant.

CAP. XVI. Cap. 17. in the Greeke.

ORigen founde certeine other translations besides the common and vulgare, variyng among Many Greke translations of the olde testament. The septua­gints. Aquila. Symachus. Theodorion 5. 6. 7. Hexapla. Tetrapla. Symachus an Ebionite. The heresie of the Ebio­onites. them selues, to wete: the translation of Aquila, of Symachus, & of Theodotion▪ which I wote not where lying hidde of a long while he searched out and set forth vnto the worlde. of the which, by reason they were obscure, dusty & mothe eaten, he knewe not the authors, but this onely he signified that the one he founde at Nicopolis on the shore Acti [...]eke, the other in some other odd place. In the sixefolde edition of the psalmes after the foure famous translations he annexed not onely the fifte but the sixte and the seuenth, reportinge againe howe that he founde one of them at Hiericho in a tunne in the time of Antoninus the sonne of Seuerus. These being compacted toge­ther in one volume and the pages deuided into pillers or columnes, euery copie sette righte ouer against the other, together with the Hebrevve, he published the same and entituled it Hexapla: ioyning withall seuerally the translations of Aquila, of Symachus, of Theodotion, and of the Septu­agints entituling them Tetrapla. yet haue we to vnderstande that of these interpreters, Symachus was an Ebionite. The Ebionites opinion was recounted an heresie for that they taught Christ to be borne of Ioseph and Marie, and that Christ vvas but a bareman. They taught that the lavve vvas to be obserued after the Ievvishe manner, as we haue learned by histories heretofore. The commentaries of Symachus are at this daye extant, wherein he inueyeth against the Gospell after Mathewe, endeuoring to establishe & vphold the foresaide [...] opinion. These works of Sy­machus together with other trāslations of holy scripture, Origen t [...]porteth him selfe to haue found with a certaine woman called Iuliana, which sayde that Symachus deliuered hir them to keepe.

CAP. XVII.

AT that tyme Ambrose addicted vnto the Valentinian heresie and [...] by Origen, was lyghtened with the trueth whiche shyned as the sonne beames, and embraced the sounde doctrine of the churche, together with manie other learned men, whiche resorted vnto him. When the rumor was nowe euerie where bruted abrode of the fame of Origen, they came to trye the trueth of his doctrine, and to haue experience of his vtteraunt [...] in prea­chinge. Heretickes also very many and philosophers specially of the moste famous▪ whereof not a fewe gaue diligent eare and attentiue heede, and were instructed of him, not onely in deuine but also in prophane literature. as many as he perceaued towardly and sharpe wi [...]e [...] [...] them [Page 106] vnto philosophicall discipline, expoundinge vnto them Geometrie and Arithmeticke, with the o­ther Origen rea­deth the liberall artes ex­horting both the subtle & simple to studie them. liberall artes. againste the absurde opinions of philosophers he alleaged philosophers au­torities, and expounded them, consideringe seuerally of them as by waye of commentarie, so that he was renowmed, famous and recounted amonge the Gentiles for a greate philosopher. he per­swaded also vnto the studie of the liberall artes, many of them which were dull witted, affirminge they shoulde thence procure vnto them selues great commoditie, and helpe to the contemplation and increase of knowledge in holye scripture, for he was of this opinion that the exercise of pro­phane and philosophicall discipline was very necessary and profitable for him selfe.

CAP. XVIII.

THe heathenishe philosophers who then florished are witnesses approued of his good pur­pose and industrie in this behalfe, in whose commentaries we finde often mention made of this man, wherof some haue dedicated their bookes vnto him, other some haue deliuered vp their works vnto him as vnto the censure of their maister. But what shall I speake of them, when as Porphyrius himselfe, then in Sicilia, striuinge and strugglinge against vs with his bookes en­deuouring to confute holy scripture remembred the interpreters thereof? And beynge not able to charge, neither to impugne to any purpose our doctrine, any kinde of waye, now voyde of reason he fell to rayling speaches and sclaundering of the expositors. of which number namely he goeth about to accuse Origen, whome he reporteth to haue knowen of a child, yet through his vnaduised forgetfulnesse he commendeth the man, sometyme reporting truely when as he coulde not other­wise chuse: sometime vntruely thinking thereby to delude others, and whilest that nowe he accu­seth him for being a Christian, anone he paynteth forth, and wondereth at his singular gyfte and Porphyrius an Atheist (whose wor­des these are lib. 3. contra Christianos) wrote fiftene bookes a­gainste the Christians, whome Euse bius cōfuted in 30. bookes of the which 20. were extāt in the tyme of Ierom but at this daye not one. excellencie in philosophicall discipline. heare him therefore, for thus he writeth: Many beyng de­sirous to finde out, not the imperfection and impietie of Ievvishe scriptures but the resolu­tion, haue turned them selues vnto expositions not cohaerent, & interpretations of the scriptures inconuenient, and not onely allovvinge of forged scriptures, but also approuing and extollinge the commentators. for they alleaging the darke speaches vvhich are sayd to be manifest in Mo­ses, and publishing them as Oracles replenished vvith hydd & concealed mysteries: they frame a charmed iudgement through the arrogancie of their minde and shevv forth their expositions. Agayne after a fewe lynes he sayeth: This is the absurde manner and guyse of that man, vvith vvhome I beyng very yonge haue had conference, vvho then vvas very famous, and at this daye also by reason of the commentaries he lefte behinde him (I meane Origen) is muche spoken of, vvhose greate prayse is blased farre and nyghe among the maisters and fauourers of that do­ctrine. For vvhen he vvas the disciple of Ammonius, vvho in our tyme excelled for his fame in philosophie, he profited very muche vnder him beyng his maister, and obtayned greate knovv­ledge in the sciences: but as toutchinge the right institution of lyfe, he tooke in hande an other trade quite kame from his. for Ammonius beyng a Christian and brought vp of christian parents vvhen he had grovven into rypenesse of iudgement and the knovvledge of philosophie, forth­vvith he framed his trade of lyfe conformable vnto the lavves: but Origen beynge a Gentile and brought vp in the sciences of the Gentiles, degenerated and fell into that The blas­phemie of Porphyrius against Christianitie. barbarous temeritie, vvherevvith beynge taken he corrupted both him selfe and the perfection of those sciences, lea­ding a lyfe after the maner of the Christians, contrary vnto the lavves, according vnto their opi­nions of celestiall matters and of God, preferring straunge fables before the science of the gen­tiles. He continevvally perused Plato, he readde ouer the vvorkes of Numenius, Cronius, Apollo­phanes, Longinus, Moderatus, Nicomachus, and the reste of the Pythagoreans, counted vvise and Origen lear­ned of the Grecians to write allego­rically. profounde men. he vvas vvel seene in Chaeremon the Stoicke, and in the vvorkes of Cornutus, vvhence he borovvinge of the Grecians maner, the allegoricall interpretation of mysteries, ap­plyed it vnto the Ievvishe scriptures. These thinges hath Porphyrius written in his third-booke agaynst the Christians, truely reporting of this mans exercises, and sundry kindes of knowledge but vntruely in that he sayde, he should degenerate from the Gentiles. For how can he pronounce the trueth when as he practiseth to write againste the Christians? he sayeth that Ammonius from leading a good and a godly lyfe fell into heathenish idolatrie. for the doctrine of Christ the which Origen receaued of his forefathers the same he retayned as we haue largely declared before. And [Page 107] Ammonius also (contrary to his reporte) kept styll and retayned the sounde and vncorrup­ted Porphyrius sclaundered Origen and Ammonius. philosophie of God euen vnto his laste ende, as his commentaryes at this daye beare recorde whiche he lefte behinde him. namely that famous worke entituled: The agreement of Moses and Iesu, and other tractes whatsoeuer other men haue founde written. These thyngs are layde downe to the cōmendation of Origen, agaynst the sclaunderous mouthe of that despite­full man, and of the greate skyll of Origen in the Grecians discipline and doctrine. Toutchinge the whiche when he was reprehended of so [...]e for his studye therein, he defended him selfe in a certaine epistle writinge after this manner.

CAP. XIX. Cap. 20. in the Greeke.

WHen that I studyed for the increase of knovvledge, and that a rumor or fame vvas Origen in a certaine epi­stle writeth thus of him selfe for his study in phi­losophie. spredde abrode of the perfection of my learninge and doctrine, heretickes, and speciallie such as vvere profounde in philosophie and in the doctrine of the Gen­tils, resorted vnto me: vvherefore I thought good to searche out the selfe opinions of here­tickes and vvhat soeuer myght be sayde out of philosophie for the confirmation of the trueth. This haue I done firste of all after the example of Pantaenus vvho profited a greate manye before my tyme, and had singular skyll and knovvledge therein. secondly after the exam­ple of Heraclas, novve a minister of the churche of Alexandria, vvhome I founde vvith a pro­fessor of philosophie vvhiche vvas his mayster, fyue yeares before I applyed my minde to the studie of theyr sciences. VVho also in tymes paste vsed the common and vsuall attyre, novve layinge that asyde he tooke the philosophers habite the vvhiche he retayneth as yet, and cea­seth not vnto this daye vvith earnest labour & industrie to reade ouer the philosophers bookes. These thinges hath he written to the clearinge of him selfe for his studie in prophane writers. When as at that tyme he continewed at Alexandria, there came a certayne souldier from the gouernour of Arabia, with letters vnto Demetrius Byshope of that seae, and vnto him who then was Liuetenante of Aegypte, requestinge them with all speede to sende Origen vnto him whiche myght communicate vnto him some parte of his doctrine. Origen then beynge sente of them taketh his voyage into Arabia. Not longe after when he had accomplished the cause of his iourney he returned into Alexandria. In the meane whyle there was raysed such a sedition in the cytie and the warres were so hotte that there was no beynge for him there, he lefte Alexan­dria, and foreseeynge that he coulde be safe no where in all Aegypt, he went into Palaestina and remayned at Caesarea, where he was intreated by the byshopes of that prouince, to dispute in the open churche and to expounde holie scripture, beynge as yet not called to the ministerie. Whiche thinge may euidently appeare by that whiche Alexander bishope of Ierusalem, and Theoctistus bishope of Caesarea wrote in defence of the facte vnto Demetrius concerninge him after this manner: (he layde this downe in his letters that there was neuer suche practise hearde Alexander. b. of Ierusalem & Theoctistꝰ b. of Caesarea write thus vnto Deme­trius b. of A­lexandria which found faulte that a laye man in presence of Bishops shoulde di­spute or in­terprete. of, that there coulde no where the like president be founde; that laye men in presence of bishops haue taught in the churche) VVe knovve not for vvhat cause he reporteth a manifest vntrueth, vvhē as there may be found such as in opē assemblies haue taught the people. yea vvhen as there vvere present learned men that coulde profite the people, and moreouer holie byshops at that tyme also exhortinge them to preache. For example sake: at Laranda Euelpis vvas requested of Neon, at Iconium Paulinus vvas requested by Cellus, at Synada Theodorus vvas requested by Atticus, vvho vvere godly brethren. It is like also that this vvas practised in other places though vnknovven to vs. Thus was Origen honored beynge a yonge man, not onely of his ac­quaintance, but of byshops that were straungers vnto him. Afterwardes when Demetrius had called him whome by his letters and diuers Deacons of the churche had earnestly solicited his returne, he taketh his voyage agayne into Alexandria, and there diligently applyeth his ac­customed maner of teachinge.

CAP. XX. Cap. 21. in the greeke

THere florished at that tyme many other learned and profounde ecclesiasticall persons, whose epistles writing from one to an other are at this daye to be seene and found reserued in the librarie buylded at Jerusalem by Alexander, who was bishope there at that tyme. from whence we haue compiled together the substance of this our present historie. of this number Beryllus. Hippolytus. Beryllus (besides his epistles and commentaries [...]) hath lefte vnto the posteritie sundrye monu­mentes of his sounde fayth, for he was bishope of Bostra in Arabia. Likewise Hippolytus bishope of an other place. There came also into our handes the disputation of Gaius a notable learned Gaiꝰ agaynst Proclus. man had at Rome in the tyme of Zephyrinus agaynste Proclus a patrone of the Phrygian heres [...]e▪ in the which (to the confutation of the temeritie and bolde enterprise of the contrarye parte in al­leaginge of newe founde scriptures) he maketh mention of therteene epistles of Sainct Paul, not 14. epistles of Paul. naming the epistle vnto the Hebrevves in the number. For neither as yet of diuerse Romaines is that epistle thoughte to be Pauls. an. do. 220: Macrinꝰ suc­ceedeth An­toninus in the empire. Antoninus. 2 emperour: an. dom. 221. Calistu [...]. B. of Rome. Vrbanus. B. of Rome. Alexander Emperour an. dom. 224. Philetus. b. of Antioche. When Antoninus had bene Emperour seuen yeares and sixe moneths Macrinus succeeded him in the empire. And after that this Macrinus had departed this lyfe, in the firste yeare of his raygne, an other Antoninus tooke the imperiall scepter to rule ouer the Romaines, in the first yeare of whose coronation Zephyrinus bishop of Rome dyed: whē he had gouerned the ecclesiasticall seae the space of eyghteene yeares, whome Cal [...]stus succeeded. who continewing the space of fyue yeares lefte the churche to Vrbanus. Agayne after that Antoninus had bene Emperour foure yeares full, he dyed, in whose rowme Alexander immediately folow­ed: at what tyme Philetus succeeded Asclepiades in the churche of Antioche. Then Mam [...] the Emperours mother, a woman (if there was then any suche in the worlde) very godly and religi­ous (when the fame of Origen was spredde farre and nyghe enen vnto hir eares) thought hir selfe a happie woman if she myght see him, and [...]eare his wisedome in holye scripture whiche all men wondered at, Wherefore remayning at Antioche she sent of hir garde for him, who also came, and after that he had continewed there a while and published many thinges to the glorie of God and of the power of his doctrine he returned againe vnto his accustomed schoole.

CAP. XXI. Cap. 22. in the Greeke.

AT that tyme Hippolytus amongest many other of his monumentes wrote a booke of Ea­ster, The workes of Hippolytꝰ where after supputation of tymes layde downe, he sette forth a certayne canon of Easter comprisinge the compasse of sixteene yeares, endinge the raygne of the Empe­rour Alexander in the firste yeare. Of his other workes these came to our knowledge▪ of the sixe dayes creation: of the thinges vvhiche folovve the sixe dayes vvorkes. Agaynste Marcion. vpon the Canticles of Solomon. vpon certeyne peeces of Ezechiell. of Easter. agaynste all here­sies, with manye others the whiche thou shalte finde extant amonge other men. About that time, Origen beganne to commente vpon holye scriptures, Ambrose diuerslye prouokinge him not onely with wordes and fayre speaches, but also [...]rginge him with large offers of necessarye ex­pences. Origens no­taries and scriueners. For Origen had at certayne tymes appoynted for him, mo in number then seuen swyf [...]e notaryes, euery one supplyinge the rowme by turne, and writinge that whiche he vttered vnto them: and as many more scriueners together with maydens well exercised and practised in pen­ninge. whose necessary expences and charges Ambrose exhibited yea and that abundantly. who Pontianus. b. of Rome. Zebinus. b. of Antioch. also together with him bestowed greate diligence in the exercise and studye of the sacred scrip­tures, whereby chiefely he prouoked him to write commentaries vpon holye scripture. When these thinges were thus adoynge, after Vrbanus had gouerned the churche eyghte yeares Pon­tianus succeeded him in the seae of Rome, and in the churche of Antioche Zebinus succeeded Phi­letus.

CAP. XXII. Cap. 23. in the Greeke.

AT that tyme when the necessitie of the ecclesiasticall affayres so constrayned, Origen beynge sent into Greece was made minister at Caesarea in Palaestina of the bishops there abidinge. But what sturre fell out toutchinge that matter in his behalfe, and what was decreed by byshops concerninge the controuersies about him, and what other thinges he suffred preachinge the worde of God: in so much they require a seuerall volume we wyll passe them o­uer, referringe the reader vnto the seconde Apollogie whiche we published in the defence of him, where we haue lyghtly runne them ouer.

CAP. XXIII. Cap. 24. in the Greeke.

THese thinges are also to be annexed vnto the reste, howe that in the sixte booke of his anno­tations vpon Iohn, he declareth the fyue firste to haue bene written by him at Alexandria. But all the tracts that came to our knowledge vpon this Euangelist, mounted to the num­ber of tvventie and tvvo tomes. In his nynth tome vpon Genesis (whereof all are tvvelue) he si­gnifieth not onely the former eyght to haue bene written at Alexandria, but also his annotations vpon the firste fiue and tvventie psalmes. Againe he wrote vpon the lamentations, (of the which we haue seene fiue tomes) where he made mention of his bookes of the resurrection, in number tvvo. He wrote also of principall beginninges, afore his departure out of Alexandria. and the [...] bookes intituled Stromateis in number tenne: he wrote in the same citie in the tyme of the Em­perour Alexander, euen as all the titles prefixed to the tomes declare the same.

CAP. XXIIII. Cap. 25. in the Greeke.

IN his exposition vpon the firste psalme he reciteth the bookes of the olde testament writinge Origen in Psal. 1. Genesis. Exodus. Leuiticus. Numeri. Deuterono­mium. [...]osue. Iudges and Ruth. 1. & 2. of Sa­muel. 3. and 4. of Kinges. 1. & 2. of. Pa­ralip. 1. & 2. of Es­dr [...]. Psalmes. Prouerbe. Ecclesiast [...]s. Canticū Cā ­ [...]orum. Iere. la. epist. Daniel. Ezechiel. Iob Hister. Machabees. Origen hom. 1. in Math. Matthewe. thus: VVe may not be ignorant that there are tvvo and tvventie bookes of the olde testa­ment after the Hebrevves vvhich is the number of the letters amonge them. Agayne a little after he sayeth: The tvvo and tvventie bookes after the Hebrevves are these: The firste Ge­nesis, of vs so called, but of the Hebrevves Beresith, the title beynge taken of the beginninge of the booke, vvhiche is as muche to saye as: In the beginninge. Exodus in Hebrevve, Veellese­moth, that is: these are the names. Leuiticus in Hebrevve V [...]ikra, that is: and he called Numeri in Hebrevve Hamisparim or Pecudim. Deuteronomium, Elle haddebarim, that is: these are the vvor­des. Iesus the sonne of Nave, Iosue ben Nun, that is: Iosue the sonne of Nun. Iudges and Ruth vvith them one booke, in Hebrevve Sophetim, that is: Iudges. The firste and seconde of Kinges vvith them one booke, in Hebrevve Samuel that is: called of God. The thirde and fourthe of Kinges vvith them one booke, in Hebrevve Ʋ [...]hamelech Dauid, that is: and the raygne of Da­uid. The firste and seconde of Paralipomenon vvith them one booke in Hebrevve Dibre [...]a [...] ­mim, that is: the vvordes of dayes. The firste and seconde of Esdras vvith them one booke, in Hebrevve Ezra that is: a helper. The booke of Psalmes in Hebrevve Sepher tehillim▪ The Pro­uerbes of Solomon in Hebrevve Misloth. Ecclesiastes in Hebrevve Coheleth. The Canticle of Can ticles vve may not reade as some thinke the Canticles of Canticles, in Hebrevv Sir hasirim. Esai­as in Hebrevve Iesaia. Ieremias vvith the lamentations and the epistle, in one booke▪ in Hebrevv Ieremia. Daniel in Hebrevve Daniel. Iez [...]chiel in Hebrevve Ie [...]chiel. Iob in Hebrevve [...]o [...]. Hester in Hebrevv Hester. besides these there are bookes of the Machabees intituled in Hebrevv Sarbet Sarbaneel. These thinges hath Origen layde downe in the foresayde commentari [...] ▪ And in the firste tome vpon the Gospell after Mathewe, obser [...]ing the ecclesiasticall canon he testifyeth there be foure onely gospels writinge thus: As I haue learned by tradition of the foure Gospels (vvhich alone vvithout contradiction are receaued of all the churches vnder heauen) the firste is vvritten by Mathewe vvho vvas firste a publicane, then an Apostle of Iesus Christ. he pu­blished the same in vvritinge vnto the faithfull Ievves in Hebrevve letters. The seconde is after [Page 110] Marke vvho vvrot the same according vnto the preaching of Peter, vvho in his catholick epistle Marke. calleth him his sonne, saying: The church vvhich is in Babylōelected together vvith you saluteth you, & my vvelbeloued sonne Marke. The thirde is after Luke vvritten for their saks vvho of the Luke. Gentils turned to the sayth vvhich also vvas allovved of Paul. The fourth is after Iohn. Agayn in his fyfte come of annotations vpon Iohn, the same Origen toutchinge the epistles of the Apostles Iohn. sayeth thus: Paul habled a minister of the nevve Testament, not accordinge vnto the letter Origen hom. 5. in Iohan. Pauls epistles Peters. 2. epi­stles. but after the spirite, preached the Gospell abundantly euery vvhere from Ierusalem vnto Illy­ricum, vvrote not vnto all the churches vvhiche he instructed, but vnto vvhome he vvrote, he vvrote in fevve lynes: but Peter vpon vvhome the churche of Christ vvas buylded agaynste the vvhich the gates of hell shall not preuayle, lefte behinde him one epistle, vvhereof vve are cer­tayne. Be it that he lefte an other: but this is in controuersie. VVhat shall I saye of Iohn, vvho leaned on the breaste of our Lorde Iesu, vvho vvrote one Gospell and confessed vvithall, so many Gospells myght haue bene vvritten, that if they had bene vvritten the vvorlde coulde The Apoca­calyps. not haue contayned them. He vvrote also the reuelation beyng commaunded to conceale and not to vvrite the vvordes of the seuen thunders. He left behinde him an epistle comprising ve­ry fev ve verses. be it that the seconde and the thirde be annexed, though some take them not Ioh. 3. epi­stles. for his. In bothe vvhiche there are not an hundreth verses. Moreouer of the epistle vnto the He­brevves in his homelyes expoundinge the same he writeth thus: The character of the epistle vnto the Hebrevves setteth not forth the style of Paul, vvho confessed him selfe to be rude in Origen in e­pist. ad Rom. speache, for the phrase of that epistle sauoreth very muche of the Greeke tongue. VVhosoe­uer he be that hath any iudgement in discerninge of phrases vvyll confesse the same. Agayne that the doctrine of this epistle is sounde & not inferior to those epistles vvhiche vvithout con­tradiction are knovven to be the Apostles, vvho so euer vvyll vvith iudgement reade the Apo­stle, he vvyll also confesse the same to be most true. A little after he sayeth thus: I truely of myne ovvne parte, if I maye speake vvhat I thinke, do saye: that the doctrine of this epistle is the Apostles for vndoubted, but the phrase and style an other mans, vvhich noted the sayinges of the Apostle, and contriued such thinges as he had hearde of his maister, into certayne scholyes. VVherefore if any churche heretofore hath receaued the same as the epistle of Paul, [...]et her still embrace and receaue the same vnder this name. For the learned men of olde haue not vvithout greate consideration deliuered the same vnto vs for the epistle of Paul. But who wrote it God the onely trueth knoweth. yet histories haue declared vnto vs that some thought it to haue bene written by Clemens bishop of Rome, some by Luke who wrote both the Gospel and the Actes of the Apostles. but of these thinges thus muche in this sorte.

CAP. XXV. Cap. 26. in the Greeke.

IT was in the tenth yeare of the raygne of the aforesayde Emperour when Origen left Alexan­dria, an. Dom. 234 and gotte him to Caesarea, when also he committed the office of catechizinge there, vnto Heraclas. In a while after Demetrius the bishop of Alexandria dyeth when he had continewed in the same rowme the space of three and fortie yeares: him succeeded Heraclas. There florished also at that same tyme Firmilianus byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia.

CAP. XXVI. Cap. 27. in the Greeke.

THis Firmilianus so highly esteemed of Origen that one whyle he sent for him vnto his owne Firmilianus. prouince to edifie his churches. an other while he tooke his voyage vnto Iudaea vnto him, where for a certayne space, he continewed with him for farther vnderstandinge of the holy Alexander. scriptures. Besides him Alexander byshop of Ierusalem, and Th [...]ctistus byshop of Caesarea, continewally were of his side and embraced him, permittinge vnto him alone, as maister, the in­terpretation Theoctistus. of holy scripture with the rest of the ecclesiasticall function.

CAP. XXVII. Cap. 28. in the Greeke.

AFter that the Emperour Alexander had ended the raigne of therteene yeares, Maximinus Maximinus was created Emperour an. Dom. 237 vnder whom the sixte per­secution was raysed. Gordianus created Em­perour anno Dom. 240. Anterus. b. of Rome. [...]sar succeeded him. who beyng i [...]censed with the anger, spite▪ and grudge he, [...]are vnto the house of Alexander, whiche [...]arhored many of the faythfull▪ sty [...]red [...] the fyrye flame of p [...]rsecution, and gaue commaundement that [...]he gouernou [...]s [...]nely of the churches, as principal authors of the doctrine of our sauiour should be put to death▪ [...]t that [...]m [...] Origen wrote a booke of Martyrs the which he dedicated vnto Ambrose and Protoctaetus minister of Caesarea, for that both they suffered no small affliction in that troublesome tyme. When as also they had endured moste constantly examination and confession, Maximinus him selfe continewinge Em­perour no longer then three yeares. Origen noted the tyme of this persecution both in the two and twentieth tract of his commentaries vpon Iohn and in sundry of his epistles: When Gordia­nus had succeeded Maximinus in the empire of Rome: Anterus also folowed Pontianus after he had gouerned sixe yeares in the bishops seae of Rome.

CAP. XXVIII. Cap 29. in the Greeke.

AFter that Anterus had enioyed the ecclesiasticall function the space of one moneth, Fa­bianus Fabianus. b. of Rome. succeeded him. who as reporte goeth came from the contrey after the death of An­terus, together with certaine others for to dwell at Rome: When such a thinge as neuer was seene before at the election of a bishop, happened then by the deuine and celestiall grace of God. For when all the brethren had gathered them selues together, for the election of a bishop▪ & many thought vpon diuers notable and famous men, Fabianus him selfe there present together with others, when as euery one thought least, nay nothinge at all of him, sodaynly from aboue there fell a Do [...]e and rested vpon his head, after the example of the holy ghost which in likenesse of a Doue descended vpon our sauiour [...] the whole multitude beynge moued thereat, with one and the same spirite of God cryed out cheerefully with one accorde that he was worthy of the bishop­ricke, Babylas. b. of Antioche. Dionysius. b. of Alexādria. and immediately (as they reporte) he was taken and stalled bishop. At that tyme when Zebinus bishop of Antioche had departed this lyfe, Babylas came in place. and at Alexandria, when Heraclas the successor of Demetrius had finished his mortall race: Dionysius (one of Origens disciples) supplyed the rowme.

CAP. XXIX. Cap. 30. in the Greeke.

WHen Origen executed his accustomed maner of teachinge at Caesarea, many flocked Theodorus. Gregorius Na [...]anzenꝰ. Athynodorꝰ. vnto his lessons, not onely that contrey men but also infinite forayner [...], who forsaking their natiue foyle became his disciples. of whiche number as chiefe we haue knowen Theodorus, he was the same Gregorius the moste renowmed byshop amonge vs, and his brother Athynodorus. he beynge moste studious in the Greeke and Romaine discipline so perswaded them, that they embracinge the syncere loue of philosophie, altered their former studies vnto the exercise and study of holy scripture. And after that they had continewed with him the space of fiue yeares, they profited so much in holy scripture that both beinge as yet yonge men they were or­dayned byshops of certayne churches in Pontus.

CAP. XXX. Cap. 31. in the Greeke.

ABout that tyme also was Aphricanus renowmed and muche spoken of, the author of th [...]se The historie of Susanna doubted of. commentaries intituled of Cestes or vvedding g [...]rdels. there is extant also an epistle of his vnto Origen to this effect that he doubted whether the historie of Susanna commonly redde in Daniel was true or fayned: Whome Origen fully satisf [...]ed. There came also to our handes of the [Page 112] same Aphricanus doynge, fiue volumes of Cronicles curiously penned, where he reporteth himselfe to haue trauailed vnto Alexandria because of the greate fame of Heraclas, whome, ex­cellinge in philosophicall sciences and discipline of the Gentils, we haue shewed before to haue bene chosen byshop of Alexandria. There is also of the same author, an epistle vnto Aristides of the difference or disagreeinge in the Genealogie of Christ, written by Mathewe and Luke, where manifestly he proueth the consent and agreement of the Euangelistes, out of a certaine hi­storie which came to his handes. whereof in his proper place that is in the firste booke of this present historie we haue made mention before.

CAP. XXXI. Cap. 32. in the Greeke.

ABout this tyme Origen published commentaries vpon Esaye, afterwardes vpon Ezechiel. of the whiche vpon the thirde parte of the Prophete Esaye vnto the vision of the fourefoo­ted beastes in the wyldernesse there came vnto our handes thirtye tomes. and vpon the Prophet Ezechiel in the whole fiue and tvventie, the whiche he wrote beyng at Athens. He be­ganne to comment vpon the Canticles, so that therevpon he finished fiue bookes, and afterwards returninge from Caesarea he made them out tenne bookes. What neede we presently to recite an exacte catalogue of his workes, for it requireth a seuerall volume? when as we haue runne them ouer in the lyfe of Pamphilus who suffered martyrdome in our tyme. where we (commen­dinge the lyfe of Pamphilus, his earnest and greate studie) haue made catalogues and indexes for the librarie whiche he buylded, gatheringe together both the workes of Origen and also of other ecclesiasticall writers. [...]here, if any man be so disposed, he shall readily finde all the perfect vo­lumes of Origen, as many as came to our knowledge. Nowe let vs proceede on further, to the dis­course of that whiche followeth in this present historie.