The auncient ecclesiasticall histories of the first six hundred yeares after Christ, wrytten in the Greeke tongue by three learned historiographers, Eusebius, Socrates, and Euagrius. Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of Cæsarea in Palæstina vvrote 10 bookes. Socrates Scholasticus of Constantinople vvrote 7 bookes. Euagrius Scholasticus of Antioch vvrote 6 bookes. VVhereunto is annexed Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus, of the liues of the prophetes, apostles and 70 disciples. All which authors are faithfully translated out of the Greeke tongue by Meredith Hanmer, Maister of Arte and student in diuinitie. Last of all herein is contayned a profitable chronographie collected by the sayd translator, the title whereof is to be seene in the ende of this volume, with a copious index of the principall matters throughout all the histories

CAP. XLII.* 1.1

Of receauing agayne such as fell. The testimony of Cornelius byshop of Rome. The heresie of Nouatus, and his impietie. A synode helde at Rome for the condemning of his heresie.

NOuatus a priest of Rome puffed vp with pride against suche as fell in time of persecution through infirmitie of the fleshe, as though there were no hope of saluation lefte for them, yea if they accomplished all that appertained vnto true conuersion and right con∣fession* 1.2 of the fayth: became him selfe the author & ryngleader of his owne heretical sect, to wete: Of such as through their svvelling pride do call themselues puri••••nes. Wherefore there was a sy∣node gathered together at Rome, of threescore hyshops, besides many ministers and deacons, Againe there mett seuerally many pastors of other prouinces determining what was to be done in this case: where by vniforme consente of all it was decreed: that Nouatus together with such as swelled & consented vnto this vnnaturall opinion, repugnant to brotherly loue, should be excō∣municated* 1.3 and banished the church: and that the brethern fallen through the infir••nitie of y^• flesh, in the troblesome times of persecution should be receaued after that the salue of repentance, and

medecine of consession were applied vnto their maladies. Th••re came to our hands the Epistles of Cornelius byshop of Rome wrytten vnto Fabius bishop of Antioch toutchinge that synode held at Rome, shewinge therein what was decreed by all the byshops of ••talye and Aphricke, and of other prouinces. Againe other epistles of Cyprian in the Romaine tongue with the subscription of diuerse other byshops, wherein they shewed their consent in this behalfe: that such as shrinked were to be vpholden and cured: and that accordinge vnto iustice the author of this heres••e toge∣ther with his adherentes was to be banished the Catholicke Church▪ vnto these there was anne∣xed an other Epistle of Cornelius of the Synods decrees. Againe an other of the cause that mo∣ued Nouatus thus to fal from the Church, whereof it will not be amisse here to alleage some part that the reader may vnderstande what manner of man he was▪ and to the ende he woulde certifie Fabius of Nouatus his disposition, Cornelius wryteth thus: I geue thee to vnderstand that this* 1.4 ••olly Nouatus longed of olde after a byshop••••ke, and to thende he might conceale this his pi••∣••••sh desire, vsed this cloke of arrogancye. but first I vvill declare hovve he linked to his side cer∣taine confessors. Maximus one of our ministers & Ʋrbanus, vvho by confessinge of theyr fayth procured vnto them selues tvvise a notable name and estimation amonge vs: againe Sidoni∣us and Celerinus, vvho through the goodnes of God endured constantly all kinde of tormentes, confirminge the vveakenesse of the flesh through the strength of his faith, and valiantly ouer∣came the aduersary: these men vvhen they had considered better of him, and perceaued his guile and inconstancye, his periurie and falsehood, his inhumanitie and suspicious head, retur∣ned vnto the holy Church, reuealed and detected vnto many byshops and elders and laye peo∣ple vvhich then vvere present, all his sleyghtes and deuelishe subtletyes, the vvhich of long time they had concealed, vveepinge and vvaylinge that they had beleeued this deceatefull and ma∣licious monster, and that they had forsaken the Church, yea although it vvas but a little vvhile. Againe after a fewe lines in the same epistle he sayth: VVe haue seene in him (vvelbeloued brother) a vvonderfull alteration, and suddaine chainge in a shorte space. This good man vvh•• he had protested vvith certaine dreadfull oth••s, that he neuer coueted any byshopricke, soden∣ly as it vvere by certaine iugglinge feates, he stepped forth a byshop. this lavvemaker and pro∣tector of the ecclesiasticall science, vvhen that he presumpteously endeuored to chalenge vnto himselfe, the title of a byshop, not graunted vnto him from aboue: chose tvvo men of a despe∣rate condition, to be partakers of his heresie, vvhome he might sende to a certaine corner or les ser part of Italy, and thence to seduce three byshops, plaine, simple and countrey men, by some crafty meanes, auoutching and affirming, that they must in all the haste come to Rome, fay∣ninge* 1.5 that they together vvith other byshops meetinge for the same purpose, shoulde appease and remoue a certaine schisme raised in the Citie▪ vvho beinge simple men (as vve sayde be∣fore) not knovving theyr craftie and mischieuous fetches, aftertheir coming vvere inclosed by such levvde persons, that vvere like vnto themselues & suborned for the purpose: aboute tenne of the clocke vvhen as they vvere some vvhat tipsie and vvel crommed vvith vitayles, they vvere constrayned to create him bishop, vvith imaginatiue and friuolous layinge on of handes, the vvhich craftely and subtlely not compatible for his person he chalenged vnto him selfe. One of them aftervvards repented him, and returned vnto the Church, bevvaylinge his fall and con∣confessing his fault, the vvhole multitude also intreatinge for him, vvhome vve receaued vnto the company and communion of the laytie. In the rovvmes of the other byshops vve ordayned and sent from vs such as should succeed them. VVherfore this iolly defender of the Gospell vvas* 1.6 ignorant that there ought to be but one byshop in the catholicke church, in the vvhich he kno∣vveth (for hovve shoulde he be ignorant) that there are six and forty priests, seuen deacons, sea∣uen subdeacons, tvvo and forty acolytes, tvvo and fyfty exorcists, and readers, vvith porters, vvi∣dovves, and impotent persons aboue a thousand and fifty soules, vvho all are releaued through the grace and goodnes of almighty God. vvhome so great a multitude and so necessary in the Church, and by the prouidence of God so copious and infinite, yea a number of innumerable people, could not cōuert and turne him to the Church from this his desperate and damnable presumption. Againe in a while after he wryteth: Novve forvvardes I vvill orderly declare by vvhat meanes & by vvhat trade of life, he purchaced vnto himselfe the title of a bishop. Thinke you that therefore because of his conuersation in the Churche from the begining, or because he endured many skyrmishes or conflicts for his name, or that he stood in manifolde and greate perills for piety his sake? none of all this vvas true in him. The occasion of beleeuinge he tooke

of Satan vvhich entred into him and made there longe abode. VVhen he vvas deliuered by the Exorcists, he fell into a dangerous disease, and because he vvas very like to dye, vvas ba∣ptized in the bedd vvhere he laye: If it may be termed a baptisme vvhich he receaued. For he obtayned not after his recouery that vvhich he shoulde haue done accordinge vnto the canon of the Church, to vvete: confirmation by the handes of the byshop. In so much then he obtai∣ned not that, hovve came he by the holy Ghost? And againe a little after he sayth: He beyngè* 1.7 lothe to dye and desirous of life, in the time of persecution denyed himselfe to be a priest. VVhen he vvas entreated by the deacons and admonished ••o come forthe out of the house vvherein he had enclosed himselfe, and to minister vnto the necessitie of the brethren vvhich vvanted, he vvas so farre from doinge and obeynge the Deacons that he vvent avvay and de∣parted in a cha••e, saying that he vvoulde no longer playe the priest, but addicte him selfe vn∣to an other trade of Philosophie. and againe to this he annecteth that which followeth: this good man forsooke the Church of God, vvherein he vvas baptized, and vvhere also he tooke priesthoode vpon him, by fauour of the byshop vvhich allotted him thereunto through the layinge on of handes, and vvhen all the clergye yea and many of the layeti•• vvithstoode the facte: that none baptised in bedd as he vvas shoulde be chosen into the ecclesiasticall order, yet they all requested that he might be permitted to enter into orders. An other insolency of* 1.8 this man passinge all the former he reporteth thus: VVhen he distributed the oblation and de∣liuered to euery mā parte thereof, he added this vvithall (constrayninge the seely soules, before they receaued of his oblation to svvere, holdinge both their handes together not loosed before they had thus svvorne, I vvill vse theyr ovvne vvordes) svveare vnto me by the body and blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ, that thou vvilt neuer forsake me and flye vnto Cornelius. The vvret∣ched man tasted not thereof before he had vovved vnto him, and in steede of that vvhen he receauinge the breade shoulde haue sayd Amen: he ansvvered I vvill not goe vnto Corne∣lius. Againe a little after he sayth: Novv thou mayst vnderstande that he is all bare and fore∣saken,* 1.9 reiected and left of the brethren vvho dayly returne vnto the Church, vvhome blessed Moses a martyr vvho of late endured amongest vs a maruelous & notable martyrdome, being aliue and perceauinge his temerytie and arrogancie did excommunicate, together vvith fiue other priests, vvhich seuered themselues vvith him, from the Church. In the ende of the epistle he reciteth the catalogue of byshops, who at theyr beinge at Rome condemned the madd fanta∣sie of Nouatus, wrytinge both theyr names and the prouinces where they gouerned. he reci∣teth also the names and Cities of such as were absent and had subscribed by theyr letters. These thinges hath Cornelius signified by his letters vnto Fabius byshop of Antioch.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 43. after the greeke.
• * 1.2

  The Noua∣tians call themselues 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. pur••••ans.
• * 1.3

  Nouatus is excommuni∣cated.
• * 1.4

  Cornelius. b. of Rome vnto Fabius. b. of Antioch Maximus. Vrbanus. Sidonius & Celerinus. forsooke No uatus. Thequalities of Nouatus.
• * 1.5

  Howe Noua¦tus the here∣tike vvas made bishop
• * 1.6

  The order of the cler∣•••••• in the church of Rome in the ••ime of Cor∣••elius.
• * 1.7

  Nouatus fell in time of persecution and denyed his order.
• * 1.8

  The comu∣nion was thē ministredand deliuered in∣to theyr hands, not popt in their mouthes.
• * 1.9

  Moses a mar¦tyr.