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

THE SECONDE BOOKE OF THE EC∣CLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS. (Book 2)

CAP. I.

The proeme where he layeth downe the cause that moued him to repeate at large such things as afore time he had briefly written in his first and seconde booke.

RƲffinus who wrote the Ecclesiasticall historye in the latine tongue, was very much* 1.1 deceaued * 1.2 in the tymes, for he thought that the perill and daungers which Atha∣nasius stoode in, happened vnto him after the death of the emperour Constantine. He was ignorant of his banishment into Fraunce, & of many other miseryes that hap∣pened vnto him. But we imitating his opinion, and censure, in discourse of the Ec∣clesiasticall affayres: haue written the first and seconde booke of our historye▪ from the thirde vnto the seuenth booke, by borowing some out of Ruffinus: by picking and culling other some out of sundry other writers: also by laying downe some thinge, we learned of others who as yet be aliue: we haue sett forth the historye in a most absolute and perfect maner. But after that by meare chaunce, the workes of Athanasius came to our handes, where both he complayneth of the misery he endured, & also declareth after what sorte he was exiled, through the sclaunderous facti∣on of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia: we thought farre better to attribute more credit vnto him, who suffred these things, and to others, who sawe them with their eyes, then to such as coniecture and gesse at them, and so plunge them selues in the pitt of error. Moreouer by searching diligent∣ly the epistles of sundry men, who liued at that tyme, we haue sifted out (as much as in vs laye) the trueth it selfe. Wherfore we haue bene constrayned to repeate agayne, such thinges as we mentio∣ned in the firste and seconde booke of our historye, and haue annexed thereunto out of Ruffinus, such histories as were agreeable vnto the trueth. Not only that, but this also is to be vnderstoode,* 1.3 how that in the first edition of these our bookes, we layd downe neyther the depriuation of Arius: neyther the Emperours epistles: but explicated in fewe words, without figures of Rhetorick, the matter we tooke in hande, lest the tediousnes of our long historye, shoulde tyre the louing Reader. When as for the cause aboue mentioned, it behoued vs so to doe (Theodorus most holy Prieste of God) yet nowe (to the ende the epistles may be knowen in forme and fashion, as the Emperours wrote them selues: and the thinges also which Bishops in sundry councells haue published vnto the worlde, whylest that they laboured dayely to sett for the more exquisite decrees and constituti∣ons to the furtherance of Christian religion) we haue diligently added to this our latter edition such thinges as we thought fitt for the purpose▪ that truely we haue performed in the first booke and in the seconde nowe in hande we minde to doe no lesse▪ but nowe to the historye.

CAP. II.

How that Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia, endeuored agayne to establishe the doctrine of Arius, so that tumults were raysed in the Churche afreshe and howe that Athanasius by vertue of Con∣stantine the yongers letters, returned to Alexandria.

AFter the death of the Emperour Constantine, Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia, and The••g••is Bishop of Nice: supposing now they had gotten a fitt time: endeuored with all might pos∣sible, to wipe out of the Churche of God, the creede, contayning the clause of one substance, and to setle in the rowme thereof, the detestable heresie of Arius. But this they knewe full well, they coulde not bringe to passe, if Athanasius came agayne to Alexandria. They went about to compasse their drift very craftely, vsing the Priest (by whose meanes we sayd before Arius re∣turned from exile) as an instrument to their purpose. But the maner of the handling thereof, I thinke very needefull to be layde downe. This Priest presented vnto Constantius the Emperours sonne, the last will and testament and the bequeathed legacies of the Emperour deseased. He per∣ceauing y^t to haue bene laid downe in his fathers wil, which greatly he desired (for byy^• wil, he was emperour of the Easterne parts) made very much of the priest, graunted him great libertie, char∣ged him to vse his pallace, freely and boldly at his pleasure. After this libertie was graunted him by the Emperour: he forthwith acquainted him selfe with the empresse, with the Eunuches and chamberlaynes. At the same time there was an eunuch, by name Eusebius, chiefe of the emperours* 1.4 chamber, who through persuasion of this lewde Priest, became an Arian, and infected also the o∣ther eunuches of his company. And not only these, but the Empresse also, through the entisement of the Eunuches, and the aduise of the Priest, fell into the pestilent heresie of Arius. In a while af∣ter, the Emperour him selfe called the same opinion into controuersie, and so by a litle and a litle, it was spredd euery where. And first the Emperours garde tooke it vp, next it occupied the mindes of the multitude, throughout the city. The Emperours chamberlaynes euen in the very pallace it selfe, contended with women about the opinion, in euery house and family throughout the city they brawled and went together by the eares. This infection spred it selfe quickly, ouer other contries and regions: and the controuersie much like a sparcle of fire, rising of small heate or scattered em∣bers kindled the mindes of the hearers with the fiery flame of discorde and dissention. For euery one that desired to knowe why they made such a tumulte, by and by, had an occasion geuen him to reason, and euery one was not satisfied with questioning, but contentiously woulde argue thereof▪ thus the heate of contention turned all vpside downe, and troubled the quiet estate of the Churche. This sturre and sedition preuailed onely in the cities throughout the East: for Illyrium and other* 1.5 contryes of the West, enioyed peace and quietnes▪ for they could in no wise permitt the canons of the Nicene councell, to be abrogated, and sett at nought. After that the heate of contention was blowen abroad, and burned euery day more and more: the faction of Eusebius tooke this tumult, to be a furtherance to their purpose: for so they hoped it would come to passe, that some Bishop or o∣ther woulde be chosen of Alexandria, which woulde maintayne the same opinion with them. But at the very same time, Athanasius by the meanes of Constantine the yongers letters, who was one of the Caesars, and so called after his fathers name: returned to Alexandria, the letters were writ∣ten by the Emperour vnto the people of Alexandria from Triuere a citie of Fraunce, in forme as followeth: * 1.6 Constantinus Caesar to the people of the Catholicke Church of Alexandria, sendeth greeting. I hope it is not vnknowen vnto your discreete wisedome, that Athanasius the profes∣sor of sacred diuinitie, was for a tyme banished into Fraunce: lest that through the mischieuous dealing of lewde men (for bloodesuckers and cruell beastes, sought to bereue him of his life) his innocent person shoulde of necessitie be constrained, to take his deaths wounde. VVherfore to the ende he might auoyde the malice of these dispitefull men, he was taken as it were out of their iawes which menaced him, & commaunded to liue vnder my dominion, where (though his excellent vertue, ministred vnto him from aboue, wey nothinge at all the greuous casualties of aduersity) euen as in the city he liued before, he may haue plenty, & want no necessaryes, for the maintenance of his porte. Therefore when as our Lorde, and my father of famous memory. Constantine the Emperour had purposed in his mind to haue restored him a Bishop, to his owne s••ae and proper seate, the which he enioyed among you, that are knowen to beare greate zeale

to godlines: and being preuented with death (as it fareth with mankind) before he coulde ac∣complishe his desire: I thought it verely my parte and duety, to execute the intent of so godly an Emperoure. VVith what estimation and reuerence I haue entertayned the man, he shall reporte with his owne mouth, after his returne vnto you. Neither is it to be maruelled at all, that I she∣wed him such curtesie. For me thinkes I sawe in him the great longing ye had for him, and I be∣helde also the fatherly reuerence and grauity of the man himselfe, all which, moued me not a li∣tle thereunto, nay throughly perswaded me. God of his goodnes (welbeloued brethren) haue you in his tuition. Athanasius with the confidence he had in these letters, returneth to Alexan∣dria, whome the people of Alexandria doe receaue, with most willing mindes. But such as in that citie were infected with the leprosie of Arianisme, conspired against him, so that many skirmishes and tumultes were raised, which ministred occcasion vnto the confederats of Eusebius, falsly to ac∣cuse Athanasius before the Emperoure: that of his owne doinge, without the generall consente of the assembly of Bishops, he had setled him selfe in that church. The accusation was so odious, that the Emperoure being therewith incensed against Athanasius, draue him out of Alexandria. But howe this was compassed, I will shewe hereafter in an other place.

CAP. III.* 1.7

Howe that after the death of Eusebius Pamphilus, Acacius was chosen Bishop of Caesarea, and of the death of Constantinus the yonger.

ABout that time Eusebius whose sirname was Pamphilus, Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina,* 1.8 departed this life: and Acacius his scholer, succeeded him in the Bishopricke. Who be∣sids sundry other workes of his industrie, wrote a booke of the life of his maister Eusebius. * 1.9 Not long after, Constantinus the yonger, so called after his fathers name, brother to y^• Emperor Constantius, inuading by force certaine countreys vnder Constans his yonger brothers dominion, by fighting hand to hand with the soldiers, was slaine, Acindinus and Proclus beinge Consuls.

CAP. IIII.

Howe that Alexander Bishop of Constantinople departinge this life: nominated two men, Paulus and Macedonius, that they shoulde chuse one* 1.10 of them to succeede him in the Bishoprike.

AT that time there ensued immediately the ••edicions mentioned before, an other tumulte in* 1.11 the citie of Constantinople, and that for this cause. Alexander the Bishop of that churche, who valiantly encountred with Arius hauing continewed Bishop there the space of three and twenty yeares, and liued fourescore and eighteene: departed this life. He consecrated none to succeede him, but charged the electors to choose one of two, whome he would nominat vnto them. And following his aduise, if they would place in the rowme a man sit for to instruct y^• people, of an vpright conscience, of good lise and godly conuersation: they shoulde take Paulus whome he had made priest: who though he were yonge and of greene yeares, yet in learninge olde and of greate wisedome. But in case they woulde haue him whome the etymologie of noble prowesse did highly commend, they should preferre Macedonius to the dignitie▪ who latly had bene deacon of the same* 1.12 church, and then was farre strucken in yeares. Wherefore about the election of a Bishop, there was greater sturre thē heretofore, and the churche was more grieuously turmoyled. The people were deuided into two parts: the one was egerly set with the heresy of Arius, the other cleaued ve∣ry constantly, to the decrees of the Nicene Councell. And whilest that Alexander liued, they which embraced the creede, comprising the clause of One substance, had the vpper hand ouer the A∣rians, which dayly striued, and contended very stifly in the maintenance of their heretical doctrine. But as soone as he departed this life, the contention among the people was diuers, and variable. For such as fauored the clause of One substance, chose Paulus to be their Bishop: such as of the con∣trary cleaued vnto Arianisme, endeuored with all might to place Macedonius. Wherefore in the* 1.13 temple of God called the church of peace, next vnto the great church then called great, but nowe bearing the name of wisedome, Paulus was chosen Bishop: in which election the voyce of the des∣seased did preuaile.

CAP. V.

Howe that Constatinus the Emperoure displaced Paulus that was chosen byshope of Constantinople, and translated to that seae Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia. And howe that Eusebius caused an other Synode to be summoned at Antioch in Syria, where there was an other forme of fayth layde downe.

SHortely after the election of Paulus moued the Emperoure not a litle, at his coming to Con∣stantinople. For summoning together an assembly of Byshops, which sauored of the filthie sinke of Aruis, he procured the deposition of Paulus: and causing Eusebius of Nicomedia to be ••••anslated thither, he proclaimed him Bishop of Constantinople. These thinges being done the Emperoure gott him to Antioch.* 1.14 Yet Eusebius for all this, colde not sette his hart at rest, but rol∣led (as commonely we saye) euery stone to bringe his wicked purpose to passe. He summoneth a councell at Antioch in Syria, pretending the dedicatiō of the church (whose foundations, Constan∣tine the father of these Emperours had layd: after whose death Constantius his sonne tenne yeares after the laying of the first stone finished the buylding) and as I may boldely say the trueth, to the ouerthrowe and subuersion of the fayth Of one substance. Unto this synod there came out of diuers prouinces, Bishops to the number of fourscore and tenne. But Maximus bishop of Ierusalem who succeeded Macarius, woulde not come thither, supposinge verely that if he came he shoulde be con∣strayned to subscribe vnto the depriuation of Athanasius. Neyther did Iulius Byshop of Rome shewe him selfe there, neither sente he any to supply his rowme: when as the ecclesiasticall canon forbiddeth that any constitution be thrust into the Churche, without the censure of the Bishope of Rome. To be shorte the councell mette at Antioch, in the Consulship of Marcellus and Probinus, where Constantius the Emperoure was present. It was the fift yeare after the death of Constan∣tine father vnto these Emperours. Placitus was then bishop of Antioch, for he succeeded Euphro∣nius.* 1.15 But the confederacy of Eusebius side, imployed their chiefe labour and industry, falsly to ac∣cuse Athanasius: and first they charge him with the violating of their canon, to wete: that he thrust* 1.16 him selfe againe to execut the function of priesthood, without the admission & consent of a generall councell. For they complaine that after his returne from exile, he rushed into the church vpon his owne head. Secondly that at his returne when the tumult & schisme was raised, many were slaine moreouer that he caused some to be scurged: some other to hold their hands at y^• barre, they alleage also such things as were pleaded against Athanasius in the councell held at Tyrus.

CAP. VI.

Of Eusebius Emisenus.* 1.17

IN the meane space while Athanasius was charged with the aforesayd crimes: they chose Eu∣sebius* 1.18 first called Emisenus, Bishop of Alexandria. Who, and what he was, Georgius Bishop of Laodicea, who then was present at the councell, sheweth vnto vs. For in the booke he wrote of his life, he declareth that Eusebius came of a noble family of Edessa in Mesopotamia: from a litle one to haue bene trained vp, in holy scripture: afterwards to be instructed in prophane literature, by a professor which then taught at Edessa: last of all to haue sucked y^• right sense, & vnderstanding of holy scripture, at the lips of Eusebius & Patrophilus, the one bishop of Caesarea; the other bishop of Scythopolis. After this to haue gone to Antioch, where it fell out that Eustathius being accused of the heresie of Sabellius, by Cyrus bishop of Beroea, was deposed of his bishoprik. Thēceforth to haue accompanied Euphronius, the successor of Eustathius: and because he woulde not be prieste, to haue gott him to Alexandria, and there to haue studied philosophie. After that, to haue returned to Antioch, where he acquaynted him selfe with Placitus, the successor of Euphronius. Thēce to haue bene called by Eusebius bishop of Constantinople, to be bishop of Alexandria: but (sayth Georgius because that Athanasius was greately beloued of the people of Alexandria, he went not thither but was sent into the city Emisa. Where when there was much adoe made among the citizens of Emisa about the election (for he was charged with the study of the mathematicks) he fledd away & came to Laodicea vnto Georgius, who reported many notable storyes of him. Georgius brought him to Antioch, & by y^• meanes of Placitus & Narcissus, caused him to be conueyed to Emisa, where againe he was accused of the heresy of Sabellius. But of the circumstāces of his election, Georgius

discourseth more at large: last of all he addeth, howe that the Emperour going into Barbary tooke him thence, and that he knewe full well, many wonders & miracles to haue bene wrought by him. So farre of the things which Georgius remembred of Eusebius Emisenus.

CAP. VII.

Howe that the byshops which mett at Antioch, after that Eusebius Emisenus had refused Alexandria, chose Gregorius to be byshop of Alexandria: and endeuored* 1.19 to alter, and so consequentlye to abrogate, the canons of the Nicene, councell.

WHen as at that time Eusebius by the councell of Antioch, was chosen bishop of Alexā∣dria,* 1.20 & feared to goe thither, they consecrate Gregorie in his rowme, to enioye the seae of Alexandria. These things being done, they labour to alter the faith: who althoughe they colde reproue nothinge of the thinges decided in the Nicene Councell, yet verelye wente they about through theyr often assemblyes, to peruerte and ouerthrowe the creede contayninge the clause of One substance, and otherwise to establishe of theyr owne, that by a little and a litle they mighte soke men, in the filthie sincke of Arius. But of theyr drifte, and fetches, in the sto∣ryes followinge. The epistle contayninge the fayth whiche they published was after this maner: VVe are neyther the followers of Arius (for howe can it be that we beinge Byshops, shoulde* 1.21 geue eare vnto Arius beinge but a prieste) neyther haue we receaued any other faythe then that, whiche hathe beene published from the beginninge: but when as vve examined his faith narrowely, and weyed it deepely, we rather receaued Arius returninge vnto vs, then that our selues shoulde hange vpon his opinion. The whiche you may easilye perceaue by that whiche followeth. For we haue learned from the beginninge, to beleeue in one vniuersall God, the creator and maker of all things, both visible and inuisible, and in one Sonne, the only begotten Sonne of God, who was before all wordes, and had his beinge together with the Father, which begott him: by whome all things, both visible, and inuisible were made. VVho in the later days according vnto the singular good will of the father, came downe from heauen and tooke flesh of the virgine mary. VVho fullfilled all his fathers will: who suffred, rose againe, ascended into the heauens and sitteth at the right hande of the father, & shall come againe to iudge the quick and the dead, and continewe king and God for euer. VVe beleue also in the holy Ghost. And if that you will haue vs to add more: we beleue the resurrection of the fleshe, and the life euer∣lasting. After that they had wrytten these things in theyr former epistle, they sente it to the chur∣ches throughout euery cytie. But continewinge at Antioch a while longer, they in maner con∣demned the forme of fayth that wente before, and wrote forthwith a newe one, in these wordes:* 1.22 VVe beleue as the Euangelistes and Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs, in one God the Father almightie, the creator and maker of all thinges, and in one Lorde Iesus Christ, his onely be∣gotten sonne, God by whome all thinges were made: begotten of the father before all worlds God of God: whole of whole: alone of alone: perfecte of perfecte: kinge of kinge: lorde of lorde: the liuinge worde: the wisedome: the life: the true light: the waye of trueth: the resur∣rection: the shepherd: the dore: inconuertible and immutable: the liuely image of the diuinity, essence, power, counsell, and glorie of the father: the first begotten of all creatures: who was in the beginninge with the father: God the worde, (as it is sayde in the Gospell) and God was the* 1.23 word: by whome all thinges were made and in whome all thinges are. VVho in the later dayes came downe from heauen: was borne of a virgin according vnto the Scripturs: was made man, and the mediator of God and man, the Apostle of our fayth, and the guyde to life. And as he sayth of him selfe: I came dovvne from heauen, not to doe mine ovvne will, but his will vvhich* 1.24 sente me. VVho suffred for vs, and rose agayne the thirde daye for our sakes, and ascended into heauen, and sitteth at the righte hande of the father, and shall come againe vvith glorie and power, to iudg the quick and the dead. And we beleue in the holy Ghost vvhiche is geuen vnto the faythfull for theyr consolation, sanctification and perfection. Euen as our Lord Iesus Christ commaunded his disciples, sayinge: goe teache all nations, baptizinge them in the name of* 1.25 the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghoste. That is of the father who is the father in deede: and of the sonne who is the sonne in dede: and of the holy Ghoste who is the holye Ghoste in deede. VVhiche names are not vnaduisedly, neyther vvithout good consideration

layde dovvne of vs, for they plainely sett forth the proper person, the order, and the glorie of ••••he of them that are named, that there be three persons, yet in harmoniacall consente, but one God. VVherefore vve retayninge this fayth before the maiestye of God the father, and his sonne Iesus Christ: doe holde for accursed all detestable heresies. If that any shall teache contrary to the righte and sounde fayth, contained in holy Scripture, that there is, or that there hathe bene a tyme, or a vvorlde, and made before the sonne of God, let him be accursed. If that any shall saye, that the sonne of God is a creature, as one of the creatures: a budde or spring as one of the buddes, and not as the sacred Scriptures haue deliuered euery of the aforesayde vnto vs: or if that any shall preache or publishe any other, besides that vve haue receaued lette him be accursed. For vve beleue truely and vnfaynedly, all vvhatsoeuer the holy Scriptures, the Prophetes, and Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs, and vve follovve the same zealously. Suche were the Creedes of the Byshopes whiche then assembled at Antioch: whereunto Gre∣gorius althoughe as yet he was not gone to Alexandria, subscribed intitlinge him selfe Byshope of Alexandria. The Councell after the finishinge of these thinges, and the establishinge of o∣ther constitutions, was dissolued. At the very same time the affayres of the common weale fell out to be very troublesome. For the French natiō (so are they tearmed) inuaded the Romayne pos∣sessions,* 1.26 bordering vpon Fraunce, then also there were greate earthquakes in the Easte, but spe∣cially at Antioch, where the earth was hoyssed and shaken the space of one whole yeare.

CAP. VIII.

Howe that, when Gregorius was broughte to Alexandria, with* 1.27 armed souldieres: Athanasius by flyinge awaye saued his life.

WHen the aforesayde busines was brought to this passe, Syrianus the captaine, together with fiue thousande armed soldiers brought Gregorius to Alexandria. The Arians that were within the citie came to ayde them. But I thinke it requisite to discourse, howe Athanasius that was violently by them thrust out of the churche, escaped their handes. It was then euentide, the people spent the whole night in vigils, for there was a cōmunion the day follo∣winge. The captaine drewe nighe, he sette his soldiers in battaile araye, he besetts the churche. Athanasius vnderstandinge of this, called his witts together, and deuised howe the people might* 1.28 take no harme for his sake. He commaunded his Deacon to read the collects vnto the people. He bidds him singe a psalme. When the psalme was sweetly and harmoniacally songe, all the peo∣ple went forth at one of the church porches. While this was adoinge the soldiers made no sturre at all: Athanasius through the middest of the singers, escaped theyre handes safe and sounde. He beinge thus ridd out of this perill and daunger he stoode in, went in all the haste to Rome. Then Gregori•• tooke possession of the churche. The citizens of Alexandria not brooking their doinges sette Sainct Denys churche afire. So farre of that.

CAP. IX.* 1.29

Howe that the citizens of Constantinople after the death of Eusebius, chose Paulus againe to be their Byshope: the Arians of the contrary, chose Macedonius.

EVsebius as soone as he had brought his purpose to effecte, sente a legate vnto Iulius Bishope* 1.30 of Rome, requestinge him to be iudge in Athanasius his cause, and to take vpon him the pronouncinge of the definitiue sentence. But the sentence that Iulius gaue of Athanasius ne∣uer came to Eusebius his hearing, for immediatly after the councell brake vp, breath wente out of his body and so he died. Wherefore the people of Cōstantinople bring Paulus, againe to be their Bishop: the Arians assemblinge in Sainct Pauls churche, chose Macedonius. They were authors and chiefe doers in that sturre, who a litle before ayded Eusebius, that turned vpside downe the whole state of the churche. These were they that could doe some thing at that time: Theognis bi∣shop of Nice, Maris bishop of Chalcedon, Theodorus bishop of Heraclaea in Thracia, Vrsacius bi∣shop of Singidon in the higher Mysia, and Valens bishop of Mursa a citie in the higher Panonia.

But Ʋrsacius and Valens repented them afterwardes, gaue vp their recantation in writinge vnto Iulius bishop of Rome, and thenceforth submitted them selues to the clause of One substance, and* 1.31 the communion of the church. At that tyme, the Arians raysed ciuill warres and dissention in the church, of the which one was sturred at Constantinople, through the confederats of Macedonius. And by reason of these domesticall warres of the christians, there were many & often skirmishes, in that citie, at what tyme many were troden vnder foote, and crushed to death.

CAP. X.* 1.32

The death of Hermogenes the captaine, and howe that therefore Paulus the seconde tyme was banished Constantinople. The Arians translating Gregorius from Alexandria, placed Georgius in his rowme.

THe report and fame of the sedition at Constantinople came to the eares of the Emperour Constantius, who then abode at Antioche, he commaunded Hermogenes the captaine, that was takinge his iourney into the coasts of Thracia, to take Constantinople in his waye, & to thrust Paulus their byshop out of the church. He comming into the citie disquieted the people not a little, while he went by force about to banishe their byshop. Immediately the multitude of the people was vp, they prepared them selues to ayde their byshop. As Hermogenes proceeded and laboured together with his souldiers to sett him packinge: the multitude beynge on an vp∣rore, rashely and headyly (as it happeneth in such a hurlyburly) fell vpon him. They fyre the house ouer his heade, they pull him out by the eares, and putte him to death. This was done when both the Emperoures were Consulls, to wete: the thirde Consulshippe of Constantius,* 1.33 and the seconde of Constans. At what tyme Constans ouercame the Frenchemen, made truse, and concluded a league betweene them and the Romaines. Constantius the Emperour hearinge of the death of Hermogenes, tooke his horse, left Antioche, and gott him to Constantinople: there he thrusteth Paulus out of the churche, he mearced the cytie: takinge from them so ma∣nie measures of grayne, as their cytie receaued aboue foure hundred thousande, the which was his fathers donation daylie geuen vnto them. For vnto that tyme, the cytie of Constantino∣ple receaued, about eyght hundred thowsande measures of grayne, that was caryed thyther from Alexandria. The Emperour differred to nominate Macedonius their byshop, for he was wonderfully incensed, not onely agaynste him, in that he was chosen without his aduise and counsell: but also in that through the sturre and tumult raysed betweene him and Paulus, not onely Hermogenes his captayne, but also manie others beside, were slayne. After he had ge∣uen Macedonius licence to execute his function in that churche onely, where he was cho∣sen byshop: he returneth to Antioche. * 1.34 In the meane space the Arians translated Gregorius from Alexandria, for that the people hated him deadly: neyther onely for that, but also for the fyringe of the temple, and moreouer because he maynetayned their opinion very sclender∣ly. They sent for Georgius borne in Cappadocia, one that was nusled in the opinion they mayne∣tayned.

CAP. XI.* 1.35

Howe that Athanasius byshop of Alexandria, and Paulus byshop of Constanti∣nople, went to Rome, and procured Iulius the byshop of Rome his letters for the recouery of their seaes: the which letters were answered by the byshops of the East, saying: that the byshop of Rome had nothing to doe with them.

AThanasius as yet was short of his iourney into Italie. At y^e time Constans who was y^e yōgest brother of y^e three Emperours, after y^e death of his brother Cōstantine, who (as we sayd be∣fore) was slaine by y^e souldiers, gouerned that westerne countries. Then also Paulus bishop of Cōstantinople, Asclepas bishop of Gaza, Marcellus bishop of Ancyra in Galatia y^e lesser, & Lu∣cius bishop of Adrianopolis being accused one for one thing, & an other for an other thing, & depri∣ued of their churches, were at y^e princely citie of Rome: & certified Iulius bishop of Rome of their whole estate, & trouble. Iulius then by reason of the prerogatiue of the churche of Rome, vphelde

their side with his letters, he wrote freely vnto the bishops of the east, that euery one of the afore∣sayd* 1.36 bishops should be restored againe, sharply rebuking such as procured their deposition rashly and without aduisement. They leaue Rome, and trusting to bishop Iulius his letters, they returne euery man to his owne church, & conuey the letters vnto whome they were written. These men, when his letters came to their hands, tooke the correction of Iulius for a contumely or sclaunder, they summone a Councell at Antioch. There as soone as they had assembled together, they deuise an epistle by vniforme consent of them all, wherein they inuey bitterly against Iulius, and signifie withall, that if any were banished the churche, and excommunicated by their decree and cen∣sure, it were not his part to intermedle, neither to sitt in iudgement vpon their sentence. For when as he had remoued Nouatus out of the churche of Rome, they neither resisted, neither contraryed his doinges. This in effect was that which the bishops of the East wrote vnto Iulius bishop of Rome. But in as much as at the comming of Athanasius into Alexandria, there was great sturre and tumultes raysed by Georgius the Arian (for the report goeth that by his meanes there was much harme, murther, and māslaughter committed) & that the Arians charged Athanasius w^t the sedition, as if he had bene the cause & author of all those mischiefes: I thinke it needefull with as much breuitie as may be, presently to say somewhat hereof. Although God alone, who is the true iudge, knoweth the certaintie thereof: yet is it not vnknowen vnto wise and discrete men, that such things most commonly fall out, where the people are at ciuill discord and dissention among them selues. Wherfore the accusers of Athanasius did him wronge, they charged him iniuriously. And Sabinus euen the greate patron of Macedonius his heresie, if that he had deepely weyed with him* 1.37 selfe, how great, and what greeuous mischiefes, the Arians went about to practise against Atha∣nasius, and all such as cleaued stedfastly vnto the creede contayning the clause of One substance: or what hainous crimes, and heauy complaints the Coūcells assembled about Athanasius his cause, exhibited againste him: or what horrible deuises the graunde hereticke Macedonius practised a∣gainst all the churches of God: certainly he should haue either runne them ouer with silence, or if* 1.38 that he had once opened his mouth, he shoulde haue vttered such thinges as would haue tended to the detection of such shamefull and reprochefull dealinges. Nowe hath he winked at all this, and blased abroade the sclaunderous crimes those beastly men charged Athanasius withall. But he sayeth not a word of Macedonius the ringleader of those heretickes, whilest he endeuoureth to cō∣ceale his horrible practises, and tragicall acts. And that which is most of all to be maruailed at, he reporteth not ill of the Arians, whome he abhorred. Moreouer he hath not once remembred the election of Macedonius, whome he succeeded. for if he had but once opened his mouth to discourse of him, he must needes haue paynted vnto the world his deuilishe dealings, and lewde behauiour, euen as the circumstances of that election do plainely set forth. But of him so farre.

CAP. XII.

How the Emperour sent Philip the gouernour, to remoue Paulus byshop of Con∣stantinople* 1.39 out of the byshopricke into banishment, and to place Macedonius in his rowme.

AS soone as the Emperour Constantius remaining at Antioche, had vnderstoode, that Pau∣lus yet againe was placed in the bishops seae of Constantinople: he tooke greate displea∣sure, and was sore incensed against them. He gaue out a commission vnto Philip the presi∣dent, who was of greater authoritie then all the other his liuetenāts, & called the second person in the empire: to remoue Paulus, and to appoynt Macedonius in his steede. Philip then, fearinge the rage and tumult of the multitude, circumuenteth Paulus very subtlely, couertly he concealeth the Emperours pleasure. He fayneth the cause of his comminge to be for the common affaires of the citie, he getts him straight vnto the publicke bathe called Ze••xippus: he sendes thence one vnto Paulus that should honorably salute him, and will him in any wise to repaire vnto the Emperours Liuetenant. As soone as he came, the gouernour opened vnto him his lorde the Emperours cō∣maundement. The bishop taketh paciently his sentence, although vniustly decreed against him. But the gouernour standing in great feare of the furious rage of the multitude, and such as stoode in compasse about him (for many by reason of the suspicious rumor flocked vnto the publicke bath) gaue commaundement, that one of the backe windowes of the bath should be opened: that Paulus should be let downe at the sayd windowe into a shippe, readily appoynted for the purpose,

and thence be conueyed to exile. The gouernour had commaunded him, that he should saile thence straight to Thessalonica, the head citie of Macedonia (for thence his auncetors came) and there make his abode: that it was lawfull moreouer for him, freely and without daunger to frequent y^• cities of Illyrium: but he would in no wise geue him leaue to come nigh the countries of the East. To be short, Paulus thinking litle or nothing of all this, is both depriued his church, banished the citie, and forthwith brought to exile. Philip the Emperours debitie gott him with speede from the publique bath, into the church. Macedonius accompanyed him (for it was so concluded before) sit∣ting by his side in the waggon, in the face of the whole multitude: the souldiers garded them with naked swordes, so that the multitude in compasse was amazed thereat, and strocken with sodaine feare. All ranne to the church, such as defended the creede contayning the clause of One substance, flocked to the church, as well as the Arian hereticks. As soone as the gouernour together with Macedonius was now come nygh the church, a maruelous great feare amazed both the multitude and the souldiers them selues. There was so great a multitude gathered together, that there was no passage for the gouernour to leade Macedonius, the souldiers were faine to thrust the people of this side, and that side, but the throng was so great, and the rowme so narowe, that they coulde not geue backe, neither recoyle. The souldiers supposinge the multitude had set them selues againste them, & of set purpose stopped their walke, that the gouernour might haue no passage theraway: drewe their swords, let flye amongest them, and layd on lustyly. The report goeth, that there fell* 1.40 about three thousande, one hundred, and fifty persons, whereof some were slayne by the souldiers, some other styfled in the throng, & crushed to death. But Macedonius after all these famous acts, as if he had committed no offence, as if he were innocent, and gyltles toutching all this haynous and horrible slaughter: is stalled in the bishops seate, more by the censure of the gouernour, then the canon of the church. These were the meanes that Macedonius and the Arians vsed to clim••, by slaughter and murther to be magistrates in the church. About that tyme the Emperour buyl∣ded a goodly churche, nowe called The church of wisdome, and ioyned it vnto the churche called by the name of Peace, the which beyng of small compasse, his father afore him had both in byg∣nes enlarged, and in beautie sett forth and adorned. Nowe were they both inuironed with one wall, and called after one name.

CAP. XIII.* 1.41

Howe Athanasius being terrified with the Emperours threats, fled the second tyme to Rome.

ABout that tyme there was an other sclaunder raysed by the Arians agaynst Athanasius,* 1.42 which forged out such an accusation agaynst him as followeth. Constantinus the father of these Emperours had geuen a good whyle before certaine grayne for almes, to the reliefe of the poore within the churche of Alexandria. This they sayde that Athanasius had soulde, and turned it to his owne lucre and gayne. The Emperoure taketh their sclaunderous reporte for trueth, and threatneth him with death. Athanasius then vnderstandinge of the Emperours hygh displeasure against him, fled away, and hidd him selfe in a secrete and obscure place. Iulius bishop of Rome, hearing the molestation and iniuries the Arians offred Athanasius: and nowe hauing receaued the letters of Eusebius, who lately had departed this lyfe: vnderstandinge of the place where Athanasius hydd him selfe: sent for him, willinge him to repayre to Rome. At the same tyme he receaued letters from the Councell assembled at Antioch, and other letters also sent vnto him from the byshops of Aegypt, which playnely affirmed, that all such crymes as Athanasius was charged withall, were meere false. Wherefore Iulius by sendinge of contrary letters, an∣swered at large the byshops which assembled at Antioche, and firste he sheweth what griefe and heauines he conceaued by their letters: secōdly that they had transgressed the canon of the church, in not callinge him to the Councell, in so much the canon commaundeth, that no decree be thrust vpon the church without the censure of the bishop of Rome: moreouer that they had couertly cor∣rupted the fayth: also that they concluded by mayne force, and double dealing, such things as of late they had lewdely handled at Tyrus, in that they of spyte had procured the relations of one side duely, to be registred at Mareôtes: and that their forged leasinges of Arsenius were meere sclaūders, & false reports. These & other such like thīgs, Iulius layd downe in his letters vnto y^• bi∣shops assēbled at Antioch. we would haue layd downe here y^• epistles vnto Iulio, & his vnto others

were it not that the length of their writings, and the tediousnesse of their discourse, perswaded vs to the contrary. Sabinus the fauourer of Macedonius his fond opinion (of whome we spake before) though in his booke intituled The collection of Councells, he omitted not y^• epistle of the bishops assembled at Antioche vnto Iulius, yet layde he not downe the letters of Iulius vnto them agayne. It was his accustomed maner so to doe. for what epistles so euer were written by any Councells, either altogether disanullinge, or at lest wise passing ouer with silence the clause of One substance, them he carefully cyted, and collected diligently: looke such as were of the contrary, them of sett purpose he ouerskipped.

CAP. XIIII.

Howe that the VVesterne Emperour requested his brother to sende vnto him such as* 1.43 were able to iustifie the depositions of Athanasius and Paulus: and howe the legats brought with them a newe forme of faith.

NOt long after Paulus leauyng Thessalonica, fayned he woulde to Corinth, and gott him* 1.44 straight into Italie. there both he & Athanasius ioyntly do open their estate vnto the Empe∣rour. The Emperour, whose dominions were y^• contries of the West, esteeming of their iniuries, as his owne aduersitie: wrote vnto his brother, requesting him in his letters, to send vnto him three men, that might render afore him iust causes of the deposition of Paulus & Athanasius. There were sent vnto him Narcissus the Cilician, Theodorus the Thracian, Maris the Chalcedo∣nian, and Marcus the Syrian. After their comming they woulde not reason with Athanasius: but concealing the forme of faith decreed at Antioche, the bishops frame out an other, the which they exhibited vnto the Emperour in these words. VVe beleue in one God the father almightie, cre∣ator* 1.45 and maker of all things, of vvhome all fatherhoode is called both in heauen and earth: and in his onely begotten sonne, our Lorde Iesus Christ, begotten of the father before all vvorldes: God of God, light of light, by vvhome all thinges vvere made, both in heauen, and in earth, be they visible or inuisible: who is the vvorde, the wisdome, the power, the life, the true light: who in the later dayes was incarnate for our sakes: vvas borne of the holie Virgine: vvas crucified: dead: and buryed. vvho rose agayne the thirde day from the dead, ascended into the heauens, sitteth at the right hand of the father, and shall come againe at the ende of the vvorld, to iudge the quicke and the dead, and to reward euery man according vnto his vvorks, whose kingdome shall haue no ende, but shall continew foreuer. For he shall sitt at the ryght hande of the father, not onely vvhile this vvorlde lasteth: but also in the lyfe to come. And vve beleeue in the holie Ghost, that is: in the comforter, whome he promised he vvould sende the Apostles, whome also he sent after his ascention into the heauens, for to informe and instruct them in all thinges, by vvhome their soules shall be sanctified, vvhich faithfully beleue in him. VVhosoeuer then dare affirme: that the sonne hath his being of nothinge: or that he is of any other substance, then of the fathers: or that there vvas a time, when he had no being: these the Catholicke church doth holde for accursed. When they had exhibited these fewe lynes vnto the Emperour, and shewed them to diuers others: they tooke their leaue, without further reasoninge of any other matter. Furthermore whilest that as yet both the churches of the East, and also of the West without any adoe communicated together: a newe opinion sprang vp at Sirmium a citie of Illyrium. Photinus* 1.46 who gouerned the churches there, borne in the lesser Galatia, the disciple of Marcellus that was deposed of his byshopricke, following his maisters steps, affirmed: that the sonne of God was but onely man. The discourse of these things we will referre to an other place.

CAP. XV.* 1.47

A forme of faith layde downe by the byshops of the East, contayning many longe and large circumstances.

THree yeares after, the bishops of the Easterne churches, summone agayne an other coun∣cell, they frame an other forme of faith, and sende it to the bishops of Italie, by Eudoxius bishop of Germanicia, Martyrius, and Macedonius bishop of Mopsiestia a citie in Cilicia. This faith sett forth at large, contayneth many additions and glosses, besides such as heretofore were published in other creedes. it beginneth thus: VVe beleue in one God the father almigh∣tie,* 1.48 creator and maker of all things, of vvhome all fatherhoode in heauen and in ••arth is called:

and in his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde, begotten of the Father before all worlds: God of God, lyght of lyght, by vvhome all thinges vvere made, both in heauen and in earth, be they visible or inuisible: who is the word, the wisdome, the power, the life & true light: who in the later dayes was incarnate for our sakes, was borne of the holy virgine, was crucified, dead and buryed: who rose againe the third day from the dead, ascended into heauen, & sitteth at the ryght hand of the father: who shall come in the end of the world, to iudge the quicke and the dead, to reward euery man according vnto his works whose kingdome shall haue no ende, but shall continevve for euer. For he shall sitte at the ryght hande of the Father, not onely vvhyle this vvorlde lasteth, but also in the lyfe to come. VVe beleeue also in the holye Ghost, that is in the Comforter, vvhome Christ promised to sende his Apostles after his ascention into heauen, vvhome also he sent for to teache, and leade them in all thynges, by vvhose meanes, the soules of them vvhich faithfully beleeue in him, are sanctified. vvho∣soeuer therefore dare presume to affirme: that the sonne had his beginninge of nothinge: or of any other substance then the Fathers: or that there vvas a tyme, or a vvorlde, vvhen he vvas not: these the holie and Catholicke churche doth holde for accursed. In like maner such as saye that there are three gods: or that Christ vvas not God from the beginninge: or that he is neyther Christ, neyther the sonne of God: or that there is neyther Father, neyther Sonne, neyther holie Ghost: or that the sonne is vnbegotten: or that the Father begatt not the sonne of his ovvne vvyll and purpose: these the holie and Catholicke church doth holde for accursed. Neyther can it be vttered vvithout blasphemie, that the sonne had his beynge of nothinge, in so much there can no such thinge be founde of him in ho∣lie scripture. Neyther doe vve learne that he had his beynge of any other preexistent sub∣stance, besydes the fathers, but that he vvas truely begotten of God the father alone. The holie scripture teacheth vs that the father of Christ is and vvas one vnbegotten, and vvithout beginning. Neyther may vve safely affirme vvithout testimonie of the sacred scripture, that there vvas a tyme vvhen he vvas not, as though vve shoulde imagine or forethinke in him, any temporall space: but vve haue to conceaue and comprehende in our mindes, God alone, vvhith begatt him vvithout tyme. For tymes and vvorldes vvere made by him. Neither can ere other, the father or the sonne properly be sayde, ioyntly to be vvithout beginninge, and ioynt∣ly vvithout begettinge: but as vve knovve the father alone to be vvithout beginninge, incom∣prehensble, and to haue begotten the sonne, after an incomprehensible, and an intelligible maner: so vve vnderstande the forme, to haue bene begotten before all vvorldes, and not to be vnbegotten after the same maner vvith the father, but to haue had a beginninge, the father* 1.49 vvhich begatt him, for the hea•••••• of Christ, is God. VVhen vve confesse three thinges, and three persons accordinge vnto the scriptures, to vvete: of the father▪ of the sonne, and of the holie Ghost, vve doe not therein allovve of three gods. For vve acknovvledge one onely God, perfect and absolute of him selfe, vnbegotten, vvithout beginninge, inuisible, the father of the onely begotten sonne, vvho alone of him selfe hath his beynge, vvho also alone ministreth aboundantly vnto all other things their beyng. And vvhen as vve affirme one God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, to be onely vnbegotten, vve doe not therefore deny Christ to haue bene God from euerlastinge, as the follovvers of Paulus Samosatenus dyd, vvhich affirmed that* 1.50 by nature he vvas but onely and bare man, after his in••••mation by profiting•• and forvvardnes to haue bene made God. VVe knovve though ••e be subiect to the father and to God, that he is God of God begotten accordinge vnto nature, that he is both a perfect and true God, and not made God aftervvardes of 〈…〉〈…〉: but that accordinge vnto the vvyll of God the father he vvas incarnate for our sakes, neuer aftervvardes lo••inge his di••••niti••. Moreouer vve detest and* 1.51 abhorre, and holde them for accursed, vvhich affirme that the sonne of God is the onely and naked vvorde of God, vvithout substance, but after a fayned and imaginatiue sort in an other: and one vvhyle doe terme him the vvorde as vttered by the mouth an other vvhyle as inclosed in the minde of some one or other: For they confesse not that euen Christ, vvho is Lorde, the sonne of God, the mediator, the image of God vvas before all vvorldes: but that he vvas Christ and the sonne of God from that tyme, since vvhich (novve full foure hundred yeares agoe) he tooke our fleshe of the Virgine. They vvyll haue the kingdome of Christ, from that tyme to haue his beginninge: and after the consummation of the vvorlde, and the dread∣full daye of iudgement, to haue his endinge. The authors of this abhominable heresie are

the Marcellians, Photinians, Ancyrogalatians, vvho therefore disproue the essence and di∣uinitie* 1.52 of Christ, vvhich hath bene before all vvorldes, and likevvise his kingdome vvhich hath no ende: because they pretende the establishinge of a monarchie. But vve knovve him, not for a simple vttered vvorde, or as it vvere inclosed in the minde of God the father: but for the liuing word, God, subsistinge of him selfe, the sonne of God and Christ: and not to haue bene with his father before the vvorlds by onely prescience, to haue bene conuersant and ministred vnto him for the framing and finishing of euery vvorke of visible or inuisible things: but to haue bene the vvorde in deede, together vvith the father, and God of God▪ for this is he vnto vvhome the fa∣ther* 1.53 sayde: Let vs make man after our ovvne image and similitude: vvho appeared in his pro∣per person vnto the fathers of olde: gaue them the lawe: spake by the prophets: laste of all be∣came man: made manifest his father vnto all men, and raygneth vvorlde vvithout ende. Ney∣ther doe vve beleue that Christ receaued his diuinitie of late, but that he vvas perfect from all aeternitie, and like vnto the father in all things. Such as confounde the father, the sonne, and the* 1.54 holie Ghost. and impiously imagine three names in one thinge, and in one person, not vvithout iust cause vve forbidde them the church, because they appoynt the father, vvho is incomprehen∣sble, and impatible, by incarnation to be both comprehensible, and patible. Of which heresie are the Patropassians, so called of the Romaines, but of vs Sabellians. VVe know of certainty the* 1.55 father, vvhich sent his sonne to haue continewed in the proper nature of his immutable diuini∣tie: the sonne vvhich vvas sent to haue accomplished the disposed order of his incarnation. In like maner such as say impiously and blaspheniously, that Christ vvas begotten neyther by the counsell, neyther by the vvill of the father, attributinge to God the father a counsell tyed to ne∣cessitie, and an essence intangled vvith the vvant of free vvill, so that he begatt the sonne of cō∣pulsion: them first of all we hold for accursed creatures, and farre estraynged from the trueth in Christ: because they presume to publishe such doctrine of him, both contrary to the common notions & vnderstanding vve haue of God, and also repugnant vvith the sense and meaning of the sacred scripture inspired from aboue. VVe knowe that God is of his owne power, & that he enioyeth his free will, and we beleue godly and reuerently that he begat the sonne of his owne accord, & free will. VVe beleue & that godly, which is spoken of him: The Lorde made me the* 1.56 beginning of his wayes, for the accōplishing of his works, yet we vnderstand no•• that he was so made as other creatures & other things were framed. For that is impious & farr•• frō the faith of the catholicke church, to liken the creator vnto the creatures which he shaped: or to thinke that he had the like maner of begetting with other thinges of different nature. The holy scriptures do informe vs, onely of one onely begotten sonne, vnfainedly and truely begotten. Moreouer when as we say that the sonne hath his being of him selfe, that he liueth & subsisteth in like sort with the father: for all that, vve seuer him not from the father, neither do we imagine corporall vvise, certaine spaces, and distance betvvene their coherencie. For vve beleeue that they ioyne together vvithout pause or distance put betvvene, and that they can not be seuered asunder: so that the father compriseth, as it vvere in his bosome, the vvhole sonne: and the sonne is ioyned and fastened to the vvhole father, and resteth continevvally, onely in his fathers lappe. VVe be∣leeue furthermore in the absolute, perfect, & most blessed Trinitie: and vvhen vve call the father God, & the sonne God, in so doing we say not, there be two gods, but one God, of equall pow∣er & diuinitie, and one perfect coniunction of raygne: and euen as the father beareth rule & ex∣erciseth authoritie ouer all things, & ouer the sonne: sovve say that the sonne is subiect vnto the father, and that he gouerneth besides him, immediatly and next after him all thinges vvhich he made: and that the saincts, by the vvill of the father, receaue the grace of the holy Ghost aboun∣dantly poured vpon them. Thus the holy scriptures haue instructed vs, to direct our talke of the monarchie in Christ. After the aforesayd briefe & cōpendious forme of faith, vve haue bene cō∣strained to explicate & discourse of these thinges at large: not that vve are disposed vainely and arrogantly to contend: but to remoue out of the mindes of such men as knovve vs not, all fonde suspicion & surmise cōceaued of our censure & opinion, othervvise then trueth is: & that more∣ouer all the bishops of the VVest, may easily perceaue not only the sclaunders of such as main∣tayne the contrary opinion, but also the ecclesiasticall and Christian faith of the byshops inha∣bitinge* 1.57 the East, confirmed out of the manifest and vnvvrested testimonies of holie scripture, the vvhich the aduersaries are vvont lewdly to interpret. The bishops of the west churches affir∣med, they would in no wise receaue these thinges, partly for that they were written in a straunge

tonge, & therfore could not vnderstand them: they sayd moreouer that the creede or forme of faith, layd downe by the Nicene councell was sufficient, and that it was not for them curiously to search further.

CAP. XVI.* 1.58

Of the generall Councell summoned at Sardice.

WHen as the Emperour had written againe, that Paulus and Athanasius should be resto∣red to their former rowmes and dignities, and his letters had taken no place by reason of the ciuill dissention & discord as yet not appeased among the multitude: Paulus & A∣thanasius make humble sute, that an other councell might be called together, to the end their cases should be the better knowen, & the faith should be decided in a general coūcell, for they protested y^• their depositiō was wrought, to the end y^• faith might be destroyed. Wherfore by y^• cōmaundemēt of both y^• Emperours, (the one signifying y^• same by his letters, the other whose dominiōs lay in y^• East, willingly cōdescending thervnto) there was proclaimed a generall councell, that all should* 1.59 meete at Sardice a citie of Illyrium. The eleuenth yeare after y^• desease of Costantinus, the father of these Emperours, in the consulship of Ruffinus & Eusebius, the councell of Sardice was summoned. There mett there (as Athanasius sayth) about thre hundred bishops of the west churches, and (as Sabinus declareth) onely seuenty six bishops out of the East, of which number was Ischyras bishop* 1.60 of Mareôtes, whome y^• deposers of Athanasius preferred to be bishop of that place. Some alleage for them selues their infirmitie of body: some cōplaine that their warning was to short, & therfore they blame Iulius bishop of Rome: when as since the date of the proclamation, & the leasure of A∣thanasius cōtinewing at Rome, & expecting y^• meeting of the councell, there rame a whole yeare & six moneths. After that y^• bishops of the east came to Sardice, they would not come into y^• presence of y^• bishops which inhabited y^• West, but sent thē this message, that they would not talke, neither reason with them, vnlesse cōditionally they would barre Athanasius and Paulus their cōpany. But when Protogenes bishop of Sardice, & Osius bishop of Corduba a citie (as I sayd before) of Spaine, could in no wise brooke that Paulus and Athanasius should be absent: the Easterne bishops forth∣with depart: and cōming to Philippi a citie in Thracia, they assemble a priuate coūcell among thē selues, & beginne thenceforth openly to accurse the creede, cōtaining the claule of One substance: &* 1.61 to sowe abrode in writing their opinion, that the sonne was not of one substance w^t the father. But the assembly of bishops which cōtinewed at Sardice, first cōdemned them which fled from the hea∣ring of their cause: next deposed from their dignities the accusers of Athanasius: afterwards rati∣fied the creede of the Nicene coūcell, & abrogated the hereticall opinion which said, that the sonne was of a different substance from the father: last of all sett forth more plainely the clause of One substance, for they wrote letters therof, & sent them throughout the whole world. Both sides were* 1.62 pleased with their owne doings, and euery one seemed to him selfe, to haue done right well: the bi∣shops of the East, because the Westerne bishops had receaued such as they had deposed: the by∣shops of the West, because the Easterne bishops being deposers of others, had departed before y^• hearing of their cause: the one for that they mayntained the Nicene creede: the other for that they went about to condemne it. Their bishoprickes are restored to Paulus and Athanasius, likewise to Marcellus bishop of Ancyra in the lesser Galatia, who a litle before (as we sayd in our first booke) was deposed, who also then endeuoured with all might to disproue, and confute the sentence pro∣nounced against him, saying that the phrase and maner of speach, which he vsed in his booke, was not vnderstoode, and therefore to haue bene suspected by them, as if he mayntayned the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus. Yet we may not forget that Eusebius Pamphilus wrote three bookes, to the confutation of the booke of Marcellus, where he citeth the words of Marcellus, and refuteth them, plainly declaring that Marcellus no otherwise then Sabellius the Aphrick, & Paulus Samosatenus, thought that the Lorde Iesus was but onely man.

CAP. XVII.* 1.63

An Apologie, or defence in the behalfe of Eusebius Pamphilus, that he was no Arian, as diuers malicious persons wrote of him.

BEcause that diuers haue bruted abroade sclaunderous reports of Eusebius Pamphilus, affir∣ming that in his workes he sauoured of the heresie of Arius, I thinke it not amisse, presently

to laye downe in fewe wordes, what of trueth we may thinke of him. Firste of all he was both present at the Councell of Nice, and subscribed vnto the clause of One substance. In his thirde booke of the lyfe of Constantine, he hath these wordes of that Councelll: The Emperoure* 1.64 dealt so farre vvith them, for the reducinge of them vnto concorde and vnitie, that he lefte them not, vntyll he had brought them to be of one mynde and of one opinion, tout∣chinge all that afore tyme vvas called into controuersie, so that vvith one voyce, they all embraced the fayth decided in the Councell of Nice: If Eusebius then, mentioninge the Councell summoned at Nice, doth saye that all quarells and questions were there ended: and that all were of one minde, and of one opinion, howe is it that some dare presume to charge him with the spotte of Arianisme? The Arians them selues also are foulie deceaued, if they take him for a fauourer of their opinion. But some man peraduenture wyll saye, that he seemed to smell of Arianisme, in that he vsed often tymes in his bookes this phrase: By Christ. Whome I answere, that not onely he, but also other ecclesiasticall writers, yea and the Apostle him selfe, who was neuer once suspected to be the author of any lewde o∣pinion, vsed this phrase before them, which wrote such kinde of speache, and sundrie other sortes of sentences, for the liuely settinge forth and expressinge of the order and maner of our sa∣uiours humanitie. But what Eusebius thought, when Arius taught that the lonne was a cre∣ature, and to be accompted as one of the other creatures, nowe vnderstande, for in his first booke agaynst Marcellus he writeth thus: He alone, and none other, is both called, and is in deede* 1.65 the onely begotten sonne of God. VVherefore they are vvorthy of reprehension, vvhich are not ashamed to call him a creature, and to say that he beganne of nothinge, as other creatures did. Hovve shall he be the sonne, or after vvhat sort may he be called the onely begotten of God, vvhen as he hath (as they say) the same nature vvith other creatures, and is become one of the vulgare sort of men, to wete: hauinge the like beginninge vvith them, and beyng made parta∣ker vvith them of the creation vvhich is of nothinge? But the holie scriptures (Ivvis) teache vs no such thinges of him. And agayne a litle after he sayeth: VVhosoeuer then sayeth: that the sonne vvas begotten of nothinge, or that the principall creature beganne of nothing: he attri∣buteth vnto him vnaduisedly the onely name of the sonne, but in very deede, and in trueth he denyeth him to be the sonne. For he that is begotten of nothinge, can in no vvyse be the true sonne of God, no more can any other thinge that hath the lyke beginninge. But the sonne of God truely begotten of the father him selfe, is to be termed the onely begotten, and the vvel∣beloued of the father. and so he shall be God. For vvhat other thinge is the budde or branche of God, then that vvhich resembleth the begetter. The kinge is sayde to buylde or make a cytie, but not to begette a cytie: and so he is sayde to begette a sonne, but not to buylde or make a sonne. In respect of the vvorke he vvrought, he is not called a Father, but a cunninge vvorkeman, and in respect of the sonne he begatte, he is not called a vvorkeman, but a father. VVherefore the God of all vniuersalitie, is worthely to be called the father of the sonne: yet the framer and maker of the worlde. Although it be once found written in a certaine place of holie scripture: The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes, for the accomplishing of his workes,* 1.66 yet (as I am minded immediatly to interpret) it behoueth vs to skanne narowly, and to sift out with diligence, the sense & vnderstanding thereof, & not after the maner of Marcellus, with one word, to shake the chiefe principles of christian religion. These & many other such like reasons, hath Eusebius alleaged in his first booke against Marcellus, to y^• cōfutation of his opinion. In his third booke he hath expounded how this word Made or created is to be vnderstood as followeth: These things being after this sort, it remaineth that we cōsider of this sentence: The Lord made* 1.67 me the beginning of his wayes, for the accomplishing of his works, which is no otherwise to be taken, then the other thinges we expoūded before. For in case he say that he is made, he sayth it not, as if he became something, of nothing: or that he was made after the selfe same maner with other creatures, of that vvhich is not (as some haue levvdely imagined) but that he had be∣ynge and lyuinge, that he vvas, and subsisted before the foundations of the vvorlde vvere layde, and therefore appoynted by his father, vvho is Lorde of all thinges, the prince of all this vniuersalitie: so that the vvorde Made in this place is no othervvise to be taken, then Ap∣poynted, or Ordayned. Peter also the Apostle calleth Princes and Magistrates plaine creatures, vvhere he sayeth: Submitt your selues vnto euery humane creature, for the Lords sake, whe∣ther* 1.68 it be vnto the kinge, as vnto the chiefe heade, either vnto rulers, as sent of him. And the

Prophet also: prepare thy selfe (sayth he) O Ierusalem, to call vpon thy God, for beholde he setteth the thunder, he shapeth the spirite, and shevveth vnto men his Christ. he vnderstandeth not this worde shapeth, as if the spirite were made of that which is not. for God then made no•• the spirite when he shevved by him, his Christ vnto all men (he vvas not then nevvely proclay∣med vnder heauen, for he vvas and subsisted before) but he sent him, what time the Apostles were assembled together: when the sound in the likenes of thunder came downe from heauen,* 1.69 as if it had bene the comming of a mighty winde, and filled them all with the holy Ghost: and thus he shevved his Christ vnto all men, according vnto the prophecie which sayd: beholde he setteth the thunder, he shapeth the spirite, and shevveth his Christ vnto men, laying dovvne the worde shapeth, for sendeth or ordaineth, and the word thunder in an other sense, for the preaching of the Gospell. Dauid also vvhen he sayde: Create me a cleane harte O God: he sayde it not, as* 1.70 though he wāted a hart, but he desired a pure hart to be put in him, & made perfect. In like sense* 1.71 also is that spoken: that he shoulde create two, into one newe man, that is: he shoulde couple. Se likewise this, whether it may be taken after the same maner: to put on the new man which is created after God. Againe: If there be any new creature in Christ: & such like phrases the which with diligent searche we may finde in the holy Scriptures. Maruell not then if the Scripture me∣taphorically doe vse this kinde of speach: the Lord made me the beginning of his wayes, made that is, appoynted or ordayned. these were the reasons of Eusebius in his bookes against Marcel∣lus, and cited of vs to this ende, that the mouthes of such as vnaduisedly do sclaunder him, and con∣tumeliously report of him, may therwith be stopped. They are not able to proue (although the wor∣des of the order and maner be vsually and commonly founde throughout his workes) that he assig∣ned vnto the sonne of God, a beginning of essence: for all that he was a great follower and fauorer of Origens workes, where, whosoeuer can attaine vnto the secrete and hidd sense of Origens bookes, he shall finde euery where, the sonne to haue bene begotten of the father. thus haue we vsed digres∣sion, for to ridd Eusebius out of the sclaunderous mouthes of suspicious heads.

CAP. XVIII.* 1.72

ƲƲhen the councell of Sardice decreed that Athanasius and Paulus should be restored to their bishoprikes, and Constantius the Easterne Emperour woulde not admitt them: The Emperour of the VVest threatned him with warrs, so that Constan∣tius was therewith affrayde, wrote for Athanasius and sent him to Alexandria.

AFter that both the Bishops assembled at Sardice, and also the bishops assembled at Philip∣pi a citie of Thracia, in their seuerall councells had decreed such things as seemed good vn∣to them selues, they returned euery man to his owne home. The East & west churches were* 1.73 now deuided, the space or distance seuering their communion asunder, was the mount betwene Il∣lyrium and Thracia called Tisueis: for so farre euery of them among them selues, though they dif∣fered about the faith, yet the quarell being layde aside, they communicated together, beyonde that, there was no communion of contrary parts. such a confusion, such a sturre, and such a diuision raig∣ned then in the church. Immediatly after, the Emperour of the West parts of the world, certified his brother Constantius, of the things decided in the councel of Sardice: & requested him to see Pau∣lus & Athanasius placed in their bishoprikes. But when Constantius differred from day to day his brothers desire: the Emperour of the west gaue his brother in choise, either to restore Paulus & A∣thanasius, & so accompt of him as his friend: or else to heare the proclamation of open warre, and so find him his deadly foe. The letters he sent by the embassadour vnto his brother were these: There* 1.74 remaine here with me Athanasius & Paulus, who as I am credibly geuen to vnderstand, are per∣secuted for pieties sake. If that thou vvilt promise me to restore them vnto their seaes, & to pu∣nish seuerely such as haue iniuried them, I will send the parties them selues vnto thee: but if thou wilt not accomplish this my vvill & pleasure, knovve for suertie that my selfe vvill come thither & maugre thy berde, restore them to their proper seaes. * 1.75 When the Emperour of the East had vnderstoode of this, he was wonderfull pensiue and sadd, he assembleth together many of the Ea∣sterne bishops: layeth before them y^•. choice his brother gaue him: demaundeth of them what was best in this case to be dōe. They make answere that it was farre better to restore againe Athanasi∣us, then to rayse deadly and mortall warrs. Wherefore the Emperour being constrayned of neces∣sitie,

sent for Athanasius vnto him. In the meane while, Constans the Westerne Emperour had sent Paulus honorably, together with two Bishops, with his owne letters, and with the letters of the councell for the more suretie, vnto Constantinople. When Athanasius feared & doubted, whe∣ther he were best goe or no vnto Constantius (for the false reports of sclaunderous persons trou∣bled him very sore) the Easterne Emperour Constantius by name, sent for him not once, but the se∣conde and the thirde time, euen as his letters turned out of the latine into the greeke doe declare, and by translation as followeth.

The epistle of Constantius the Emperour vnto the exiled Athanasius.

Constantius the puysant & noble Emperour, vnto Athanasius the bishop sendeth greeting▪ our singuler & wonted clemency vvill no longer suffer thy fatherhoode, to be turmoyled and tossed vvith the surging vvaues of the seas▪ the pietie vvhich vve haue alvvaies in greate price, vvill no longer permitt thy holines, novve banished out of thy natiue soyle, bereaued of thy substance, barred of all prosperitie, to vvander through crooked and crosse vvaies, through desert & daun∣gerous contries. Although we haue lingered now a great vvhile, from sending our letters, wher∣by vve might signifie vnto thee the concealed secretie of our minde, hoping that of thine ovvne accorde, thou vvouldest repaire vnto vs, & vvith humble sute craue remedie & redresse of thine iniuries: yet neuerthelesse (feare peraduenture dismaying thee of thy purpose) vve sent present∣ly our gracious letters vnto thy grauitie, that vvith all celeritie thou come vnto vs: in so doing thou shalt satisfie thy longing desires, thou shalt haue triall of our vvonted clemency, and be re∣stored to thine ovvne seae & natiue soile▪ for to this ende I haue entreated my Lord and brother Constans, the puysant & noble Emperour, that he vvould licence thee to returne vnto vs, vvher∣by thou mightest by the meanes of vs both, enioy thy contrie, & haue this token for triall, of our singuler clemencie & good vvill tovvards thee.

An other epistle vnto the sayd renowmed Athanasius.

Constantius the puysant & noble Emperour vnto Athanasius the Bishop sendeth greeting. Al∣though by our former letters, vve haue signified vnto thy vvisedome after the plainest maner, that with secure mind & safe conduyte, thou shouldest come vnto our courte, because we were fully determined to restore thee vnto thy former dignitie: for all that, vve haue sent these letters also, vnto thy holines, that thou hire a common vvaggon, and remouing all timorous thoughts from thy mistrustfull minde, thou speedely repaire vnto vs, to the ende thou mayest the sooner enioy thy long vvished desires.

An other epistle vnto the sayd renowmed Athanasius.

Constantius the puysant and noble Emperour vnto Athanasius the Bishop sendeth greeting. Being of late at Edessa, vvhere there vvere also of thy priestes then present, it seemed good vnto vs, to send one of them vnto thee, that thou shouldest hasten vnto our court, and after thy com∣ming into our presence, vvithour delay returne into Alexandria. And for as much as it is novve a greate vvhile agoe, since thou receauedst our letters, and hast differred thy iourney: therefore novv also vve thought good to putt thee in remembrance, that vvithout delay thou come vnto vs, and so thou shalt possesse the libertie of thy contrey, and thy long vvished ease and quietnes. To the ende thou mightest fully persvvade thy selfe of all the premises, vve sent vnto thee Ache∣tas the Deacon, of vvhome thou shalt vnderstand, both vvhat our purpose is, and also hovv that thy harty desires shall preuaile. Athanasius bing at Aquileia (for he had remoued thither from Sardice) receaued these letters. thence he went in post to Rome, shewed the letters to Bishop Iuli∣us: and recreated very much the Church of Rome. for Constantius the Easterne Emperour seemed to be of the same fayth and opinion with them, when he sent for Athanasius home. Iulius certified the clergy, and layetie of Alexandria in his letters of Athanasius as followeth.

The epistle of Iulius Bishop of Rome, vnto the Priestes and people of Alexandria.

Iulius Bishop of Rome vnto the priestes, deacons & people inhabiting Alexandria, welbelo∣ued brethren, sendeth greeting in the Lorde. I doe greatly reioyce vvith you (vvel beloued bre∣thren) that henceforth you may behold with your eyes, the frute of your faith. that truely is to be

seene in my brother & fellowe Bishop Athanasius: whome God hath restored vnto you, partly for his syncere & godly life, & partly also by the meanes of your prayers. hereby it may easily be coniectured vvhat pure and feruent prayers, you haue alvvayes poured vnto God. For when you called to remembrance the heauenly promises, & the entire affection you beare vnto them, all which you learned of my foresaid brother: you vnderstood plainly & through the right faith in∣graffed in your mindes, you were fully persvvaded, that Athanasius (whome in your godly min∣des you behelde present) shoulde not alwayes be absent, and continually be seuered from you. VVherfore I neede not vse many words vnto you, for whatsoeuer I say, the same hath your faith preuented: & whatsoeuer commonly you all hartely desired, the same through the grace of God is now fully come to passe. And that I may repeate the same againe: I doe greately reioyce vvith you, that you haue continevved so firmely and so stedfastly in the fayth, that by no meanes you could be vvithdravven from it. Moreouer I doe no lesse reioyce at my brother Athanasius, vvho, notwithstanding the manifold calamities & sundry miseries he endured, yet remembred almost euery houre, your entire loue & great longing for him. & although for a season he seemed to be absent from you in body: yet liued he alwayes as if he had bene present with you, in the spirite. I thinke verily (welbeloued brethren) that all the temptations & paines he endured, are not voyd of their praise & commendation. for by this meanes both your faith & his, hath bene knowen & made manifest vnto the whole worlde. If he had not bene tryed with such great and lamentable temptations, who euer would haue thought so stayed a censure to haue rested in your minds, or so feruēt loue & affection to haue fastened your minds vpon so notable a bishop: or that he was the man that excelled in such rare gifts, by the meanes whereof he is made partaker of the hope which is layd vp for vs in heauen. VVherefore he hath attayned vnto a notable testimony of his faith, not only in this life but in the life to come. For by the pacient sufferance of much aduersi∣ty, by sea & by lande, he hath trampled & trodd vnderfoote, all the malicious treacheries of the Arians. Oftētimes by reasó of the aduersaries spite, he stood in great hazard of his life, yet made he no accompt of death: but for all that, through the grace of almighty god, & the power of our Lord Iesus Christ, he escaped their hands: wherby he conceaued good hope, that in the ende he should quit him of his aduersaries, & be restored to the comfort of you all, & beare away toge∣ther with you the victorious garland; of good workes & well doing: in that he is already famous euen to the endes of the world: highly cōmended for his good life: renowmed for his free & con∣stant perseuerance, in the defence of the christian & heauenly faith, & registred by the censure of you al to immortall memory, for the singuler loue & affection he shewed towards you. VVher∣fore he is returned vnto you, bedecked with greater excellēcy & renowm, thē before his depar∣ture. If the fire accustomed to try exquisitly the purity of fine & precious mettall, as of golde or siluer: what can be spokē of so notable a mā, in respect of his worthines, who after the quēching of so many fiery flames of sedition: after the recouering of so many daūgerous perills & greuous downfalls, is now restored vnto you & foūd innocent not only by our determination, but by the decree & cēsure of the whole councell? Entertaine therfore (welbeloued brethren) your bishop Athanasius, & also such as haue bene partakers of his affliction, with all reuerēce, ioy & gladnes. Reioyce in that you haue obtained your desires: in that you haue as it were fed, & quēched with your letters the thurst, of your sheepheard, hūgering & thursting in his absence, after your godly zeale. for in so doing, during his abode in foraine & farre cōtries, you comforted him not a litle: & while he was tossed toe & fro, with the stormes of persecution, & intangled with the snares of his malicious aduersaries, you mitigated his grief & sorow, by sending vnto him tokens, of your faithful & feruent minds towards him. VVhen that I thinke with my self, & cast in my mind the cōceaued ioy of you all, at his returne: the flocking multitude ful of religion & godlines: the so∣lemne feast of sage persons assembled together: what kind of day the returne of my brother vn∣to you is like to be: I can not chuse but conceaue wonderful ioy. specially for that the schisme & discord which raigned heretofore is now plucked vp by the rootes: for that his honorable return according vnto your owne harts desire, hath replenished you with incredible ioye & gladnes. so that the ioye for the greatnes thereof, hath reached vnto vs, to whome it is geuen from aboue, to haue acquaintāce & familiarity with so excellent a man. It seemeth good that we end our epistle with a prayer▪ god almighty, & his sóne our lord & Sauiour Iesus, geue you alwaies of his grace, & graunt you of his mercy the rewarde of so noble a faith, the which you haue shewed towards your Bishop, with so worthy a testimony: that both you and yours, may, not only in this world,

but also in the life to come, enioy farre more excellent giftes, vvhich neither eye hath seene, nei∣ther* 5.1 eare hath heard, neither the hart of man conceaued the things that God prepared for them which loue him, through our Lorde Iesus Christ, to whome vvith the Almighty God, be glorye for euer and euer Amen. God haue you in his tuition vvelbeloued brethren.

Athanasius hauing gott these letters, came into the East. Constantius the emperour, although at that time he receaued him not vnwillingly: yet geuing eare vnto the crafty sleights of the dispitefull Arians, went about to begile him, reasoning with him in this sort: For all thou art restored vnto thy bishoprike by the* 5.2 decree of the councell & our ovvne determination: yet because there are in Adexandria certaine people differing in opinion from thine, & seuering them selues from thy communiō, my request is that thou permitt them one church for them selues. Athanasius made answere vnto his request very wittely & sayd: O Emperour it lieth in thee to do as pleaseth thee best: to commaunde & to execute the commaundement. I also vvil craue of thee an other thing for recompence, my hum∣ble request is that thou graunt it me. When the emperour made answere, that with most willing minde he woulde condescende thereunto, Athanasius immediatly sayd: Mine humble sute is that I may obtaine that vvhich thou vvouldest haue had at my hands, to vvete: that thou vvilt graunt one Churche throughout euery citye, for such as communicate not vvith the Arians. The Arians perceauing that the request of Athanasius was not vnreasonable, made answere y^t it behoued them to differre that matter vnto an other time, and consider better of it. they hindred not the emperour, but suffred him to do that which pleased him best. Wherefore the Emperour restored Athanasius, Paulus, Marcellus, Asclepas bishop of Gaza, and Lucius Bishop of Adrianopolis, euery one to his owne bishoprike againe. these two hindemost were admitted by the councell of Sardice: Asclepas for that he shewed records, wherby it appeared that both Eusebius Pamphilus & sundry others, vn∣derstood fully of his case, and restored him to his dignitie: Lucius for y• his accusers fledd away. by the emperous edict they all receaued their owne seaes, the cities were commaunded to entertaine them wt willing & cheerefull mindes. At Ancyra there was no small sturre, by reason that Basilius was remoued and Marcellus restored in his place, so that the aduersaries tooke therby occasion, to sclaunder Marcellus againe. The citizens of Gaza receaued Asclepas willingly. At Constantino∣ple, Macedonius for a season gaue rowme vnto Paulus, & had seuerall meetinge & conuenticles at a certaine church of the city. But as toutching Athanasius, y• emperour sent letters vnto the bishops, vnto the clergie and laytie of Alexandria, that they should receaue him both louingly & willingly. he commaunded moreouer by his letters y^• such acts as were recorded agaynst him in their courts and synods, should be blotted out▪ his letters in the behalfe of both the aforesayd are these.

The Epistle of Constantius in the behalfe of Athanasius the Bishop.

Constantius the puysant, the mighty & noble Emperour, vnto the Bishops and Priestes of the catholike church sendeth greeting. It appeareth euidently, that Athanasius the reuerend bishop, vvas not destitute of the grace & goodnes of God. although by the iudgment & censure of men he vvas iniuriously dealt vvithall, & vniustly condemned for a litle vvhile: yet the diuine proui∣dence of almighty God, the beholder of all things, pronounced of him the iust sentēce of inno∣cency, so that by the vvill of God and our decree, he recouered both his natiue soyle, and proper church, vvhere the holy Ghost had assigned him gouernour. He is to receaue at our handes, such things as our clemency, being led by right and reason shall think conuenient for him, so that all vvhatsoeuer hath bene heretofore decreed against such as communicated vvith him, be hence∣forth quite forgotten: that all suspicion raised of him, be henceforth remoued: & that his clergy (reason so requiring) may enioy such liberty, freedome & priuiledge as they haue done in times past. Moreouer of our soueraigne benignity tovvards him, vve haue thought good to adde this also, that as many as are allotted into the sacred senate of the clergy, may vnderstande of trueth, that vve haue graunted safety & good leaue, to as many as cleaue vnto him, be they Bishops or vvhat other degree soeuer of the clergy. euery ons firme & sure consent in this behalfe, shalbe a sufficient signe or token of his faithfull minde & purpose. VVe haue commaunded that such as embrace his communion, addicting them selues vnto the sounder opinion & better sentence, all alike novv, by our permission, as heretofore by the prouidence of God may enioye the benefitts bestovved vpon them from aboue.

Another epistle vnto the people of Alexandria.

Constantius the puysant, the mighty and noble Emperour, vnto the people of the Catholike

church of Alexandria sendeth greetinge. In as much as vve laye alvvayes before our eyes your good and politike gouernement, as a marke to shoote at, or looking glasse to behold our owne estate, and seinge that you were bereued of your Byshop Athanasius, a man approued both for sounde learninge, and honest liuinge: we determined with our selues, to sende him vnto you a∣gaine. Receaue him therefore honorably, after your accustomed maner: ioyne him with you as an helper in your prayers vnto God: endeuer alwayes to retayne amongest you cōcord & peace both fit for your owne persons, and gratefull vnto vs, accordinge vnto the sacred decrees of the church. For it is not requisit that dissentiō & debate should molest & disquiet the peaceable e∣stat of these our prosperous dayes. Our desire is that such a plague be purged farre from amōgst you: our request is (welbeloued people of Alexādria) that in your prayers, where you craue (af∣ter your wōted custome) the aid & asistance of the spirit of God, you take Athanasius for chiefe, or (as I sayd before) an helper: to the end, according vnto your happy & prosperous successe, the Hethenishe nations as yet snared with the erroneous seruice of Idols, may hasten with most wil¦linge mindes to embrace the profession of our most holy fayth. VVe counsell you this also, that you perseuere in the things we rehearsed before: that you entertaine willingly your Bishop, sent vnto you by the mighty power of God & our louing pleasure: & that you count him worthy all curteous salutatiō. For a of surety this is comely for you & cōuenient for our highnes. VVe haue also charged the iudges & gouernours of those prouinces by our letters, that they should weede all the tares of spite & cōtention, out of the minds of malicious persons, & punish seuerely sedi∣tious & busy bodies. wherfore seing that you vnderstād all these circūstances, that our pleasure is agreable with the will of God: that we haue care ouer you for the maintenance of concord & vnity: that we haue assigned punishmente for troublesome and seditious persons: obserue dili∣gently the things whiche are correspondent vnto the ordinances of the church, & the seruice of God, embrace this Athanasius with all honor & reuerēce, & poure out prayers vnto God the fa∣ther, who gouerneth all thinges, both for your selues & also for the concorde & quietenes of the whole world.

An epistle for the abrogating of the things that were decreed against Athanasius. There is extant also an epistle in the same forme vnto the gouernours of Augustomnica, Thebais, Libya and Licya.

Constantius the puysant & noble Emperoure vnto Nestorius sendeth greeting. If any thing be founde decreed and recorded heretofore, to the preiudice, hurte, or damage of suche as comu∣nicate with Athanasius the Bishop, our will is that the same wholly be abrogated & dissanulled. Our pleasure is moreouer that his clergie shall enioy the like franchesse & liberty, as in times past: we will haue this cōmaundement put in vre, as that Athanasius the bishop is restored to his seae: so all the clergie of his communion, may recouer and possesse the like libertye, with other ecclesiasticall persons, and so beinge, liue at hartes ease.

CAP. XIX.* 8.1

Howe that Athanasius passinge by Ierusalem into Alexandria, was receaued of Maximus into the communion: howe he called there a Synode of Byshops and confirmed the decrees of the Nicene councell.

AThanasius the Bishop trustinge to these letters, passed through Syria & came to Palaestina.* 8.2 He got him thence to Ierusalē, & opening vnto Maximus both y^• coūcel of Sardi¦ce, & also y^• Emperoure Constatius agreement & consent therein, he procured a synod of Bi∣shops to be assēbled there. For Maximus without all delay, cited thither certaine Bishops out of Syria & Palaestina. The assembly being gathered together, he gaue Athanasius y^• cōmunion, & assi∣gned vnto him his dignity. The councel being dissolued, wrote & signified by their letters, vnto the people of Alexādria, vnto y^• bishops of Aegypt & Libya, all their decrees & canōs toutching Atha∣nasius, wherefore all y^• aduersaries of Athanasius cried out against Maximus, because y^• asoretime he had subscribed to his depositiō, nowe againe repenting him of his folly, as if he had not thē done well, he became of his faith, & awarded him both y^• cōmunion & his dignity. Whē Vrsacius & Valens who afore time were earnest followers of Arius, vnderstood of this, they condemned their former doings & got then to Rome: there they exhibit vnto bishop Iulius, their recantation & repētance in

writing: they subscribe vnto the creede contayning the clause of One substance, and they wryte vnto Athanasius, that thenceforth they will cōmunicate with him. Vrsacius & Valens being thus wonne with the prosperous successe of Athanasius his affaires, agreed (as I sayde before) vnto the clause of One substance. But Athanasius trauelinge by Peleusium, the ready way to Alexandria, preached in euery citie where he came, and exhorted them to eschewe the Arians and to embrace such as con∣fessed the faith of One substance. And in diuers of the churches, also he ordayned ministers, whiche gaue occasion vnto the aduersaries, for to accuse him againe, that he presumed to make ministers in other mens prouinces. So farre of the thinges which happened then vnto the renowmed Atha∣nasius.

CAP. XX.

Of Magnentius and Bretanion the tyrantes, and of the death of Constans the* 8.3 westerne Emperoure.

IN the meane while the quiet estate of the common weale was not a litle out of square, where∣of I will briefly entreate and runne ouer suche thinges as I haue determined with my selfe to laye downe. After the death of Constantine who buylded Constantinople, his three sonnes (as I haue sayde in my first booke) succeded him in the Empire. Of which numbre we haue to vnder∣stande, that Constantinus, so called after his fathers name, was one, and raygned together with the reste of the Emperoures, whome the souldiers slewe, after he had raygned a very litle while, & as Constantius cōmaunded not he should not be slayne, so againe he forbad not the slaughter. But how that Constātinus the yonger, breaking out into the borders of his brothers dominions, lost his lif, whilest that he fought hande to hande with the souldiers, I haue oft mentioned before. After whose death there rose warres betwene the Persians & y^• Romains, where Constantius had but ill fauored successe. For the campe beinge pitched in the night time, about the boundes of the Romaine and Persian dominions, the Persian hoste seemed then to preuaile, and for a time to haue the vpper hand. Then also the ecclesiasticall affaires went very troublesome, for there was great contention in the Church about Athanasius, and the clause of One substance. These things being at this point, Magnentius the tyrant became a rebell in the West partes of the worlde, and throughe treason* 8.4 procured the death of Constans the Emperoure, which gouerned the west, & thē abode in Fraunce. This beinge wrought there ensued great and grieuous warres. Magnentius the tyrant inuaded all Italie, subdued Aphrick and Libya and tooke also Fraunce. Moreouer at Sirmium a citie of Il∣lyrium there was an other tyrant set vp by the souldiers, whose name was Bretanion. At Rome also there was a greate sturre. For Nepotianus Constantius sisters sonne, hauing gotte vnto him a greate troop of fencers and sworde pleares aspired vnto the Emperiall scepter, but the captaines of Magnentius dispatched him. Magnentius in a little while ouerranne and subdued all the Weste partes of the worlde.

CAP. XXI.

Howe that after the death of Constans the VVesterne Emperoure, Paulus and* 8.5 Athanasius were deposed againe, Paulus in his exile was stifled to death: Athanasius fled and so saued his life.

ALl the aforesayde sturre fell out in a very shorte space, to were in the fourth yeare after the Councell of Sardice, in the Consulship of Sergius and Nigrianus. Constantius vnderstan∣dinge of the whole circumstance made a title and chalenge, vnto all the dominions of his brethren, and being proclaimed Emperoure of the west, maketh expedition to wage battaile with the tyrants. The aduersaries of Athanasius supposinge nowe they had gotten fitte opportunitie,* 8.6 forge out afresh haynous offences against him, afore his comming into Alexandria: they informe the Emperoure Constantius that he peruerted all Aegypt and Libya. The election of ministers he made in forayne prouinces furthered the matter, and caused the offence to seeme very haynous.* 8.7 Athanasius in the meane while came to Alexādria, & there called together diuers councells of the Bishops of Aegypt, where they decreed such things as were agreable with y^• Canons of the coun∣cell of Sardice, and also of the councell helde at Ierusalem vnder Maximus. The Emperoure who aforetime was addicted vnto the Arian heresie, wrested all the things he had lately decreed, into the contrary parte. And first of all he banisheth Palus Bishop of Constatinople, whome the mes∣sengers or guydes that brought him to exile, stifled very lewdly at Cucusum a citie in Cappado∣cia.

Marcellus is expulsed Ancyra, & Basilius placed in his rowme. Lucius Bishop of Adrianopo∣lis* 8.8 is clapt in prison, and there choked vp with stincke. But the relations that were made vnto the Emperoure of Athanasius so incensed him, that he gaue forth a commaundement, he should be ex∣ecuted wheresoeuer he were takē. He charged moreouer that Theodulus and Olympius Bishops of Thracia should be put to death. Yet Athanasius was not ignorant of the Emperours greate rage, but being quickely made priuey thereunto, fled away & so auoyded the Emperours threates. The Arians backbite him for flying away namely as chiefe, Narcissus bishop of Neronias a citie of Ci∣licia, Georgius of Laodicea, & Leontius who then was Bishop of Antioch. This Leontius beinge a priest was deposed, because he (endeuoringe to conceale a foule sclaunder & suspicion raised vpon him, for his familiarity with a woman whose name was Eustolia) gelded himselfe, to the ende he might thence forth boldly vse her company, & comitte nothing whereof he might iustly be accused, the same man was by the aduise & councell of the Emperoure Constantius chosen Bishop of An∣tioch after Stephen who succeded Placitus. Thus much of him.

CAP. XXII.* 8.9

Howe that Macedonius hauinge gotten againe the Byshopricke of Constanti∣nople, vexed such as were of the contrary opinion.

MAcedonius then, after that Paulus had departed this life with the maner aboue sayde, was made Bishop of Constantinople, he had greate liberty & accesse vnto the Emperoure, he made warres among y^• christians, nothing inferior to the tyrannicall practises of those ti∣mes: he perswaded the Emperour to ayd him, whē as in very deede he procured the ouerthrowe & destruction of the churches, & preuayled so muche, that whatsoeuer he lewdly had compassed, the same forthewith was by a lawe confirmed. Euery citie sounded of proclamations. The souldiers were cōmaunded to see y^• Emperours edicts take place. As many as cleaued vnto y^• Creede con∣taininge y^• clause of one substance, were not onely cut of from y^• churches, but also banished altoge∣ther the cities. And first they ioyne heads & hāds together, to bring this to passe. But whē this pe∣stilent infection had spred it selfe farre & nigh, such as had litle, or rather no care at all of y^• ecclesia¦stical affaires, determined with themselues, to constraine men to their communion. The violence* 8.10 truely was no lesse, then y^• of olde, practised towards the christians, whē they were compelled and drawne to sacrifice vnto Idols. For many endured sundry kinds of torment: often racking and dis∣membring of their ioynts: confiscating of their substance: some bereaued of their natiue soile: other some departed this life vnder y^• hands of y^• tormentor: some died in banishment, & neuer sawe their countrey againe. These were their practises throughout all the cities of y^• Easte, but specially at Constantinople. This ciuill plague & persecutiō (afore time ••eing not out of measure) Macedo∣nius did greatly augmēt, as soone as euer he had gottē y^• Bishopricke. But the cities of Greece, of Illyrium, & of y^• other partes tending towards the West, were voyd of all these tumults & calami∣ties, because they agreed within themselues and obserued the canons of the Nicene councell.

CAP. XXIII.

Athanasius reporteth what horrible actes were committed at Alexandria by Georgius the Arian Byshop. And what clemency Constantius the* 8.11 Emperoure shewed vnto Bretanion the tyrant and rebell.

LEt vs heare (if ye please) Athanasius himselfe, making relation of the horrible practises cō∣mitted then at Alexandria, by Georgius the Arian, for he was present and felte himselfe some parte of the lamentable afflictiō. In the Apologie which he wrote in the defence of his flight he declareth the behauiour of the Arians in this sorte: There came to Alexandria certaine people* 8.12 which sought vs out, to execution, so that the ending was farre worse then the beginninge. The souldiers vnwares beset the church: in steede of deuout seruice of God, they take in hand despe∣rat swords. Thē Georgius that was sent by them frō Cappadocia, cōming in lent time, added of his owne vnto the lewd practises which he learned of them. After that the Easter weeke was en¦ded, the virgins beganne to be clapt in prison: the Bishops were bound & led by bands of soul∣diers: the fatherles and widowes were dispossessed of their houses: the families were rifled: the Christians were violently trayled and lugged out of their houses: theyr dores were nayled vp: the clergie mens bretherne were in greate daunger of theyre liues, for theyr brethernes sake.

these thinges seemed very grieuous, but the afterclaps were farre sorer. The week after whitson∣tide, the people did fast, they got thē therefore into the churchyarde for to pray because they all abhorred the cōmunion of Georgius. But whē this passing lewd man vnderstood of it, he stirred vp against thē on Sebastianus a captaine, who also was a Manichee. He forthwith together with* 8.13 a great troope of souldiers, all in armour, hauinge naked swords in their handes, bowes and ar∣rowes prepared, ranne vpon the people as they were a praying on the sonday. VVhen he found there but a fewe (for the hower being past the greater parte was gone away) he comitted suche haynous actes as became very well his person. He sette on fire a greate company of fagottes: he made the virgins to stande nigh the burninge flame▪ he went about to constraine them to con∣fesse the Arian faith. But when he peceaued they woulde not yelde, and that they despised the burninge heate of that horrible fire: he stripped them starke naked: he buffeted them about the head and the face, so that of a longwhile after, they were scarse knowen of theyr owne friendes. Moreouer he tooke fortie persons, and plagued them with a newe kinde of tormēt neuer heard of before. Theyr backs and sides were so scurged and rente with palme twigges newely pluckt of the trees, hauinge on their prickinge knobs. So that diuers because of the stumpes that stucke in the fleshe of their backes, were constrained often times to repayre vnto surgions: others some not able to endure suche terrible payne dyed of their wounds. As many of the men, as remained yet aliue, together with the virgins, were exiled, and ledde by the souldiers to Oasis. The deade carkasses not yet fully colde, were denied the friendes of the deseased: being throwen here and there and lying vnburied (for that liked them best) the souldiers hidde them, as if they had bene neither culpable neither fauty in committinge suche horrible crimes. This did they, hauing their mindes ouershadowed with the furious rage of frentike heresie. And when as the deare friendes and familiars of the deade, reioyced at the bold protestation of their faith, yet sorowed because their carkasses were not couered with earth: the sauadge impietie and beastlye cruelty of these souldiers, reuealed it selfe with greater shame and infamie. Moreouer they banishe forthwith certaine Bishops of Aegypt and Libya, namely Ammon, Thmuis, Gaius, Philon, Hermes, Plinius, Psenosiris, Nilammon, Agathon, Anagamphus, Marcus, Dracontius, Adelphius, Athenodorus, a se∣conde* 8.14 Ammon, and of the priestes they banished Hierax and Dioscorus. These beinge bereaued of their natiue soyle, they handled so roughly, that some of them dyed by the waye, some other in exile neuer returninge againe. They put to death aboue thirty Bishops. They followed the s••eppes of wicked Achaab, imploying all their care and industrie, for the rootinge out of the trueth, from of the face of the earth. These were y^• practises of Georgius at Alexandria, by the re∣porte of Athanasius. The Emperoure marched forewardes with his hoste to Illyrium, for thither of necessity was he constrained to goe, and there it was that Bretanion was proclaimed Emperor. As soone as he came to Sirmium, truce beinge made, he came to parlee with Bretanion. In the meane while he endeuored to winne againe the souldiers, which had refused him for their Empe∣roure, after he had so done, they proclaimed Constantius alone, both their Augustus, their kinge, &* 8.15 Emperoure. In this their proclamation there was no mention of Bretanion, who seinge himselfe betrayed, fell downe prostrate at the Emperoures feete, and craued for mercy. Constantius taking from him his princely scepter, and purple robe, lifted him vp by the hande very curteously, and exhorted him, after the callinge of a priuate man, to leade a quiet and peceable life. He sayde more∣ouer, that it was fitter for an olde man suche as he was, to embrace a trade of life that were voyde of all trouble & care, thē to gape after a vaine title of honor, full of disquietnes & molestatiō. Thus it fared with Bretanion in the ende. The Emperoure commaunded that all his charges shoulde be geuen him of the publique tribute, afterwardes he wrote vnto him sundry letters to Prousa a citie in Bithynia, where he made his abode: signifyinge what singular pleasure he had done vnto him, in riddinge him from cares & troubles, shewinge also what miserie, oftentimes befalleth to raigne and gouernement: and that of his owne parte he had dealte vnaduisedly in not geuing to him selfe that which he graunted to an other. So farre of these thinges.

CAP. XXIIII.

Of Photinus the hereticke.

THe Emperoure at that time made Gallus his cosingermaine Caesar, he gaue him his owne* 8.16 title or name, and sente him to Antioch in Syria for to keepe those partes of the Empire, whiche reached into the Easte. When he came to Antioch, there appeared in the East the

signe or cognizance of our Sauiour, for a pillour resembling the forme of a crosse, was seene in the* 8.17 aer, bringing great admiration to the beholders. He sent his other captaines with great power to wage battaile with Magnentius, he himselfe remayned at Sirmium, harkening to the ende. * 8.18 In the meane while Photinus the superintendent of that church, wente about openly to publish a selfe opinion, inuented of his owne braine, and because there was great tumult and much trouble risen thereof, the Emperoure commaunded a councell to be summoned at Sirmium. Of the Bshops of the East there came thither Marcus Bishop of Arethusa, Georgius Bishop of Alexādria, whome the Arians (after they had deposed Gregorius as I sayd before) placed there: Basilius who was Bi∣shop of Ancyra after the depriuation of Marcellus: Pancratius Bishop of Peleusium, Hypatia∣••us Bishop of Heraclea. Out of the Weste there mette them Ʋalens Bishop of Mursa and Osius Bishop of Corduba a citie of Spayne, who then beinge of greate fame was forced to come vnto the councell. These Bishops assembled at Sirmium, after the consulship of Sergius and Nigria∣nus, in which yeare, by reason of the warres and ciuill dissentions, there was none that could exe∣cute the function of a Consull: they deposed forthwith the hereticke Photinus of his Bishopricke, for he maintained the lewde opinion of Sabellius the Aphricke and Paulus Samosatenus. Whiche Acte of theirs was approued of all men, bothe at that presente and also in times followinge, to haue bene done accordinge vnto right and reason.

CAP. XXV.* 8.19

VVhat formes of fayth were layde downe at the councell of Sirmium, in presence of Constantius the Emperoure.

THese Bishops continewinge a while at Sirmium, decided other thinges. For they wente about to abrogate their old Creeds, and to establishe newe formes of faith: one was exhibi∣ted in the Greeke tonge by Marcus Bishop of Arethusa▪ two others in the Latine tongue, agreeing neither in word neither in composition, neither in sense neither in sentence, either with thēselues, or with that which the Bshop of Arethusa wrote in Greeke. One of the Latine formes I will here lay downe, immediatly after the Greeke forme of Marcus. The other afterwards re∣hearsed at Sirmium, I will referre to his proper plate. Yet haue we to vnderstand that both were translated into y^• Greeke. The forme which Marcus wrote, was as followeth: VVe beleue in one* 8.20 God, the father almightie creator and maker of all thinges. Of whome all fatherhood is named in heauen and in earth. And in his onely begotten sonne, our Lord Iesus Christ, begotten of the father before all worldes, God of God, light of light▪ by whome all things were made, bothe in heauē & in earth, be they visible or inuisible things▪ who is the word, the wisedom, the true light the life: who in the later dayes was incamate for our sakes, borne of the holy virgine, crucified, died, rose againe the third day frō the dead, ascended into heauē, sitteth at the right hand of the father, & shall come againe at the end of the world to iudge both the quick & the dead, & to re¦warde euery one accordinge vnto his workes, whose kingdome shall haue no ende, but conti∣neweth for euer & euer. For he shall sit at the right hand of the father, not onely while this world lasteth, but also in the life to come, And we beleue also in the holy Ghost, that is in the comfor∣ter, whome the Lord promised to send his disciples after his ascention for to teache & leade thē* 8.21 in all things, whom also he sent, by whose meanes the soules of thē that faithfuly beleeue in him are sanctified. They that say that the sonne of God hath his being of nothing: or that he is of an other substance then the fathers: or that there was a time or a world when he was not, these the* 8.22 holy & Catholicke church doth hold for accursed. Againe we say: that whosoeuer affirmeth the Father and the Sonne to be two Gods, let him be accursed. If any man, when he calleth Christ God, & to haue bene before all worlds, confesse not also that the sonne of God ministred vnto the father at the creation of all thinges, let him be accursed. He that presumeth to say that he is vnbegotten, or that part of him was borne of the virgine, let him be accursed. If any say that the sonne was borne of Mary according vnto prescience, & not to haue bene with God, begottē of the father before all worlds, by vvhom all things vvere made, let him be accursed. VVhosoeuer saith that the substance of God can either be more enlarged or lesse diminished, let him be held for accursed. vvhosoeuer saith that the enlarged substāce of God made the sonne, or calleth the sonne the enlarged substāce of God, let him be accursed. whosoeuer calleth the vvord of God, the mentall word of the father, or the vocall vvorde, let him be accursed. VVhosoeuer saith that

the sonne of God is but only mā, borne of Mary, let him be accursed whosoeuer when he sayth that he was borne, God & man of Mary, vnderstandeth the vnbegotten God, let him be accur∣sed. whosoeuer vnderstandeth this after the Iewish maner: I am the first God, & I am the secōd, & besides me there is none other God (which was spoken to the ouerthrowe of Idols & of them * 8.23 that be no Gods) thereby to take away the only begottē, that was God before all worlds, let hī be accursed whosoeuer whē he heareth: The word became flesh, supposeth the word to be tur∣ned* 8.24 into flesh, or by conuersion to haue taken fleshe vpon him, let him be accursed whosoeuer, whē he heareth the onely begotten of God to haue bene crucified, thinketh that therein he was subiect to corruption, torment, alteration, diminution, or destructiō, let him be accursed who∣soeuer vnderstandeth this: let vs make man, not to haue bene spokē of the father vnto the sonne,* 8.25 but God the father himselfe to haue spoken it to himselfe, let him be accursed. whosoeuer thin∣keth the sonne not to haue wrastled with Iacob as man, but the vnbegotten God, or some por∣tiō of him, let him be accursed whosoeuer vnderstandeth this: the lord rained frō the lorde, not to be taken of the father & the sonne, but that the father rained from himselfe, let him be accur∣sed. For the sonne being lord, rained frō the father, that was lord whosoeuer whē he heareth: the father lord and the sonne lorde, calleth the father being lord, both lord & sonne: & whē he rea∣deth: the lord frō the lord: affirmeth there be two gods, let him be accursed. For we place not the sonne in the same rowme with the father, but subiecte to the father. Neyther was he incarnate without the will of the father: neither rained he frō himselfe but frō the lord, who hath authori∣ty of himselfe, to wit, from the father: neither sitteth he at the right hand of himselfe, but harke∣neth vnto the father, saying: sit thou on my right hād whosoeuer calleth the father, the sonne, &* 8.26 the holy ghost one person, lette him be accursed whosoeuer when he calleth the holy Ghost the cōforter, tearm••th him the vnbegotttē God, let him be accursed whosoeuer saith there is no o∣ther* 8.27 comforter beside the sonne, contrary to the doctrine of the sonne himselfe (for he sayd: the father whome I will entreat, will send vnto you an other cōforter) let hī be accursed whosoeuer saith that the holy Ghost is a peece or porcion of the father, & of the sonne, let him be accursed whosoeuer affirmeth the father the sonne & the holy ghost to be three gods, let hī be accursed whosoeuer saith that the sonne of God was made by the will & pleasure of the father, as one of the creatures, let him be accursed whosoeuer saith the sonne was begotten contrary to the wil of the father, or whether the father would or no, let him be accursed. For the father begatte not the sonne against his owne wil, neither was he cōstrained by the law of nature, as if he had bene vnwilling thereūto: but of meare good will, without all time, without passiō begat he hī of him selfe▪ whosoeuer saith that the sonne had neither be getting nor beginning, & so consequētly a∣ffirme that there are two without begining, & two without begetting, & so appoint two Gods, let him be accursed the sonne is the head & the originall of all creatures: & the head of Christ is God, for so we referre all things reuerently by the sonne, vnto one begining of the whole vniuer sality, which is with out begening. Agayne weyinge deepely with our selues that clause also of christian profession, we say that whosoeuer affirmeth Christ Iesus, the sonne of God, who mini∣stred vnto the father at the creation of all things, not to haue bene before all worldes, but onely frō the time since the sonne was borne of Mary, to haue bene Christ, & thē his deity to haue be∣gone, * 8.28 as Paulus Samosatenus was perswaded, let him be accursed.

An other forme of faith first layd downe in Latine, afterwardes translated into the Greeke.

IN so much it pleased them dil••gently to consider of the faith, all whatsoeuer appertained there∣unto was exquisitly & curiously handled at Sirmium, & in presence of Valens, Vrsacius, Germanius with other Bishopps, they agreed, that there was one God, the father almightie, euen as it is taught throughout the whole world: & one onely begotten sonne of his, Jesus Christ & our Saui∣our, begotten of him before all worlds▪ y^• it was not lawfull to say there were two Gods although the Lord himselfe had sayd: I goe vnto my father & vnto your father, vnto my God and vnto your God. Wherefore he is the God of all, as the Apostle hathe taught vs: VVhat is he the God of the Iewes onely? Is not he also the God of the Gentiles? Yea of the Gentiles toe, for there is but one God which shall iustifie the circumcision by faith. All the other things are correspondēt neither doe they contayne any ambiguitie at all. And because there was great contention about y^• vnderstanding of y^• word which the Latines call Substantia & the Grecians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 about y^• equality

or as they call it, the vnitie of substance: they decreed, y^• thenceforth y^• controuersie should not once be remembred: y^t the church of God should no longer be troubled with y^• interpretatiō thereof, and y^• for two causes, first because y^• Scriptures of God made no mention thereof, secondarily because that the interpretatiō thereof exceeded the sense aud capacitie of man, for y^• holy Scriptures testi∣sted that no man was able to set forth the generation of the sonne, in these wordes: His generation who shalbe able to declare? For it is most true that the father alone knoweth howe he begat the* 8.29 sonne, againe, y^• sonne alone knoweth howe he was begotten of y^• father. They sayd no mā doubted but that the father was greater in honor, dignitie, diuinitie, and fatherly title, and that by the te∣stimony of the sonne himselfe where he sayth: The father which sent me is greater then I. They sayd moreouer this was Catholicke, neither vnknowen vnto any, that there were two persons, the father and the sonne: the father greater, the sonne subiect together with all other things which the father made subiect vnto him: the father to be without beginning, inuisible, immortall, impati∣ble: the sonne to be begotten of the father, God of God, light of light, and that no man (as I sayde before) was able to rehearse his generation saue the father alone: the sonne our lorde and God to become incarnat, to haue taken a body vpon him, that is man: euen as partly he shewed vnto the Angels, and partly all the Scriptures doe informe vs of him, but especially the Apostle, the prea∣cher of the Gentiles, that Christ tooke manhood of the virgine Mary according vnto the which he suffred. They sayd it was the principle, & ground of our whole faith, alwayes to holdfast the faith in the trinitie, as we read in the Gospell: Goe teach all nations, baptizinge them in the name of* 8.30 the Father & of the Sonne & of the holy Ghost. The number of the trinitie is absolute & perfect. The comforter, the holy Ghost sent by the sonne, came according vnto promise for to sanctifie and lead the Apostles and all the faithfull. They goe about to perswade Photinus after his depriuatiō, to condescend and to subscribe vnto these thinges, promising to restore him vnto his Bishopricke againe, if he would recant and renounce the selfe opinion, he had inuented of his owne braine and thenceforth promise to cleaue vnto their doctrine. He refused the cōditions, and prouoked them to disputation. A certaine day was appointed for conference, the Emperoure commaundeth the Bi∣shops thē present to be at it, there came thither also at the request of y^• Emperour not a fewe coun∣cellers. The assembly being met, Basilius who thē was Bishop of Ancyra, tooke Photinus in hand:* 8.31 the notaries penned all they spake. While they reasoned one with an other, the disputation waxed hot, and in the end Photinus had the foile & was condemned to vanishment. From that time forth he liued in exile, and wrote in the Greeke and Latine tonge (for he was well seene in both) a boke a∣gainst all heresies, endeuoringe therein to publishe his owne opinion. So farre of Photinus. We haue yet to vnderstand that the Bishops assembled at Sirmium, misliked thēselues with the forme of faith, laid downe in the Latine tonge, for after the publishing thereof, they espied contradicto∣ries therein. Wherefore they went about in all the hast, to call in all the coppies, and when as di∣uers were concealed, the Emperour by his edicte gaue charge, that all should be broughte in, and such as hid thē shoulde be punished. Yet were there no threats or cruelty that coulde recouer the thinges once blased abroad, because they had runne through many hands.

CAP. XXVI.

Of Osius Bishop of Corduba.* 8.32

WHereas we haue made mention a ••itle before of Osius Bishop of Corduba that he was constrained to shewe himselfe at the councell of Sirmium, I thinke it requisite nowe to say somwhat of that matter. Although in a while before, through the lewd practises of the Arians, he had bene in exile: yet then, at the sute and procuremēt of the Bishops which assem∣bled at Sirmium, it tell out that the Emperoure cited him, purposinge with himselfe to perswade him or by foule meanes to constraine him, to be of the same opinion with the assembled Bishops, and in so doinge their faith shoulde seeme to cary with it greate force and creditte. To this ende he was drawen against his will (as I sayd before) vnto the councel. But when as this olde father woulde in no wise subscribe vnto their faith, they scurged his sides, and set his members vpon the racke. So that in the end by compulsion he gaue his assent, & subscribed vnto the formes of faith, which then were published. These were the Ac••es at Sirmium and thus were they ended.

CAP. XXVII.

Magnentius the tyrant is ouercome, and dieth miserably, the Iewes inhabiting* 8.33 Diocaesarea rebell against the Romaines and are soiled. Gallus rebelleth and is put to death.

COnstantius the Emperoure remayned at Sirmium, waytinge what ende the battell waged with Magnentius should haue. But Magnentius as soone as he tooke the princely citie of* 8.34 Rome, he executeth many of the Senators: he dispatcheth not a fewe of the common mul∣titude. When the captaines of Constantius had gathered a great army of Romaine souldiers they marched towards him: he thē left Rome & got him to Fraunce. There were many skirmishes, one while this side, an other while that side had the vpper hand. At length Magnentius was ouercome at the castell of Mursa in Fraunce, in he got him, and kept it a while, where such a straunge thing as followeth is reported to haue come to passe. Magnentius going about to animate his souldiers nowe altogether discouraged with the foile & ouerthrowe they had takē, got him vp into an highe seate. The souldiers, after the accustomed honor done vnto the Emperours, mindinge to sounde fortunate successe vnto Magnentius, by force as it were, their lippes wagging before their minds, they turne their good wishes vnto Constātius, for they all with one mouth proclaimed, not Magnē¦tius, but Constantius, Augustus. Magnentius supposinge this to be a signe of misfortune, conueyed himselfe forthwith out of the castell, & fled into the furthest partes of Fraunce. The captaines of Constantius pursued after him earnestly. Againe they pitched their cāpe at a place called Miltose∣leucus, where Magnentius being ouerthrowen, ranne away alone and got him to Lions a citie of Fraunce three dayes iorney from the castell of Mursa. Magnentius comming to Lions first of all* 8.35 he slewe his mother, next his brother whome he had created Caesar, last of all he became his owne murtherer. This was done the sixt Consulship of Constantius, the seconde of Constantius Gallus the fiftenth day of August. Not long after Decenius an other brother of Magnentius hanged himselfe.* 8.36 And although Magnentius the tyrant, had such an ende: yet the common wealth was not without great trouble & tumults. For immediatly there stept vp, an other tyrant whose name was Silua∣nus and molested the quiet estat of the cōmon weale in Fraunce, but the captaines of Constantius di∣spatched him quickely out of the way. * 8.37 when these things were come to an end, there rose other ci∣uill warres in the East, for the Ievves inhabiting Diocaesarea in Palaestina, tooke armour against the Romaines, and inuaded the bordering regions. But Gallus called also Constantius, whome the Emperour Constantius had made Caesar, and sente him into the Easte, came thither with great po∣wer: ouer came the Iewes in battell: and made the citie Diocaesarea, euen with the ground. * 8.38 When Gallus had brought these thinges to passe, being swollen and puffed vp, with the pride of good suc∣cesse and prosperous affaires, could no longer containe himselfe within his bounds: but forthwith beinge inflamed with tyrannicall motion turned his minde against Constantius, so that Constan∣tius not long after, espied him out, and perceaued his drift. He had executed of his owne absolute authoritie, Domitianus who was president of the East, and the greate treasurer, not making the Emperoure priuey vnto his doings. Wherefore Constantius was sore incensed against him. He being wonderfully affrayd, yet of force came vnto him. Constantius hearing of his comminge, y^• he was nowe in the Westerne partes of his dominions, to wete in the He Flauona, caused his head to be taken of his shoulders. In a litle while after, he appointed Iulianus y^• brother of Gallus, Caesar, & sent him into Fraunce against y^• Barbarians. Gallus whose name was also Constantius, ended his life the seauenth Consulship of Constantius, and the third of his owne. Iulianus the yeare following was created Caesar▪ in the Consulship of Arbition and Lollianus, the sixte of Nouember. But of Iulianus we will discourse in the third booke. Constantius beinge rid of these present mischiefs, tur∣ned himselfe to wage battell with the church of God. Remouinge from Sirmium, vnto the prince∣ly citie of Rome▪ he called together a councell, and commaunded diuers Bishops out of the East to repaire with all speed into Italy, and that the Bishops of the Weste shoulde meete them there. In the meane space while they trauell into Italy, it fell out that Iulius Bishop of Rome after he had gouerned that churche fiftene yeares departed this life, and Liberius succeded him in the Bi∣shopricke.

CAP. XXVIII.

Of the heretike Aetius the Syrian, the mayster of Eunomius.* 8.39

AT Antioche in Syria there stept vp an other hereticke, founder of a straunge and forayne* 8.40 opinion, whose name was Aetius, called also the Atheist. He although he maintayned the same things and vpheld the selfe same opinion with Arius: yet seuered he him selfe from y^e Arians, because they admitted Arius into the communion. For Arius (as I sayd before) meant one thing with in, and vttered an other thing without: being at Nice, he allowed & subscribed vnto the forme of faith layd downe by the councell, & deceaued the Emperour which raigned thē, with his fraude & subtltie. This was y^e cause that made Aetius seuer him selfe from the Arian sect. vntil that tyme, Aetius was knowen not onely for an hereticke, but also for a greate patron of the pestilent doctrine of Arius. When he had gott some smacke of learninge at Alexandria, he left that citie,* 8.41 and went to Antioch in Syria, where he had bene borne, and there was he made Deacon of Leon∣tius thē bishop of Antioch. In a short while after, he was able to amaze such as reasoned with him,* 8.42 with his subtle quirkes of sophistrie. This did he by the meanes of Aristotls Elenches, (for so is the booke intituled) for whylest he disputed, vnwittingly coulde he frame such captious and so∣phisticall propositions, as his owne capacitie coulde not dissolue, the reason was, because he had not learned Aristotls dryft of cunninge and learne▪ Logicians. For Aristotle, agaynste the sophisters who then derided and abused philosophie, wrote such a kinde of reasoninge, for the whetting of yonge mens witts, displaying their behauiour, and ouerthrowinge their sophisticall fallacies with wittie reasons, and well couched subtilities. The Academikes that comment vpon Plato and Plotinus works, doe mislyke very much with such thinges as Aristotle hath so argutely and subtly written: but Aetius not procuring vnto him a maister that was an Academicke, cleaued vnto these captious & subtle fallacies. Wherfore he could not deuise how to vnderstand that there was an vnbegotten birth: or how to imagine y^• the begotten could be coeternall with the begetter, so barraine a brayne had he of his owne, and so ignorant and vnskilfull was he in holy scripture: for he had nothing in him, saue a subtle kind of reasoning, quarellous and contentious languages, such as may easily be found in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, ignorant, & vnlearned: he had read ouer the auncient wri∣ters, such as published commentaries vpon holy scriptures, and condemned Clemens, Aphricanus, and Origen, sage men, of singular learning for vnlearned persons: the epistles which of set purpose he had patched and stuffed with litigious triflles & sophisticall conclusions, the same he sent vnto the Emperour Constantius, and to sundry others: And therefore was he called the Atheist. And* 8.43 although he affirmed the selfe same thinges with Arius, yet of his owne crue not attayning vn∣to his intricate and captious maner of reasoning, was he counted for an Arian hereticke. Where∣fore being excommunicated out of the church, yet woulde he seeme as though of his owne accord he had seuered him selfe from their communion. Of him therefore as originall of this errour, the* 8.44 Aetians had their appellation, but now are they called Eunomians. For in a litle while after Eu∣nomius his scribe, who sucked of his filthy sinke of hereticall doctrine, became a ringleader to this sect. But of Eunomius in an other place.

CAP. XXIX.* 8.45

Of the Councells held at Mediolanum and Ariminum, with the Creedes then concluded vpon.

BY that time there met in Italie, not very many bishops out of the East, for heauie age & long iourneyes were letts, so that they coulde not come: but out of the West there came aboue the number of three hundred bishops. The Emperours edi•••• was proclaimed that the coun∣cell* 8.46 should be held at Mediolanum. When the bishops of the East came thither, first of all they re∣quire, that sentence by their generall consent should be pronounced agaynst Athanasius, thinking verily thereby, to stoppe all gappes from goinge or returninge of him any more to Alexandria. After that Paulinus bishop of Triuere in Fraunce, Dionysius bishop of Alba an heade citie of Italy, and Eusebius byshop of Vercellae, a cytie of the Lygurian Italians had perceaued, that the byshops of the East bent all their myght to enact a decree agaynst Athanasius, for no other purpose, but to ouerthrowe the true faith: they stoode vp, and cryed out, that in so doing the christian religion should be cancelled by the meanes of their deceatfull & fraudulent treachery: that the crymes layd

to Athanasius his charge, were false reports & meere sclaūders: and y^• they had inuēted such things to deface the true and catholicke faith. When they had ended these lowde speaches, the Councell brake vp. * 8.47 The Emperour vnderstāding of this, cōmaūded them forthwith to exile & banishmēt, & determineth w^t him selfe to summone a generall coūcell, to y^• end, after citing of all the easterne bi∣shops, into the west contries, he might (if it were possible) bring them all to embrace vnitie and concorde. But after better aduisement taken with him selfe, he sawe it was a very hard matter to compasse, by reason of the farre contries and longe iourney, and therefore he commaunded the Councell shoulde be deuided into two partes: the bishops then present to assemble at Ariminum a citie of Italie: the bishops of the East to meete at Nicomedia a ritie in Bithynia. But his purpose tooke no prosperous successe. for nere nother of y^• Councells agreed▪ within them selues, both was deuided into sundry factions. For neither could the bishops which mett at Ariminū in Italy, agree amonge them selues, neyther the bishops of the East among them selues, for they raysed a newe schisme at Seleucia a citie of Isauria, but howe all this came to passe, I will hereafter rehearse in processe of our discourse, if that first I say somewhat of Eudoxius. In the very same time Leontius▪ who preferred Actius the hereticke to the degree of Deaconship, hauing departed this lyfe: Eu∣doxius bishop of Germanicia a citie of Syria, then beyng at Rome, thought it high time for him to returne into the East: he dealeth doubly with the Emperour forlicence to depart with speede, al∣leadginge for him selfe that the citie of Germanicia stoode in greate neede of his helpe and ghost∣ly counsell. The Emperour litle thinkinge what fetches he had in his heade, gaue him his pas∣port.* 8.48 He through the sute and furtherance of the Emperours chamberlaynes, left his owne ci∣tie, and crept through wyle and subtletie into the byshopricke of Antioche: he endeuoureth to restore Actius agayne into the church: and goeth about to summone a Councell of byshops, and to make him Deacon agayne. But his lewde dryft was longe in brynginge about, because the hatred owed vnto Actius was of more force to repell him, then the hartie good wyll and furthe∣rance Eudoxius vsed to restore him. but of this we neede no more wordes. Of them which assem∣bled at Ariminum, the Easterne byshops not mentioninge the businesse aboute Athanasius, si∣gnified that the cause of their comminge was to discourse of other matters. Ʋrsacius and Ʋalens, who at the firste were Arians, and afterwards exhibited a recantation vnto the byshop of Rome, subscribing (as I sayd before) vnto the clause of One substance: stoode them in great stead, for these two, continewally cleaued vnto the stronger and the surer side. There came also to take their part Germanius, Auxentius, Demophilus, & Caius. In the assembly of bishops then present, when diuers men would haue diuers things enacted: Vrsacius & Vales affirmed y^• all formes of faith layd downe in times past, were thenceforth to be cācelled, & that y^• new forme of faith published a litle before, at y^• councell of Sirmiū, was to be cōfirmed. When they had so sayd, they gaue forth a shete of pa∣per, which they had in their hāds to be read. The second creede written before at Sirmium, & sup∣pressed there (as I sayd before) read also at Ariminū, & translated out of the Latine into y^• Greeke tōgue, was layd downe in these words: This Catholick faith was published at Sirmiū, in the pre∣sence of Costantius our liege lord, Flauius Eusebius, & Hypatius renowmed consuls, the eleuenth* 8.49 Kalends of Iune. VVe beleue in one onely true God, the father almightie, creator and maker of all things, & in one onely begotten sonne of God, who was before all worlds, before all begin∣ninges, before all tymes that may be imagined: and begotten of God the father vvithout any passion, before all comprehensible knowledge, by vvhome both the vvorld and all things were made: one only begotten, begotten of the father alone, God of God, like vnto the father which begatt him according vnto the scriptures: vvhose generation no man hath knovven saue the fa∣ther vvhich begatt him. him vve knovve, his onely begotten sonne, to haue come dovvne from heauen at the fathers becke, to banishe and vvype avvay synne: to haue bene borne of the Vir∣gine Marie: to haue bene conuersant vvith the disciples: to haue fulfilled according vnto his fa∣thers will, all his message, to haue bene crucified, to haue suffred & died: to haue descended into hell, and there to haue disposed all things, at whose sight the porters of hell gates trembled: to haue risen againe the third day: againe, to haue accōpanied with his disciples, & after 40. dates were expired to haue ascended into heauen, where he sitteth at the right hand of the father, and shall come againe at the last day with the glory of his father, to reward euery one according vn∣to his workes. And we beleue in the holy ghost, whome the onely begotten sonne of God, Iesus Christ him selfe, promised to send mankind, the cōforter, as it is written: I go vnto my father, &* 8.50 I will pray my father to send you an other comforter, the spirite of trueth: he shall take of myne,

and shall teache & leade you in all things. The word Substance being simply layd downe of the fathers, & vnknowen of the ignorāt people, geuing vnto many great cause of offence, insomuch it is not founde in holie scripture: vve haue thought good to abandone it, and henceforth spea∣kinge of God to make no mention of the vvorde Substance, because the sacred scriptures haue not once remembred the substance of the Sonne, or of the holie ghost. VVe say that the sonne is like the father in all things, & that because the word of God hath affirmed & taught it vs. Whē these things were read, such as were not pleased with the circumstances and contents therof, rose vp and sayde: We came not hither as though we wanted faith and beleese (for we retayne that* 8.51 faith which we learned from the beginning) but we are come to withstand nouelties, if ought be practised preiudiciall vnto y^• same. If those thīgs which you haue now read, neither sauor neither rend to y^• establishing of noueltie: accurse & renounce the heresie of Arius in such wise, as the old & auncient canon of the church hath banished all hereticall & blasphemous doctrine. It is apparent vnto the whole world what tumults & troubles the blaspemous opiniō of Arius hath raysed, euen vnto this day, in the church of God. This offer was not accepted of Ʋrsacius, Ʋalens, Germanius, Auxentius, Demophilus, & Caius, & thervpon the bond of vnitie retained in the church of God, was broken asunder. For these men cleaued vnto such things as the councell of Ariminū had decreed: y^• other confirmed the canons of the Nicene Councell, & derided y^• contents of the creede y^• was read in their presence, but specially Athanasius, so y^• by occasion thereof he wrote vnto his friends after this maner: VVhat auaileth it (I beseech you) vnto the Catholicke church for the furtherāce of* 8.52 pietie & godlines, now to propose questiōs of the faith? & to intitle their creede with the names of the Consuls which then were in office? for Vrsacius, Valeus, and Gormanius haue wrought that which was neuer done or heard of among the Christians, when they had written such things as they thought necessarily to be beleued of them, they layd downe the Consulls, the moneth and the day: that it might easily appeare vnto all vvise men, their faith not to haue bene before the raigne of Constantius. Euery one of them hauinge respect vnto their ovvne hereticall doctrine, haue layde dovvne their seuerall censures. Furthermore vvhen they take penne in hand to pro∣nounce vvhat they thinke of the Lorde, they name vnto them selues an other Lorde, to vvete, Constantius. for it vvas he that opened them the gapp vnto impietie. And vvhile they denied the sonne of God to be aeternall (for they fell into such outragious impietie, they became deadly foes vnto the Christia faith) yet they intitled the Eniperour sempiternall. But peraduēture they tooke example of the holie prophets, vvho noted vnto vs the times they lyued in, for to intitle their creeds with the names of Consulls. If they presume to alleage them as a president to their doynges, they are foully deceaued, and bevvray very much their owne ignorance and folly. For though the Prophets made mention of the tymes they lyned in, as vve reade in Esay and Oseas, who lyued in the dayes of Ozia, Ioathan, Achaz, and Ezech••a: as vve reade in Ieremie, who pro∣phecied in the dayes of Iosia: as vve reade in Ezechiel & Daniel, who florished vnder the raigne of Cyrus & Darius: and as vve find in other prophecies reuealed vnto the vvorld at other times: yet vvere not they the first founders of the seruice of God & sacred religion. It vvas long before their times, it vvas from enerlasting, it vvas before the foundacions of the vvorld vvere layd, the which verily God him selfe, by Christ hath prepared for vs. The tymes vvhen theyr fayth had her originall▪ they dyd not signifie, for there had bene faithfull men longe before them: but those vvere the dayes vvhen such promises of God & prophecies of thinges to come vvere prea∣ched by them. The promises verily concerned chiefly the incarnatiō of our sauiour: the circum∣stances thereof and such thinges as vvere annexed therevnto, signified plainely the thinges that should happē both to Iewes & to Gentils. Moreouer in the aforesayd specified times, their faith (as I sayd before) had not her first foundatiō & beginning but the prophets thē selues: for they liuing thē foreshewed such things to come. But these our fouthsaiers, neither writing of stories, neither prophecying of things to come do write, This Catholicke faith was published: adding im∣mediatly thervnto the names of the Consulls, the moneth of the yeare, & the day of the vveeke. Euen as the holy men of old haue declared both the times of the matters they wrote of, and the yeares of their owne ministerie: so these men haue noted vnto vs the dayes when their faith first beganne. I would to god they had only vvritten their owne beliefe, for now they haue assigned an originall or beginninge of their faith, and they fall a reasoninge of it, as if it had neuer bene heard of before. They vvrite not, This is our beliefe, but in this fort, This Catholicke faith was pu∣blished. VVherfore their bold & pressipteous enterprise bewraieth their barren & wirles braines:

and their nevve founde faith is no othervvise, in playne vvordes, then the Arian heresie. So they vvrote, then they beganne to beleeue, from that tyme forth they determined to reueale theyr faith in no other sense then vve reade in Luke the Euangelist: There vvas geuen out then* 8.53 a commaundement from Augustus Caesar, that the vvhole vvorlde should be taxed. that com∣maundement vvas not geuen before, but then tooke place from those dayes forth, and vvas published by him vvhich vvrote it. So vvhen these men doe vvryte: This faith is nowe published, they shevve theyr errour nevvly inuented, and not to haue bene before. But if they adde the vvorde Catholicke, they plunge them selues vnvvares in the hereticall pudle of the Cataphry∣gians: so that they singe after theyr note: The Christian faith was reuealed vnto vs, The Chri∣stian faith beganne of vs. And as they tooke Maximilla and Montanus for theyr Lorde, so these men in steede of Christ haue chosen Constantius. If the fayth beganne in those dayes, in the tyme of theyr Consulships, vvhat shall become of the auncient fathers and blessed mar∣tyrs? VVhat shall become of them, vvhome these men them selues instructed in the fayth, and departed this lyfe before these Consulls? Hovve shall they rayse them from the deade, to roote out of theyr mindes their former religion, and to plant afreshe their late inuention of faith? They are so senselesse and so voyde of vnderstandinge, that they can doe nought else saue forge out fayned causes: the vvhich beynge as they are both fonde, slender, & vpon slip∣pery foundations, may casilie be confuted and ouerthrovven. These were the contents of Athanasius his epistle the which he sent vnto some of his familiar friendes, the studious may at theyr pleasure examine it with them selues, and knowe throughly such thinges as he hath discoursed of, both subtly and substantially. We haue onely alleadged a portion thereof, lest we shoulde seeme ouer tedious. Toutchinge the premises we haue moreouer to vnderstande, that the Councell deposed Ʋalens, Ʋrsacius, Auxentius, Germanius, Caius, and Demophilus, be∣cause they refused to renounce and accurse the hereste of Arius. Wherefore takinge their depa∣sition impaciently, they runne vnto the Emperour, and shewe him the forme of faith that was read in the Councell. The Councell also wrote vnto the Emperour an epistle, wherein they si∣gnified vnto him what they had decreed, the which beynge translated out of the Latine into the Breeke tongue, is vsually read as followeth.

The Epistle of the Councell assembled at Arminum vnto the Emperour.

According vnto the commaundement of God, and the edict of your gracious highnesse, vve haue thought good to ratifie vvith our consent, such canons as of olde did concerne the Chri∣stian faith. For vve haue met together out of all the cyties throughout the vvest partes of the* 9.1 vvorld, to the ende the faith of the most holie and Catholicke church may be the more famous, and the aduersaries thereof the better knovven. After deliberation and good aduisement ta∣ken, it seemed best vnto vs firmely to retayne, and in retayninge to holde fast vnto the ende that faith, vvhich hath bene continevved hitherto from tyme out of memorie, vvhich hath bene preached of the Prophets, Euangelists, & Apostles through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ, vvho is the protectour of your empire, & the cōseruer of your health. It seemed very absurd, nay vve thought it an haynous offence, to alter ought of the things that vvere rightly and reuerently decided: but especially to intermedle vvith the canons of the Nicene Councell, so exquisitely handled, & so throughly sifted out by the ayde & succour of your father of famous memory the Emperous Constantine: the sage doctrine & graue censures of vvhich councell pearced the eares & hath bene prīted in the minds of all people: by whose only force it came to passe that the he∣resie of Arius was foyled & ouerthrowen by whose meanes also not only this, but all other rot∣ten heresies whatsoeuer are rooted out. VVhat may well be added therevnto, it is doubtfull, to take any thinge therefro is daungerous. If ere other be permitted, there vvill ensue there of such libertie, that euery one vvill sovv such levvde doctrine as pleaseth him best. VVherfore Vrsacius and Valens beyng of late infected vvith the pestilent here sie of Arius, and therefore iustly ba∣nished our communion, they did not onely repent them of their fond dealing, their conscience yelding manifest testimonie, & accusing thē of the same, to the end they might againe be made partakers of the same communion: but also as their ovvne vvrytinges doe beare vvittnesse, they craued pardon vvith humble and earnest petitions, so that in the ende all theyr levvde behauiour, all their corrupt learning was forgeuen & forgotten. these things were done at what time the councell of Mediolanū was held in the presence of certaine priests of Rome. But when

we call to remembrance how that Constantine the Prince, worthy of noble praise among all po∣sterity,* 9.2 imployed great labor & industry for the curious sifting & true knowledge of the Nicene Creede: it seemed vnto vs a thinge contrary to all reason for to renewe any thinge thereof, or to innouate any thing preiudicial to the same, after his desease, who first was baptized, then de∣parted this life, & now resteth in ioy: & to make light accompt of so many blesled confessors & martyrs who framed & furthered this doctrine, vvho also according vnto the auncient purpose of the catholick church were so perswaded, & persisted in the same vnto their liues end. VVhose faith God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ, hath cōtinewed vnto the yeares of your im∣periall raigne, by whose helpe your kingdome is enlarged, & your self become Lord of all these our coūtries & dominions vnder heauen. But of the contrary those miserable men & bewitched* 9.3 mindes, caried away with a furious kind of motion, haue gone about to proclayme them selues authors & preachers of wicked doctrine vnder colour of well doing, & to ouerthrowe the right sincerity of the trueth. For as soone as the coūcel at your cōmaundement met together, they laid wide open their cōcealed fraude & couered deceat: as soone as also they perceaued Germanius, Auxentius, & Caius, who had brought discord & dissentiō into the church of god, to be in all re∣spects like affectioned with thē, they assayed through wiles & wilful assēblies, to establish some nouelty. whose doctrine & opiniō, though but one in name, yet in number it farie exceeded the heape of all blasphemies. But when as they sawe they would not cleaue vnto their opinion, nei∣ther condescend vnto their lewde practises: they transported them selues into our side, as if they had determined to subscribe vnto the contrary doctrine. but not long after their cankred minds were knowē well mough. VVherfore that the quiet estate of the church may not be tossed with such waues of troublsome dissētion: that all be not set on tumults & vprores: it seemed very ne∣cessary vnto vs to ratifie the decrees confirmed of olde, inuiolably to conserue them, & to forbid these men our cōmunion. For this cause haue we sent legats with our letters vnto your maiesty, of whome you may vnderstand the mind & meaning of the coūcell: whome also we haue char∣ged first of all to proue the manifest trueth by autority & testimony of old & aūciēt lawes wisely decreed, & to opē vnto your indifferēt censure & iust sentēce not (as Vrsacius & Valens affirmed) that quietnes shoulde ensure, if the canons lavvfully decreed, and aduisedly decided shoulde be ouerthrovven (hovv can they pleade for peace which haue pearced through and broke asunder the bonde of vnitie) but that discorde and debate shoulde rise thereof not onely in other cities, but also in the Churche of Rome. VVherefore vve humbly request your maiestie of your gra∣cious* 9.4 fauour and vvonted clemency to accept this our message, that you permitt no noueltie to creepe into the church of god to the cōtumelie of such as already are departed this life: but that you graunt vs licence and your lavvfull fauour, firmely to perseuere in those thinges vvhich our auncetors haue decreed, in as much as it is euident vnto all men, that vvhatsoeuer they did, it vvas throughe vvell aduised councell, prudent consideration, and the ayde of the holy Ghost. for the innouations of these men doe graffe in the mindes of the faythfull, incredulitie: in the mindes of the vnfaythfull crueltie. Also vve humbly request your highnes, that the Bishops vvhich vvander in farre and foraine regions, grieuously afflicted by reason of great yeares and the misery of vvant and necessitie, may by your safe conduyte returne home from exile, to the ende the Churches remayne not desolate & destitute of their Bishops being thus farre asunder. last of all our humble sute is vnto your maiestie that nothing be either diminished or added vn∣to the old & aūcient decrees: but that all whatsoeuer haue bene obserued vnto this day through the godly procuremēt of your father, may henceforth be of force, strength & vertue: & that here∣after there may rise no molestation vnto vs about those things, that you suffer vs not to be bani∣shed our churches: but that bishops may be resiant with their slocke: that they may enioy peace & tranquillity for prayers & deuout seruice of God: that they may pray cōtinewally for the pre∣seruation of your healthe, your empyre, and prosperous estate, the which God of his goodnes long continewe. Our legats wil enforme you of the subscriptions & the bishops names: they are also of learning sufficient, to let you vnderstand by testimonies of holy Scripture, all the circum∣stances of the decrees.

These things y^• councell wrot & sent vnto y^• Emperour by certaine bishops. but Vrsacius & Valens preuenting their comming, reuiled & discredited y^• councell w^t the emperour, shewing vnto him a patched forme of faith, which they had brought in their pocket: y^• Emperour in so much he was afore time infected w^t y^• Arian opinion, began wonderfully to stomacke y^• councel. & to aduaūce into honor & estimation Vrsacius & Valens. Wherfore y^• bishops y^• were sent by y^• councel

wayted very long about his court, yet coulde they get no answere of him. At length by other mes∣sengers the Emperour wrote vnto the councell in this maner.

The epistle of Constantius vnto the councell assembled at Ariminum.

Constantius the mighty and triumphant Augustus, vnto all the Bishops assembled at Arimi∣num sendeth greeting. Although it is not vnknowen vnto your holines, that vve haue alvvayes great care and consideration of the diuine, the reuerend, and sacred religion of Christ: yet had vve as yet no leasure to talke vvith the tvventy Bishops, whome your wisedomes sent in embas∣sie vnto vs. For vve haue hitherto bene vvholy occupied about the expedition we made against the Barbarians. And requisite it is (as you knovve very vvell) for him that vvill deale in matters of religion, to be voyde of all care and troublesome affayres. Therefore vve haue vvilled the Bi∣shops to vvayte for our comming at Adrianopolis, so that vvhen vve haue rightly disposed the common affayres of the publique weale, we may then geue care and wey diligently afterwards such things as they shall lay before vs. In the meane vvhile let it not grieue your vvisedomes to expect their returne, that after their departure hence and the bringing of our ansvvere vnto you, ye may finish and conclude such thinges as shalbe for the vse and furtherance of the Catholicke Church. When the Bishops had receaued these letters, they wrote backe againe vnto the Empe∣rour in this sorte. VVe haue receaued your maiesties gracious letters (most godly Emperour)* 10.1 wherby we gather you had not sufficient leasure (by reason of the necessary busines of the com∣mon vveale) to geue our legats the hearing: moreouer that you geue vs in charge to vvayte for their returne, vntill that your highnes of your vvisedome hath deepely vvayed the thinges vve haue decreed and layde dovvne agreeably vnto the canons and constitutions of our auncetors. But novve by these our letters vve protest and assure your maiestye, that vve vvill in no vvise shrinke from our sentence and determination. VVe haue also charged and enioyned our legats the same. VVherefore vve humbly beseech you, of our vvonted clemency to voutchsafe the rea∣ding of these our simple letters, and to take in good parte such thinges as vve haue enioyned our legats. Your clemency moreouer knovveth as vvell as vve, hovve heauy and hovve lamentable a case it is, so many churches in the time of this your most blessed raigne, to be bereaued of their Bishops. And therefore vve are humbly to craue againe and againe (most holy Emperour) that before the sharpe and nipping season of vvinter (if it so seeme good vnto your highnes) you wil licence vs to returne home vnto our Churches, to the ende vve may poure out together vvith the people our accustomed prayers vnto God the father Almighty and to our Lorde and Sauiour Christ, his onely begotten sonne, for prosperous estate of your raigne, euen as we haue accu∣stomed in times past, and yet cease not to doe.

After they had written thus and continewed there a while longer, when as the emperour voutchsafed not to answere them, euery one returned to his owne home. The Emperour because he had purposed with him selfe to sowe the Arian opinion throughout euery Church, & endeuored with might and mayne euery where to preferre the same, tooke hereby occasion at the Bishops returne, to bring about his baynous offence: and sayd, that in contempt, and despite of him, contrary to his will they had dissolued the councell. Wherefore he gaue Ʋrsacius authoritie, freely at his pleasure to practise all mischiefe agaynst the Churches of God: and commaunded him moreouer, to send into the Churches of Italie the forme of fayth that was read in the councell of Ariminum: and such as would not subscribe vnto the same shoulde be deposed, and others placed in their rowmes. First of all Liberius Bishop of Rome, as soone as he* 10.2 denied his hande thereunto, was exiled by Vrsacius: and Felix Deacon of the Church of Rome, ad∣dicted vnto the Arian opinion, was of the same Vrsacius by mayne force and violence preferred to the bishopricke. Wherfore all the Westerne partes of the worlde by reason of these newe deuises, were at great discorde and tumults, while that some were by force deposed and sent to exile, some other substituted in their rowmes, these thinges were wrought by vertue of the Emperours edicts sent into the West contries. Liberius not long after was called home from exile, recouered his bi∣shopricke* 10.3 again••, because that the people of Rome was on an vprore, and thrust Felix out of the Church, so that the Emperour was constrained against his will to agree thereunto. Vrsacius ha∣uing played such prankes in Italie as pleased him best, tooke his iourney into the East, and got* 10.4 him to the citie of Nice in Thracia. There, after he had continewed a long while, he called a coun∣cell, and went about to ratifie the forme of faith that was read at Ariminum, and translated (as I

sayd before) into the greeke tongue: to publishe and sett forth the same with glorious titles as a∣greed vpon by a generall councell, calling it the Nicene fayth, to the intent that thereby, in vsing the name of Nice he might snare the ignorant, the rude and simple people. For they thought ve∣rily that it was the same forme of fayth, which of olde was confirmed at Nice a citie of Bithy∣nia, but their forged pretence was no long furtherance vnto them. For in a short while after their treachery was reuealed, and the authors thereof derided for their labor. So farre of such thinges as were done in the West.

CAP. XXX.* 10.5

The crueltie of Macedonius the Arian, and tumults raysed by him at Con∣stantinople and elsewhere.

NOwe that we haue sufficiently discoursed of the West Churches, let vs turne our talke and direct our penne into the East, and there first beginne with the Arians: The Arian Bi∣shops being puffed vp with pride and confidence they put in the Emperours edicts, presu∣med more boldly to bring their purposes to effect, but in what sorte they sommoned the councell I will afterwards declare, when that first I haue runne ouer their lewd practises before the councel. Acaius & Patrophilus as soone as they had deposed Maximus bishop of Ierusalem, placed Cyrillus* 10.6 in his rowme. Macedonius went about vtterly to ouerthrow y^• contries & bordering cities of Con∣stantinople, vsing his seruants & ministers as fit instruments to the defacing of the church of God. he made Eleusius bishop of Cyzicum: Marathonius bishop of Nicomedia, who afore time had bene deacon vnder Macedonius him selfe, & very carefull about the affaires of men & women, y^• were ad∣dicted vnto monasticall & solitary life. But now heare how Macedonius went about to ouerchrow y^• contries & cities within y^• prouince of Constantinople. This man, aspiring (as I said before) vnto y^• bishoprick, plagued infinitely such as were determined to perseuere in y^• opinion contrary to his, & thrust out of the church not only such as in y^• councell seemed to vary from him, but also y^• Noua∣tians (for he knew of suerty that they embraced the creede containing the clause of one substance) & cruelly tormented them. Agelius their bishop was faine to flie away for to saue his life. Many ex∣cellent & notable men were then apprehended, and grieuously plagued, because they refused to be partakers of their communion: yea after torments they were constrayned by force to communi∣cate with them. for they stretched wide open and gagged their mouthes, they popped in the myste∣ries: such as were thus handled tooke it farre more grieuous then all the other torments. they trayled women & children by maine force into their communion. if any refused or gaynesayd their doings, immediatly they were scurged, after stripes imprisoned, and in the ende compelled to en∣dure more bitter torments. Whereof I will alleadge one or two examples, whereby the woodnes and crueltie both of Macedonius, and also of others, who at that time were renowmed and famous for such lewde feates, may euidently appeare vnto the whole worlde. Of the women that denied to* 10.7 communicate with them, some were layd along in chestes and at the lidds, their breastes sawed of: some other had their papps burned with searing irons glowing hott, and with egges laid therunto that were rosted so harde, that they scalded for heate. These newe kinde of torments neuer heard of before among Pagans & Ethnicks were practised of these men which professed christianitie. These things I my selfe haue heard Auxanon (of whome I spake in my first booke) reporte, being a very old man: who though he was a priest of the Nouatian Church, yet suffred he very much of the Ari∣ans, before he had entred into orders. He reported how that together with Alexander Paphlagon, who led a very straict and seuere kinde of life, (after the same sorte with him) he was imprisoned, scurged and endured many torments: that Alexander after the grieuous lashes of the whipp dyed in prison, and was buried nigh the sea shore on the right hand as ye goe to Byzantium hauen, cal∣led Ceras, by interpretation an horne, where there is a Nouatian Church bearing the name of A∣lexander. They destroyed at the commaundement of Macedonius not onely other Churches in o∣ther cities, but also the Nouatian Church within the citie of Constantinople, nigh the signe of the storke. but why I made mention of this seuerally, at this tyme, as I hearde with mine owne eares of Auxanon an olde graybearde: now I am about to declare. By the commaundement of* 10.8 the Emperour, and the cruelty of Macedonius, it was proclaymed that the churches of such as em∣braced y^• creede containing y^• clause of one substance should be throwen downe, euen to y^• foundati∣ons. this law being ioined w^t y^• violēce of Macedonius proceaded to y^• ouerthrow also of this church such as were appoynted to bring these feates to passe, busily occupied their braynes and prompt∣ly

dispatched them. I can not chuse but greatly maruell at the Nouatian secte, to see what singuler affection they bare vnto their Churche: and what charitable minde such as then were deposed by the Arians, but nowe enioy their Churches in peace, shewed towards them. For as soone as the commissioners for the suppressing of Churches had geuen the onsett, immediatly a great number of Nouatians, and diuers others which maintayned the doctrine of one substance, pulled downe that Church, remoued it to an other place, and there erected it againe. The place is situate right ouer against the citie, and at this day called Sycae, it is the thirtenth porcion of the prouince of Cō∣stantinople. The church was remoued in a very short space, by reason that so great a multitude of people with great good will and promptnes of minde sett to their helping handes. for one caryed the tyles, an other the stones, the thirde the timber, others conueyed other stuffe into Sycae. The women also and the children were a furtherance to the buylding, for they thought their prayers woulde be the sooner hearde, and to profitt them selues very much, in that they imployed their la∣bor and industrie to the consecration of buylding vnto the Lorde. In that sorte the Church of the Nouatians was translated to Sycae, but after that, Constantius being dead, Iulianus the Emperour commaunded that the place where the Church aforetime had bene buylded, shoulde be giuen to the Nouatians. The people againe, in such sort as before, went about the buylding of the Church, and the translating of the stuffe into the place where it stoode at the first, and being builded farre more gorgeous then it was at the first, they called it after the name of the resurrection. That Church (as I sayd before) was the thirde time buylded in the raigne of Iulianus. At that time both the true Ca∣tholiks and the Nouatians were a like handled. And because the true christians abhorred the tem∣ples where the Arians frequented, they resorted together with the Nouatians vnto three other Churches (for the Nouatians had so many Churches permitted them in that city,) and there they deuoutly serued God together: litle there was to the contrary but that they had bene linked toge∣ther in the bonde of vnitie and concorde, had the Nouatians not refused to retayne their olde mind, from the which they had fallen. But as toutching other matters ech embraced other, with such sin∣guler affection & entire loue, that one was ready to hazard his life for the other. They were mo∣lested together not onely at Constantinople, but also in other cities and prouinces. In a while af∣ter Eleusius who lately had bene placed Bishop of Cyzicum, imitating the steppes of Macedoni∣us,* 10.9 armed him selfe against the Christians, afflicted them euery where & tormented them grieuou∣sly: he made the Nouatian Church which was at Cyzicum euen with the grounde: and Macedo∣nius gaue the last stroke and finall conclusion to the haynous offences which he committed. For vnderstanding that there were many both at Paphlagonia and Mantinium of the Nouatian opi∣nion, which coulde by no meanes commodiously be remoued by Ecclesiasticall authoritie: he pro∣cured that foure bands of souldiers at the Emperours commaundement should be sent into Paph∣lagonia, to the ende the inhabitants might be terrified with the great shewe of glistering armour, and thereby brought to embrace the Arian heresie. But such as inhabited Mantinium, being kind∣led with an earnest zeale towards Christian religion, went agaynst the souldiers with chearefull mindes and valiant courage: after they had mustred together a greate host, they all marched for∣wards to battell: some had taken in their hande long hedging bills, some axes, some other mett by chaunce with rusty armour. When they ioyned together and came to handygriping, many of the Paphlagonians were beaten downe, the souldiers (fewe onely excepted) were slaine euery one. Al∣though there be many of the Paphlagonians which presently can report y^• same, yet haue I heard it of a certaine husbandman of Paphlagonia, who had bene present him selfe at the skirmishe and borne away many blowes. And though Macedonius had wrought many such notable feates (as he thought) in the behalfe of religion, where slaughter, and battell, and bondage and ciuill dissentions fell out: yet that haynous offence of his procured vnto him and that most iustly, great hatred, not onely among them which then bare away incurable woundes (he being the cause thereof) but also among his owne familiar and deare friendes, so that the emperour also had him in disple asure and alienated his minde from him, partly for this thing, and partly for an other cause, which was as followeth. He went about to pull downe the temple where the tombe of the Emperour Constan∣tine lay, and put the people which prayed within, and serued God deuoutly in great feare of their liues. Macedonius had purposed to translate the Emperours bones, lest the tombe with the falling of the temple should breake, and deface y^• monument. The people vnderstanding of this withstoode* 10.10 his enterprise, affirming it a thinge vnlawfull to translate the Emperours bones, that it was in maner nothing else but the digging of him vp againe, out of his graue. The people was deuided

into two parts: the one iudged the deade carkasse in no wise to be iniuried with remouing: the o∣ther thought that wicked offence might lawfully be done. They which maintained the faith of one substance with generall consent resisted the deede: but Macedonius making no accompt of the gainsayers, translated the carkasse into y^• church where Acacius the martyr had bene buried. This was no soner done, but the multitude of the contrary side ranne thither in all the hast, they set them selues one against the other, & without any delay they went together by y^• eares. so great a slaugh∣ter was committed, that the body of the Church was aflote with streames of blood, and yet not on∣ly there, but also from the Church porch vnto the streete, the way was all blood and deade carkas∣ses crossing one an other. When the Emperour vnderstoode of this woefull and lamentable case, he was wonderfully incensed against Macedonius, partly for that he murthered so many men, and partly also that he durst presume without his consent to translate his fathers bones. After that he had committed the gouernment of the westerne dominions vnto Iulian (whome lately he had made Caesar) he returned into the East. but how Macedonius in a short while after, was depriued of his bishoprick, and receaued so small a punishment for so greate an offence, I will declare in an other place.

CAP. XXXI.* 10.11

Of the councell helde at Seleucia a city of Isauria.

NOwe I beginne to discourse of the other councell resembling the councell of Ariminum,* 10.12 summoned also by the Emperours edict in the East. Although it pleased him at the first that the Bishops shoulde meete at Nicomedia in Bithynia: yet the greate earthquake which shooke the countrey and ouerthrewe Nicomedia, was a let so that they coulde not assem∣ble there. This came to passe in the consulship of Tatianus and Cerealius the eyght and twentyeth of August. They consulted for to remoue the councell into the citie of Nice which was not farre of, but altering their sentence they appoynted to meete at Tarsus a citie of Cilicia. neyther yet coulde they all agree vpon that, and therefore they assemble at Seleucia a citie of Isauria called Roughe. These things were done in one and the same yeare, when Eusebius & Hypatius were Con∣suls. The number of Bishops which met there was a hundred and threescore. There was also with them one Leônas a man of great autoritie & fame in the Emperours court: in whose hearing it was* 10.13 commaunded by the emperours edict they should reason of the faith. Lauricius also, captaine of the* 10.14 garrison in Isauria, was commaunded to supply and minister vnto the Bishops, whatsoeuer they wanted. The bishops being met together the eight and twentieth of September disputed to & fro, their disputation was laid downe in writing by publick notaries, for there were scriueners present of swift pēning & great exercise, ready for to note their obiections, resolutions, & what other thing soeuer was vttered. All which thinges are at large set forth in the booke of Sabinus, intituled the collection of councells where the studious Reader may peruse them at his pleasure: but I of my part will therfore runne ouer briefly the chiefe pointes therof. The first day of their assembly, Le∣ônas commaunded, that euery one should freely propose what pleased him best. but they that were present affirmed it was not lawful, to call any thing into question before they came whose presence was required in the councell. For Macedonius Bishop of Constantinople, Basilius bishop of An∣cyra & sundry others were looked for of the councell: who mistrusting their cause & suspecting they should be accused of hainous crimes, absēted them selues of set purpose. Macedonius pleaded sick∣nes* 10.15 for him selfe: Patrophilus, that he was sandblinde, troubled with dropping & bleare eyes: and by reason of the aforesayd causes that of necessitie they were constrained to stay in the suburbes of Seleucia the rest alleadged other causes of their absence. And when Leônas saide they might pro∣pose questions for all they were absent: the Bishops answered, that it was not meete any thinge should be reasoned of, before they had first diligently examined the liues and conuersation of such as were accused. for Cyrillus bishop of Ierusalem, Eustathius bishop of Sebastia in Armenia, and di∣uers others had hainous crimes laide to their charge. Wherefore there was great contention be∣twene them that were present whilest y^• the one part would first examine their liues, the other part reason and question of the faith. The doubtfull and darke sentence of the Emperour was cause of that hurlyburly. For the letters which he wrote vnto the councell commaunded one while one thinge, an other while an other thinge first to be handled. The varience that rose among them that were present so deuided them, that it ministred occasion vnto the councell of Seleucia to parte them selues into two factions: vnto the one side there cleaued Acacius Bishop of Caesarea in

Palaestina, Georgius Bishop of Alexandria, Vrsacius Bishop of Tyrus, Eudoxius bishop of Antioch together with thirty others: of the other side there were Georgius Bishop of Laodicea in Syria, So∣phronius Bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagoma, Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicum, together with many others. When that that side preuayled which first woulde haue had them reason of the faith: the Complices of Acacius motioned that the Nicene creede shoulde be abrogated and that a new forme of fayth was to be layde downe: the contrary part (being moe in number) approued all other thinges of the councell of Nice, the clause of one substance onely layde aside. And when as they had thus brawled amonge them selues from morning to night, at length Siluanus Bishop of Tar∣sus cryed out amonge them, that it was not their parte to laye downe a newe forme of fayth, but to retayne vnuiolably that which was decided at Antioch, at the dedication of the Churche. He had no sooner spoken, but the confederats of Acacius rose vp and gott them away: the other side bring forth the creede concluded vpon at Antioch, they reade it, and immediatly the councell was dissolued. The day after, meeting together at the Churche of Seleucia, they barre the doores, and ratisie with their subscriptions the forme of fayth that was read the daye before. In their steede which were absent, their readers and Deacons subscribed, for they had signified before, that they woulde by their Deputies approue the aforesayd creede.

CAP. XXXII.* 10.16

Howe that Acacius of Caesarea rehearsed an other creede in the councell of Seleucia: also how that he and his complices after the Emperours returne out of the west mett at Constantinople and procured the coun∣cell of Ariminum to be ratified adding there∣unto of their owne.

ACacius and his complices founde great fault with the canons of that councell, because they subscribed when the Church doores were shutt▪ for (sayth Acacius) the thinges which are done in huckermucker, as they ought not to be approued, so are they not voide of suspicion. This he sayde because he caryed in his pockett an other forme of fayth ready to be offred vp. he read it in the presence of Lauricius and Leônas that were noble men: and bent his whole might to haue onely the same confirmed. these thinges were done the seconde daye of the councell, and be∣sides nothing. The thirde day Leônas went about to call both partes together, at what time Mace∣donius Bishop of Constantinoplē, and Basilius Bishop of Ancyra were present. When both these men mett together and presented them selues, to wete of the contrary side vnto Acacius, his con∣sederats woulde not shewe their faces in the councell, but sayde that it was requisite they should be banished the assemblie, who of late had bene deposed, and then also were accused. After much adoe when this side had the vpper hande, they that were accused left the councell, in whose rowmes A∣cacius together with his company succeded. Then Leônas stoode vp and sayde that Acacius had presented vnto him a booke: yet knewe they not that it was a forme of fayth, which confuted some∣tymes priuely, sometymes openly and playnly the opinion of the contrary side. When that all made silence and gaue diligent eare, thinking nothing lesse then that it had bene a forme of fayth: at length, Acacius read his creede or fayth, with a certayne preface written before it as followeth: VVe vvhich by the Emperours edict mett yesterday, that is the fift of the kalends of October at* 10.17 Seleucia in Isauria, haue labored vvith all might possible to continevve vnitie & agreement in the church of God: to dispute & reason of the faith, according vnto the sacred testimonies of the Prophets & euangelists, with modest & quiet mindes, as the most vertuous Emperour Constan∣tius hath geuen vs in charge: & to conclude nothing for canons of the Church vvhich might be founde contrary to holy Scripture▪ but seing there were such kinde of men at the councell, vvho rayled at some: shutt vp some others mouthes: forbade these to speake: excluded the other from their cōpany: ioyned with them out of diuers prouinces certaine deposed & expulsed persons & entertained them contrary to the old canon of the church: the coūcel (as Lauricius the most vali∣ant captaine saw, more is the pity, with his owne eies) was all set on tumult & grieuous dissenti∣on. VVe haue spoken these things to this end, that you may vnderstand we reiect not the forme of fayth that vvas published & confirmed in the dedication at Antioch: but vve bring forth the same presently, sithence that we knowe for suerty that the fathers then agreed vpon this contro∣uersie which concerned the faith. but in as much as the clauses of vnity in substance, & equality

in substance, disquieted the mindes of sundry men, not onely in tymes past, but also at this pre∣sent, so that novve also such as affirme the sonne to be vnaequall to the father are sayd to be au∣thors of noueltie: therefore haue vve layd aside the clauses of vnitie and aequalitie in substance, as words not agreeing with holy Scripture: also we accurse the clause of vnaequalitie, and hold all the patrons and fauorers thereof for excommunicated persons. VVe confesse playnely the likenesse the sonne hath with the father, imitating the Apostle vvhere he saith of the sonne, who is the image of the inuisible God. VVe protest therefore and beleeue in one God, the father al∣mighty* 10.18 maker of heauen & earth, of visible and inuisible things. VVe beleeue also in his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, begotten of him before all vvorlds vvithout affection, God the vvord, of the only begotten God: the light, the life, the trueth, the vvisedome: by vvhome all things vvere made both in heauen and in earth, be they visible or inuisible. VVe beleeue that he in the latter dayes tooke flesh of the blessed virgine Mary, to the ende he might take avvay the sinnes of the worlde: that he vvas made man, that he suffred for our sinnes: that he rose againe, ascended in∣to the heauens, sitteth at the right hande of the father, and that he shall come againe vvith glo∣rie to iudge both the quicke and the deade. VVe beleeue also in the holy Ghost, vvhome our Lorde and Sauiour called the comforter, promising after his departure to send him to his disci∣ples, vvhome also he hath sent: by whome he sanctifieth the faithfull in the Churche, and such as are baptized in the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy Ghost. all those that besides this fayth shall publishe any other, vve doe excommunicate out of the holy and Catholicke Churche. This was Acacius creede, whereunto both he and his complices (as ma∣ny in number as I reported before) subscribed. The creede being reade, Sophronius Bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagoma, stoode vp and spāke agaynst it in this maner, for I will vse his owne wordes: If that the nevve deuises and dayly inuention of your brayne, be layde dovvne* 10.19 for creedes: it can not othervvise fall out, but that shortly, vve shall be founde vvithout one grayne of fayth. These as I haue learned were the wordes of Sophronius. In my opinion if that his auncetors and such as liued then with him, had so settled their myndes as toutchinge the Nicene councell, all this sturre and tumultes had quite bene taken away, all this hurlybur∣ly, this rashe and vnaduised sedition had neuer raygned in the Churche. but to what passe these thinges are nowe come, let them iudge that can better discerne and geue sentence thereof. When they had reasoned toe and fro of this matter, and of them that were accused, and brawled toge∣ther a longe whyle, at length the councell brake vp. The fourth daye they assemble agayne, and a freshe they chide one with an other. In circumstance of talke Acacius gaue forthe this ver∣ditt as followeth: If the Nicene creede was once altered of olde, and afterwards often▪ what can you saye to the contrary, but that presently a newe forme of fayth without any preiudice at all, may be established of vs? whereunto Eleusius made answere: We are not nowe come to this assemblie for to learne that which we learned before: neyther to receaue the fayth which we haue not receaued before: but to walke in the fayth of our forefathers, and not to fall from the same vnto our lyues ende. This was Eleusius answere vnto Acacius, calling the creede of Antioch, the fayth of the fathers. but a man may here replye and saye thus: Howe O Eleusius callest thou* 10.20 such as assembled together at Antioch, fathers: and yet denyest their auncetors to be fathers? for the Bishops of Nice and the establishers of one substance, ought more properly to be called fathers, partly for that they were more auncient, and partly also because that the Bishops as∣sembled together at Antioch were consecrated and promoted by them vnto the reuerend office of priesthoode. If that the Bishops which assembled at Antioch were founde to be such as cutt their fathers throtes, these men of their progenye, without good aduisement doe treade the trace of murtherers. And howe (I beseeche you) doe they allowe of their electing and laying on of han∣des, as sufficient and lawefull, when as they cancell their faythe, and abrogate their canons for vnperfect and corrupt doctrine? If they had not the holy Ghost, which lighteth vpon euery one that entreth into holy orders: these men receaued not the function of priesthoode. for how coulde they receaue of them which had it not to geue? these thinges in my opinion may very well be vr∣ged agaynst Eleusius. Agayne there rose an other controuersie among them for when as the com∣plices of Acacius had affirmed in the creede read before them, that the sonne of God was like vnto the father, they demaunde wherein the sonne was like vnto the father? Acacius maketh an∣swere:* 10.21 that the sonne was like vnto the father not in substance, but onely in will and mynde. but they on the contrary side affirmed playnely that he was in substance like vnto the father. they

reasoned all that daye of this question. Acacius being sufficiently confuted, when they demaun∣ded of him the reason why in his bookes he had written and auoutched the sonne in all thinges to be like the father: and nowe denied that the sonne was of one substance with the father? made this answere: No man that euer was eyther of olde tyme, or of late dayes, is wont to be tryed by the bookes whiche he wrote. After they had diligently sifted out this question of bothe sides, and coulde not agree thereupon, Leônas rose vp and dissolued the councell, this was the ende of the councell which was helde at Seleucia. The next daye after, when they made sute for the pro∣roging of the councell, he woulde not sitt with them agayne, but tolde them flatly, that the Emperour had sent him to be present at an vniforme and peaceable councell, but in so much that diuerse of them be at discorde and debate amonge them selues, I can not away (sayth he) with your company. Goe your wayes therefore, dally and brawle ye at home in your owne Chur∣ches. This being done, the conspiracie of Acacius supposing nowe they had gott their desired excuse, absented them selues and woulde not shewe their faces agayne before the councell. The other side mett againe at the Churche, and cited Acacius with his company to appeare before them for to decide Cyrillus matter who was Bishop of Ierusalem. Here we haue to learne that* 10.22 this Cyrillus had bene accused before, (why I am not able to saye) and deposed from his bishop∣rick, often called to purge him selfe, and to haue absented him selfe the whole space of two yeares, thinking thereby to escape and the cryme to be forgotten. As soone as he was deposed he sent an appellation in writing vnto the deposers, appealing from them vnto the Iudges of the higher court. Constantius the Emperour admitted his appellation. Cyrillus was he that first of all and a∣lone gaue forth a president preiudiciall vnto the practise of the ecclesiasticall canon, as if the matter had bene decided before laye Iudges. At length he came to Seleucia for to haue his cause heard, and therefore the Bishops sent for Acacius and his company, to the ende they might not onely heare Cyrillus cause, but also examine such as were accused and had fledd vnto the faction of A∣cacius. but in the ende when they had oft cited them and they appeared not: they deposed Acaci∣us him selfe, also Georgius Bishop of Alexandria, Ʋrsacius Bishop of Tyrus, Theodorus Bi∣shop* 10.23 of Chaeretapon a citie of Phrygia, Theodosius Bishop of Philadelphia in Lydia, Euagrius Bishop of the Ile Mitylene, Leontius Bishop of Tripolis in Lydia, and Eudoxius who first had bene Bishop of Germanicia, and afterwards crept by wiles into the bishoprick of Antioch in Syria, last of all they deposed Patrophilus for disobedience and stubburne behauiour. Dorotheus the Priest had accused him, they cited him, but he appeared not. These onely were deposed. They proceeded further & excommunicated Asterius, Eusebius, Abgarus, Basilicus, Philus, Philedius, Eu∣thychius, magnus, and Eustathius, and decreed they shoulde remaine in that state vntill they had an∣swered for them selues and cleared them of the crimes laid to their charg. When they had brought these things to this passe, and sent letters vnto the Churches of such as were deposed, certifying them what they had decreed in their behalfe: they ordaine Amanus bishop of Antioch in Eudoxius rowme, whome the faction of Acacius apprehended and deliuered to the hands of Leônas and Lau∣ricius, they forthwith send him to exile. This being done the bishops which ordained Anianus, made a long plee, and discoursed at large before Leônas and Lauricius against Acacius & his confederacy, where they signified in playne words, what extreme wronge the censure & sentence of the councell sustained. but when as they preuailed nothing, they tooke their voyage into Constantinople for to certifie the Emperour what they had decided in y^• councell. * 10.24 The Emperour was then come thi∣ther from the west, & had taken away y^• office of proconsulship, & in steede thereof ordained at Con∣stantinople a certaine gouernment the which he endowed with the title of honor: but Acacius had preuented them & laid grieuous accusations to their charge before the emperour, perswading him y^• their forme of faith was in no wise to be admitted. Wherfore the emperour being grieuously in∣censed against them, determined to cutt them of: he made a lawe, y^• as many as were Magistrats & bare office in the common wealth should be brought back agayne to embrace a populare & priuate kinde of life. for of the bishops some were called to gouerne the common wealth: some were Sena∣tors* 10.25 and councellers: some other were Presidents & Lieuetenants of prouinces. While this sturre raigned, Acacius and his complices remained at Constantinople, & calling vnto them y^• bishops of Bithynia they held there an other councell. They were all fifty in number, Maris also Bishop of Calcedon came vnto them: they confirmed the forme of fayth that was read at Ariminum, at whose beginning and title, the Consuls were written. I woulde thinke it a superfluous thinge to repeate the same here, had they not added therunto of their owne: but in so much they haue written

and annexed something of their owne braine, it is requisite that we rehearse it againe. They wrote* 10.26 as followeth: VVe beleue in one God, the father almighty, of whome are all things: & in the on∣ly begotten sonne of God, begotten of the father before all worldes & before all begininge: by whome all thinges were made both visible & inuisible: the one only begottē, begottē of the fa∣ther alone: God of God, like vnto the father which begate him, according vnto the Scriptures: whose generatiō (as holy Scripture doth witnesse) no man knoweth but the father alone which begat him. This only begottē sonne of God vve knovve to haue bene sent frō the father, to haue come dovvne from heauē as it is vvritten: to haue bene conuersant vvith his disciples: & after the accōplishing of his message according vnto the vvill of his father to haue bene crucified, dead, & buried: to haue descended into hell at vvhose presence the infernall povver trembled: to haue risen againe the third day from the dead, & againe to haue accōpanied his disciples: & after for∣ty dayes vvere expired to haue bene taken vp into heauē, vvhere he sittteth at the right hande of the father & shall come at the generall resurrectiō vvith the glorie of the father, to reward euery one according vnto his vvorks. and vve beleue in the holy ghost, vvhom the only begottē sonne of God himselfe, our Lord & God promised to send mankind a comforter, as it is vvrytten, the spirit of trueth, whome also he sent after his assumptiō into heauē. The clause of substāce being of diuers simply layd downe, because the ignorant people vnderstood it not, gaue greate occa∣sion of offence. It semed good therefore, in as much as there was no mentiō thereof in holy scri∣pture quite to take it away, & henceforth not to reason thereof, because the word of God hathe no where remembred the substāce of the father & of the sonne. For the substance or subsistēcie of the father, of the sonne, & of the holy ghost may not be once named or reasoned of. we there∣fore as we are taught by holy scripture doe affirme, that the sonne is like the father. All heresies whatsoeuer, either heretofore condemned, or lately sprong vp, if they be found contrary to this faith, let them be held for accursed. These things as you see were then decreed at Cōstantinople.* 10.27 Nowe hauing at length runne ouer the confuse multitude of Creeds & formes of faith, let vs once againe briefely repeate the number of them. After the Creede that was laid downe by the Nicene councell, the Bishops framed two others at Antioch when they assembled to the dedication of the church: the third was made in Fraunce of the bishops which were with Narcissus, & exhibited vnto the Emperoure Constantine: the fourth was sent by Eudoxius vnto the Bishops throughout Italie. Three were published in wryting at Sirmium, where of one being gloriously intitled with the na∣mes of Consulls, was red at Ariminum. The eight was set forth at Seleucia & procured to be red by the complices of Acacius. The ninth was geuen abroade with additions at Constantinople,* 10.28 there was thereunto annexed that thenceforth there should be no mention made of the substance of subsistencie of God. Whereunto Vlphilas Bishop of y^• Gotthes then first of all subscribed. For vnto that time he embraced the faith established by the councell of Nice, and was an earnest follower of Theophilus steps, Bishop of the Gotthes, who had bene at the Nicene councell & subscribed vnto the Creed. But of these things thus much.

CAP. XXXIII.

Howe that after Macedonius was deposed, Eudoxius was made Bishop of* 10.29 Constantinople: and of Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia.

ACacius & Eudoxius together with their faction made foule tumults & greate sturre at Con∣stantinople, fully purposing to remoue frō their bishopricks some of the contrary side. And here also we may not passe ouer with silence, howe that both parts inuēted causes of depri∣uatiō not for piety & religion sake, but of priuat malice & quarellous spite: for though they varied in the faith, yet in deposing one an other they charged not ech other with their beleefe: but such as were of Acacius side, tooke the Emperours displeasure (who purposed among diuers other to re∣uenge him of Macedonius) as a fit occasion, & first they depose Macedonius frō his bishoprick, part∣ly for that he had bene the cause of great slaughter, & partly also because he admitted into the com∣munion a certaine deacon that was taken in adultery. They remoued Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicū for baptizing one Heraclius a sacrificing priest of Hercules at Tyrus who was knowē to be a great coniurer & preferring him to the order of deaconship: they depriued Basilius otherwise called Basi∣las, who was made Bishop of Ancyra in Marcellus rowme, for that he cruelly tormented & impri∣soned a certaine man, for because he forged sclaundres & discredited diuers persons, and lastly for molesting the quiet estate of the churches in Aphricke by his epistles: they suspended Dracontius

for leauing Gallacia & remouing to Pergamus: they displaced moreouer Neonas Bishop of Seleu∣cia where y^• coūcel was held: Sophronius bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia: Elpidius bishop of Satalum in Macedonia: Cyrillus Bishop of serusalē & many mo, for sundry other causes.* 10.30 Nei∣ther had Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia licence permitted him, for to purge himselfe, because that a little before he had bene deposed by Eulauius his owne naturall father, who was Bi∣shop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, for apparelling himselfe in such weede as was not decent for the dignity & order of priesthood. In this Eustathius rowme, Meletuis (of whome I mind hereafter to speake) was made Bishop. Moreouer Eustathius was afterwards condemned by the councell held at Gangra that was summoned for the hearing of his matters, because that after his former depo∣sition in the councell of Caesarea, he had attempted many things, cōtrary to the canons & customes of the church. He forbad mariadge & set forth precepts of abstuēce. He parted asunder diuers that were coupled together in wedlock, & perswaded suche as refrained the churches & publick assem∣bly, to raise conuenticles & brotherhood in their priuat houses. He tooke seruāts frō their maisters vnder colour of religion. He himselfe vsed the Philosophers habite & constrained his followers to vse a straunge kind of Atyre. He caused the women to be shauen. He forbad the accustomed & pre∣scribed fasting dayes, & commaunded abstinence on the sundays. He abhorted y^• prayers that were made in maried mēs houses. He detested the offring and the communion of the maried priest, who when he was a lay man had lawefully coupled himselfe in the bonde of wedlocke. This Eustathius when he had taught and set abroch these and many other such lewd precepts, was (as I said before deposed by y^• councell held at Gangra in Paphlagonia, and his doctrine accursed. But these things were done a good while after. When that Macedonius about y^• time was remoued, Eudoxius sup∣posing the seae of Antioch, to be farre inferior vnto y^• Bishoprick of Constantinople, was proclai∣med Bishop of Constantinople by Acacius & his adherents, who made lawes & put them in pra∣ctise contrary to their owne former decrees. For after y^• deposition of Dracontius they made Eudo xius Bishop of Constantinople who nowe the seconde time had translated himselfe from one seae vnto an other, & in so doing they were founde farre contrary to thēselues. After this they ratifie y^• forme of faith that was read at Ariminum together with y^• additiōs and glosses as a very absolute thing, & send it abroade into the whole world, commaunding y^• whosoeuer refused to subscribe vnto the same, should, by vertue of the Emperours proclamation be condemned to perpetuall banishe∣mēt. They signified this their purpose vnto many of the Cast churches, which maintained y^t same hereticall opinion with them & to Patrophilus Bishop of Scythopolis, who from the councell of Se∣leucia got him straight to his owne citie. When Eudoxius was setled Bishop of the noble citie of Constantinople, y^• great church calied after the name of wisedome was honored w the solempne feast of dedication, in the tenth Consulship of Constantius, the third of lulianus Caesar & the fifteneth day of the moneth of February. Eudoxius beinge stalled in his seate gaue this out for y^• first sentēce* 10.31 which at this day is riffe in euery mans mouth: y^• sonne is religious, the father irreligious. where∣fore when tumult and sedition rose by occasion of these wordes: let this saying (sayth he) nothing grieue you at all, for the father is irreligious in that he worshipeth none: the sonne is religious in that he worshipeth the father. When he had thus interpreted his mind, the contentious multitude quieted themselues and in steede of the hurlyburly the whole churche was sette on laughter. His fonde saying vnto this day is counted a famous iest. The authors of error and schisine occupiyng their braine about such trifling quircks, about such fond and friuolous words, haue broken asunder the bonde of vnitie and concorde retained in the church of God. The councell held at Constanti∣nople had such an end as I haue shewed before.

CAP. XXXIIII.* 10.32

Of Meletius Bishop of Antioch.

NOwe it remaineth that according vnto our former promise, we say somewhat of Meletius. This man after the deposition of Eustathius (as I sayd before) was first chosen Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia, afterwards was he taken thence and translated to the bishoprick of Beroea a citie of Syria. After he had bene at the councel of Seleucia, and subscribed vnto the forme of faith which the faction of Acacius had framed and exhibited vnto the councell, immediatly be re turned to Beroea, the Antiochians after the summoning of y^• councel at Constantinople, vnderstā∣ding for certaine y^• Eudoxius had made light of their church, & for greater lucre crept vnto the By∣shopricke

of Constantinople, sent to Beroea for Meletius and made him Bishop of Antioch. He in a* 10.33 good while after his comming, medled not with high matters and my steries of faith, but deliuered onely vnto his auditors such things as concerned maners, good life and godly conuersation: yet in countinewance of time he expounded thē the faith and the clause of one substance. The Emperour hearing of this, commaunded him to exile and gaue charge that Euzoius (who afore time had bene deposed together with Arius) shoulde be stalled Bishop of Antioch. But suche as bare good will and great affection vnto Meletius (laing aside for altogether the Arian opinion and confederacie begannne to meete priuatly and had their particular conuenticles: when as they which alwayes had cleaued vnto the fayth of one substance refused theyr communion for two causes, partely for that Meletius had bene made pricste by the Arians, and partely also for that his followers had bene baptised of them. Thus the churche of Antioch leaned vnto that side whiche agreed with it selfe. But the Emperoure hearing that the Persians had proclaimed warre against the Romaines gotte him in all the haste to Antioch.

CAP. XXXV.* 10.34

Of the heresie of Macedonius.

MAcedonius beinge banished the citie of Constantinople and takinge very impatiently the* 10.35 sentence pronounced against him, could by no meanes quiet himselfe but got him vnto the contrary side, vnto such as had deposed Acacius at Seleucia together with his cōplices: he dealt with Sophronius & Eleusius by messengers, that they should firmely addicte themselues vnto the forme of faith set forth at Antioch, afterwardes confirmed at Seleucia: he requested them ear∣nestly to call it after that famous & renowmed title, the fayth of one substance. Wherefore there frequented vnto him many of his familiars together with sundry others who after his name are nowe called Macedonians: there resorted vnto him diuers others also, who at y^• councel of Seleu∣cia were foes vnto the faction of Acacius, who also at the beginninge maintained, both publikely and priuately the fayth of one substance, but nowe tread the same vnder foote. This Macedonius* 10.36 thoughe he affirmed that the sonne of God was like vnto the father, as well in substance as in all other thinges: yet auoutched he that the holye Ghoste had not these titles of honor but tearmed him theyr seruante or drudge. The reporte goeth that Macedonius was not the firste founder of this blasphemous opinion, but Marathonius who longe before his time had bene Bishop of Ni∣comedia, and thereupon such as maintayned y^t opinion to haue bene called Marathonians. Unto these mens company it was that Eustathius (who for the cause aboue specified lefte Sebastia) lin∣ked himselfe. When Macedonius denied that the holy Ghost was equall and partaker of the god∣head whiche is in the blessed Trinitie: Eustathius made answere, I of mine owne parte (saith he) doe not minde to call the holy Ghost God, neyther yet dare I presume to tearme him a creature. Wherefore suche as embrace the faith of one substance doe call these men Pneumatomâchous, by* 10.37 interpretation deadly foes vnto the diuinitie of the holy Ghoste. But howe it cometh to passe that Hellespontus is full of these Macedonians I will discourse when fitte occasion is ministred. The faction of Acacius endeuored with all might, againe to call a councell at Antioch, for it repen∣ted them that they affirmed the sonne in all thinges to be like vnto the father. Wherefore the* 10.38 yeare followinge in the consulshippe of Taurus and Florentius, they assemble together at An∣tioch in Syria, at what time Euzoius gouerned that churche and the Emperoure also abode there. Many of thē after theyr meeting, call into question such things as they had decreed in tymes past: they affirme that the Clause of likenesse by the Councell of Ariminum, and the Councell helde at Constantinople, is quite to be abandoned and not once to be named againe: they clocke their opinion no longer, but pronounce with open mouthe that the some was altogether vnequall and vnlike the father not onely in substance but also in will, and also that he had his beinge (as A∣rius dreamed) of nothinge. Suche as then also were at Antioch of the secte of Aetius, in∣tangled them selues in the snares of this pestilente opinion. Therefore besides that the Arians* 10.39 were called Anomoioi whiche signifieth that they affirmed the Sonne to be vnlike the Fa∣ther: they were of the Antiochians, who defended the faythe Of one substance and then were deuided for the foresayde cause of Meletius called Exoucoutioi, signifying they had affirmed the* 10.40 Sonne of God to haue had his beinge of nothinge. When they were demaunded wherefore they constantely affirmed in their Creede that the Sonne was God of God, and nowe durst presume

to say that he was vnlike the father and had his beinge of nothinge: they wēt about to bleare their eyes with a ridiculous kind of fallacie. Whereas we affirmed (saye they) the sonne to be God of God, we meante it in that sense as the Apostle wrote where he sayde, that all thinges were of God. Therefore the sonne is of God in as muche as he is included in the worde all. And for this cause we layde downe in our Creedes the Clause: accordinge vnto the Scriptures. The author of this lewde and fonde Glosse was Georgius Bishoppe of Laodicea, who beinge igno∣rante and vnskilfull in suche kinde of phrases, perceaued not howe Origen in tymes paste had playnely interpreted suche siguratiue kinde of speaches contayned in the Epistles of Paul. The confederacie of Acacius though they were iustely charged with captious and sopisticall dealing yet weyinge neyther the sclaunder risinge thereof, neither the sentence pronounced against them repeated there the forme of fayth, whiche they had rehearsed at Constantinople: this beinge done cuery one repayred to his owne home. Georgius after his returne to Alexandria (for there after the departure of Athmasius who then hidde himselfe in some obscure place, he was pla∣ced Bishop) vered very sore, and punished extremely suche as were of the contrary opinion and* 10.41 plagued the people of Alexandria whiche hated him as a tode. Herenius was chosen Byshoppe of lerusalem in Cyrillus rowme. Whome Heraclius succeeded, after him Hilarius, after all Cy∣rillus returned to lerusalem and recouered the Bishopricke againe.

CAP. XXXVI.

Of both Apollinariuses the father, the sonne, and their heresie.* 10.42

ABout that time there sprange vp a newe heresie the occasion was as followeth. At Laodi∣cea a ciue of Syria there were two men, the father and the sonne of one name, for both was called Apollinarius, whereof the one I meane the father was a priest, the other, that is the sonne was a reader. Both were professors of humanity. The father caught grammer, the sonne Rhetorike. The father beinge borne at Alexandria, first kept schoole at Berytus, afterwardes re∣mouinge to Laodicea, he got him a wife, on whome he begate Apollinarius. They both florished at Laodicea in the time of Epiphanius the sophist, and hauing greate familiarity with him they were neuer seene out of his company. Theodotus Bishop of that seae, fearinge greatly lest their fami∣liarity with him shoulde bringe them from the faith, and so fall to embrace paganisme, forbadde them his company. They made no accompt of the Bishops commaundement, but kept still com∣pany with Epiphamus. In processe of time Georgius the successor of Theodotus hauinge oft assaied, and seinge he coulde by no meanes separate them from Epiphanius, excommunitated them bothe, hopinge thereby with punishment to perswade them to the contrary. But the yonger Apollina∣rius stomaking this dealinge, put considence in his painted figures of Rhetorike, and inuented a newe opinion, the whiche at this day after the name of the author is called the heresie of Apolli∣narius.* 10.43 Some doe affirme that they fell not out with Georgius for the aforesayd cause, but for that they hearde him preache straunge and contradictorie doctrine: affirminge sometimes the sonne to be like vnto the father as in the councell of Seleucia, at other tymes maintayninge the heresie of Arius, and so for triflinge and lighte occasion to haue fallen from the churche. Whilest that no man gaue eare vnto them, they endeuored to establishe a newe kinde of doctrine: firste they taughte that Bod the worde, tooke manhoode accordinge vnto the order of incarnation without* 10.44 soule: againe recantinge the same, they affirmed he tooke soule, yet not the minde or reason (beinge the highest and chiefest parte of the soule) but that God the worde was shutte vp, inclu∣ded, and comprised in man, in place of the minde. Onely in this they varie from the church which are called their followers, as for the Creed containing y^• clause Of one substance to be in the blessed Trinitie, they stedfastly cleaue vnto it. But I will heare ceasse and differre the discourse of bothe these Apollinariuses vntill an other conuenient place.

CAP. XXXVII.

Of the death of Constantius the Emperoure.

WHile the Emperoure Constantius remayned at Antioch Iulianus Caesar had muche adoe in Fraunce with many barbarous nations. After that he had gotte the vpper hande the souldiers did so loue him that they proclaimed him Emperour. Constantius hearing of this, was wonderfully troubled and disquieted in minde, so that the griefe thereof cast him into a daungerous disease. Wherefore beinge first baptized of E••••oius, he made expedition to geue him battaile, And comming as farre as Mopsus wells, betwene Cappadocia and Cilicia, by reason of

the great thought and sorowe he conceaued of his vnlucky affayres, he fell into y^t senseles & heady sicknesse called Apoplexia, & thereof presently dyed, in the Consulship of Taurus & Florentius, the* 10.45 third day of Nouc̄ber, the first yeare of the two hūdreth, eightie, & fift Olympiad. Costatius lyued fiue & forty yeares, he raigned thirtie eight, that is thirtene together with his father, and fiue and twentie after his fathers death. This second booke compriseth the historie of so many yeares.

The ende of the seconde booke of the Ecclesiasticall historie of Socrates.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The seconde booke of So¦crates com∣priseth the history of 25. yeares, being the full raign of Constan∣tius ending Anno Dom. 365.
• * 1.2

  The error of Ruffinus.
• * 1.3

  By this we gather that there be two editions of Socrates hi∣story, the first (as he sayth him selfe) vn∣perfect: the se¦conde & the last which is this, very per¦fect & abso∣lute.
• * 1.4

  One rotten sheepe infe∣cteth an o∣ther.
• * 1.5

  Illyrium is nowe called Sclauonia.
• * 1.6

  Cap. 3. in the Greeke. The epistle of Constan∣tinus the yon¦ger vnto the Churche of Alexandria, for the admis¦sion of Atha¦nasius their Bishop.
• * 1.7

  Cap. 4. in the greeke.
• * 1.8

  Eusebius Pamphilus dyeth. Acarius bi∣shop of Cae∣sarea.
• * 1.9

  Cap. 5. in the Greeke.
• * 1.10

  Cap. 6. in the Greeke.
• * 1.11

  Alexāder bi∣shop of Cō∣stantinople dyed being∣fourescore and eightene yeares olde
• * 1.12

  Macedonius signifieth ex∣cellency.
• * 1.13

  Templum pacis. Templum Sophiae. Cap. 7. in the grecke.
• * 1.14

  Cap. 8. in the G••••el. e. A councell of Arians summon••d at Antioch. Anno Dom. 344. Maximus b. of Ierusalem Iultus b. of Rome.
• * 1.15

  Placitus b. of Antioch.
• * 1.16

  Athanasius is sclaunde∣red in the councell of Antioch.
• * 1.17

  Cap 9. in the Greeke.
• * 1.18

  Georgius b. of Laodicea.
• * 1.19

  Cap. 10. in the Greeke.
• * 1.20

  Gregorie an Arian bishop of Alexan∣dria.
• * 1.21

  A forme of fayth layde downe by the hypocri∣ticall Arian bishops which assem∣bled at the councell of Antioch de∣nying that they followed Arius.
• * 1.22

  An other Creed of the Arian by∣shops which is to be rede waryly.
• * 1.23

  Iohn. 1.
• * 1.24

  Iohn. 6.
• * 1.25

  Math. 28.
• * 1.26

  Earthquake.
• * 1.27

  Cap. 11. in the greeke.
• * 1.28

  Athanasius was fayne to runne awaye for the ••a••e∣ga••de of his lite.
• * 1.29

  Cap 12. in he Greeke.
• * 1.30

  Eusebius ••ome time ••••shop of Nicomedia ••fterwardes ••••ishop of ••onstauno∣••le dyeth an 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.31

  The Arians caused greate murther and slaughter in the church.
• * 1.32

  Cap. 13. in the greeke.
• * 1.33

  The Greeke measure was 2. folde. one was called Atticus, cō∣tainīg of our measure six gallōs. 1. pot∣tel & 1. quart An other was called Georgicus, of our mea∣sure one bu¦shell, a peck & one pynt.
• * 1.34

  Cap. 14. in the Greeke.
• * 1.35

  Cap. 15. in the greeke.
• * 1.36

  The epistle of Iulius vnto the bishops of the East & their answere vnto him a∣gaine, is to be seene in the first ••ome of the Coun∣cells. The church of Rome hath nothīg to doe with the churches of the East, and so of the contrary.
• * 1.37

  Sabinus.
• * 1.38

  This Sabinus ••rot a booke ••tituled, the collection of ••he coūcells. (Socra. lib. 1. ••ap. 13. lib. 3. ••ap. 21) where ••e ••ayth no∣••ing of the ••uersaries ••f the trueth.
• * 1.39

  ••ap. 16. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Greeke.
• * 1.40

  The greate slaughter which the Arians cau∣sed at Con∣stantinople, about the placing of Macedonius the hereticke
• * 1.41

  Cap. 17. in the Greeke.
• * 1.42

  Athanasius is falsely accu∣sed.
• * 1.43

  Cap. 18. in the Greeke.
• * 1.44

  Paulus. b. of Cōstantino∣ple gott him to Rome.
• * 1.45

  The Creede of certaine Ariā bishops exhibited vnto Con∣stans the em∣perour, where they dissemble e∣gregiously.
• * 1.46

  The heresie of Photinus.
• * 1.47

  Cap. 19. after ••he Greeke.
• * 1.48

  The bishops ••f the East summone a councell, and sende abrode this theyr Creede, with long exposi∣tions therof.
• * 1.49

  1. Corinth. 11.
• * 1.50

  The heresie of Paulus Sa∣mosatenus.
• * 1.51

  The word of God is no vocal or mē¦tall worde.
• * 1.52

  Marcellians. Photinians. Ancyrogala∣tians.
• * 1.53

  Gen. 1. 2. Gen. 12. 18. Exod. 19. 20. Hebr. 1.
• * 1.54

  Sabellians.
• * 1.55

  Patropassiās.
• * 1.56

  Prouerb. 8.
• * 1.57

  The bishops ••f the VVest ••hurches ••ere stayed •• religion.
• * 1.58

  Cap. 20. in the Greeke.
• * 1.59

  The coūcell of Sardice was held An. Dom. 350.
• * 1.60

  The Arians were loth to come to the coūcel, ther∣fore they dis∣semble and fayne excu∣ses.
• * 1.61

  The Acts of the councell of Sardice.
• * 1.62

  Paul{us} bishop of Cōstanti∣nople, Atha∣nasius bishop of Alexādria, Marcell{us}. b. of Ancyra, are by the coun∣cell restored to their chur¦ches.
• * 1.63

  Cap. 21. in the Greeke.
• * 1.64

  Euseb. de vit. Constantini lib. 3.
• * 1.65

  Euseb. lib. 1. contra Mar∣cellum.
• * 1.66

  Prouer. 8.
• * 1.67

  Euseb. lib. 3. contra Mar∣cellum.
• * 1.68

  1. Pet. 2.
• * 1.69

  Act. 2.
• * 1.70

  Psal. 50.
• * 1.71

  Ephes. 2.
• * 1.72

  Cap. 22. in the Greeke.
• * 1.73

  The diuision of the East & West chur∣ches.
• * 1.74

  The letters of Constan•• the Empe∣rour vnto his brother Constantius
• * 1.75

  Cap. 23. in the greeke.
• * 5.1

  1. Corinth. 2.
• * 5.2

  The confe∣rence of Con¦stantius and Athanasius.
• * 8.1

  Ca. 24. in the Greeke.
• * 8.2

  The coun∣cell of Ieru∣salem Anno Dom. 351. Maximus bi∣shop of Ie∣rusalem for∣sooke the A∣rians. Vrsacius and Valens being Arians repē•• thē of there folly.
• * 8.3

  Cap. 25. in the Greeke.
• * 8.4

  Magnentius the tyrant is of Futropius called Maxē∣tius. Bretanion a tyrant. Nepotianus a traitor.
• * 8.5

  Cap. 26. in the Greeke.
• * 8.6

  Athanasius is accused.
• * 8.7

  The councel of Alexādria Paulus Bi∣shop of Con∣stantinople exiled and there stifled ••o death.
• * 8.8

  Marcellus is deposed. Lucius dieth in prison. Theodulus. Olympius.
• * 8.9

  Cap. 27. in the greeke.
• * 8.10

  The persecu∣tion of the christians by the Ariā he∣retickes.
• * 8.11

  Cap. 28. in the Greeke.
• * 8.12

  Athanasius Apollogie.
• * 8.13

  Sabastianusa captaine, yet a Manichee and a greate blood sucker
• * 8.14

  These bi∣shops were sent to exile by the Ariās
• * 8.15

  The clemē••y of Constan∣tius towards Bretanion.
• * 8.16

  Gallus Cae∣sar.
• * 8.17

  The signe of the Crosse seene in the aër.
• * 8.18

  Cap. 29. in the Greeke. Photinus the hereticke. The councel of Sirmium was held An∣no Dom. 355
• * 8.19

  Cap. 30. in the greeke.
• * 8.20

  A forme of faith exhibi∣ted by Mar∣cus Bishop of Arethusa vn∣to the coun∣cell of Sir∣mium.
• * 8.21

  Act. 2.
• * 8.22

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 8.23

  •• say. 43. 44.
• * 8.24

  Iohn. 1.
• * 8.25

  Gen. 1. 2. Gen. 32. Gen. 19.
• * 8.26

  Psal. 110.
• * 8.27

  Iohn. 15. 16.
• * 8.28

  This forme of fayth is so ••atched to∣gether with∣out time or ••asō, that in many places •• requireth a ••••ry reader, ••e authors ••ereof mis∣••••ed with it ••••emselues •• called it in ••gaine as ap∣••••areth in ••e ende of ••s chapiter. ••••m. 3.
• * 8.29

  Esay. 53.
• * 8.30

  Math. 28.
• * 8.31

  Photinus the hereticke was ••oyled in open di∣sputation.
• * 8.32

  Cap. 31. in the Greeke.
• * 8.33

  Cap. 32. in the Greeke.
• * 8.34

  The crueltie of Magnen∣tius.
• * 8.35

  The misera∣ble death of Magnentius.
• * 8.36

  Decenius hanged him∣selfe. Siluanus the tyrant was no sooner vp but he was dispatched.
• * 8.37

  Cap. 33. in the Greeke. The Iewes become re∣bells & are ouercome.
• * 8.38

  Cap. 34. in the greeke. Gallus a re∣bell, being in great trust became a trai¦tor & so lost his head. This Iulia∣mus was Em∣peroure after Constantius & became an Apostata. ••uhus Bishop of Rome 15. yeares. Liberius Bi∣shope of Rome Anno ••om. 352. ••a. 35. in the ••••ecke.
• * 8.39

  Cap. 35. in the Greeke.
• * 8.40

  VVhere in Aëtius diffe∣red from the Arians.
• * 8.41

  Leontius. b. of Antioch.
• * 8.42

  The Greeke worde is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & the speci∣all title of A∣ristotles pre∣dicaments, yet doth it signifie, as the sense here & otherwise geueth vs to vnderstand, his booke of Elenches by him intituled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 8.43

  VVhy Aëtius was called an Atheist.
• * 8.44

  Eunomius the hereticke
• * 8.45

  Cap. 36. in the Greeke.
• * 8.46

  The coūcel of Millayne.
• * 8.47

  Cap. 37. in the Greeke.
• * 8.48

  Eudoxius. b. of Antioche.
• * 8.49

  A forme of faith layde downe in the councell of A••imino in ••••aly, by cer∣taine Arian ••ishops.
• * 8.50

  ••h. 14. 16.
• * 8.51

  The answere of the Ca∣tholicke bi∣shops.
• * 8.52

  The epistle of Athanasi{us} vnto his fa∣milier friēds, where he lai∣eth downe his censure of the creede going before condemning it for hereti∣call.
• * 8.53

  Luc. 2.
• * 9.1

  The bishops ••ssembled at A••imino in talie, where ••••e Arans ••••re cōdem∣ned, do write ••us vnto the ••mperour ••onstantius.
• * 9.2

  What credit & reuerence they ••eue vnto the coū¦c••ll of Nice.
• * 9.3

  The lewde behauiour of the Arians.
• * 9.4

  The Bishops assembled at A••imino re∣quest three thinges of the Empe∣rour Constā∣tius. 1. that he winke not at nouelties. 2. that he call home the bi∣shops from exile. 3. that there be no alteration of olde canons.
• * 10.1

  The rescript of the coun∣cell held at A••immo vn to the Empe∣rour Con∣stantius.
• * 10.2

  Liberius b. of Rome ex∣iled. Felix b of Rome an A∣rian.
• * 10.3

  Laberius b. of Rome re∣stored agaīe.
• * 10.4

  The councel of Nice in Thracia, cal▪
• * 10.5

  Cap. 38. in the Greeke.
• * 10.6

  Cyrillus b. of Ierusalem an Arian. The hainous practises of Macedonius the Arian.
• * 10.7

  The cruelty of the Arian hereticks.
• * 10.8

  A lawe a∣gainst the churches of God, made by Arians.
• * 10.9

  Eleusius a cruell Arian Bishop. Macedonius an Arian & a ••reat mur∣therer of the true Christi∣ans.
• * 10.10

  The transla∣tiō of bones and reliques is forbidden as an vnlaw∣full thing by the true chri¦stians, but the Arians did practise it
• * 10.11

  Cap. 39. in the Greeke.
• * 10.12

  The councel of Seleucia held Anno Domi. 363.
• * 10.13

  Leônas.
• * 10.14

  Lauricius.
• * 10.15

  The Arians absent them selues with excuses.
• * 10.16

  Cap. 40. in the Greeke.
• * 10.17

  A certaine protestation of Arian Bi∣shops where vnto they annexed their creede.
• * 10.18

  Acacius creede an Ariā bishop.
• * 10.19

  The words of Sophro∣nius vnto the Arians.
• * 10.20

  The reply of Socrates in the name of the indifferēt reader.
• * 10.21

  By this an∣swere of A∣cacius we may see the double dea∣ling of the Arians, how vnder faire & smoth wordes they cloked the poyson of their hereti∣call doctrine.
• * 10.22

  Cyrillus b of Ierusalem was an Ari¦an and depo¦s••d ••o•• some hamous crimes.
• * 10.23

  Acacius an Arian with his company deposed.
• * 10.24

  Cap. 41. in the greeke.
• * 10.25

  The Bishops then were Magistrats & of ••reat au∣toritie in the common wealth.
• * 10.26

  An Arian Creede read at A••immo & no we confir∣med by the Ariā Bishops in the coun∣cell held at Constātino∣ple Anno Dom. 364.
• * 10.27

  The number of the creeds when, and where & by whome they were made.
• * 10.28

  Vlphilas Bi∣shop of the Gotthes be∣came an A∣rian in his la∣ter dayes.
• * 10.29

  Cap. 42. in the greeke.
• * 10.30

  Cap. 43. in the Greeke. Eustathius was not suf∣fred to speak for himselfe, his faults were so hay∣nous and so wel knowen.
• * 10.31

  The wicked & skoffinge sentence of Eudoxius.
• * 10.32

  Ca. 44. in the Greeke.
• * 10.33

  Meletius was after Eudo∣xius Bishop of Antioch, he was by the Emperoure deposed for maintaining the Nicene creed against the Arians & Euzoius pla∣ced in his rowme.
• * 10.34

  Cap. 45. in the greeke.
• * 10.35

  Of impaci∣ency cometh heresie.
• * 10.36

  The blasphe mous opiniō of the here∣tike Macedo nius. Maratho∣nius an olde heretike.
• * 10.37

  Pneumato∣machot.
• * 10.38

  The councel of Antioch was held An no Dom. 365 they cōs•••• me the Arian o∣pinion. The blasph•• mous opinio of the Arias.
• * 10.39

  Anomoioi.
• * 10.40

  Exoucouti∣oi.
• * 10.41

  Cyullus. Herenius. Heraclius. Hilarius. Cyrillus.
• * 10.42

  Cap 46. in the Greeke.
• * 10.43

  Imp••••••••nere causeth heresie.
• * 10.44

  The heresie of Apollina∣••us.
• * 10.45

  Constantius dyed Anno Dom. 365.