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 Translator toutching the doubt rising about him whom Paul repre∣hended at Antioche, whether he was Peter the Apostle, or Ce∣phas, one of the seuenty.

WHereas Eusebius in the former chapiter, affirmeth Cephas, to be one of the number of the 70. di∣sciples, and the same to be reprehended by Saynct Paule at Antioche, it seemeth repugnant to the playne wordes of holy Scripture, deliuered vnto vs by the holy Ghost. The aduersaryes of the trueth, thought better to erre with Eusebius, by saying that Cephas was rebuked by Paule, and not Peter, rather then that they woulde graunte Peter (whome they terme the Prince of the Apostles) to be controlled of Paule, supposing hereby a presiding to ensur agaynst the prymacye of the Pope, or liking of this opinion as a bare shift to stoppe the sclannderous mouth of Porphyrius, which here took oc∣casion to reprehende the Christians for their sedition, but let vs confesse the trueth, and shame the de∣uill.* 1.1 The wordes of Saynt Paul are these: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vvhen Peter came to Antioche, I vvithstoode him to his face. and a litle after: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I sayde vnto Peter in the presence of them all. Augustine, and Ierome had great con••••••∣tion about the interpretation of this place but ner•• ••••••her denieth the party to be Peter ••••t 〈◊〉〈◊〉 giue vn∣to

the historiographer, the credit d•••• vnto him, he might call Peter, Cephas, as our Sauiour sayd in the Gospell vnto Peter: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is a Syrian word, sounding in greeke, or la∣tine,* 1.2 nothing else but Peter, or Petra a rocke. In that he calleth him an other from the Apostle, I doe not see how it can stande. Ierome denieth any other Cephas knowen of vs, sauing Peter. The conclusion is this: Eusebius calleth the person reprehended by Paul, Cephas: The holy Ghost in the Scripture cal∣leth him Peter. Eusebius sayth, he was an other from the Apostle: The holy Ghost in discourse, calleth him Peter the Apostle, (in the same chapiter) to whome the Apostleship of Circumcision was commit∣ted, and most like to be the Apostle, for there (that is at Antioche) he was first placed Bishop.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Galat. ••.
• * 1.2

  Ioh. 1.