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

CAP. XI.

How the sect of Macedonius being put to their shifts by reason of the Emperours displeasure, sent their letters vnto Liberius Bishop of Rome, where they subscribed vnto the fayth of one substance.

WHen as at that tyme such as cleaued stedfastly vnto the clause of one substance being the true Christians, were vexed aboue measure: the Macedonians also were pursued of the wicked and godlesse persecutors. These men partly for feare and partly for their fayth being brought to their witts ende, wrote letters and sent messengers from their bishopricks one vnto the other, signifying that of necessity they must flie for refuge both vnto the Emperours brother and to Liberius Bishop of Rome, and subscribe rather vnto their fayth then condescende to communicate with Eudoxius the Arian. Wherefore they sende Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia, one that had bene often times deposed: Siluanus Bishop of Tarsus in Cilicia, and Theophilus Bishop of Castabala a citie likewise of Cilicia: these men are charged not to disagree as toutching the faith with Liberius, but to communicate with the Churche of Rome and to ratifie by their subscri∣ptions the faith of one substance. When these men had receaued their letters which impugned the faith at Seleucia, in all the hast they post to olde Rome. They shewe not them selues vnto the Emperour (for he was in Fraunce, busily occupying him selfe about the battell against the Sar∣matians) but deliuer their letters vnto Liberius. Liberius refuseth to geue their letters the reading, he tolde them they were Arians and therefore in no wise to be entertayned of the Church, because they had abrogated the creede of the Nicene councell. Unto whome they make answere that his words were true, yet that they repented them afterwards of their folly: that they acknowledge the trueth: that of late they had condemned the opinion which affirmeth the sonne to be vnlike the fa∣ther: that they confessed the sonne in all thinges and in all respects to be like the father, and that the clause of likenes differed nothing from the sense of one substance. When they had made this protestation by word of mouth, he requireth them to doe the same in writing. They immediatly ex∣hibite vnto him a supplication where in the forme of faith published and established by the councell of Nice was comprised. And lest that I seeme ouertedious vnto the reader, my purpose is to omitt the letters they wrote from one company to an other, namely from Smyrna in Asia, from Pisidia, Isauria, Pamphilia and Lycia: onely here to lay downe the supplication which Eustathius sent from his lodging vnto Liberius, it was written as followeth:

Vnto their Lorde and brother their fellow minister Liberius, Eustathius, Theophilus & Syluanus sende greeting in the Lorde.

To the ende vve may remoue all suspicion of heresie and partaking vvith sects vvhatsoeuer,* 1.1 which heretofore haue molested the quiet estate of the catholick church: presently we do allow of the synods & assemblies of bishops which mett at Lampsacum & Smyrna, & at sundry other places maintaining the right & soūd faith. that these our words may seeme for no other thē our true meaning, we are legats & haue brought letters vnto your holines, vnto al the bishops of Ita∣lie & to the other churches whatsoeuer of the west contrey, whereby it shall manifestly appeare that vve are of the Catholick faith: that vve defende the sacred Canons of the Nicene councell established in the happy raygne of the holy Emperour Constantine by three hundred and eygh∣teene Bishops, the which vnto this day haue bene continewally obserued and vnuiolably retai∣ned: where the clause of one substance was godly enterlaced to the ouerthrowe of the poisoned opinion of Arius. for by subscribing with our owne hands we doe plainly protest that we are of no other opinion then these fathers were of: but that heretofore & presently also we embrace the same faith with them & mind firmely to continew therin vnto our last houre. Moreouer we cō∣demne Arius, his detestable opinion, his disciples, his complices: the whole heresie of Sabellius, all the Patropassians, Marcionists, Photinians, Marcelliās, & to be short the wicked sect of Pau∣lus Samosatenus. VVe pronounce these mens doctrine for accursed together with all that holde with them, all heresies like wise which are contrary vnto the aforesayd sacred faith, generally & godly framed by those holy fathers assembled in the city of Nice. VVe accurse also the forme of

faith that was repeated at the councell of Ariminum, partly for that it repugneth the Nicene Creede, & partly for that diuers vvere fraudulently brought to subscribe vnto the same at Con∣stantinople, through vviles & periury mistaking the title, for they tooke Nice a city of Thracia, for Nice in Bithynia. The beliefe & faith vve are of, & of them likewise vvhose legats vve are, is as followeth: VVe beleeue in one God the father almighty, maker of all things visible & inuisi∣ble,* 1.2 & in one onely begotten God our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God, begotten of the fa∣ther, that is of the substance of the father: God of God, light of light: very God of very God be∣gotten not made: being of one substance with the father by whom all things were made, either in heauen or in earth, who for vs men & for our saluation came downe from heauen, was incar∣nate & made man, he suffred & rose againe the third day, he ascended into heauen & shall come againe to iudge both the quicke & the dead. And we beleue in the holy Ghost. such as say there was a time when he was not: or that he was not before his incarnation: or that he hath his be∣ing of nothinge: or that he consisteth of any other essence or substance then of the fathers: or that the sonne of God is conuertible and mutable, them I saye▪ the holy and Catholick Churche vnder heauen doth holde for accursed. I Eustathius bishop of Sebastia, Theophilus & Siluanus le∣gats of the councells of Lampsacum, Smyrna, with others, haue voluntarily with our owne pro∣per hands subscribed vnto all the premisses & to euery parcell within comprised. If any man af∣ter this our protestation commense any sute or accuse either vs or them whiche sent vs, let him come with your holinesse letters vnto some of the catholick Bishops whome you thinke best, & there pleade with vs in their presence & so let the punishment light vpon his heade that is faul∣ty.

Liberius hauing bounde the legats with the subscription of their owne hands, receaued them in∣to the communion, gaue them these letters following and sent them away.

The epistle of Liberius Bishop of Rome, vnto the Bishops of the Macedonian* 2.1 sect inhabiting the East contries.

Vnto our welbeloued brethren and fellow bishops Hythius, Cyrillus, Hyperechius, Vranius, He∣ron, Elpidius, Maximus, Eusebius, Eucarpius, Heortasius &c. vnto all the Catholick bishops of the East churches: Liberius Bishop of Italy together with other Bishops of the VVest sende greeting alwaies in the Lord. Your letters (welbeloued brethren & mē that are bedecked with the bright beames of fayth) we haue receaued by the reuerend brethren & bishops Eustathius, Siluanus & Theophilus, containing quietnes & concord of the catholick church, which confirmed in vs fully out desired ioy & gladnes. And first of all because that therby we perceaued your faith & opini∣on to be in all pointes agreeable both with mine which am the meanest of you all, with the o∣ther bishops of Italy & the rest of the west contreyes: nay not only this but also your legats haue confirmed it with the testimony of their owne handes. This Catholick & Apostolicke faith we doe acknowledge which from the councell of Nice hitherto hath firmely & vnuiolably conti∣newed. This was the faith that your legats protested: in this faith with notable corage they haue accursed all the croked steppes of cankred opinions, & quenched all the fiery sparcles that sla∣shed thereof. This faith not onely by preaching vnto the people but also by penning of it in pa∣per they haue published vnto the worlde. The coppy whereof we thought good to annexe vnto these letters, lest the hereticks finde meanes hereby to cauill: euen as some heretofore haue got∣ten lighter occasion then this to leueale at the church of God the darts of their dispiteful minde & the flaming firebrands of contention for our most reuerende brethren Eustathius, Siluanus & Theophilus confesse the same, and withall them selues, together with your fatherhoode, to haue bene euer of this fayth, & nowe with free purpose to continewe firme in the same vnto the last houre: that in the faith which was approued of three hundreth & eyghteene Catholick Bishops assembled in the city of Nice: which containeth the absolute and perfect trueth: which stoppeth the mouths of hereticks and vtterly ouerthroweth their counterfeit doctrine. Neither came it to passe by happ hazarde that so great a heape & multitude of bishops met together: for it was the will & prouidence of Almighty God that assembled them to the suppression of the fury & rage of the heretick Arius. It was with the same nūber that blessed Abraham ouercame through faith* 2.2 so many millions of mē. The which fayth being comprised in the force & vertue of one substance, is so firme & inuincible a bulwark that it foyleth all the sleights & crafty inuention of the Arian heresie. And although the cursed & abominable Arians caused all bishops from euery where to

assemble at Ariminum, to the ende that eyther through persvvasion or rather (to tell the trueth) by the commaundement of the Emperour, that vvhich vvas the principall point of the creede might by them be blotted out, or at least vvise levvdly peruerted: yet for all their spitefull deui∣ses, they preuailed not. For all the Bishops in maner vvhich mett at Ariminum, and vvere either* 2.3 allured by their fradulent enticements, or compelled by force, and so fell at that time from the faith: novv hauing remembred them selues better, accursed the faith sett forth by the Bishops at Ariminum: ratified by subscription the Catholick & Apostolick faith confirmed by the bishops of the Nicene councell, and now they communicate together vvith vs: once I say againe all they presently are earnest & zealously bent against the hereticall opinion of Arius and his followers. The vvhich thing vvhen your legats had throughly examined & deepely vveyed vvith them sel∣ues, they freely subscribed in your names, & accursed Arius together vvith the canons conclu∣ded vpon at Ariminum contrary vnto the Nicene faith, vnto the vvhich sometimes you your sel∣ues being trained through fraude & vviles haue by othe subscribed. VVherfore it seemed good vnto vs to write vnto your louing brotherhoode & to asist you in such reasonable requests: espe∣cially seing we are geuē to vnderstād by the protestatiō of your legats that the bishops of the cast are novv come into the right vvay & embrace one faith together with the Catholick Bishops of the vvest. Neither vvould vve haue you ignorant that they vvho sometime vvere craftely & vio∣lently dravven from the trueth to establish the blasphemous decrees against the maiestie of the sonne of God at the councell of Ariminum: novve haue vvholly & vnfainedly condemned the same, & with vniforme consent of them all to haue embraced the Nicene creede. Moreouer you haue to certifie all men by your letters, that they vvhich heretofore vnvvittingly svvarued from the faith & now wander in the wast desert & darke miste of heresie may at length returne vnto the bright & celestiall beames of christian liberty shining in the vvorlde to the comfort of their soules. All vvhich let them knovve for suertie that if they vvill not after this damnable councell purge them selues & vomit out the deadly poison of this detestable doctrine: if they will not re∣moue from among them all the blasphemies of Arius: if they wil not abhorre him from the hart roote & accurse him for euer: that they them selues are cutt of & excōmunicated from the com∣munion of the faithfull as aliens & forayners, (for the Churche norisheth no bastards) together with Arius & his disciples, & all such vipers broode as the Sabellians, Patropassians & all other hereticall opinions whatsoeuer. God haue you in his tuition welbeloued brethren.

The legats of Eustathius cōpany hauing gotten these letters tooke their iourney into Sicilia: where after that* 2.4 a synode of Sicilian bishops was called together, they protested in like sort before them y^• they em∣braced y^• faith of one substance: there also they ratifie the forme of faith established by the councell of Nice. When they had also procured these bishops letters toutching the same matter together w^t the epistle of Liberius vnto y^• east churches, straight way they returne home. The easterne bishops after the receat of Liberius epistle, sent legats into euery city of them which defended the fayth of one substance, requesting them with one consent to assemble at Tarsus in Cilicia: partly for to ra∣tifie the Nicene creede, and partly for to remoue all schisme and contention raised in the Church since that time. The which peraduenture had bene done, if that Eudoxius the Arian Bishop who was in great fauor with the Emperour had not withstoode it: who also for the summoning therof was wonderfully incensed, so that afterwards he diuersly vexed them. Sabinus also in his booke in∣titled the collection of the councells, reporteth in like sorte that the Macedonians communicated by their legats with Liberius, and ratified the Nicene Creede.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The hereti∣call Bishops of Macedo∣nius sect, now doe recant & exhibite this supplica tion vnto Liberius bi∣shop of Rōe.
• * 1.2

  The Nicene Creede.
• * 2.1

  Cap. 11 in the Greeke.
• * 2.2

  Gen. 14.
• * 2.3

  The councel of Ariminū recanteth & accurseth A∣rius.
• * 2.4

  The councel of Sicilia.