CAP. II.
The report of Pilate, the censure of Tiberius the Emperour, and the Romayne Senate, concerning Christ.
WHen as the wonderfull resurrection of our Sauiour, and his assumption into the hea∣uens, was now made manifest vnto many, and the auncient maner among the heathen Princes had so preuayled, that if any nouelty by any were enterprised, the same forth with should be signified vnto him that helde the Princely scepter, lest that he should be ignorant of any thing which was done: it came to passe that Pilate, made Tiberius the Emperour priuy of those thinges, which concerned the resurrection of our Sauiour Iesu, & were published through∣out Palaestina, adding thereunto his maruelous workes, whereof he was credibly enformed, and how that now after his resurrection, he was of many taken for a God. The report goeth, that Ti∣berius* 1.1 made relation thereof vnto the Senate, which reiected his saying, for no other cause but for that they had not first approued the same, the auncient custome o••••••rued, that none should be ac∣counted of the Romaynes, among the number of Gods: vnlesse he were canonized, by the sentence and decree of the Senate, which no doubt was done for this ende, that the holesome doctrine of the diuine preaching, should not neede the approbation, and commendation of man. Though this pe∣tition toutching our Sauiour, were reiected of the Romayne Senate, after it was made vnto thē, yet Tiberius, reseruing vnto him selfe his former opinion, conceaued no absurdity preiudiciall vn∣to the doctrine of Christ. These things Tertullian, a man well experienced in the Romane lawes, and besides, famous among them which flourished at Rome, in his Apologye which he wrote for the Christians, in the Romane tongue, and by translation writeth thus: and that vve may reason* 1.2 toutching the originall of these lavves, it vvas an auncient decree: that no God should be con∣secrated by the King, vnlesse it vvere first agreed vpon, by the Senate. The like did Marcus Ae∣milius practise, concerning a certayne Idole of A••burnus, and this is seene for our sake, that the deytye is deliuered amongst you by mans decree. Vnlesse that God please man, he is not made* 1.3 God. So that by this decree, it is expedient for man, that he be fauorable vnto God. Tibarius then, vnder vvhome the Christian name vvas spred abroad in the vvorld, vvhen this doctrine vvas signified vnto him out of Palaestina, (vvhere it first sprang) communicated the same vnto the Senate, declaring vvithall, that this doctrine pleased him right vvell. The Senate reiected it, because they had not allovved the same. But he perseuered in his opinion, threatning thē death, that vvoulde accuse the Christians. This was the wisedome of the diuine prouidence, lightning his mind, that the preaching of the Gospel shoulde passe at the beginning, throughout the world, without let or hinderance.