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 THIRDE BOOKE OF THE EC∣CLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS BISHOP OF CAESAREA IN PALAESTINA. (Book 3)

CAP. I.

In what contreyes the Apostles preached Christ.

WHen as the Iewish affayres thus did stande, the holy Apostles and Disciples of our Sauiour, were dispersed throughout the worlde. Thomas (as by tradition we re∣ceaue) chose Parthia: Andrew, Scythia: Iohn, Asia: where he made his abode, and dyed at Ephesus. Peter is reported to haue preached to the dispersed Ievves through* 1.1 out Pontus, Gallacia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia, who about his latter time, tarying at Rome, was crucified with his head downewards, which kind of death, he him selfe de∣sired. What shall I say of Paul, which from Ierusalem to Illyricum, filled all places with the Go∣spell of Christ. And at the last suffred martyrdome at Rome vnder Nero? These thinges are ma∣nifestly, and word by word declared by Origen, in the third tome of his Commentaryes vpon Ge∣nesis.

CAP. II.

VVho was the first Bishop of Rome.

LInus first, after the martyrdome of Peter, and Paul, was chosen Bishop of Rome. Paul a∣bout the latter end in the salucation of the epistle which he wrote vnto Timothe, from Rome, maketh mention of him, saying: Eubulus saluteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia.

CAP. III.

Of the Epistles which the Apostles wrote.

THe Epistle of Peter which is in number the first, hath bene receaued without controuersy.* 1.2 The elders of olde without any doubting, haue alleadged this in their workes, but the lat∣ter Epistle we haue learned, not to be allowed. And yet because it seemed profitable, of ma∣ny it was reade amongest the rest of the Scriptures: but the Actes, which are called Peters, and* 1.3 the Gospell vnder his name, and the preaching of his, published vnder his name, with the reuela∣tion termed his, are no where receaued, as canonical scripture: neither hath any auncient or newe writer alleaged testimonies out of them. but in the processe of our history, we thought good to si∣gnifie, together with the diligent annotation of successions: what ecclestasticall writers there flo∣rished in their seuerall tymes: and what contrary allegations they vsed: and what writinges they lawfully receaued: and what they reiected. But of the writinges attributed to Peter, (whereof we acknowledge one Epistle lawfully receaued, and neuer doubted of, among the auncient fathers)* 1.4 thus much shall suffice. fourtene Epistles of Paul, are manifest and well knowen. but that diuers reiected the Epistle which is vnto the Hebrues, alleadging the contradiction of the Churche of Rome, that it was not Paules: I thinke it requisite to knowe, and what our Predecessors hereof haue thought: I will lay downe when occasion serueth. The Actes which goe vnder the name of Paule, were neuer taken as vndoubted. And because the same Apostle in his Epistle vnto the Ro∣maines, saluteth certayne, and amongest others Hermes: therefore appoynt they the booke called Pastor to be his, which hath bene gaynesayd of many, therefore not to be numbred amonge those bookes, which are for certayne. Others thought this booke very necessary, especially vnto them that haue neede of an elementall introduction, but we haue knowne him to haue bene publikely reade in the Churche, and alleadged of many auncient writers in their workes. let this much be spoken of the holy Scriptures, as well of the generally receaued, as of the doubtfully reiected.

CAP. IIII.

Of the succession of the Apostles.

THat Paul preaching vnto the Gentyles, planted the Churches from Ierusalem, vnto Illyri∣cum,* 1.5 it is manifest, both by his owne wordes, and the testimony of Luke in the Actes. In what prouinces Peter preached vnto them of the circumcision, and deliuered the doctrine of the newe testament, it appeareth by his wordes, and also by the Epistle whiche of trueth is sayde to be his, written to the Hebrues, scattered throughout Pontus, Gallacia, Cappadocia, A∣sia, and Bythinia. But how many, and what sincere followers haue fedd the Churches planted by the Apostles, it can not be affirmed, but as farre forthe as can be gathered out of the wor∣des of Paul: He had many fellowe laborers, and companions as he called them, whereof di∣uers* 1.6 haue purchased immortall memorye, for so much as he maketh continuall mention of them in his Epistles, and Luke in the Actes repeting the most famous, remembreth them by name. Timothe is reported to be the firste Bishop of Ephesus, and Titus of the Churches in Creta.* 1.7 Luke by lyne of Antioche, by profession a Phisician, hauinge his conuersation of pur∣pose, for the moste parte with Paule, and the reste of the Apostles: lefte vs proofes of skyll, comprysed in two volumes, medicinable for our soules healthe, sought out amonge them. One of the Gospell, whiche he reporteth to haue published, accordinge as he recea∣ued of them, whiche from the beginninge were behoulders, and mynisters of this doctrine, so that he searched all from the originall: the other of the Actes of the Apostles, where he compi∣led not onely the thinges hearde with his eares, but also the thinges whiche he sawe with his eyes. And of Paule they saye, that he accustomed to mention the Gospell of Luke when he spake, as of his owne, sayinge: accordinge vnto my Gospell. Amonge the other fellowes of Paule, Crescens is witnessed to haue bene sent by the Apostle him selfe into Fraunce. Toutchinge Linus we spake before, that he was the firste Byshop of Rome, after Peter, whome he remembreth to haue bene with him at Rome, in his latter Epistle vnto Timo∣the. And Clemens the thirde Byshop of Rome, is proued by his testimonye, to be Paules fellovve laborer, and companion. Moreouer Dionysius the Areopagite, whome Luke in the Actes reporteth to haue firste beleued, at the Sermon of Paule vnto the Athenians, preached in Areopagus: was the firste Bishop of Athens. but an other Dionysius there was, Byshop of the Churche of Corinthe. In processe of our history, we will dilate of the successors of the Apo∣stles, in their seuerall tymes succeeding. nowe let vs turne vnto that, whiche consequently de∣pendeth vpon the historye.

CAP V.

Of the vtter besieging of the Iewes after the passion and resurrection of Christ.

AFter that Nero had raygned thirtene yeares: Otho and Galba one yeare, and six monethes:* 1.8 Vespasianus was counted a potent Prince in Iudaea, amonge the armyes appoynted against the Ievves, and being proclaymed Emperour of the hoast that there was, forthe with he is sent to Rome, committing vnto his sonne Titus the warres, in hande agaynste the Ievves. therefore after the ascention of our Sauiour, because the Ievves, besydes the haynous offence committed agaynst Christ, had compassed manyfould mischiefes against his Apostles: firste sto∣ning* 1.9 Stephen to death, next beheading Iames, the sonne of Zebede, and the brother of Iohn with the sworde, and aboue all, Iames their first Bishop after the ascention of our Sauiour, with the manner afore mentioned: and draue out of Iudaea, the rest of the Apostles, pursuing them to the deathe with innumerable wyles, when as nowe they were sent by the power of Christ to preache vnto all nations, sayinge vnto them: goe teache all nations in my name: Yea and the congre∣gation of the faythfull in Ierusalem forewarned by an oracle, reuealed vnto the beste appro∣ued amonge them, that before the warres beganne, they shoulde departe the cytye, and in∣habite a village beyonde Iordan, called Pella, into the whiche when the Christians leauing Ie∣rusalem had entred, and the holy men had forsaken the princely & principall citye of the Jevves, together with all the lande of Iudaea: the heauye hande of God apprehended that wicked generation vtterly to roote them from amonge men, whiche had practysed so presumptuously

agaynst Christ, and his Apostles, howe many mischiefes haue happened at that tyme vnto this whole nation: and howe they chiefely whiche enhabyted Iudaea, were driuen to extreame my∣serye: and how many millions of men throughout euery age, together with women and chil∣dren, perished with the sworde, with famyne, and with infinite other kindes of deathe: and how many, and what cityes of the Ievves were destroyed: to be shorte, howe many calamityes, and more then calamityes they sawe, whiche fledde vnto Ierusalem, as the Metropolytane and best fortyfied citye: Moreouer the state of the whole warres, and the seuerall actes thereof: and howe at lengthe the abomination of desolation foreshewed by the Prophetes, standing in* 1.10 that famous temple of olde, suffered a diuerous destruction, and an vtter ouerthrowe by fire: he that listeth to knowe, let him reade the historye of Iosephus, where all these are diligently descri∣bed. I thinke it necessarye to note howe Iosephus writeth, that vppon the solempne dayes of Easter, there were gathered together at Ierusalem, out of all Iudaea, to the number of three hun∣dred Millions, and there shutte vp as it were in prison, saying: It vvas requisite that destruction* 1.11 due for their desert, dravvinge nighe, by the iust iudgement of God, shoulde apprehende them vpon those dayes (being as it vvere shutte vp in prison) in the vvhiche they before, had dravvne the Sauiour and benefactor of al men, the anoynted of God, vnto his passion. Omiting those thinges whiche particularly happened vnto them, eyther by sworde, or by other kinde of misfortune: I thinke it expedient to expresse their onely calamityes by famine, so that the rea∣der may partely hereby coniecture, howe that God, not longe after was reuenged on them, for their impiety practised agaynst Christ. go to then, hauing our recourse againe vnto the first booke of the historyes of Iosephus, let vs peruse their tragicall affayres.

CAP. VI.

Of the greate famine that fell among the Iewes, and their miserable estate.

FOr the riche men to abide in the citye (sayth Iosephus) vvas nothinge but deathe. and vn∣der* 1.12 pretence of their trayterous flyght vnto the enemy, they vvere slayne for their sub∣stance. The vvoodnes of these seditious men encreased together vvith the famine, & both mischiefes dayly as a double fire vvaxed hott. foode there vvas no vvhere any founde manifest. they rushed into the houses, and made searche, if they found any, they beate them vvhich deni∣ed it, if they founde none, they tormented them as thoughe they had vvith diligence hidde it from them. the carkases of the poore vvretches declared, vvhether they had foode or no. they vvhich vvere of strong bodyes seemed to haue aboundance of meate, but such as pined avvay, vvere ouerskipped, for it vvas iudged an absurde thing, to slay them vvhich vvere ready to dye for vvant of vitayles. Many exchaunged priuely their vvealthe, the richer sorte for a measure of vvheate, the poorer sorte for a measure of barley, then hiding them selues in the inner and se∣crete corners of their houses, some for meere pouertye, chevved the vnready graynes of ravve vvheate, some other sodde it, as necessitye and feare constrayned them. there vvas no vvhere any table couered. the meate as yet ravve, vvas snatched from the coales. the meate vvas mi∣serable, the sight vvas lamentable, the mightier sorte abounded, the vveaker sorte lamented. fa∣myne exceedeth any dolefull passion. for nothinge fayleth here so much as shamefastnes, the thing othervvise reuerenced is here quit contemned, vviues from their husbandes, children from their parents, & that vvhich vvas most miserable, the mothers snatched the meate from their in∣fants mouthes. and vvhen their dearest friendes pined avvay in their armes, they pitied them not so muche, as to permitte them one droppe of drinke to saue their lyues. neyther yet escaped they thus miserably feeding. for on euery side they vvere besett vvith seditious persons, gree∣dily* 1.13 bent vppon their spoyle, vvhere they espied any dore shutt, they coniectured straight, that there vvas meate in preparinge, and forthvvith rushinge in, vvith the breakinge open of the dores, they violently did vvringe out from them, yea (and not onely) the lumpes of breade out of their iavves. the olde men vvere buffeted, if that egerly they endeuored to retayne their vitayles: the vvomen vvere lugged by the heare of the heade, if they hidde ought of that they had in their handes. no compassion vvas had on the hore headed, or the tender sucklinges. the infantes together vvith their nourishment, vvhere at they honge, and helde faste, vvere lyfted vp, and throvvne to be crushed agaynst the pauement. tovvardes

them vvhiche preuented their assaulte, and lauished, (vvhiche vvas preiudiciall to their raue∣ninge,) they vsed more crueltye, as if they had bene iniured by them. they inuented cruell kindes of torment, for the searchinge out of vitayles. they stopped vnto miserable men, the passage of their priuye members, vvith the graynes of the herbe Orobus: and pricked their fundamentes vvith sharpe tvvigges: so that horrible thinges to be hearde of, vvere ex∣cercysed, and suffered, for the extorting to confession of one lofe of breade, and knovvledge of one handfull of meale. but the tormentors them selues tasted not of hunger. That is euer dea∣med of lesse crueltye, vvhich commeth to passe of necessitye. but they thus practising their rage, prouided costage, or viaticall preparation, agaynst the dayes folovving: and meeting them vvhich in the night season crept out, as farre as the Romayne vvatche, to gather pott her∣bes, and greene grasse, novv, being escaped the enemy, they spoyled. and vvhen as they had of∣ten made supplication, and called the dreadfull name of God to helpe, that at least vvise they might haue some portion of that, vvhich they had gotten vvith daunger: nothinge vvas graun∣ted, so that at length it seemed gratefull vnto them, that vvere spoyled, that they perished not vvith their vitayles. Vnto these thinges Iosephus addeth, saying: All hope of safety vvas denied* 1.14 the Ievves, together vvith their passage excluded, and the famyne encreasing throughout their houses, and families, deuoured the people. the houses vvere full of carkases, of vvomen, and children: and the crosse vvayes replenished vvith the carkases of olde men: children, and yonge men that vvandred, vvere brought to the market place, after the likenes of pictures, and euery one fell dovvne, vvhere the fitt tooke him. Euery one being brought lovv, vvas not able to bury his kinsfolkes, & therefore vvaxed faint by reason of the multitude of dead men. & because that euery one doubted of his ovvne life, many fell dovvne dead vpon the carkases that they buried: many seeing no vvay but one, vvent and layd them dovvne vpon the beeres, to vvelcome death. neither vvas their lamentation, or vveping in these calamities, for famine suppressed euery ones passion. they vvhiche vvere very loth to dye, behelde vvith drye cheekes, the death of those vvhich hastened out of this life vnto rest. The citye vvas in deepe silence, the nyght nothinge but deathe, and theeues more intolerable then all these myseryes. They digged vp houses, and* 1.15 tumbes: they spoyled the deade: they tooke of the vvinding sheetes, or coueringes of the deade carkases: in a mockage, they tryed the sharpnes of their svvordes, vpon the deade bodyes. they launced certaine of them vvhiche laye along, and yet aliue, for the triall of their speares: such as prayed them to exercyse their myght, and crueltye vpon them, being vveary of their liues: they contemptuously reserued for famine. Euery one yelding vp the ghost, behelde the temple vvith immoueable and stedy countenance, sorovving that he left there behinde, seditious persons a∣lyue. they vvhiche first by commaundement receiued revvarde out of the publike treasury to burye the deade: by reason of the intollerable stinche, and greatnes of the multitude, threvve them into a great trenche or pitt. VVhen Tytus passing by, savve the trenche filled, and the noy∣some* 1.16 putrefaction stilling▪ and issuing out of the dead carkases, and running dovvne the sinkes, he sighed, and streatched forth his handes, and called God to vvitnes, that he vvas not the cause of this calamitye. Agayne, after a fewe lynes he addeth, saying: I can not refrayne my selfe, but that I breake out, and signifie my griefe: If the Romaynes vvere slacke in ouercomming vvicked persons, I thinke veryly that the cytye vvoulde eyther sincke, at the gapinge of the earthe: or be drovvned vvith a deluge: or after the manner of Sodome, be ouerthrovvne vvith fyre. It brought forthe abroode farre more pernicious, then they are that suffer this: and for their impietye, all this people vvallovveth in destruction. And in the seuenth booke he wri∣teth thus, of them which perished by famine: the multitude vvas infinite, the afflictions, vvhich did fall on them can not be vttered. In euery house vvhere there appeared but a shadovve or shevve of meate, there vvas variance, so that the dearest friendes stroue among them selues, one seely soule depriuing an other of his dayly sustenance, and prouision. And lest the dying should be thought to vvant, the theeues searched them that vvere ready to dye, leste peraduenture any had hydd meate in his bosome, & therfore fained him selfe to dye. they vvhich greedely gaped by reason of their vvant, vvandred and trotted, like madd dogges, falling vpon dores like madd men, rushinge into the same houses, tvvyse and thryse in an houre, as men berefte of their vvittes. Necessitye made all meate that came to the teethe, supplying to be eaten those thin∣ges, vvhiche vvere not commodious, no not for the fylthyest brute beastes. At lengthe they abstayned not from gyrdles and shoes, they eate the leathren skynnes that couered their tar∣getts.

Many eate chopt haye, or mynced grasse that vvas vvithered, other some gathered svvept and scraped dust, & dounge, selling the least measure thereof for foure pence. But vvhat should I rehearse, hovve that famyne spareth not thinges that haue no life, vnlesse vvith all I de∣clare this vvorke of her: vvhose like vvas neuer reported, to haue bene done amonge the Gen∣tyles, nor Barbarians: horrible to be spoken of, but true to the hearer. I of myne ovvne parte vvoulde gladly passe this calamitie, vvith silence, leste that I seemed to laye forthe monstrous lyes vnto the vvorlde: Vnlesse I had infinite vvitnesses in this behalfe. for other∣vvise I should recompence my contrye vvith colde thanke, if I restrayned the rehearfall of such* 1.17 thinges, as they smarted for. * A certayne vvoman vvhich dvvelled beyond Iordane, called Ma∣ria, the daughter of Eleazar, of the village Bathezor, vvhich signifieth Hyssope: of good kindred* 1.18 and great vvealth: sled vvith the rest of the multitude vnto Ierusalem, and there vvas besieged: the rest of her substance, vvhich she had procured vnto her, out of the region beyonde lordane, and caused to be caryed into the city, the tyrantes of the contrye, tooke avvay: the reliques that vvere left, and the prouision for foode, the catchpoles rushing in dayly, snatched avvay. A cer∣tayn grieuous indignation inuaded this seely vvoman, so that often tymes she prouoked against her selfe, by rayling and scolding, the cruell rauenners. VVhen as none either moued vvith pity, or prouoked vvith anger, slevve her: & she labored about, seeking vittailes, and could no longer finde any: and famine had entred into her bovvels, and inner partes: furious motions more then famine, inflamed her mind so, that she being ledd vvith the heat of anger, & pinching or pining necessity, offred violence vnto nature. for taking her sonne in her armes, vvhich vvas a suckling, she sayd: O vvretched infant, for vvhom shall I reserue thee in these vvarres, in this famyne, in* 1.19 this seditious conspiracy? Among the Romaynes, if so be that vve shall liue vnder them, there shall be bondage: this bondage hath famyne for gone: these seditious persons do afflict vs more grieuously then both. Passe on, be thou meate vnto me: a fury vnto these seditious men: a fable vnto the vvorlde: vvhiche yet alone hast not felt the Ievvish calamities. And immediatly vvith these vvordes, she slevve her childe, and boyled him: being boyled, she eate halfe, the rest she saued, and hidd secretly. Anone, these of the conspiracy come in, stamping & staring, threatning present death vnto her, vnlesse vvith speade she bring forth vvhat meate she had prepared. she aunsvvered that she reserued the better portion for them, bringing forth and shevving vvith all the reliques of her litle childe. A sodaine horror, and traunce of trembling minde, tooke them, that they vvere astonied at the sight thereof. But she sayd: this is my naturall sonne, and this is the vvorke of myne ovvne handes: Eate, for I haue eaten: be not you more tender then a vvo∣man, or proner to compassion then a mother. If you are so godly, and mislike this my sacri∣fice: I truely haue eaten in your name, and that vvhiche remayneth, I reserue for my selfe. vvhiche vvhen she had sayde, they all trembled at this one horrible fact, and scarse leauing this meate for the mother, they departed vvith greate feare. In a vvhile after, this haynous offence vvas bruted ouer the vvhole citye, so that euery man behoulding before his eyes this affliction, vvas no lesse moued, then if the fact had bene committed agaynst him selfe. But they that vvere pressed vvith famyne, desired death earnestly, and happy vvere they accomp∣ted, vvhome death so preuented, that they neyther hearde nor savve the greate misery that hap∣pened. such were the rewardes of iniquity, and impiety committed by the Ievves agaynst Christ and God. It shalbe thought well, if we adde the true prophecy of our Sauiour, declaring these thinges after this maner to haue come to passe.

CAP. VII.

The prophecyes of Christ, toutching the destruction of Ierusalem.

WOE be to them vvhich are vvith childe, and geue sucke in those dayes, (sayth Christ)* 1.20 but praye that your slight be neyther in vvinter, nor on the Saboth daye, for then shall be greate tribulation, suche as vvas not from the beginning of the vvorlde,* 1.21 vnto this tyme, neyther shall be. When the Historiographer had collected the number of them that perished by sword, and famine, he reporteth that it mounted to * a hundred & ten myllions. besides the seditious and theeuish reuenners, betrayed on by an other, and slayne after the win∣ning of the city: and yonge men of highe stature, and comlynes of bodye, that were reserued for

their exercise in triumphe, of the rest of the multitude, as many as passed seuentene yeare olde, they were sent bounde to druggerye in Aegypt, many were sent into the prouinces, that be∣ing layde on theatres, subiect to the sworde, and crueltye of beastes, so they might perishe▪ suche as were vnder seuentene yeare olde, were brought vnto captiuitie, and soulde, the num∣ber of these he reporteth to haue mounted to nyne Myriades, or millions. these thinges hap∣pened* 1.22 after this manner, in the seconde yeare of the raygne of Vespasian, * 1.23 truly, according vnto the foreshewed prophecye of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ, which by his diuine power, as if they had bene then present, he foresawe: and with the shedding of teares, as the holy E∣uangelistes testifie, he be wayled: whiche alleadge these his wordes then vttered to Ierusalem. If thou hadest knovvne (sayth he) these thinges vvhiche belong vnto thy peace, euen at this daye, thou vvouldest take hede. But novve are they hidde from thine eyes, for the dayes shall come vpon thee, that thine enemyes also, shall cast a banke about thee, and compasse thee rounde, and keepe thee in vvith vexation on euery side, and make thee euen vvith the grounde, and thy children also. Then sayth he of the people: there shall be greate trouble in the lande, and vvrath ouer all this people, and they shall fall through the edge of the svvorde, and shall be ledde avvay captiue vnto all nations, and Ierusalem shall be troden dovvne of the Gentyles, vntill the tyme of the Gentyles be fulfilled. If any will conferre the wordes of Christe with the rest of those thinges that the Historiographer hath written concerninge the whole warres: how can he but fall into an admiration, and confesse, that the prophecy, and pre∣science of our Sauiour was wonderfull, and passing naturall reason: of those thinges which (after the passion of our Sauiour, & there crying, when the whole multitude of the Ievves craued a thefe* 1.24 and a murtherer to be deliuered) happened vnto this whole nation, I thinke it not necessary to entreate. But this is needefull to be noted, which commendeth the goodnes of the prouidence of God, in deferring their destruction, for the space of forty yeares after their presumptuous rashe∣nes agaynst Christ, in the which yeares, many of the Apostles and Disciples, (Iames by name, their first Bishop, called the brother of the Lorde) as yet aliue, and abiding in the citye of Ierusa∣lem: haue endured and continewed as a most sure fortresse, for that place, God winking all that while, if peraduenture they woulde repent, to the ende they might be pardoned, and saued. And besides so notable a patience, how wonderfull signes from aboue were exhibited, to happen vp∣pon the impenitent, which of the aforesayde Historiographer are sett forth to perpetuall memo∣ry, and are now to be deliuered of vs, vnto the Readers handes. I will therefore propose what he hath published in his seuenth booke of historyes.

CAP. VIII.

Of the signes foreshewing the warres.

SEducers (sayth he) and authors of lyes agaynst God, deceaued at that tyme, that seely and* 1.25 vvretched people, so that they neither marked those euident ougly shapes, forshevving the desolation to come: nether gaue any credit therunto, but as astonied, both blinde & sense∣lesse, contemned the demonstrations of God, so that a starre stoode ouer the city, like vnto a* 1.26 svvorde, and a Commett enduring the space of a vvhole yeare. Agayne, before their rebellion, and vvarlike tumulte, vvhen the people frequented the feaste of svveete breade, the viij. day of the moneth Aprill, in the night, at nyne of the clocke: so greate a light ouerspred the altar, and* 1.27 the temple, that it seemed to be cleare daye, continevving the space of halfe an hovvre, vvhich sight vnto the vnlearned seemed good, but vvas numbred of suche as exercised them sel∣ues in the holy Scripture, among thinges vvhiche shortly shoulde happen. At the same feaste, a covve ledde by the high priest to sacrifice, calued a lambe, in the middest of the temple.* 1.28 Moreouer the East gate of the inner temple, though of brasse, and most stronge, so that in the euening, tvventy men coulde scarse shutt it, being boulted vvith iron barres, and strengthe∣ned vvith longe postes, and pillers: in the night tyme, about the sixt houre, vvas seene to haue opened voluntarily, of it selfe. A fevve dayes after the feaste, the xxj. daye of Maye, there* 1.29 vvas seene the figure, and shape of the deuill, almoste incredible. some vvoulde thinke that I vvent about to reporte, a monstrous lye, vnlesse it had bene reported by them, that savve it: and the afflictions vvhiche folovved, vvere correspondent vnto the signes. For before sunne sett, there vvere seene in the aëre, throughout the contrye, charettes, and armed souldiers,

marching in the cloudes, and compassing the citye. In the feaste of Pentecost, vvhen the priestes* 1.30 after their maner, vvent into the temple, in the night season to offer sacrifice, they reported to haue hearde a commotion, and a ratling sounde, vvith this voyce folovving: Let vs goe hence. And that vvhich vvas more terrible on Iesus, the sonne of Ananias, a rude, and a contrey fellovv, came vnto the feaste, in the vvhich the lavve geuen by God, vvas deliuered vnto all, as in the tyme of their tents, foure yeares before the vvarres, vvhen the citye vvas in peace, and prosperi∣tie, and so dainly about the temple cryed out, and sayd: A voyce from the East: a voyce from the VVest: a voyce from the foure vvindes: a voyce vpon Ierusalem, and the temple: a voyce vp∣pon the bridegrome, and nevve maried vvife: a voyce vpon all this people. this, day, and night, cryed he out, in the crosse vvayes of the streates, Many of the chiefe of the people, not pleased vvith this infortunate voyce, vvere throughly moued, so that they chastized, and scourged him, vvith many, and grieuous stripes: he of the contrary, saying not a vvorde for him selfe, ceased not to cry seuerally, vnto them that vvere present, the same songe. The magistrates supposing him to be possessed of a fanaticall spirite, as it vvas in deede, brought him vnto the Romayne president, vvhere he vvas scourged, from top to toe, so that the bare bones might be seene, yet neuer entreated he for him selfe, nor shedd a teare, but as much as in him laye, lifted his voyce vnto lamentation, sounding at euery stripe, vvoe, vvoe, vnto Ierusalem. An other thing yet more straunge, the same Historigrapher writeth, that a certayne oracle was found in the holy Scri∣ptures,* 1.31 contayning in it this sense: y^• there should one rise out of their owne region, which shoulde rule the worlde, which Iosephus vnderstandeth to haue bene ment by Ʋespasian. yet ruled he not the whole worlde, but the Romayne Empire. This oracle may better be referred vnto Christ, vnto whome it was sayd of the Father: Aske of me, and I vvill geue thee the Gentiles, for thyne inhe∣ritance,* 1.32 and the endes of the earth, for thy possession, the sound of vvhose Apostles, vvent at the* 1.33 very same tyme, throughout the earth, and their vvordes to the endes of the vvorlde.

The translator vnto the Reader, toutching the infinite number of Iewes, which perished in all the warres, betwene the Romaynes, and the Iewes, diligently gathered out of Iosephus.

I thinke it not amisse (gentle Reader) to note here vnto thee the infinite number of Iewes which peri∣shed, from the beginning of the warres, betwene the Romaynes, and the Iewes, that is from the 12. yere of Nero, and the 2. of the Lieuetenantship of Florus, Anno Christi 68. (out of Iosephus a Iewe, whiche was present in the warres) vnto the ouerthrowe of Ierusalem, and the burning of the temple by Titus, the which Eusebius, in these former chapiters, hath partly mentioned, and partly omitted to the ende we may beholde eyther the long suffring, and goodnes of God, for the amendement of our liues, by repen∣tance, which winked so long at the wickednesse of these Iewes, to prouoke vs: or els the ire, wrathe, and heauy hand of God, ouer impenitent persons, to terrifie vs to feare his name, and tremble at his plagues. The land of Sodome for their abominable sinne was ouerthrowne, with fire, and brimstone from heauen. The Lord him selfe sayd: (Genes. 18.) that their sinne vvas exceeding grieuous. Abraham pleading with the Angell of God (which came to destroy them) for pardon, could not finde tenne iust persons, no not* 1.34 in fiue cities. if they could haue bene founde, all the rest had bene pardoned for their sakes. Iosephus wri∣teth of Sodome thus: (bell. Iud. lib. 5. cap. 5.) Terra Sodomitica olim tam fructibus, quàm substantia ciuitatum fortunata, nunc autem omnis exusta, atque habitatorum impie∣tate, fulminibus conflagrasse memoratur. denique adhuc in ea Diuini reliquias ignis, & oppidorum quinque videre licet imagines, & renascentes in fructibus cineres, qui colore quidem sunt edulibus similes, carpentium vero manibus in fumum dissoluun∣tur, & cinerem. The land of Sodome is knovven of olde to haue bene fortunate, both for frute and vvelth of cities, but novv to lye all parched, and to haue bene burnt vvith lightnings, for the sinne of the inhabitants▪ to be short, as yet a man may there see reliques of the fire, vvhich God sent, and tokens of the fiue cities, and ashes to spring agayne, and grovve in the frute, vvhich in color are like vnto the eateable frute, but being plucked dovvne in the hande of the gatherer, they are dissolued into smoke, and ashes. The tenne plagues of Aegypt were very grieuous, yet was the hart of Pharao, and of the Aegyptians, so hardened, that they could not repent. so that in steede of

the salt teares of repentance, which should haue trickled downe their cheekes, to the washing away of their sinnes: the redd sea was fayne to open, & to wipe away such monsters, from of the face of the earth. God ouerthrewe infinite nations, before the face of his owne people (I meane the Iewes) to make away, for them into the land of promise. Yet forgat they all his goodnes, and benefites bestowed vpon them. how shamefull a thing is it for the sonne to disobey his father, for the seruant to dishonour his Lorde and may∣ster, for the pacient to cast of the phisicion, for the chosen people to forsake their proper, and peculiar God? this haue the Iewes done, wherefore beholde what happened vnto them. Iosephus writeth (bell. Iud. lib. 2. cap. 13.) that in the 12. yeare of the raygne of Nero, the 17. yeare of the raygne of King Agrippa, in the moneth of May, and the 2. yeare of the Lieuetenantship of Florus, the Iewes beganne to rebell, and to take armour agaynst the Romaynes, reiecting the solemnitie done in the temple, to the honour of Cae∣sar. The chiefe cause that moued them thereunto, was the cruelty of Florus. VVherefore this Florus, to geue the Iewes a taste of his authority, for displeasure conceaued agaynst some which reuiled him, cau∣sed such a slaughter at Ierusalem, that the number of the slayne, mounted to six hundred and thirty persons. Iosephus bello Iudaico, lib. 2. cap. 14. Agayne through wiles, and deceate, this Florus raysed a great commotion at Ierusalem, to the slaughter of many. cap. 14. The inhabitors of Caesarea, slewe in one day all the Iewes which dwelled there, aboue tvventy thousande in number, all that fled, Florus tooke, and imprisoned. the Iewes seeing this, thought to reuenge them selues, vpon the Syrians, in which skirmishe there were slayne thirtene thousand Ievves, & all their substance taken for spoyle. bell. Iud. li. 2. cap. 19. Other contreyes in like sorte, set vpon the Iewes: the Ascalonites slewe tvvo thousande▪ the inhabitants also of Ptolemais destroyed tvvo thousande. The Tyrians imprisoned a great many, & slewe very many. The Hippinaei and Gadarits set packing the stoutest of them, and watched the rest very na∣rowely. Varus the procurator of King Agrippa, slewe seuenty of the noblelest, and sagest Iewes, being sent as Legates vnto him. lib. 2. cap. 20. The people of Alexandria, slewe fifty thousande Ieeves, cap. 21. Cestius gathered an hoast, went into Iudaea, he burned Zabulon, he tooke Ioppe, he destroyed eyght thousand, and forty persons. cap. 22. Caesennius Gallus, ouerrunneth Galilee, he destroyed in Asamon, tvvo thovvsande. cap. 23. The inhabitantes of Damascus, destroyed tenn thovvsande Ievves, which dwelt among them. lib. 2. cap. 25. The Romayne souldiers vnder Antonius their captayne, tooke Asca∣lon, and destroyed tenn thovvsande Ievves, immediatly at an other skirmishe, in the same place aboue eyght thousande. bell. Iud. lib. 3. cap. 1. Vespasian is sent from Nero into Iudaea, he inuadeth Galilee, he taketh Gadara, he burneth the citye, and the villages rounde about. lib. 3. cap. 5. 6. The city Aphaca was taken by Titus, the 25. day of Iune, there were slayne fiftene thousande Ievves, and tvvo thousand, a hundred, and thirty persones taken captiues. lib. 3. cap. 11. Ʋespasian tooke Samaria, the 27. daye of Iune, and slewe eleuen thousande, and six hundred. lib. 3. cap, 12. Ʋespasian tooke Iotapata, sett all the castels afire, the 13. yeare of Nero, the first of the Calendes of Iuly, he slewe forty thousande, he tooke a thousand, and tvvo hundred captiue. lib. 3. cap. 13. Ʋespasian tooke Ioppe, the second time, the Iewes seeing no way but one, slewe them selues, and fell hedlong into the sea, so that the sea was imbrued with blood, the number of dead bodyes which the sea threwe vp, was foure thousande and tvvo hun∣dred. the rest otherwise slayne, there remayned not one to bring tydinges thereof into Ierusalem. lib. 3. cap. 15. Vespasian besieged the Taricheans, he slewe in their citie six thousande, and fiue hundred, he tooke many aliue, whereof he commaunded a thousande, and tvvo hundred of the noblelest, and elder sorte of them to be slayne, he sent six thousande of the lustier to Nero, vnto Istmon. he solde thirty thou∣sande and foure hundred persons, besides those which he gaue to King Agrippa, this was done, the sixt of the Ides of September. Iosep. bell. Iud. lib. 3. cap. 19. The citie of Gamala, beganne to rebel, the 21. of September, the citie was taken, the 23. of October, there were slayne therein, foure thousande, be∣sides these, there were founde other fiue thousande, which had cast them selues headlonge, and broke their neckes, not one of the whole city left aliue, but only 2. women. lib. 4. cap. 3. Titus tooke the city Ga∣scala, the inhabitantes fledd to Ierusalem, they were ouertaken, tvvo thousande slayne, and three thousande taken captiue. and thus was all Galilee ouerrunne, and now to Iudea. lib. 4. cap. 4. In Ierusa∣lem there was such a sedition, and conspiracy among themselues, which opened a gappe for the enemy to come vpon them, that euen in the first bickering. there were founde dead eyght thousande, & fiue hun∣dred Ievves. lib. 4. cap. 7. againe the seditions persons among them, called Zelotae, by the helpe of the Idu∣maeans, sl••we tvvelue thousande of the chiefe of the Iewes. lib. 5. cap. 1. Vespasian tooke Gadara, and slew thirty thousande, besides these, the number was infinite that drowned them selues, the number of the captiues came to tvvo thousand, and tvvo hundred. lib. 5. cap. 3. Vespasian tooke Gerasion, & slewe a thousande yong men, which had not fledd. lib. 5. cap. 6. Vespasian now at length, after the death of Ne∣ro,

Galba, Otho, and Vitellius the Emperours: is chosen Emperour, and goeth to Rome, he committeth the warres in Iudaea to his sonne Titus. li. 5. cap. vlt. The misery of the Iewes in Ierusalem waxed so great, that the sedition afore tyme but one, was now become three folde, euery one hauing their captayne. Titus layeth siege to the city. Iosep. bell. Iud. lib. 6. cap. 1. 2. Their estate was miserable, the famyne lamentable, the slaughter out of all measure, such as came out of the city, were hanged on gibbetts: such as fledde a∣way, were taken: of the fugitiues tvvo thousand had their bowels ript, to see whether they had swalow∣ed vp any golde. lib. 6. cap. 15. report came vnto Titus, that from the 14. of Aprill, vntill the 14. of Iune, there were brought out at one gate of the city, fiftene thousande, one hundred and foure score Ie∣vves, which dyed of famine. bell. Iud. lib. 6. cap. vlt. The temple is sett on fire, the priestes, the women, and children, with other people which hid them selues in vautts, in walls, and in corners of the temple, which also were burnt to ashes: came to six thousande. lib, 7. cap. 11. Titus tooke the citye, the souldiours killed, vntill they were weary. Titus commaunded all that wore armour to be slayne: such as were olde, weake, and feeeble, the souldiours dispatched. the yong, the lusty, and profitable, they shutt vp in a certayne place of the temple, for further consideration. Many were solde for a smale price, there were many to be solde, but few to bye. all the theeues, robbers, and seditious persons within the city, he commaunded forth with to be dispatched. the chosen yong men of goodly bodyes, and tall stature, he reserued for triumphe: seuen∣tene thousand of elderly yeares, he sent bound to Aegypt, for slauery, & druggery▪ many others through out the prouinces, he allotted for spectacles, and teeth of wild beastes▪ as many as were vnder sixtene yeres▪ of age, were solde▪ of such as were shutt vp in the temple, for further consideration, during the time of this deliberation, and disposed order: there dyed tvvelue thousande of famine. Iosep. bell. Iud. lib. 7. cap. 15. 16. The number of the captiues, during the tyme of the warres, mounted to foure score and seuentene thousande. The number of all that dyed, during the siedge within Ierusalem, came to tenne hundred thousande. no maruell at all, that the city could comprise so many. for at the feast of the Passeouer, Ce∣stius being Lieuetenant of Iudaea, sent Neroworde, that the high priestes had numbred, at his request, all that came to offer, which came to seuen and tvventy hundred thousande. lib. 7. cap. 17. and suche was the wofull, and miserable ende of the Iewes. Iosephus moreouer (lib. 7. bell. Iud. cap. 18.) writeth of Ierusalem, that it was taken at sondry tymes before, his wordes be these: Ierusalem vvas taken the 2.* 1.35 yeare of the raigne of Vespasian, the 8. day of September, it vvas taken fiue tymes before, & then agayne destroyed. Asochaeus King of the Aegyptians: after him Antiochus: then Pompeius: & after these, Herode and Sosius tooke the city, and kept it▪ and before that tyme the King of Babylon, by conquest destroyed it, a thousande three hundred three score yeares, eyght moneths, and six dayes after the building thereof. The first founder of this city, vvas the most potent Prince of the Chananits, called after his contrey language The iust king▪ for such a one he vvas in deede▪ ther∣fore he first ordayned a priesthood vnto God, and hauing first buylded the temple: he termed the city Ierusalem, vvhich afore vvas called Solyma, Leobius King of the Ievves, hauing vanqui∣shed the Chananits, deliuered the city to be inhabited of his ovvne people, the vvhich vvas o∣uerthrovvne by the Babylonians, foure hundred, three score, foure yeares, and three monethes after. From Leobius the King, vvhich vvas the first Ievve that raygned in it, vnto the ouerthrovv vnder Titus, there vvere one thousande, one hundred, seuenty, and seuen yeares. Yet for all that, neyther did antiquity preuayle, neyther great riches profit, neyther the fame dispersed throughout the whole worlde, fauour them, neyther the great glory they put in their religion, helpe them at all, that the city shoulde not perishe.

Discite iustitiam moniti non temnere Christum.

CAP. IX.

Of Iosephus, and his commentaries, in the ninth and tenth chapiters folowing.

BEsides all this, I thinke it good, not to be ignorant of Iosephus him selfe, that hath stoode vs in so great steade, for the furnishing of this our present historye, whence, and of what kin∣dred he came, which circumstance he him selfe sheweth, saying thus: Iosephus the sonne of* 1.36 Mattathias, a priest, of Ierusalem, vvhich him selfe also at the first impugned the Romaynes, and vvas necessarily present, at the finall ende of their vvofull miseryes, because of the Ievves of that tyme. This man was famous, not onely among his owne nation, but also among the Romaynes, so that at Rome, he was thought worthy the honor of a grauen picture, and the bookes which di∣ligently he wrote, were thought worthy of the publike librarye. He wrote tvventy bookes of Iu∣daicall

Antiquities. he testifieth him selfe, therefore worthy of creditt, that he gathered in seuen bookes the Romayne vvarres of his tyme, and published it both in the Greeke, and Hebrewe ton∣gues. Certayne others worthy the reading, passe vnder his name, for example: Tvvo volumes of the Antiquitie of the Ievvish nation, where he aunswereth Apion Grammaticus, and certayne o∣thers: which at that tyme impugned the Ievves, and endeuored to disgrace the natiue lawe, of the Iewishe nation. In the first he layeth downe the number of the bookes of the olde testament, deli∣uered by tradition, and receaued without gainfaying, of the Ievves, saying as foloweth:

CAP. X.

How Iosephus mentioned the bookes of the old testament, and diuers of his owne.

THe bookes of the holy Scripture (sayth he) are not innumerable amongst vs, disagreeing,* 1.37 & dissenting one from an other, but only xxij. contayning the circumstances of all times, and vvorthy of creditt. fiue of these are Moses vvorkes, contayning the lavves, & the state of man, continevved vnto his death. the tyme of them contayneth litle lesse, then three thousand yeares. The Prophetes vvhich liued after Moses, comprised in thirtene bookes, the famous actes of their tymes, from the death of Moses, to Artaxerxes, vvho after the death of Xerxes, vvas king of Persia. The other foure, containe Hymnes vnto God, and admonitions for the amendment of mans life. From Artaxerxes vnto our tymes, there are continuall bookes, yet not of such creditt as the former, in so much there is not diligently layd dovvne a continuall succession of the Pro∣phets. It is very apparent, vvhat affection vve beare vnto our Scriptures, because there is novv so much time past, and yet none of vs dare presume, either to adde any thinge thereto: or to dimi∣nish anything therefro: or to alter any thinge thereof. this is engrassed in the sevves, from their youth vp, that they persvvade them selues, this doctrine to be the vvritinges of God, and to per∣seuere in the same, and vvillingly, if necessity so constrayne, to dye in the quarrell. these wordes I haue thought commodiously to haue bene by vs alleadged out of his commentaryes. this writer hath published one other, and no simple volume of the rule of reason, whiche some haue fathered vppon the Machabees, because it contayneth the combats of the Hebrues, so termed in the bookes of the Machabees, manfully fighting in the defence of their pietye towardes God. And about the ende of the twentieth booke of Iudaicall Antiquities, Iosephus him selfe signifieth, that he wrote foure bookes, of the proper opinions of the Ievves. of God. of his essence. of the lavves. and vvhy according vnto them, certayne thinges are lavvfull, and certayne forbidden. He mentioneth in his workes other treatyes of his. it shall seeme agreable with order, if we recite those thinges, which he wrote about the ende of his Iudaicall Antiquities: that our allegations may the better be confirmed, for he endeuoring to confute Iustus Tyberianus, (who writinge the historye of that* 1.38 tyme, reported many vntruthes,) among others, of his confutations, thus he sayth: I feared not thy censure so much of my vvritings, but that I exhibited my bookes vnto the Emperours them∣selues, vvhen the dedes done, vvere novv fresh in memory, my conscience bare me vvitnes, that Ierred not, but deliuered the trueth, hauing obtayned their testimonies vvhich I hoped for. And to diuers others, I offred my historye, vvhere of some vvere encombred vvith the vvartes, as king Agrippa, and diuers of his kinsfolkes. And the Emperour Tytus him selfe vvoulde haue the cer∣tayne knovvledge of these vvarres, deliuered vnto the vvorlde, by my bookes onely, commaun∣ding them to be published, vvith the priuiledge of his ovvne hande. King Agrippa vvrote three∣score, & tvvo epistles, vvherin he testifieth of the true history deliuered by me. Two of these epi∣stles he alleadgeth. but so farre concerning Iosephus, now we wil proceede to that which foloweth.

CAP. XI.

How after Iames the Iust, Simeon was Bishop of Ierusalom.

AFter the martyrdome of Iames, and the captiuity of Ierusalem now ended, the reporte ••••••∣eth, that the Apostles and Disciples of our Lorde, which then were aliue (whereof many yet remayned) gathered them selues from euery where, vnto one place, together with the kinsmen of the Lorde, according to the fleshe, there to haue consulted, who was thought best wor∣thy to succeede Iames: so that all, with one voyce, iudged worthy of the seae of Ierusalem, Simeon the sonne of Cleopas, mentioned in the Gospell, and called the cosin of Christ, for Aegesippi•••• wri∣teth that Cleopas was the brother of Ioseph.

CAP. XII.

How Vespasian commaunded the posteritie of Dauid diligently to be sought out, in the Churche of Ierusalem.

MOreouer, he declareth that Ʋespasian after the siege of Ierusalem, caused enquirie to be made, of such as were of the lyne of Dauid: lest that any remayned yet among the Ievves, of the royall bloude, so that thereby agayne, there was raysed a great persecution among the Ievves.

CAP. XIII.

After Vespasian, and Titus: Domitian raigned. vnder Titus: Linus, and Anacletus were Bishops of Rome. vnder Domitianus: Anianus, and Abilius, were Bishops of Alexandria.

WHen Vespasian had raigned tenne yeares, Titus his sonne, succeeded him in the empire,* 1.39 in the seconde yeare of whose raygne, Linus after he had bene Byshop of Rome, the space of xii. yeares, deseased, and him succeeded Anacletus. When Titus had raygned two yeares and two monethes, his brother Domitian tooke the imperiall crowne. In the fourth yeare of the raigne of Domitian: Anianus the first Bishop of Alexandria, (hauing continued there xxii. yeares) dyed. the seconde after him that succeeded, was Abilius.

CAP. XIIII.

Of Clemens, his Bishoprike, his testimony, his epistle.

IN the twelfe yeare of the raygne of Domitian, when as Anacletus had bene Bishop of Rome twelue yeares: Clemens succeeded, whome S. Paul writing to the Philippians, calleth his fe∣lovv laboter, when he sayth: * 1.40 vvith Glemens, and the rest of my felovv laborers, vvhose names are vvritten in the booke of life. * 1.41 one vndoubted epistle there is of his, extant, both worthy & no∣table, y^• which he wrote from Rome, vnto Corinthe, when sedition was raysed among the Corin∣thians: the same Epistle we haue knowne to haue bene reade openly, & publikely, in many chur∣ches, both of olde, and amongest vs also▪ that at that tyme there was raysed a sedition amongest the Corinthians, Aegesippus is a witnes of creditt.

CAP. XV.

Of the persecution, and ende of Domitian, warring agaynst God.

DOmitian, when he had executed much cruelty agaynst many, and put to death no smal mul∣titude of the Nobles of Rome, and notable men, beyond all rightfull iudgement: and pu∣nished an infinite company of famous men, with the hurtful exile & losse of their substance, dyeth: and appoynteth him selfe successor of the hatred owed to Nero, & of the warre against God. this man secondarily raysed persecution agaynst vs, although his father Vespasian practysed no presumptuous Lordlynes towards vs.

CAP. XVI.

VVhen Iohn the Euangelist was banished into Patmos.

ABout this time, Iohn y^• Apostle, & Euangelist, is sayd to haue bene banished into y^• Ile Pat∣mos,* 1.42 for the testimony of the worde of God. Irenaeus in his fift booke agaynst the heresies, writing of the epitheton of Antichrist, layde downe in the reuelation of S. Iohn, sayth thus, word by word of Iohn: If his name ought publikely to haue bene preached, at that present tyme: by him veryly it vvas preached vvhich vvrote the reuelation. for it vvas not seene a long time af∣ter, but vvelnigh in this our age, about the ende of the raygne of Domitian. Our religion so flo∣rished in the forsayd times, that the heathen writers, noting exactly the tymes: voutchsafed to pu∣blish in their historyes, this persecution, and the martyrdomes suffred in the same.

CAP. XVII.

Of Flania Domicilla, a noble gentlewoman, banished into the Ile Pontia: and the e∣dict* 1.43 of Domitian, for the destroying of the posteritie of Dauid.

THey haue written that in the fiftenth yeare of Domitian, one Flauia, descending of the sister of Flauius Clemens, which then was of the Romayne Consuls, was exiled with many others vnto the Ile Pontia, for the testimony of Christ. When Domitian commaunded such as ly∣nealy descended out of Dauid to be slayne, the old report goeth, that certayne of this opinion, were accused to haue come out of the auncetors of Iudas, who was the brother of Christ, according vn∣to the fleshe, as if by this meanes they were of the stocke of Dauid, and the kinsmen of Christ. this Aegesippus declareth, saying: * 1.44 there suruiued as yet certayne of the kindred of the Lorde, ne∣phevves of Iudas, called his brother, according vnto the flesh, vvhom they brought forth, as be∣ing of the line of Dauid. these Iocatus doth bring before the Emperour Domitian, for he feared the comming of Christ, euen as Herode did, and demaunded of them, vvhether they vvere of the stocke of Dauid. vvhich vvhen they had acknovvledged, he demaunded againe, vvhat possessi∣ons they enioyed, and vvhat money they had. They aunsvvered: both vve haue onely ix. thou∣sande pence, so that halfe that summe sufficeth either of vs, yet this summe haue vve not in mo∣ney, but in vallovved land, contayning not aboue xxxix. acres, out of the vvhich vve pay tribute, and relieue our selues through our labour, and industry. Then shevved they him their hands, for testimony that they labored them selues, and the hardnes of their bodies, and the hard bravvne of their handes grovven by continuall labour. and vvhen as they vvere asked of Christ, and his* 1.45 kingdome, vvhat maner, vvhen, and vvhere, it should appeare, they aunsvvered: that his kinge∣dome, vvas neither vvorldly, nor earthly, but caelestiall and Angelicall, and that it shoulde be at the consummation of the vvorlde, vvhen that he comming in glory, shall iudge the quicke and the dead, and revvarde euery man according vnto his vvorkes. After they had thus aunsvvered, the report goeth, that Domitian condemned them not, but despised them, as vile, and base crea∣tures, & let them goe free, & stayed by his edict, the persecution then raysed against the church. VVhen they vvere gone, it is sayde, that they vvere rulers ouer Churches, in so much that in the ende they vvere martyres, and of the line of our Lorde, and aftervvardes peace ensuing, the re∣port goeth, that they liued vntill the raigne of Traian. So farre Aegesippus. Tertullian also repor∣teth* 1.46 the like of Domitian. Domitian (sayth he) some time assayed the like practise, being a porti∣on of Neroes cruelty. but he hauing some humane sense, (as I suppose) forthvvith relented, cal∣ling home agayne such as he had exiled.

CAP. XVIII.* 1.47

Nerua succeedeth Domitian, and Traian succeedeth Nerua in the empire. Cerdo succeedeth Abilius, in the Churche of Alexandria.

AFter that Domitianus had raygned fiftene yeares, and Nerua had succeeded him: the Hi∣storiographers* 1.48 of that tyme do write, that the Romayne Senate decreed, that the honors exhibited vnto Domitian shoulde cease, and such as were iniuriously exiled, shoulde returne vnto their natiue soyle, and receaue their substance agayne. it is also amonge the auncient traditi∣ons, that then Iohn the Apostle returned from banishment, and dwelt agayne at Ephesus. When Nerua had raigned a litle aboue a yeare: Traian succeeded him. In the first yeare of whose raigne, Cerdo succeeded Abilius, which was Bishop of Alexandria, the space of thirtene yeares. This is the thirde after Anianus of that Churche.

CAP. XIX.

The succession of the first Bishops in three Churches, Rome, Antioch, Alexandria.

AT that tyme Clemens ruled the Churche of Rome, beinge the thirde Bishop after Paul, & Peter. the first was Linus. the seconde Anacletus. And of them which gouerned the church of Antioche, the first was knowne to be Euodius. the second Ignatius. likewise Simeon at the same tyme, the seconde after the brother of our Sauiour, gouerned the churche of Ierusalem.

CAP. XX.

An history of Iohn the Apostle, and a yong theefe conuerted by him.

AS yet the Apostle and Euangelist, whome the Lorde loued, remayned aliue in Asia, who after the death of Domitian, being returned from the Ile Patmos, gouerned the Churches there in Asia. And that he liued at that time, the confirmation of two witnesses shall suffice.

They are worthy of creditt, such as haue gouerned the Churche with sounde doctrine. These are Irenaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus. the former in his seconde booke agaynst the heresies, writeth thus: All the Elders beare vvitnes, vvhich liued together vvith Iohn, the Disciple of our Sauiour* 1.49 in Asia: that he deliuered these thinges. he endured vvith them vnto the tyme of Traian▪ also in the thirde of his sayde argument, he declareth the same in these wordes: The churche of the E∣phesians planted by Paul, confirmed by Iohn, vvhich remayned there vntill the tyme of Traian, is a true testimony of this Apostolicke tradition. Clemens with all, signifieth the tyme, and also a very necessary historye is by him adioyned, for suche as are recreated with honest and profitable* 1.50 thinges, whereof also one Sozomenus in his history hath made mention, at large in his commen∣taryes, if thou reade it, thou shalt finde thus written. Heare a fable, and yet no fable, but a true tale reported of Iohn the Apostle: deliuered vnto vs and committed to memory after the desease of the tyrant. VVhen he had returned to Ephesus, out of the Ile Patmos, being requested, vvent vnto the contreyes adioyning, partly to consecrate Bishops, partly to set in order vvhole Chur∣ches, and partly to chuse by lott, vnto the Ecclesiasticall function, of them vvhome the holy Ghost had assigned. VVhen he vvas come vnto a certayn city not farre distant (the name vvher¦of diuers doe expresse) and among other thinges had recreated the brethren: beholding a yong man of a goodly bodye, a gracious face, and seruente minde, he turned his face vnto him, that vvas appointed chiefe ouer all the Bishops, and sayd: I commend this yonge man vnto thy custody, vvith an earnest desire, as Christ, and the Churche, beare me vvitnes. VVhen he had re∣ceaued his charge, and promised diligence therein: he spake and protested vnto him, the selfe same, the second time. Aftervvardes he returned to Ephesus. but the elder taking the yong man, that vvas deliuered vnto him, brought him vp at home, ceased not, cherished him still, and in processe of time baptized him. he came at length to be so diligent & seruiceable, that he made him a liuery garment or scrole, signed vvith his masters seale of Armes. but this yonge man be∣came dissolute out of season, perniciously accompanyed him selfe vvith them, of his ovvne yea∣res, idle, dissolute, and acquainted vvith ill behauiour. first they bringe him to sumptuous ban∣quetts: next they guyde him in the night to steale, and to robbe: after this they require that he consent vnto the committing of a greater offence. but he acquainting him selfe by a litle, and a litle, through the greatnes of his capacitye, much like a horse of a hardned mouth, fierce, strong, and hardy, forsaking the right vvay, vvith the biting of the bridle, bringeth him selfe vnto a bot∣tomlesse pitt, of all misorder and outrage. At length despayring of the saluation that commeth of God, being past all hope of grace▪ he practised no toye nor trifle, once being ouer the shoes, he proceeded forvvardes, and tooke the like lott vvith the reste of his companions. takinge vnto him companions, and a rout of theues being gathered together, he became a most violent cap∣tayne of theeues, vvholy bent to slaughter, & murther, & extreame cruelty. In the meane vvhile, necessitye so constrayning, the Bishops sent for Iohn: he vvhen he had ended, and finished the cause of his comming, goe to (sayth he) O Byshop: restore vnto vs thy charge, vvhiche I, and Christ haue committed vnto thy custody, the churche vvhereof thou art heade, bearing vvitnes. the Byshop at the first vvas amazed, supposing some deceite to be vvrought toutching money, vvhich he had not receaued, yet vvas he not able to aunsvvere them, for that he had it not, ney∣ther to mistrust Iohn. but vvhen Iohn had sayd: I require the yong man, and the soule of our bro∣ther, then the elder looking dovvne, vvith a heauy countenance, sobbing and sighing, sayde: he is deade: to vvhome Iohn spake, hovve? and vvhat kinde of death? vvhich aunsvvered: he is dead to God. for he is become vvicked, and pernicious, and to be short, a theefe. for he keepeth this mountayne ouer against the church, together vvith his associates. the Apostle then renting his garment, and beating his heade vvith greate sorrovv, sayde: I haue left a vvise keeper of our brothers soule: prepare me a horse, and let me haue a guyde. he hastened out of the churche, & rode in post, being come vnto the place appoynted, he is straight vvayes taken of the theeuishe vvatch, he neither flyeth, neither resisteth, but exclam••th: for this purpose came I hither, bringe me vnto your captaine, vvho in the meane space as he vvas armed, behelde him comminge. but eftsones vvhen he savve his pace, and knevve that it vvas Iohn, he vvas stroken vvith shame, and fledd avvay. the olde man forgetfull of his yeares, vvith might pursueth him flying, and cryeth: My sonne, vvhy flyest thou from me thy father, vnarmed and olde? O sonne tender my case, be* 1.51 not afrayde, as yet there remayneth hope of saluation, I vvill vndertake for thee vvith Christe. I vvill dye for thee, if neede be, as Christ did for vs. I vvill hazard my soule for thine, trust to me,

Christ sent me▪ but he hearing this, first stoode still, turning his countenance to the ground, next* 1.52 shoke of his armour, anone trembled for feare, and vvept bitterly. He embraced the olde man, comming vnto him, aunsvvering as vvell as he coulde for vveeping, so that agayne he seemed to be baptized vvith teares, the shaking of the hande onely omitted. The Apostle vvhen he had promised and protested to procure for him pardon of our Sauiour, and prayed, and fallen vpon his knees, and also kissed his right hande, novve clensed through repentance, brought him vn∣to the Churche agayne. VVhen that also he had povvred forth often tymes prayers for him, and stro••gled vvith him in continuall fastinges, and mollified his minde vvith diuers and sun∣dry sermons, and confirmed him: departed not (as the reporte goeth) before he had fully resto∣red him vnto the Churche▪ and exhibited a greate example of true repentance a greate tryall of nevve birth, and a singular token of the visible resurrection. this haue I taken out of Clemens, partly for the history, and partly also for the profit•• of the Reader.

CAP. XXI.* 1.53

Of the order of the Gospells.

NOw we will forwardes, and entreate of the vndoubted wrytinges of this Apostle. And* 1.54 firste let there be no staggering at his Gospell, which is well knowne of all the Chur∣ches vnder heauen. Why it was of olde placed the fourthe, after the other three, it shall thus appeare. The diuine & holy men, namely the Apostles of Christ, leading a passing pure life, hauing their mindes be decked with euery kinde of vertue, vsed, rude and simple speache, yet of a diuine and forcible power, which they had receaued of Christ, neither knewe they, nether en∣deuored they to publish the doctrine of their ••••ister, with curious paynting of wordes: but vsing* 1.55 the demonstration of the holy spirite which wrought with them, and the onely power of Christ, which brought miracles to perfection, they shewed the knowledge of the kingdome of heauen to the whole worlde, being nothing carefull at all for the writinge of bookes. And this they brought to passe being occupied with a greater worke, and in maner exceeding the strength of man. Paul the mightiest of all the rest, in the setling of wordes, and best armed with the power of perfect sen∣ses, wrote but very short epistles, whereas he might haue layd downe infinite thinges, yea and se∣cretes,* 1.56 being rapt vnto the thirde heauen, and behoulding celestiall things, yea brought into pa∣radyse it selfe, and there thought worthy to heare secrete mysteries. neyther were the rest of the Disciples of our Sauiour, namely the tvvelue Apostles, and the seuenty, with other innumerable, ignorant and vnskilful herein. And yet of al these the Disciples of our Sauiour, Matthew, & Iohn, wrote gospels. Who (as report goeth) were constrained therunto. for Matthew, when he had first* 1.57 preached vnto the Hebrevves, & now passing vnto other people, wrote his Gospell in his contrey language, supplying by writing in his absence, y^• which was desired in his presence. When Mark and Luke had published their gospels▪ Iohn (say they) in all y^• space preached without writing, but at length was moued to write for this cause. It is reported that when the bookes of the three E∣uangelistes were through out the worlde, and come into his handes, he allowed them, and yelded of them a true testimonye, wishing that the declaration of such thinges had bene printed in their bookes, which were done at the first preaching of Christ. the Reader may perceaue these three Euangelistes to haue onely sett forth the doinges of our Sauiour, one yeare, after the impryson∣ment, and captiuitye of Iohn the Baptist, which may be gathered by the beginning of their histo∣ries. for after the xl. dayes fasting, and the annexed temptation, Matthewe sheweth the time of* 1.58 the beginning of his historye, saying: VVhen he had hearde that Iohn vvas taken, he returned from Iudaea into Galilee And Marke likewise: after that (sayth ••e) Iohn vvas taken, Iesus came* 1.59 into Galilee. And Luke also before he had mentioned the doings of Iesu, obseruing the same man∣ner:* 1.60 Herode (saythe he) proceeding in his haynous offences, shutt vp Iohn in prison. Iohn the Apostle beinge for these causes entreated, wrote the tyme passed ouer of the former Euange∣listes with sylence, and therein the Actes of our Sauiour, namely which went before the impri∣sonment of Iohn, which he partly signified, writing thus: this vvas the first of the miracles vvhich* 1.61 Iesus did: partly with all mentioning the doinges of Iohn the Baptist, who as then baptized in ••∣non, by Salem. which is euident, when he sayth: for as yet Iohn vvas not cast into prison. Iohn* 1.62 then in his Gospell, deliuereth such thinges as were done of Christ, before the co••••i••••ing of Iohn. the other three, beginne with the mention of Iohns imprysonment, vnto him that reco••••yleth

the Euangelistes thus they shall not seeme discrepant, in so much that the Gospell of Iohn con∣tayneth the former doinges of Christe, the other, the latter, lastinge vnto the ende. therefore not without cause Iohn passeth ouer with silence, the genealogye of our Sauiour accordinge vnto the fleshe, being afore amply layde downe by Matthewe, and Luke, and beginneth with his diuinitie, reserued of the holy Ghost for him, as the mightier, thus much shall suffice con∣cerning the Gospell written by Sainct Iohn. The cause why Marke wrote his Gospell we haue* 1.63 declared before. Luke in the beginninge of his historye, sheweth the occasion of his writing, si∣gnifying that diuers nowe already had imployed their diligent care, to the setting forthe of such thinges, as he was fully perswaded of, deliuering vs very necessarily from their doubtful opini∣on, why left that he by his Gospell, declareth vnto vs the sure, and certaine narration, of such thinges whereof he had receaued the truthe sufficiently, partely by the company, and conuer∣sation of Paul, partely also throughe the familiaritie had with the rest of the Apostles. but of these thinges thus farre. for hereafter more properly in place conuenient, we will mention what the fathers of olde hereof haue written. Among the rest of Iohns writinges, his first epistle hath bene generally of olde, and late wryters receaued, without any staggering. the two latter, haue bene gainesayed. toutching his Reuelation as yet among many, there is a variable opinion, some allowing, and some disalowing of it. likewise of this hereafter, what the Elders haue thought shalbe entreated.

CAP. XXII.* 1.64

The bookes of the newe Testament, canonicall, and Apocrypha.

IT shall seeme conuenient if in this place we collect briefely, the bookes of the newe Testa∣ment.* 1.65 In the first place we must sett the fourefolde vvritinges of the Euangelistes: next the Actes of the Apostles: then the Epistles of Paul are to be added: after these the first of Iohn: and that of Peter which is autenticke: lastly, if ye please the Reuelation of Iohn. of the which what is to be thought shall followe hereafter, all these are receaued for vndoubted. the bookes which are gaynesayde, thoughe well knowne vnto many, are these: the Epistle of Iames: the Epistle of Iude: the latter of Peter: the seconde and thirde of Iohn, whether they were Iohn the Euangelistes, or some others of the same name. take these which followe for forged workes: the Actes of Paul. the booke called Pastor. the Reuelation of Peter. moreouer the Epistle fathered vppon Barnabas, and the Doctrine called the Apostles, and the Reuelation of Iohn (if it so please you) which (as I haue sayde before) some disalowe, some other receaue as an vndoubted true doctrine. diuers doe number amonge these the Gospell vnto the Hebrevves, vsed specially of them, which receaued Christ of the Hebrevves. these writinges are they which commonly of all others are impugned. I suppose that necessaryly we made rehearsall hereof, to the ende we may discerne and seuer the vnfayned, the vndoubted, the true writinges, accor∣ding vnto the Ecclesiasticall tradition: from the vnlawfull wrytinges of the newe Testament, from such as are impugned, and yet dayly read of diuers Ecclesiasticall persones, that we may knowe them and such as vnder the name of the Apostles, as of Peter, of Thomas, or Matthias, & besides, the Gospells of others, as of Andrewe, of Iohn, contayning the Actes of the other Apo∣stles: are published by Heretickes, whereof not one Ecclesiasticall writer hath with reuerence alleadged in his Commentaries. moreouer the forme of the phrase, varieth from the manner of the Apostles: their sentence: their drifte in discourse disagreeth very much with the trueth of the tryed doctrine. for nowe being conuinced, they plainely expresse the fond sigments of hereticall persons. In fine they are not to be placed as forged, but altogether to be reiected as absurde and impious. but let vs proceede vnto that which followeth.

CAP. XXIII.

Of Menander the Sorcerer.

MEnander succeeding Simon the Sorcerer, is found nothing inferior vnto him for deuelish operation, for inuention, and behauiour. he was also a Samaritane, and preuailed no lesse in the blinde misteryes of magicall artes, then his maister. yea rather added vnto these monstrous sayned illusions, somewhat of his owne, terming him selfe now a Sa••iour, sent downe

from aboue of the inuisible worldes for the saluation of mankinde, teachinge with all, that none was otherwise able to subdue the Angels, workers of this worlde, then first of all by his ma∣gicall experience, deliuered for the purpose, and by the Baptisme receaued of him, the which as many as doe accept of it, they purchase into them selues, sempiternall immortalitie, yea in this present lyfe, so that they dye no more, but continually remayne amonge them selues, without wrinckled olde age, and become immortall▪ these thinges out of Irenaeus may easi∣ly appeare. and Iustinus likewise making mention of Simon, remembreth also this Menander▪ saying: vvo haue knovvne one Menander, and the s••me a Samarytane, of the village Capa∣rattaea,* 1.66 the Disciple of Simon, throughly moued of deuils, and abyding at Antioche, to haue bevvitched many vvith magicall artes, persvvading his follovvers, that they shoulde not dye. And as yet there be diuers which can testifie the same of him. it was the drifte of the deuill by the meanes of such Sorcerers, cloked vnder the name of Christians, to defame by magicke the greate mistery of godlinesse, and by them to choke the Ecclesiasticall doctrine, which concer∣ned the immortalitie of the soule, and the resurrection of the deade. but such as embraced these* 1.67 Sauiours, haue lost the sauing healthe of their soules. When the spyte of Satan coulde not se∣uer vnto him selfe such as syncerely bare affection towards Christ, he linked vnto him selfe the wauering and wandring turnecoates.

CAP. XXIIII.* 1.68

The heresie of the Ebionites.

THese the Elders properly called Ebionites, that is poore men. for they were poore and* 1.69 abiectes in deliuering the doctrine which concerned Christ, they iudged him a simple and a common man, and for his perfection of manners founde iustified as man onely, borne by reason of the company of man, and his mother Marie▪ againe they thought the obseruation of* 1.70 the lawe to be necessarye, as thoughe saluation were not by faythe alone in Christ Christ•…•… ••••••uer∣sation of lyfe correspondent vnto the same. Other some of the same name haue au••yded the fowle absurditie of the wordes, nor denying the Lorde to haue ••e••e borne of the virgine, and the holy Ghoste: yet when they confesse him to be God, the worde and wisedome to haue bene before the natiuitie of the fleshe they sincke in the same sinne, with their former felowes, especially when as they busily goe aboute to sette vp the corporall obseruation of the lawe. these Heretickes all doe reiecte the epistles of the Apostle Paul, accusinge him that he felle from the lawe. they vse onely the Gospell whiche is after the Hebrevves, other they passe not for. the Iewishe Sabothe, and other their ceremonyes, they obserue a like, with the Ievves. they celebrate the Sonnedayes, as we doe, in remembrance of the resurrection of our Sauiour. for hence it came to passe by reason of these their fancies, that they allotted vnto them selues the name of Ebionites, signifyinge their pouertie. for by this name or title poore men* 1.71 are called of the Hebrevves. About the same tyme, we learne there was one Cerinthus, an au∣thor of an other heresie. Gaius whose wordes we haue before alleadged, in the controuersie cary∣ed about vnder his name, writeth thus of him.

CAP. XXV.* 1.72

Of Cerinthus the Hereticke.

CErinthus also by reuelations vvritten, as of a greate Apostle, brought vnto vs certayne* 1.73 monstrous thinges, fayning them to haue bene reuealed vnto him by Angels. that the kingdome of Christ after the resurrection shoulde become earthly: that in Ierusalem our fleshe agayne shoulde serue the concupiscence and lust of the flesh: and being set vvholy to seduce, as enemy vnto the vvorde of God, he sayd there shoulde be the terme of a Millenarie feaste allotted for mariage. Dionysius also Bishop of Alexandria, in his seconde booke, after* 1.74 he had remembred the reuelation of Sainct Iohn, receaued by tradition of olde, he reporteth of this man, thus: Cerinthus vvhiche founde the Cerinthian heresie▪ gaue his figment a name for the further creditt thereof. his kinde of doctrine vvas this ••he dreamed the kingdome of Christ shoulde become earthly, and sett vppon those thinges vvhich he lusted after, novv being coue∣red vvith his fleshe, and compassed in his skinne, that is: the satisfying of the belly, and the

thinges vnder the belly: vvith meate, vvith drinke, vvith mariage, and that he might the more colerably bring his deuelish deuices to passe, he dedicated thereunto holy dayes, oblations, and slaughter for sacrifices. so farre Dionysius. but Irenaus in his first booke against the heresies, layeth downe certayne more detestable opinions of his. And in his thirde booke he reporteth a historye worthy the memorye, as receaued by tradition of Polycarpus, saying: that Iohn the Apostle on a* 1.75 certayne time to bayne him selfe, entred into a bathe, and vnderstandinge that Cerinthus there vvithin bayned him selfe also, started a side, and departed forthe, not abiding any tariance vvith him vnder the same ••ouffe, signifying the same to his company, and saying: let vs speedely goe hence, lest that the bathe come to ruyne, vvherein Cerinthus the enemy of the truth baineth him selfe.

CAP. XXVI.* 1.76

Of Nicolas, and such as of him are called Nicolaïtes.

AT the same time the heresie of the Nicolaïtes spronge, whiche lasted not longe after, wher∣of* 1.77 the reuelation of S. Iohn made mention. they boast, that he was one of the Deacons, or∣dayned together with Stephen, of the Apostles, to minister vnto the poore. Clemens Alex∣andrinus in his thirde booke of stromatôn reporteth thus of him. This Nicolas (sayth he) hauing a beautifull vvoman to his vvife, after the ascention of our Sauiour, vvas accused of ielousie, and to cleare him selfe of that cryme, brought forth his vvife, and permitted him that lysted to ma∣rye her. but his follovvers say, that their doing is agreable vvith that saying, that is: the fleshe is to be brydled: and so follovving that doing and saying vvithout all discretion, they sinne vvith∣out all shame, in silthy fornication. but I heare that Nicolas accompanied with none other, then* 1.78 his proper wife, allotted vnto him by wedlocke: and of his children, his Daughters to haue endu∣red virginity: his sonne to haue remained vncorrupt. the case being thus, in y^• he brought forth his wife (for ielousie ouer the which he was accused) into the middest of the Apostles, it was to cleare him o•• the ••••••me layde to his charge, and to teache the brydling of the fleshe, by contayning and refrayning voluptuous lust and pleasure. He woulde not (as I suppose) accordinge vnto the pre∣cept: serue two masters, lust, and the Lorde. they say that Mathias after this maner, commaun∣ded by instruction, the fleshe to be ouercome, and tamed, yelding vnto it not one iote which might tende vnto pleasure, and that the soule hereby shoulde take encrease by fayth, and knowledge. Thus much shall seeme sufficiently spoken, toutching them which then depraued the truth, and sodainely came to naught.

CAP. XXVII.* 1.79

Of the Apostles which liued in wedlocke.

CLemens whose wordes lately we alleadged, after the premises, against them which relece and rebuke mariage, reciteth the Apostles which liued in wedlocke, saying: VVhat doe* 1.80 they condemne the Apostles? for Peter, and Philip, employed their industry, to the brin∣ging vp of their children. Philip also gaue his Daughters to mariage. And Paul in a certaine epi∣stle sticked not to salute his vvife, vvhiche therefore he ledd not aboute, that he might be the re∣dier vnto the ministation. In so much then that we haue made mention hereof, it will not seeme tedious if we alleadge an other historye worthy the notinge, which he wrote in his seuenth booke after this manner: they say that Sainct Peter going to his house, and seeing his vvife ledd to be* 1.81 executed, reioyced greatly because of the calling, and cryed out vnto her vehemently, exhorting and comforting her, calling her by her name, and saying: O vvoman remember the Lorde. such* 1.82 vvas the mariage of the godly, and the entire affection of faithfull friendes. And thus muche as pertinent to my purpose hereof, I thought good here to alleadge.

CAP. XXVIII.

Of the death of Iohn, and Philip the Apostles.* 1.83

OF the deathe of Paule, and Peter, the tyme eke, and the manner, their resting place also after their departure hence, we haue spoken of before, and of Iohn toutchinge his appoynted tyme, we haue tolde before. but of his resting place, or tombe, we are enstru∣cted

by Polycrates his epistle, (this Polycrates was Bishop of Ephesus) whiche he wrote vnto Ʋictor Bishop of Rome, where he remembreth also Philip the Apostle, and his Daughters af∣ter* 1.84 this maner: fo•• in Asi•• (sayth he) greate pleadges of Christian religion rested them selues▪ vvhiche shall rise the laste daye at the comming of the Lorde, vvhen he shall come from hea∣uen vvith glorye, to seeke out all the Sainctes▪ Philip one of the tvvelue Apostles▪ resteth in the dust of the earthe at Hierapolis, and tvvo of his Daughters vvhiche ledd their vvhole lyfe in virginitye. the thirde vvhose conuersation vvas directed by the holy Ghoste, resteth at Ephesus. And Iohn (vvhiche leaned on the breaste of our Sauiour, vvho beinge also a* 1.85 Priest, vvore the garment petalum, A martyre and a doctor,) rested at Ephesus. thus much of their endes. In the Dialogue of Gaius mentioned before, Proclus, (agaynst whom be proposed the question) testifieth agreeable vnto that before, of the death of Philip, and his Daughters, say∣ing: After this the foure Prophetisses, the Daughters of Philip vvere at Hierapolis in Asia, their sepulchre is there to be seene, and their fathers also▪ so farre he▪ Luke in the Actes of the Apo∣stles, maketh mention of the Daughters of Philip, dwelling at Caesarea, in Iudaea, with their fa¦ther, which were endued with the gift of prophecye, saying: VVe came to Caesarea, and entred into the house of Philip the Euangelist, vvhiche vvas one of the seuen, and there made our a∣bode. this Philip had iiij. Daughters vvhiche vvere virgines, and Prophetisses▪ thus much of the Apostles, and apostolicke tymes: and the thinges deliuered vnto vs by holy Scriptures: of the ca∣nonicall, and disalowed Scriptures, though read of many in many Churches: of the forged, and farre from the Apostolicall rule, as farre forth as we could learne. Now to that whi•••• followeth▪

CAP. XXIX.* 1.86

The martyrdome of Symeon Bishop of Ierusalem.

AFter Nero, and Domitian, vnder that Emperour, whereof we minde now to entreate, the rumor went euery where throughout the cityes, that persecution was raysed agaynst vs Christians, through populare seditions, in the which we learned that Symeon the sonne of Cleopas, the seconde Bishop of Ierusalem, ended his life with martyrdome. hereof is Aegesippus a witnesse, whose wordes we haue oft alleadged. for he writing of certayne Hereticks geueth vs to vnderstand, how that the afore sayd Symeon was then diuersly by them accused to be a Christian, for the space of many dayes he was scourged, so that the Iudge, and his company, was mar∣uelously amazed, and in the ende he dyed a deathe agreeable with the passion of Christe. but let vs heare the Historiographers owne wordes. Certayne (sayth he) of the Heretickes accused* 1.87 Symeon the sonne of Cleopas, that he linealy descended of the stocke of Dauid, and that he vvas a Christian. he suffered martyrdome being a hundreth, and tvventy yeare olde, vnder Traian the Emperour, and Atticus the Consul. The same Aegesippus reporteth, how that his accusers (enquiry being then made of such as came of the royall bloude among the Ievves) were founde to haue their originall, of the Regall Iewish trybe. whosoeuer wayeth this, with him selfe, he will confesse, that this Symeon was of them, whiche both hearde, and sawe the Lorde, in that he liued so long a tyme, and in that the Gospell maketh mention of Marie Cleopas, whose sonne we haue sayde this Symeon to haue bene before. Agayne the same Historiographer writeth, how that cer∣tayne others of the posterity, of some one of them, called the brethren of our Lorde, namely Iude, were alyue, vntil the same tyme, yea after the testimony of them whiche vnder Domitian were tri∣ed, for the true faythe of Christe. for thus he writeth▪ they come and gouerne vvhole Chur∣ches, as martyrs, being also of the kindred of Christ. VVhen peace novve had possessed the Churches, they remayne aliue vnto the tyme of Traian the Emperour, vntil the afore sayd Syme∣on the Lords consingermaine, the sonne of Cleopas, vvas il entreated of Heretickes, accused vnder Atticus the Consul, often scourged, tollerated such martyrdome, that all vvondred, & the Con∣sul him self marueiled, hovv that he, being a hundred, & xx. yeares old, vvas able to endure that bitter torment. to be short, in the end he vvas by commaundement crucified. Vnto the afore said the same Historiographer annecteth this▪ vnto those tymes the Church of God remained a pure* 1.88 & an vncorrupted virgin. for such as endeuored to corrupt the sound rule & the right preaching of the vvord (if then there vvere any such) hidd them selues vnto that time in some thicke miste▪ or dongeon of darkenes, but after that the sacred company of the Apostles, vvas vvorne, and come to an end, & that, that generation vvas vvholy spent, vvhich by special fauour had heard

vvith their eares, the heauenly vvisedome of the sonne of God▪ then the detestable error of con∣spiracy, through deceate of such as deliuered straung doctrine, tooke rooting, and because that not one of the Apostles suruiued, they publish boldely, vvith all might possible, the doctrine of falsehoode, and impugne the open, manifest, and knovvne trueth. Thus of these thinges, hath this Historiographer written. Now to that which by order of history we are bound vnto.

CAP XXX.* 1.89

How Traian caused to cease the inquisition for Christians.

SO greate a persecution was raysed agaynst vs in sundry places, that Plinius secundus a no∣table* 1.90 President, made relation thereof vnto the Emperour, being very much moued with the number of martyrs, which suffred death for the testimony of their fayth, signifying with∣all, that they committed no haynous offence, that they transgressed no law, sauing that they rose before day, and celebrated Christ with hymnes, as God. forbidding adulteryes, & slaughter, with such other like abominable factes, conforming all thinges agreable vnto the lawes. After which reporte, it is written that Traian commaunded by edicte, that the Christian nation shoulde not be enquired for, but if happily they were founde, they ought to be punished. by which edicte, the ve∣hement heate of that greuous persecution was somewhat delayed, yet neuerthelesse, there was scope enough left for such as were willing to afflicte vs. so that in one place the people, in an other place the Princes, and rulers of the regions, layde wayte for our men, whereby seuerall persons, suffred martyrdome in their prouinces, and sundry of the faithful, sundry kindes of death, without open, or manifest persecution. which history we haue selected out of the latine Apollogye of Ter∣tullian, whereof we haue alleadged before, by interpretation thus: Although vve haue knovvne* 1.91 the inquisition directed for vs to be inhibited, it vvas by reason of Plinius secundus President of the prouince, vvhich hauing condemned some of the Christians, and depriued some others of their dignities, vvas moued vvith the greatnes of the multitude, and doubted vvhat vvas best to be done. he made the Emperour Traian priuy thereof, saying: that he founde nothinge in them that vvas impious, but that they refused the vvorshippinge of Idoles. signifyinge this vvith∣all, that the maner of the Christians vvas to ryse before daye, to celebrate Christe in Psalmes as God: and to the ende their discipline might straitly be obserued, to forbid shedding of bloude, adultery, fraude, trayterous dealing, & such like. for aunsvvere hereunto, Traian vvrote againe: that there shoulde be no inquisition for the Christians, but if they vvere mett vvith, to be puni∣shed. And thus went the affayres of the Christians then.

CAP. XXXI.

Of Euarestus the fourth Bishop of Rome.* 1.92

AMonge the Bishops of Rome, when as the afore sayd Emperour had raigned three yea∣res,* 1.93 Clemens committed the ministery vnto Euarestus, and finished his mortall race, when he had gouerned the Churche, and preached the worde of God, the space of ix. yeares.

CAP. XXXII.* 1.94

How after Symeon, Iustus succeeded, the thirde Bishop of Ierusalem. and of the famous Bishops then liuing▪ Polycarpus, Papias, Ignatius, and his Epistles.

AFter Symeon had such an ende, as before we haue reported, a certayne Ievve, called Iustus,* 1.95 one of that infinite number, which of the circumcision beleued in Christ, was placed in the Bishops seae of Ierusalem. And vnto that time Polycarpus a Disciple of the Apostles, liued* 1.96 in Asia, beinge placed Bishop of the Churche of Smyrna, by suche as sawe the Lorde, and mi∣nistred vnto him. the same time florished Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis, a man passing eloquent, & expert in the Scriptures. And Ignatius likewise vnto this daye, amongest most men famous, the seconde Bishop by succession after Peter, of the Churche of Antioch. the reporte goeth, that this Ignatius was sent from Syria to Rome, for the confession of his faith, to be foode for wilde beastes, who passing through Asia, and curiously garded with a greate troope of keepers, confirmed the

congregations throughout euery citye where he came, with preaching of the worde of God, and wholsome exhortations, and specially geuing charge to auoide the heresies lately sprong, and at that time ouerflowing, and to cleaue stedfastly vnto the traditions of the Apostles, which for the a∣uoyding of error, and corruption, he thought very necessary to be diligently written. And being at Smyrna where Polycarpus was Bishop, he wrote an epistle vnto the Church of Ephesus, making mention of Onesimus their Pastor. An other vnto the Church of Magnesia, lying on the riuer Me∣ander▪ making mention of Dama their Bishop. An other vnto the Church of Trallis, whose ouer∣seer then was Polybius, and besides these epistles, he wrote vnto the Churche of Rome, prefixing an exhortation, lest that they refusing martyrdome, shoulde be depriued of the hope layde vp for them. but it may seeme needefull, that we alleadg thence some part of the wordes for proofe here∣of, for thus he writeth: * 1.97 from Syria (sayth he) vnto Rome, I striue vvith beastes, by sea, by land, nightes, and nightes, fettered among tenne Leopardes, that is a bande of souldiers, & the more benefit they receaue, the vvorse they become. I thus exercised vvith their iniuries, am the more instructed, yet hereby am not I iustified. I desire to enioy the beastes prepared for me, vvhiche I vvishe to fall vppon me vvith fierce violence, yea I vvill allure them forthvvith to deuoure me, that they abstayne not from me, as they haue left some for feare vntoutched. If they as vnvvil∣ling vvill not. I vvill compell them to fall vpon me. pardon me. I vvott vvell vvhat this shall a∣uaile me. Novv doe I beginne to be a Disciple, I vvay neither visible, nor inuisible thinges, so that I gaine Christ▪ let fire, gallovves, violence of beastes, bruysing of the bones, racking of the members, stamping of the vvhole body, and all the plagues inuented by the mischiefe of Satan light vpon me, so that I vvinne Christ Iesu. this he wrote from the aforesaid city, vnto the Chur∣ches before named. And beinge beyonde Smyrna, he wrote vnto the Churches of Phila∣delphia, and Smyrna, and seuerally to Polycarpus their Bishop, whome he knewe for a right Apostolike man, commending as a syncere and right Pastor ought to doe, the congrega∣tion of Antioche, praying him to be carefull of the busines there, namely about the election of a Bishop in his rowme. this Ignatius writing vnto the Church of Smyrna, reporteth certaine wor∣des* 1.98 vttered by Christ, which he founde I wott not where: I knovve and beleue that he vvas in the fleshe, after the resurrection, for comming vnto them vvhich vvere vvith Peter, he sayde vn∣to them. Come, feele me, and knovve that I am not a spirite vvithout body, and anone they felt him, and beleued. Irenaeus also knewe his martyrdome, & remembred his epistles, writing thus:* 1.99 Euen as one of our men condemned vnto the beastes, for the confession of his fayth sayde: In so much that I am the vvheate of God, I am to be grinded vvith the teeth of beastes, that I may be founde pure breade, or fine manchet. And Polycarpus maketh mention hereof in the epistle vnder* 1.100 his name vnto the Philippians, writing thus: I beseeche you all, that you be obedient, and exer∣cise patience, vvhich you haue throughly seene, not only in blessed Ignatius, Rufus, and Zosimus, but in diuers of your selues, and in Paul, vvith the rest of the Apostles, being persvvaded for cer∣taine, that all these ranne not in vayne, but in fayth, and righteousnes, novve resting them vvith the Lorde, in the place appointed, due for their deserts, vvith vvhom they suffred together. they loued not this present vvorlde, but him that dyed for our sinnes, and rose agayne for our sakes. agayne he addeth: both you, and Ignatius, vvrote vnto me, that if any did trauell vnto Syria, he might conuey thither your letters, of vvhich I vvill be careful, if fitt opportunity be offred, vvhe∣ther I my selfe goe, or send, that your busines there, may be dispatched. according vnto your re∣quest, I haue sent you the epistles of Ignatius, both vnto vs vvritten, and the others in my custo∣dy, annexed vnto this epistle, vvhere you may gayne much profitt, they contayne fayth, and pa∣tience,* 1.101 and all maner of edifying in the Lorde. thus much concerning Ignatius, whom Heros suc∣ceeded in the Bishopricke of Antioche.

CAP. XXXIII.* 1.102

Of the Euangelistes then florishing.

AMong them which were then famous, was Quadratus, whome they say together with the* 1.103 Daughters of Philip, to haue bene endued with the gift of prophecying, and many others also at the same tyme florished, which obtayning the first stepp of Apostolicall succession, and being as deuine Disciples of the chiefe and principall men, buylded the Churches euery where, planted by the Apostles: preaching, and sowing the celestial seede of the king•…•… of hea∣uen, throughout the worlde, filled the barnes of God with encrease. for the greater ••••••••e of the

disciples then liuing, affected with greate zeale towards the worde of God, first fullfilling the heauenly commaundement, distributed their substance vnto the poore: next taking their iourney, fullfilled the worke, & office of Euangelistes, that is they preached Christ, vnto them which as yet heard not of the doctrine of fayth, and published earnestly the doctrine of the holy Gospell. These men hauing planted the fayth in sundry newe, and straunge places, ordained there other pastors, committing vnto them the tillage of the newe ground, & they lately conuerted vnto the fayth, pas sing them selues vnto other people, and contries, holpen there vnto by the grace of God which wrought with them, for as yet by the power of the holy Ghost they wrought miraculously so that an innumerable multitude of men, embraced, yea at the first hearing, with prompte and wil∣ling mindes, the Religion of the Almighty God. In somuch that it is impossible to rehearse all, by name, when, and who were pastors, and Euangelistes, in the first succession after the Apo∣stles, in the Churches scatered throughout the worlde: it shall seeme sufficiente onely to commit in writing to memorie, the names of such as are recorded vnto vs by tradition, from the Apo∣stles them selues, as of Ignatius in the epistles before alleadged, and of Clemens mentioned in the epistle which for vndoubted he wrote vnto the Corinthians, in the person of the Romayne churche, where he imitating very much the epistle wrytten vnto the * 1.104 Hebrewes, and alleadging thereof whole sentences worde by worde, manifestly proueth, that this epistle vnto the Hebre∣wes, was nether newe, nether of late founde: wherefore it semed good to number it among the rest of the Apostles writings. whē as Paul wrote vnto the Hebrevves in his mothers tonge, some affirme that Luke the Euangelist: some other (which seemeth more aggreable) that Clemens tras∣lated it, for bothe the Epistle of Clemens, and that vnto the Hebrevves, vse the like manner of speach, and differ not much in sense.

CAP. XXXIIII.* 1.105

Of the Epistle of Clemens, and other wrytinges forged vnder his name, and fathered vpon him.

WE haue to learne that there is a seconde epistle of Clemens, yet not so notable, and fa∣mous as the former, and we knowe that the elders did nether vse, nether alleadge it. Now diuerse haue thrust out in his name, certaine vabling, and tedious comentaries, containing the dialogues of Peter, and Apion, which none at all of the elders haue mentioned, nether doe they obserue the sincere forme, and rule of the Apostolicke doctrine.

CAP. XXXV.* 1.106

Of the writinges and workes of Papias.

THe vndoubted wrytinges of Clemens are apparent, we haue spoken likewise of the wry∣tinges* 1.107 of Ignatius, and Polycarpus. The wrytinges of Papias, are sayde to be fiue bookes en∣tituled the exposition of the Lordes sermons. Of these Irenaeus reporteth, as wrytten alone by this man, saying thus: This truely Papias, the auditor of Iohn, the companion of Polycarpus, testifieth in the fourth booke of his vvrytinges, for he vvrote fiue. Thus farre Irenaeus. Papias* 1.108 him selfe in the preface to his bookes signifyeth that he nether heard, nether sawe the Apostles, but receiued the vndoubted doctrine of fayth, of their familiars, and disciples, When he sayth: It shall not seeme greuous vnto me if that I compile in vvriting, and commit to memorie, the* 1.109 thinges vvhich I learned of the elders, and remember as yet very vvell, vvith there expositions hauing fully tryed already the trueth thereof. Nether am I pleased vvith such as say many thinges (as many are accustomed to doe) but vvith such as teach true thinges: nether vvith such as repeate straunge precepts, but vvith such as alleadge, the thinges deliuered of the Lorde, for the instruction of our fayth, proceding from the trueth it selfe. if any came in place vvhich vvas a follovver of the Apostles, forthvvith I demaunded the vvordes of the elders. VVhat An∣drewe, vvhat Peter, vvhat Philip, vvvhat Thomas, or Iames, or Iohn, or Matthewe, or any other of the Lordes disciples: vvhat Aristion, and the elder Iohn, disciples of the Lord had sayd. I be∣leued verely not to profit my self so much by their vvrytinges, or bookes, as by the authori∣tie of the persons, and the liuely voice of the reporters, making relation thereof. It may* 1.110 seeme worth the notinge, that by these wordes wee marke the name of Iohn, to bee twise

repeated. The first numbred with Peter, Iames, Matthewe, and the rest of the Apostles, signifying Iohn▪ the Euangelist; the second with a different terme, without the cataloge of the Apostles, ioy∣ning him with Aristion, & playnly calling him the Elder: that hereby the truth of the history may* 1.111 appeare, which declareth two of the same name, to haue bene in Asia, and two seueral monuments of them both, to be at Ephesus, whereof ••oth as yet beare the name of Iohn, which may not light∣ly be passed ouer of vs for it is very like, that the seconde (vnlesse ye are pleased with the first) saw that reuelation, which beareth the name of Iohn. Papias then (of whom we spake before) confesseth him selfe to haue hearde the wordes of the Apostles, of them which were their followers, namely of Aristion, and Iohn the elder. for often tymes by mentioning them, he alleadgeth their traditi∣ons in his bookes. I suppose these thinges to haue bene spoken to good purpose. agayne, to that which hath bene already spoken, I thinke it not amisse to adde out of the bookes of Papias, things very straung, which he reporteth to haue receaued by tradition. before we haue written how that Philip the Apostle, together with his Daughters, had his abode at Hierapolis, nowe we haue to signifie how that Papias remayning amongest them, reporteth a certayne history tolde him by the Daughters of Philip he writeth that a deade man rose to life againe, and moreouer an other mi∣raculous thinge to haue happened to Iustus, whose syrname was Barsabas, that he dronke deadly poyson, and tooke therby no harme, the godnes of God preseruing him. The history of the Actes declareth of this Iustus, how that after the ascention of our Sauiour, the holy Apostles seuered him together with Mathias, praying ouer them, that ereother of them might be allotted in the place of Iudas the traytor, to the complete number of the Apostles: They appointed tvvo, Ioseph* 1.112 called Barsabas, by syrname Iustus, and Mathias. Certayne other thinges the same writer repor∣teth, of the which some he receaued for tradition, by worde of mouthe: also certayne straunge pa∣rables of our Sauiour, mixt with fabulous doctrine, where he dreameth that the kingdome of* 1.113 Christ shall corporally here vppon earth, laste, the space of one thousande yeares, after the resur∣rection from the deade. which error (as I suppose) grewe hereof, in that he receaued not rightly the true, and mysticall meaning of the Apostles, neither deepely wayed the thinges deliuered of them, by familiar examples. for he was a man of smale iudgement, as by his bookes playnly ap∣peareth. yet hereby he gaue vnto diuers Ecclesiastical persons, occasion of error, which respected his Antiquity. namely vnto Irenaeus, and others, if there be any founde like minded. other traditi∣ons he alleadgeth of Aristion, and the Elder Iohn, vnto the which we referre the studious reader, yet one thinge toutching Marke the Euangelist, the whiche he reporteth, we may not omitt, for thus he writeth: The Elder (meaning Iohn) sayd: Marke the interpreter of Peter, looke vvhat* 1.114 he remembred, that diligently he vvrote, not in that order, in the vvhich the Lorde spake, and did them. neither vvas he the hearer, or follovver of the Lorde, but of Peter, vvho deliuered his doctrine not by vvay of exposition, but as necessity constrayned, so that Marke offended no∣thing, in that he vvrote as he had before committed to memory. of this one thinge vvas he care∣full, in omitting nothinge of that he had hearde, and in deliuering nothing vvhiche vvas false. so farre of Mark. concerning Matthewe he writeth thus: Matthewe vvrote his booke in the hebrevv* 1.115 tongue, vvhich euery one after his skill interpreted by allegations. Papias alleadged testimonies out of the first epistle of Iohn, & of Peter. he expounded a certayne historye of a woman accused be∣fore Christ of many crymes, written in the Gospell after the Hebrevves, of these thinges thus much we suppose to haue bene necessarily spoken, and added vnto that which went before.

The ende of the thirde booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Pet. 1. Peter the A∣postle was martyred at Rome Anno Christi 70. Rom. 15. Paul behea∣ded at Rome vnder Nero. The first of the 10 perse¦cutions, was vnder Nero. Linus Anno Christi 70. 2. Timoth. 4.
• * 1.2

  2. epistles of Peter.
• * 1.3

  Forged wri∣tinges publi∣shed vnder the names of the Apostles
• * 1.4

  14. epistles of Paul. The epistle vnto the He¦brewes. The actes of Paul counter sett. Rom. 16. The booke of Hermes called Pastor was wont to ••e reade in ••he Church.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 15. Acts from 14 vnto 21. cap.. 1. Pet. 1.
• * 1.6

  Peter & Paul had many fe∣low laborers.
• * 1.7

  Timothe the first Bishop of Ephesus. Tit{us} the first Bishop of Creta. Luke wrote a gospell and the Actes of the Apostles Luc. 1. 2. Timoth. 2. Eusebi{us} sayth Crescens was sent into Fraunce. S. Paul 2. Tim. 4. sayth he sē•• him to Gall•• cia. hereby we may ga∣ther that the epistle to the Galathians was writtē b•• S. Paul vnto the Frēchm▪
• * 1.8

  Vespasian i•• proclayme•• Emperour Anno Do. 7▪
• * 1.9

  Stephen sto¦ned Act. 7. •• Iames beh••••¦ded. Act. 1•• Iames the first Bishop of Ierusal•• martyred▪ The Apo•• persecute•• Matth. 28▪
• * 1.10

  Matth. 24. Daniel. 9.
• * 1.11

  A million is tenne thou∣sande. Iosephus bel Iud. lib. 7. cap 17. sayth that the iust num¦ber came to seuen & twen¦ty hundred thousande.
• * 1.12

  Iosephus bel ••ud. lib. 6. cap 11.
• * 1.13

  ••••e cruelty •• seditious •• sons toge ••••r with •• famine ••••ed them
• * 1.14

  Ioseph. bell. Iud. lib. 6. cap. 14.
• * 1.15

  O tragicall factes.
• * 1.16

  Titus sorow¦eth at the mi¦serable sight of the Iewes that were dead. Ioseph{us} with griefe vtte∣red these wordes, be•••• Iud. lib. 6. cap. 16. Lib. 7. cap. 7.
• * 1.17

  Ioseph. lib. 7. Cap. 8.
• * 1.18

  An horrible history.
• * 1.19

  A mother slayeth her owne childe to eate.
• * 1.20

  •…•…uth. 24.
• * 1.21

  •…•…osep. (bel. 〈…〉〈…〉. lib. 7. cap 〈…〉〈…〉) saith the •…•…ber was •…•…e hūdred •…•…usande.
• * 1.22

  Ioseph{us} saith the number of the capti∣ues was four score and se∣uentenethou sande.
• * 1.23

  Anno Do∣mini 73. forty yeares iust af¦ter the passi∣on of Christ. Luk. 19. Luk. 21.
• * 1.24

  Luk. 23.
• * 1.25

  Ioseph. bell. Iud lib. 7. cap▪ 12.
• * 1.26

  A starre like a sworde. A commet•…•…
• * 1.27

  A light in the temple in the night time.
• * 1.28

  A cowe cal∣ued a lamb•…•… A great gat•…•… opening it selfe.
• * 1.29

  A deuill in the forme 〈…〉〈…〉 man.
• * 1.30

  An army of souldiers in the cloudes. A cōmotion in the aëre. A voyce heard in the temple, Let vs go hence. One Iesus the sonne of Ananias, 4. yeres before the warres, cryed conti∣nually woe, woe, all a∣bout Ierusa∣lem.
• * 1.31

  An oracle to be vnder∣stoode of Christ.
• * 1.32

  Psal. 2.
• * 1.33

  Psal. 19.
• * 1.34

  Iosephus. lib ••. cap. 5.
• * 1.35

  Iosephus. lib 7. bell. Iud. cap. 18.
• * 1.36

  sephus of •• selfe An ••. lib. 16. cap ••el. lud. lib cap. 25. lib. contra A∣nem.
• * 1.37

  Iosep. lib. 1. contra Apiō. The Iewes acknowledg 22. bookes. 5. Bookes of Moses. 13. Bookes of the Prophets 4. Bookes of psalmes and admonitions
• * 1.38

  This is foūd in losephus first booke a∣gainst Apio••▪
• * 1.39

  Titus crea∣ted Empe∣rour Anno Domini 81. Linus. Anacletus. Domitiā cre¦ated Empe∣rour Anno Domini 83. Anianus. Abilius. The 2. of the tenne perse∣cutions was raised by this Emperour Domitian. Clemens.
• * 1.40

  Cap. 15. af∣ter the greke Philip. 4.
• * 1.41

  Cap. 16. af∣ter the greke The epistle of Clemens ••nto the Co∣inthians eade in the Churche. •• Cap. 17. af∣ter the greke ••omitian dy ••d Anno Do ••ini 98. cap. 18. after 〈◊〉〈◊〉 greeke.
• * 1.42

  ••hn being ••iled into ••tmos An. ••omini 97. ••ote the re¦lation. ••naeus lib. 5
• * 1.43

  ••p. 19. after 5 greeke.
• * 1.44

  Cap. 20. af∣ter the greke Aegesippus.
• * 1.45

  The kinsmē of Christ ac∣cording vn∣to the fleshe, make an ac∣compte of their fayth, before Domi¦tian the Em∣perour.
• * 1.46

  Tertullian.
• * 1.47

  Cap. 21. after the greeke.
• * 1.48

  Nerua crea∣ted Empe∣rour Anno Domini 99. Traian crea∣ted Empe∣rour Anno Domini 100. The 3. perse∣cution of the 10. famous persecutions was vnder this Traian. Cerdo. Cap. 22. after the greeke. Peter. Linus. Anacletus. Clemens. Euodius. Ignatius. Simeon. Cap. 23. after the Greeke▪
• * 1.49

  Irenaeus lib. 2 cap. 39. Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 3.
• * 1.50

  Sozomenus an Historio∣grapher is crept into this greeke coppy, I wot not how, he liued an hun∣dred and odd yeares after Eusebius, & dedicated his history▪ vnto Theodosius iunior, the autor there∣fore of this history tout∣ching Iohn, was Clemens as Eusebius writeth be∣fore & after.
• * 1.51

  ••he wordes •…•…f Iohn the •…•…uangelist vn 〈…〉〈…〉 the theefe
• * 1.52

  Tokens of true repen∣tance.
• * 1.53

  Cap. 24. after the Greeke.
• * 1.54

  The Gospell of Iohn.
• * 1.55

  The Apostle in their prea∣ching vsed no curious eloquence▪
• * 1.56

  2. Corinth. 12.
• * 1.57

  The Gospell after Mat∣thewe writtē in Hebrewe. Why Iohn the Apostle wrote a Go∣spell.
• * 1.58

  Matth. 4.
• * 1.59

  Marck. 1.
• * 1.60

  Luke 3.
• * 1.61

  Iohn. 2.
• * 1.62

  Iohn. 3.
• * 1.63

  Why Luke wrote a Go∣spell.
• * 1.64

  Cap. 25. after the Greeke.
• * 1.65

  4. Euangelists The Actes of the Apostles. The epistles of Paule. The 1. epistle of Iohn. The 1. epistle of Peter. The reuelati¦on of S. Iohn The epistle of Iames. The epistle of Iude. The 2. of Pe∣ter. The 2. and 3. of Iohn. Acts of Paul. Pastor. Reuelation of Peter. epistle of Bar¦nabas. Doctrine of the Apostles The Gospell vnto the He∣brewes. Also of Pe∣ter, Thomas, Mathias, An∣drewe, &c. Cap. 26. after the greeke. Menāder the Sorcerer cal∣eth him self •• Sauiour.
• * 1.66

  Iustinus Mar¦tyr Apolog. 2 pro Christ.
• * 1.67

  The craft of the deuill.
• * 1.68

  Cap. 27. after the greeke.
• * 1.69

  Ebionites.
• * 1.70

  The heresie of the Ebio∣nites, which thought that fayth alone did not iusti∣fie.
• * 1.71

  Ebionites what it signi¦fieth.
• * 1.72

  Cap. 28. after the greeke.
• * 1.73

  Gai{us} writeth thus of Ce∣rinthus the Hereticke.
• * 1.74

  Dionysius bi¦shop of Alex¦andria lib. 2.
• * 1.75

  Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3.
• * 1.76

  Cap. 29. after the Greeke.
• * 1.77

  Apocalyps. 2. Nicolas the 7. Deacon. Act. 6. Clemens Bi∣shop of Alex andria.
• * 1.78

  Eusebius ex∣cuseth this Nicolas whose folow¦ers the holy Ghost in the reuelation abhorreth. Mathias.
• * 1.79

  Cap. 30. after the greeke.
• * 1.80

  Clemens A∣lexandrinus. Peter. Philip. Paul was ma¦ried. Philip. 4.
• * 1.81

  Clemens A∣lexandrinus.
• * 1.82

  The wordes of Peter vnto his wife whē she went to martyrdome
• * 1.83

  Cap. 31. after the Greeke.
• * 1.84

  Policrates Bishop of Ephesus, vn∣to Victor Bi∣shop of Rome.
• * 1.85

  Iohn the A∣postle called a Priest, he vvore a Bi∣shops atyre called Petal•• ergo mini∣sters had thē pecullar ap∣parell. Act. 21.
• * 1.86

  Cap. 32. after the Greeke.
• * 1.87

  Aegesippus writeth thus of Symeons martyrdome Symeon the 2. Bishop of Ierusalem was crucified Anno Dom. 110. being a hundred and twenty yeare olde. Aegesippus writeth of the kinsmen of Christ.
• * 1.88

  The Church of God was a pure 〈…〉〈…〉 110 yeares 〈…〉〈…〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ.
• * 1.89

  Cap. 33. after the greeke.
• * 1.90

  Plinius secun¦dus wrote vn¦to the Empe¦rour Traian in the behalf of the Chri∣stians.
• * 1.91

  Tertullian.
• * 1.92

  Cap. 34. after the greeke.
• * 1.93

  Euarestus.
• * 1.94

  Cap. 35. after the greeke.
• * 1.95

  Iustus Bishop of Ierusalem
• * 1.96

  Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna. Papias Bi∣shop of Hie∣rapolis. Ignatius Bi∣shop of Anti∣oche.
• * 1.97

  Cap. 36. af∣ter the greke Ignati{us} epist. ad Rom.
• * 1.98

  Ignati{us} epist. ad Smyrnen∣ses.
• * 1.99

  Irenaeus lib. 5
• * 1.100

  Polycarpus epist. ad Phi∣lip.
• * 1.101

  Heros.
• * 1.102

  Cap. 37. after the greeke▪
• * 1.103

  Quadratus▪
• * 1.104

  The epistle vnto the He∣brewes vn∣doubted is Pauls, writtē by him in Hebrewe, but traslated into greeke, by Clemens bishop of Rome, or by the reporte of Clemens bi∣shop of Ale∣xandria, (as Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 13. wry∣teth) transla∣ted by Luke the Euange∣list.
• * 1.105

  cap. 38. after the greeke
• * 1.106

  Cap. 39. after ••he greeke.
• * 1.107

  The workes ••f Papias.
• * 1.108

  ••••enaeus.
• * 1.109

  ••••pias in the ••••oēm to his ••••okes.
• * 1.110

  ••n the E∣••••••elist.
• * 1.111

  Iohn the El∣der.
• * 1.112

  Act. 1.
• * 1.113

  Papias was of the here sy of the Chili∣asts. traditiō and not the truth ledde him thereun to. Irenae•• a Chi¦liast.
• * 1.114

  Papias repor¦teth of Mark the Euange∣list.
• * 1.115

  Matthevve.