Chap. 3. the. 58. Diuision.
And Epiphanius Lib. 3. Tom. 1. contra Haeresim Aerij proueth Timothie his su∣perioritie* 1.1 ouer the rest, by this selfe same place.
As for Epiphanius, * 1.2 it is knowen of what authoritie he is in thys place, when as by Aerius sides, he goeth about to pricke at the Apostle▪ whilest he goeth about to confute the Apostle, which maketh a distinction and difference betwene those which the Apostle maketh one, that is a Bishop and elder, and to spare the credit of Epiphanius, it were better lay that opinion vpon some Pseu∣depiphanius, which we may doe not without great probabilitie, seyng (*) Augustine sayth, that the* 1.3 true Epiphamus vttereth all after a storie fashion, and doth not vse anye disputation, or reasoning for the truth agaynst the falshood, and this Epiphanius is very full of arguments and reasons, the choise whereof M. Doctor hath taken.
I haue not heard any probable reason alleaged of any, why these bookes of Epi∣phanius* 1.4 should be suspected, whether they be his or no, seeyng they be both learned and very auncient, mentioned also of sundry olde writers. But to omitte all other proofes I wyll onely vse the iudgement (at this tyme) of the authors of the Centuries who are to be credited in suche matters, bycause they haue diligently and carefully laboured in them: their opinion of these bookes of Epiphanius, Cent. 4 cap. 10. is thys, Nunc de scriptis. &c. Nowe we wyll speake of hys bookes: of the which that worke against* 1.5 the foure score heresyes is most noble: which booke he hymselfe in his Epistle to Acacius, and Paulus Ministers, And in his booke called Anacephaleosis, calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. &c. Of the which writing Augustine in his booke ad quod-vult-deum, maketh this mention. Our Epi∣phanius Byshop of Cyrus (sayth he) which dyed not long since, speaking of foure score he∣resies, wrote also himselfe sixe Bookes making mention of all things after an Historicall maner, & disputing nothing either against the falsehood, or with the truthe: They be but short bookes, and if they were all made in one, yet were it not to be compared to ours, or to diuerse other mens bookes in length. Out of the which words it is euident, that Augustine neither had, nor at any time dyd see that worke which Epiphanius intituled Panarium, for Epiphanius is very long in recountyng the historie, as concerning the beginning, the ende∣uour & countrey of the heretikes, the occasiō of the heresie, the successe, increase, and suche