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The principall felicitie and ornament of the Church of this time, was the multitude of excellent Doctors, which by their doctrine sought so farre as in them lay, to conserue & mul∣tiply the puritie of doctrine. But this felicitie was greatly ob∣scured, partly by the multitude of heretickes, and partly by the rage of seditious people, and schismatickes: In so much, that since the time of the Apostles, there was no Church that hath
endured more dissentions, combats and diuisions within it, then that of this world. Wherevpon by good right, Basile the great in a certaine poeme, writing of the iudgement of God, complaineth, saying. I haue liued the age of a man, and I haue seene great concord amongst the Arts and Sciences. But in the Church of God alone, for which Iesus Christ dyed, I haue obserued so many dissentions that it is altogether dissipa∣ted and wasted. And comming to the cause; As I searched saith he the cause, I remembred the place of the booke of Iud∣ges, where it is written; That then euery one did whatsoeuer hee thought good in his owne eyes.
Great persecutions were vnder Constantius after the death of Constans, against the Catholike Doctors and Bishops,* 1.1 by the Arrians. Many were put to death euen within the Temples, others were exiled, others put in prison, virgins imprisoned, and the houses of Christians pilled and sacked.
S. Hilarie was sent into exile. [ 341]
At this time for the great persecutions without, and here∣sies within, many retired into the Desarts.* 1.2 They write of two which were called Amon. The one was the Father and chiefe of three thousand Monkes. The other Amon, with two hun∣dreth and fiftie Clarkes and Monkes, was slaine by the Arri∣ans. Eusebius.
Sarmatha and Amathas Disciples of S. Anthonie, were slaine by the Painimes. Macarus the Aegyptian, an other Maca∣rus of Alexandria, Hylarion the Disciple of S. Paul, the Hermit Theodorus, Entichian, Pachomius, Moyses, Beniamin, Helias.
Serapiō was the father of 2000. Monkes, whom hee made worke for the necessitie of their liues, and to helpe the needes of other poore, Paemen & other infinit. Martin renounced his military estate. Hist. trip. lib. 8. chap. 1. Iohn Cassian in the Collat of Fathers. Naucl,
A coniuration was made by the Arrians after the Councel of Sardis, against two Catholike Bishops, Eufrates and Ʋincen∣tius. They caused an whoore in the night time to come into their chamber, and by Apostate people which suddenly went
after the said strumpet, and so profered to accuse them to haue bene surprised in whoordome. But the harlot disclosed the con∣iuration.
A Councell was held at Millaine in fauour of the Arrians against Athanasius, the which resisted, Paulinus Bishop of Tre∣ners, Denis Bishop of Millaine, Eusebius Bishop of Ʋerceil, and Rhodamus: wherevpon they were cast out of the Church, and with them Liberius, Lucifer Metropolitane of the Iles of Sardine, and Osius of Spaine sent into exile, Anno Christi, 361.
The said Osius in his age by many torments, beatings and wounds, was forced to cōsent to the exposition of the Arrians, and thervnto to subscribe in the first volume of Councels. Tri∣tenius saith, that Osius being rich, fearing either banishment or losse of his goods, consented to the Arrians, and being about to depose a Catholique Bishop called Gregory, he fell downe out of his Chaire, and so died.
Hereby are we aduertized, that it is nothing to begin wel, vn∣lesse we perseuer vnto the end.
Vnder Constantius many Councels were held, namely in Tyre, Sardis, and Millaine, as is said in Arimine, in Syrmion of Pannonie, in Nicea, which is in Tharse, in Seleucia, which is in Isauria, wherein the faith of the Fathers of Nice was condem∣ned.
Felix borne at Rome, sonne of one named Anastasis, ha∣uing bene the Deacon of Liberius, was thrust into his place by the Arrians, hoping he would consent with them in doctrine: but hee became a true Catholique in the confession of the Councell of Nice, and gaue no place either to the heretickes, or to Constance himselfe, declaring him an hereticke, and was rebaptized by Eusebius of Nicomedia. We finde in the booke of Councels, an Epistle of the Bishoppes of Aegypt to Fe∣lix, and Felix his answere to them, with certaine constituti∣ons: namely, that none might accuse a Bishoppe before a ciuill Magistrate. Item, to restore a Bishoppe who is
cast out by force. Item,* 1.3 not to admit witnesse of prophane people against religious persons. Item, that Bishoppes should frequent Sinodes, or send thither if they could not goe.
Som say, that Felix gouerned with Liberius a certaine time: But Theodoret saith that Felix withdrew himselfe into an other Towne. Socrat. lib. 2. chap. 37. saith, that Felix was driuen away by the Romane people in a sedition, and that the Emperour thereby was constrained to send for Liberius thither. Others say, that Felix was beheaded with many others, for that hee prooued the Emperour.
Hilary Bishop of Poiters was reuoked from exile:* 1.4 and Paul [ 343] Bishop of Treuers died in exile in the Countrey of Phrygia. Anno Christi. 363. Lucius Bishop of Adrianople, dyed in prison.
Paulus Bishop of Constantinople sent into exile, was strang∣led by the way.
Nicomedia by an earthquake was wholly subuerted, and the Townes nigh were also afflicted.
After the death of Constance, Constantius againe pursued Athanasius, and then was the great persecution against the faithfull.
Liberius returned from exile the yeare of Christ, 363.
About this time three Sectes of Arrians rose vp. That is to say, Macedonians, Eunomians, and newe Arri∣ans.
1. The Arrians held the Sonne to be like vnto the Father but by grace, not by nature.
2. The Macedonians, that the Sonne is altogether like the Father, but not the holy Ghost.
3. The Eunomians, that the Sonne is altogether vnlike the Father.
Eusebius Bishop of Ʋerceil endured great torments of the Arrians,* 1.5 because in councell at Millaine he tore in peeces a sce∣dule, wherevnto the westerne Bishops had subscribed to the Arrians in the Councell of Arimine.
Some say hee was seuen dayes without bread and wa∣ter in a Caue, and afterward was kept in a very straight place.
But after the death of Constantius he was deliuered and retur∣ned to Verceil,* 1.6 into his Bishopricke vnder Iouinian. Finally, af∣ter the death of the said Iouinian, vnder Ʋalens, who was an Ar∣rian, he was stoned by the Arrians the yeare of Christ, 388.
Note Reader, that at this time in each Towne there were both Catholike Dostors and Arrians. Temples for the one, and Temples for the other: so the Church was diuided.
Achatius Bishop of Cesaria in Palestine an Arrian, was in great reputation with Constantius.
Iulian borne at Constantinople, the sonne of Constantius, bro∣ther of Constantine the great, he was faire of face, subtill and of good spirit, giuen both to Letters and Armes: he set Fraunce at libertie, which the Almaines had wasted: hee tooke the King an the first cōflict, beyond the hope of all. Colleine was taken of him when he was very young: of which prize hee got great renowne, and reioyced the hearts of the souldiers. In so much that they named him Emperour in Paris. Whereof his Cousin Constantius being aduertised, died in dispite: about the age of 45. yeares,* 1.7 as he prepared to make warre vpon him. Yet when he died, he made him his heire. Anno Domini 363.
Athanasius returned into Alexandria. George who ruled in his absence, was slaine, and his body burnt.
* 1.8A Sinode was in Alexandria of good & Catholique Bishops, wherein they that fel into heresie, were permitted not onely to returne into the vnion and communion of the Church, but e∣uen into their offices and Bishoppricks.
There was also concluded and declared, that the holy Ghost is of one same substance with the Father and the Sonne, and that in the Trinitie there was nothing created or lesse, or after an other.* 1.9 Item that God hath but one essentiall sub∣stance,* 1.10 but reall subsistence of three persons. This word (Sub∣stance) differeth from the word (Subsistence) when we speake of the persons of the Trinitie. For substance cōcerneth the essen∣tiall nature of a thing: after which, the three persons of the Trinitie are but one alone, substance and nature. But this
word (Subsistence) sheweth in one same diuine substance three persons and different proprieties,* 1.11 not onely in name (as the Sabellians say) but really.
Iulian was instituted in his youth in pietie, vnder Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia, as Laetus saith: but after he had tasted the Schooles of Philosophie and Rhethoricke, vnder Liba∣nius the Sophister, and Maximus the Philosopher, (whom Va∣lentinien the Emperour after caused to be executed, for exerci∣sing Magicall Artes) all that godlinesse which he had learned,* 1.12 was chaunged into Ethnike superstition: yea, Eutropius saith, that Iulian in his youth was a Reader in the Church of Ni∣comedia. Moreouer, he was a man learned in humane Letters, and exercised in deeds of warre, ambitious and cruell: which he shewed, hauing bin cause of the death of his brother Gallus. Ierome in the Epistle to Nepotian saith, that Iulian denied Ie∣sus Christ in France.
Beeing then altogether revolted from Religion,* 1.13 hee was surnamed the Apostate. Hee first forbad Christians to keepe no schooles of humane Letters, nor bookes of Philosophie or Poesie. For he had often this word in his mouth. These Gal∣leleans (so called he Christians) will make warre vpon vs with our owne writings, if they be once armed.
He liked better to proceed against Christians by long torments and insupportable griefes, then by great effusion of bloud. For he knew well inough, that the former persecuti∣ons were the cause of the multiplication and glory of Christi∣ans. Socrat. lib. 3. chap. 13. Theodoret. lib. 3. chap. 8. The chief persecution that he could deuise, was to doo the same in the Temples of Painims, that the Christians did in their Churches at their ordinary assemblies in Churches, Lectors, prayers re∣leeuing of poore hospitalls, and such like things which he op∣posed in the name of Painim Gods.
Ʋalentinian entring one day into the Temple of Fortune with Iulian,* 1.14 being angry at the casting of certain holy water vp∣on him, (saying that it rather defiled then clensed him) strooke him that cast it: But Iulian would haue constrained him to sa∣crifice vnto the Idolls: but he chose rather to forsake all, then
to commit such a villanie. Iulian then banished him the Court, alleadging this for a shewe, that he had negligently gouerned his souldiers. For Iulian the most that he could, dissembled that the crueltie he exercised was for the Christian Religion.
He tooke from Christian Churches all their goods, Im∣munities, honours, and the prouision of reuenewes which Con∣stantine had assigned thē. He destroyed their churches & tooke away their treasures and vessels, and caused the Temples of the Painims to be repaired, he suffred not them to dwell in townes but banished them vnto the extreame and outward parts of the Empire, and gaue licence to vse vnto them all contumelies and shames. Wherfore in Ascolon and Gaza, townes in Palestine, great outrages were done vnto them. For Christians there were beaten euen to death.* 1.15 They of Gaza stoned many of the faith∣full, opened women, and filled their bellies with barley, & then made them be eaten with swine. Theoret. li. 3. cha. 7. The sacred virgins were exposed naked, and after they had shewed vnto them all kinds of reproaches, they were cut in peeces, and then cast to beasts. In some places the Christians were laid, & aliue sacrificed vpon the Aultars of the Painims. It is recited by Ni∣cephorus, li. 10. chap. 13. And when the Christians by their em∣bassadors would haue shewed these iniuries vnto Iulian, to take order therefore, they had no audience allowed. And if at any time he made a countenance that he would chastise them that did such outrages, by countenance again, he rather incited then repressed them. Sozom, lib. 5. chap. 15. Yea he fell into such im∣pietie and malice to vexe the Christians, that the fountaines in Antioche by his commaundements were dedicated vnto Idols in sacrifices and oblations: thinking thereby to pol∣lute the Christians, and to make them to bee partakers of such abhominations whensoeuer they vsed these fountaine waters: yea the flesh that came to the Butchers stall, bread, fruites, and other such like things which were necessa∣ry for life, hee made them bee sacrificed to Idolls by the Priests.
The Christians with great sorrowe were constrained to see a detestable and abhominable prophanation: yea and to
vse these fountaines and viands thus infected and polluted, beeing instructed by the doctrine of S. Paul to take with a good conscience whatsoeuer came to the Butchery,* 1.16 and that which is necessarie to the common life. These were two excellent Captaines, Inuentius and Maximianus, who at a certaine banquet, deploring this prophanation of the goods of God, applyed the complaint of the captiue children in Babilon, to the time of Iulian.
Lord thou hast deliuered vs vnto a wicked King, and wee are made slaues vpon the earth, &c. Which thing bee∣ing reuealed vnto the Emperour, he made them come before him. They there declared their iust complaint more at large then before, seeing they had the meane giuen them to speake vnto him. The Emperour condemned them to grieuous tor∣ments, not as Christians, but as iniurious and offering oppro∣bry and shame to his Maiestie:* 1.17 for he greatly enuied that word and honor of Martyr. And this enuy made him assay all means to torment them before hee would come to execute them by iudgement.
Iulian burnt with desire to goe against the Persians who had cruelly afflicted the East, and affected the name of Par∣trike. But before he enterprised that Act which was his last, he promised his Gods, that at his returne from this expedition, he would yet commit more greeuous things against the Chri∣stians then before. Ruffin. Lib. 1. Chap. 36. Doret. Lib. 3. Chap. 21.
Of this euill will he shewed sufficient witnesse; for in the middest and as it were in the heate of this Persian warre, hee tooke leisure to vomit out seuen bookes against Iesus Christ, although before he contented himself to write against Christi∣ans, as Eutropius saith. And indeed being in this expedition, he prepared a Skaffolde in the Towne of Ierusalem, at his returne to place there the Bishops, Monkes, and the faithfull of these places, and to expose them vnto beasts. Basile and other good Doctors did all their duties to goe hither and thither to comfort & exhort Christians, both publikely and particularly, nor did meddle nor pollute thēselues with the abhominatiōs of
the Gentiles,* 1.18 but to detest them, yea the gifts and honours which the Emperour proposed to such as renounced Christia∣nitie.
Here we must not forget the Prophetike answere which a Schoolemaister in Antioche made to Libanius a Sophister, when Iulian went against the Persians. Libanius demaunded of him, mocking Christ; What thinkest thou doth the Carpen∣ters sonne at this time? The Schoolemaister answered: O Sophister, the Creator of al things whom thou calledst the Car∣penters son, makes a coffin to enclose Iulian. Soone after newes came that Iulia was slaine.
But behold what was the end of this cursed Apostate Iu∣lian.* 1.19 After he had passed the Sea Bosphore, he wintered in An∣tioche: As soone as the Spring came, passing by Hierapolis, hee went into Mesopotamia: and after he had passed the floud hee fought against the Persians, and receiued a mortall wound; and casting a full handfull of bloud into the ayre, hee vttered this blasphemie against Iesus Christ. Thou hast ouercome ô Gallelean. In the end thou art vanquisher: and as hee had lost much bloud, being in a burning Feuer, hee called for water about midnight, and dranke it colde, and expired the yeare of his age 31. hauing gouerned the Empire the space of a yeare and seuen moneths. Of the publike ioy they of Antioche made for his death, see the Tripartite historie. lib. 6. chap. 48.
Iouinian or Iuuian borne in Hungarie, was created Empe∣rour with great ioy of the Armie, the next morning after the death of Iulian.* 1.20 He was a Prince naturally liberall, and who vnder Iulian had shewed well, that he loued better to loose all dignities then to obey one wicked commaundement, and a∣gainst Christian religion.
Beeing importuned by the souldiers to accept the electi∣on, he said hee was a Christian, and that hee would not bee the Emperour of Ethnicks and Idollatrous people. Hee accepted not the Empire, vntill all with a common voyce had protested they would bee Christians. Eutropius Lib. 10. Socrat. Lib. 3. Chap. 22.
One called Lucius an Arrian, whom George Bishop of
Alexandria had promoted, accusing Athanasius when he re∣turned from exile. Iouinian would not heare him,* 1.21 but knowing Athanasius, commaunded silence to Lucius. Sozomen. li. 6. cap. 5. He customably said to flatterers, that they rather worshipped purple then God.
The Church had rest vnder him, and he restored whatsoe∣uer Iulian had taken away.
There was a Councell held at Antioche vnder him,* 1.22 to esta∣blish the faith of the Councell of Nice, Sozom. lib. 6. chap. 4.
He made peace with the Persians to his great dishonour,* 1.23 and to their great aduantage: yeelding them fiue Prouinces beyond Tigris: also he promised to giue no succours vnto the King Arsaces allied with the Romanes. He died soone after of an euill of the stomacke as he was in his chamber, wherein for cold he caused to be made a great fire of coles all the night. He liued 23. yeares, and raigned seuen moneths.
Heretickes cruell.
Monkes at this time.
Liberius.
Hilarie Bishop of Poiters.
Eusebius Bishop of Verceil.
Iulian.
The death of Constantius.
A Sinode in Alexandria.
Essentiall.
Substance.
Subsistence.
Iulian instituted in pietie.
Humane Let∣ters prohibited
Holy water.
Extreame cruelties.
1. Cord. 10. fol. 25.
Iulians enuy for the name of Martyr.
Iouinian.
The horrible death of Iulian.
A Christian Emperour.
Athanasius came from exile.
Councell at Antoiche.
Peace with the Persians.