The estate of the Church with the discourse of times, from the apostles vntill this present: also of the liues of all the emperours, popes of Rome, and Turkes: as also of the Kings of Fraunce, England, Scotland, Spaine, Portugall, Denmarke, &c. With all the memorable accidents of their times. Translated out of French into English by Simon Patrike, Gentleman.

Of the goods of the Church.

The Church of this time began to be enriched by gifts, lar∣gitions & munificēces of Princes. Maximin feeling himself ta∣ken with a greeuous disease made an Edict for the Christians,* 1.1 that the houses, lands & possessions takē away in times of perse∣cutiōs should be restored to the true possessors, Euseb. li. 9. ch 10.

The Emperor Cōstantin, not only caused that which had bin takē frō the Christiās to be again restored, but also caused to be sold for the cōmoditie of the poore of the Church, all the most precious

Images of the Heathens. Sozomene, lib. 2. chap. 5.* 1.2 Moreouer he withdrew from the Reuenewes of euery Towne a certain Im∣post, and ordained it for the profit of the Church and cleargie thereof, commaunding by Edict that that gift should passe to them successiuely for euer. The same Sozomene li. 1. chap. 3. & li. 5. chap. 5. He commaunded further, to bring to the treasurie of the Church their goods who had bene martyred, which left no children nor kinsfolkes their heires. As Eusebius reciteth in the life of Constantine, li. 2. Hee willed also that men should distri∣bute Corne in common to the poore. Basile in his Epistle 104. witnesseth that many dedicated whole houses to the profit of Churches: yea some of their owne motion all their substance vnto Churches, which not being permitted daring the raigne of other Emperours, was permitted and lawfull by the consti∣tution of Constantine, contained in the lawe Ei eod. De sacro. sanct. Eccles.

* 1.3The vse of the goods of the Church, was applied to su∣staine the poore pilgrimes. Yet Ambrose in his first booke of Offices, chap. 56. excepteth such as had any goods and reuenues of their owne to maintaine them. And Hierome in the Epistle to Damasus, admonisheth that amongst Clarks there should be none but such as were nourished at the charges of the Church, and that had no patrimony, or that had no other meanes to su∣staine themselues.

* 1.4Besides, the wages and oblations which Constantin gaue, he also granted in all places Immunities to Priests, which also the heires of Constantine ratified. See the Code, de epischo & cleris.

* 1.5After Ministers, the chiefe care was of the poore, whose Proctors the Deacons were. Cyrillus Bishop of Ierusalem, is praised, because in a great dearth for the succour and helpe of the poore, he caused the vessells, vailes, and other precious things of the Temple to be solde, Sozomene lib. 4. cap. 25. And Hierome ad Rusticum accuseth Bishops which vsurpe and make proper that which is common. If the liberalitie of Emperours failed, the Churches defrayed the charges of Bishops and all o∣thers that went to Sinodes. Theodoret. lib. 2, cap. 16.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Edicts for the Christians.
• * 1.2

  Reuenewes assigned to the Church.
• * 1.3

  The vse of the goods of the Church.
• * 1.4

  Immunities.
• * 1.5

  The poore.