The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. X. How Agrippa, called also Herod, persecuting the Apostles, presently felt Divine vengeance.

BUt the Kings attempt to do violence to the Apostles remained not long unrevenged; for a chastizing Minister of divine justice pursued him: He therefore, soon after his bloudy plot against the Apostles, going down to Caesarea, as it is related in the Acts of the Apostles, and being there upon the great festival day dressed in a white and Royal garment, made an Oration to the peo∣ple from his lofty throne; and when all the mul∣titude gave a shout with loud acclamations at his Oration, as at the voice of God and not of Man, Sacred writ declares that he was immediately smit∣ten by an Angel, and was eaten up of worms and gave up the ghost. But the consent between Holy writ and the History of Josephus, in the account given of this strange thing is worthy of admiration. In which he, giving evident testimony to the truth in his nineteenth * 1.1 Book of Antiquities does plainly declare this wonderfull thing in these words thus,

The third year of his reign over all Judea was now compleated; when he went to the City Caesarea, heretofore called the Tower of Straton. There he exhibited shewes in honour of Caesar, knowing that a 1.2 Festival to have been instituted for the prosperity of him. Hereun∣to flockt a great multitude of those who were honoura∣ble and excelled in digni∣ty, throughout that whole b 1.3 Province. On the second day therefore of the shews, being clothed with Robes made all of silver admira∣bly wrought, he entred the Theatre early in the mor∣ning. When the silver of his Robes, shining by rea∣son of the beams the rising Sun cast on them made a wonderfull glistering, striking those who steadfastly looked on him with wonder and amazement, presently his flat∣terers, some from one place some from another, cryed out with voices most pernitious to him terming him God; and beseeching him to be propitious to them. Hitherto, said they, we have reverenced thee as a Man, but now we acknow∣ledge thee to be above mortal nature. But the King neither rebuked them, nor rejected their impious flattery, presently after looking up he espied an c 1.4 angel sitting over his head; whom he forthwith understood to be the cause of mis∣chief towards him, having d 1.5 heretofore been the foreteller of his prosperity. A pain that pierced his very heart immediately seized him. He had besides a griping all over his belly, which began with a vehement sharpness, and was continual and without intermission. Looking therefore upon his friends, I your God, says he, am now compelled to end my life; fatal necessity forthwith demonstra∣ting the falshood of your boasting acclamations even now uttered concerning me: I, who by you was stiled immortal, am now snatch't away by death. But that destinie is to be born with which God hath decreed. We have in no wise lived ill, and despicably, but in such splendor as was look't upon to be most fortunate. When he had spoken these words, he was spent with the vehemency of his pain. Being therefore presently carried into the Palace, a rumour was immediately spread abroad that the King was in imminent danger of his life; straightway the whole multitude with their wives and chil∣dren e 1.6 sitting upon spread sackcloth, after their coun∣try fashion, made supplica∣tions to God for the King. Every place was filled with wailings and lamentations. But the King lying in an High-bed-chamber, looked down upon them as they lay prostrate and could not refrain weeping. At length having been for five days space continually tormen∣ted with pains of his Belly, he died, in the fifty fourth year of f 1.7 his Age, and the seventh of his Reign. For first he reigned four years under Caius Caesar, having governed the Te∣trarchie of Phillip three years; in the fourth he had Herods Tetrarchie an∣next: the three last years of his Reign he passed un∣der Claudius Caesar.

Thus far Josephus: wherein, as also in other passages, I much admire him, in that he agrees so exactly with Holy Scripture. But if any one should think that there is some disagreement about the name of the King; both the time and the action doe evidently shew that he was the same per∣son; so that either his name was changed by some mistake of the Transcriber, or else this King had, as many others have, two names.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Joseph. Antiq. B. 19. c. 7.
• a 1.2

  This Festival was instituted first by Herod the great in honour of Augustus, in the 192 Olym∣piad, says Josephus, (Antiq. L. 16. c. 9.) at the City Caesarea. Agrip∣pa went to Caesarea to celebrate it, in the 4 year of Claudius, at the beginning of the 206 Olympiad. Vales.
• b 1.3

  He means Syria, or (which was part of it) Phoenicia; which was called the Province, to distin∣guish it from Judea where Agrip∣pa then reigned. Indeed Luke says expresly (Acts 12. 20.) that the principal men of Tyre were then present, which Tyre was the chief City of Phoenicia. Vales.
• c 1.4

  Josephus calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an owl: See his words in the B. and chap. last cited.
• d 1.5

  To wit, in the reign of Tiberius: when Agrippa, being in bonds, and leaning against a tree, as he stood before the palace of Tiberius, saw an owl sitting over his head. A German being by, one of his fellow prisoners foretold this to portend great felicity to Agrippa. See the story at large in Joseph. Antiq. B. 18. c. 8.
• e 1.6

  This was the usual posture of the Hebrew mourners. See Job 2. 3. Esai. 47. 5. Lament. 2. 10. Jonah 3. 6, &c. consonant here∣unto, the Reverses of the medalls both of Vespasian and Titus, made for the memory and celebration of the conquest of Judea, were im∣printed with a silent woman sit∣ting on the ground, and leaning her back to a palm-tree, with this inscription, Judaea Capta, i. e. Ju∣dea subdued. Note here that the Reverses made to commit victo∣ries to memory were always writ∣ten upon with some representation of proper respect to the place con∣quered. I know the posture of sit∣ting is a ceremony of Roman la∣mentation too. But it was first used among the Jews, from whom the Romans learned it. M^r Gregory of Oxford. Chap. 4. pag. 25, &c.
• f 1.7

  This man had two sons, and three daughters; his sons were, Agrippa the younger mentio∣ned Acts 25▪ and Drusus who died young. His daughters were, Bernice, Mariamne, and Drusilla, which last married Felix the Pro∣curator of Judea, as we have it in the Acts: Bernice is also men∣tioned in the Acts coming in great pomp with her brother Agrippa to hear Paul. Joseph. Antiq.