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. XIII. Of Simon Magus.

BUt the faith of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ being now every where diffused a∣mong all men; that enemy of mans salvation, plot∣ting to possess himself of the Royal City, brings thither the forementioned Simon. And, joyning his inchantments to that mans craftiness, he made many that dwelt at Rome his own by inducing them into errour. This Justin evidences; a man very famous amongst the professours of our Reli∣gion soon after the Apostles time; whose worth we will give account of in due place. Let us read what he has writ in his a 1.1 se∣cond Apologie to Antoninus for our doctrine, where he says thus:

And after the Ascension of our Lord in∣to heaven, the Devils sent forth certain men who sti∣led themselves Gods: whom you were so far from per∣secuting that you worshipped them. Amongst them there was one Simon a Samaritane, of the village named Gitton, who in the reign of Claudius Caesar, having performed many ma∣gical wonders by the assistance and art of De∣vils within your City Rome the Metropolis of the Empire, was accounted a God by you, to whom you dedicated an Image, as to a God, in an Island of the river Tiber, between the two Bridges, with this Latine inscription, b 1.2 SIMONI DEO SANCTO, that is, to Simon the Holy God. Him almost all the Samari∣tans, and some of other Na∣tions, confess to be the great God, and worship him, as also one c 1.3 Helena at that time a constant companion of his, who heretofore was a prostitute in the stews of Tyre a City of Phoenicia; and her they term the prime notion (or first concepti∣on) from him.

Thus far he: with whom agrees Irenae∣us in his first Book against Heresies, wherein he sets forth the Life of this man, his impious and most impure doctrine, which it would be superfluous here to relate; since any one that has a desire may fully under∣stand from the foresaid Books of Irenaeus, where∣in these things are accuratly delivered, the original, the life, the grounds and reasons of the false opi∣nions, and the endeavours and purposes not onely of this Simon, but also of all other Arch-hereticks. We have heard that this Simon was indeed the chief Captain, and first Authour of all Heresie. From which time even to our age those who are fol∣lowers of his Heresie, although they pretend to have imbraced throughout their whole Lives, the Christian Religion renowned amongst all men for its modesty and sanctity; yet nevertheless they re∣lapse to the superstitious worship of Devils, which they seem'd to have abandoned, prostrating them∣selves before the Images and Pictures of Simon and his forementioned Helena, whom they wor∣ship with sweet persumes, sacrifices, and oblations. And those things which are transacted in secret a∣mongst them, which, say they, do forthwith strike terrour into the minds of those that at first hear them, and which (to use the terms of their own written oracle) doe make them tremble and shake by reason of astonishment; are in truth full of ter∣rour, amazement of mind, and outragious madness: So that it is impossible not onely to commit them to writing, but even for men of modesty to utter them through their lips, by reason of their excessive

obscenity and uncleanness not to be named. For there is not, nor can there be invented, any thing so impure, which their most lewd Sect does not far surpass; deluding silly women laden with all manner of iniquity.

Notes

• a 1.1

  This place of Justin is now to be found not in his second but in his first Apologie. Eusebius in citing Justins Apologies follows not the order of our common Edi∣tions. For he always calls that the first which our Editions term the second; and that the second which they call the first: of which more hereafter. Vales.
• b 1.2

  The Learned have long since observed, that Justin, by reason of his unskilfulness in the Latine tongue, was here mistaken; think∣ing that the Image dedicated to Semon Sancus was consecrated to Simon Magus. Tis certain, that image, which Justin had seen in the island of Tiber, was lately dug up, with this inscription up∣on it, Semoni Sango Deo Fidio. Sancus was a God among the Sa∣bins that had the charge of bar∣gains and contracts, whence he had the names of Sangus and Fi∣dius. By him the Romans were wont to swear. Some Samaritans, no doubt, deceived Justin, mak∣ing him believe this Image was dedicated to their Simon Magus▪ Vales.
• c 1.3

  C. Rufinus calls her Selene. Vales.