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. IV. Of the first Succession of the Apostles.

THat Paul therefore, Preaching to the Gen∣tiles, laid the foundations of those Churches from Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum, is manifest both from his own * 1.1 words, and also from what Luke has related in the † 1.2 Acts. Like∣wise in what Provinces Peter, Preaching the Gospel of Christ to those of the Circumcision, delivered the doctrine of the New Covenant, is sufficiently apparent from his own † 1.3 words out of that Epistle of his, which, we have said, is universally acknow∣ledged as genuine; which he wrote to the Jews that were dispersed throughout Pontus and Ga∣latia, Cappadocia, and Asia, and Bithynia. Now how many and what sincere followers of them have been approved as sufficient to take the charge of those Churches by them founded, it is not easie to say; except such and so many as may be colle∣cted from the words of Paul. For he had very ma∣ny fellow labourers, and, as he termed them fellow souldiers; many of which were by him vouchsa∣fed an indeleble remembrance, he having in his own Epistles ascribed to them an everlasting commen∣dation. But Luke, enumerating, in the Acts, the disciples of Paul, makes mention of them by name. Moreover, Timothy is reported to have been the first that was chosen to the Bishoprick of the Ephesian Church: as also Titus, of the Churches in Or••••t. Luke, by original extract an Antiochian, by pro∣fession a Physitian, for the most part accompa∣nied Paul; and being diligently conversant with the rest of the Apostles, has left us, in two Books written by divine inspiration▪ Lessons that are me∣dicinable for our souls, which he pr••••ured of

them. The one is the Gospel, which he * 1.4 pro∣fesses he wrote even as they delivered it unto him, who from the beginning were eye witnesses and Ministers of the Word, in all which things, he says, he had perfect understanding from the very first. The other is the Acts of the Apostles, which Treatise he composed now not of such passages as he had received by report, but of what he had seen with his own eyes. They say also that Paul was wont to mean the Gospel according to Luke, when, speaking, as it were of his own Gospel, he says, † 1.5 According to my Gospel. Of the rest of the followers of Paul, Crescens is by the Apostle himself declared to be one; who was sent by him into a 1.6 Gallia. Linus also; whom in his second Epistle to Timothy he mentions to be at Rome with him, who was before manifested to have been the first that was chosen to the Bishoprick of Rome, after Peter. Clemens also, who was likewise constituted the third Bishop of Rome, is attested by Paul himself to have been his fellow labourer, and companion in sufferings. Furthermore, that Areopagite (by name Dionysius, whom Luke in the Acts records to have been the first that believed after the Sermon made by Paul to the Athenians in b 1.7 Areopagus) another Dionysius, one of the Antients, a Pastour of the Corinthian Church relates to have been the first Bishop of the Athenian Church. But as we goe on with this work of ours, we will in due place declare the suc∣cessions of the Apostles in their several times. Now we will proceed to that part of our History which follows in order.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 15. 19.
• † 1.2

  Acts from 14. to ••1. chap.
• † 1.3

  1 Epist. Pet. 1. 1.
• * 1.4

  Luke 1. 1, 2, 3.
• † 1.5

  2 Tim. 2. 8.
• a 1.6

  These words of S^t Paul occur 2 Tim. 4. 10. where we now read, Cre∣scens to Galatia. But the Antients, among whom Eu∣sebius, seem to have read Gal∣lia: so E∣piphanius in Haeres. Alogor▪ and Hieronymus in Catalog. and Sophro∣nius and o∣thers. But the other reading is the truest, which Clemens confirms in his Constitut. Apost. Theodoret reads Galatia, but says that thereby is meant Gallia. Vales.
• b 1.7

  Areopagus was the Senate or standing Court of Judicature in Athens, by whose Laws and orders any new gods were received among them; and therefore as soon as they perceived that Paul was a pro∣mulger of strange Deities, they bring him to the Areopagus to have him examined what Gods they were that he thus Preached. Two Judicatures they had at Athens; one every year changed, made up of 500. chosen men, of whom the Republick consisted; the other perpetual, which judged of Murthers and the like capital Offences; and this was in Areopago; of which and the customs thereof▪ See Bu∣daeus on the Pandects. Why it was called Areopagus, see S^t Aug. de civit Dei L. 18. c. 18. The Judges which sat in this Court were called Areopagitae, who were lookt upon with such reverence, that an Areo∣pagite signified proverbially an excellent Persons. Gell. L. 12. c. 7. Dionysius was one of these Areopagites.