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. XI. Concerning those who were Arch-Hereticks in these times.

FOr Valentinus came to Rome when Hygi∣nus was Bishop there: but he flourisht in the times of Pius, and continued to those of Anicetus. Cerdo also, who was master to Marcion, flourisht in the times of Hyginus who was the a 1.1 ninth Bishop; he went into the Church, and openly confessing his errour, so continued at Rome; sometimes teaching privately, other while a∣gain acknowledging his errour; but being now and then reprehended for his impious doctrine, he b 1.2 with∣drew himself from the as∣sembly of of the brethren.

Thus far Irenaus, in his third book against He∣resies. Moreover, in his first book he again says this concerning Cerdo:

But one Cerdo, deriving the original of his errours from the Tenets of Simon, came to Rome in the times of Hyginus (who was the ninth that in the Episcopal suc∣cession from the Apostles had that See) and taught, that that God, who was Preacht under the Law, and by the Prophets, is not the father of our Lord Jesus Christ: For the one is known, the other unknown; the one is just, the other good: Marcion of Pontus, an impudent blasphe∣mer, succeeding him, did mightily propagate that opinion.

But the same Irenaus, having sounded the bottom of that immense depth of matter, full of various errours, which Valentinus, had put together, does fully discover the secret and occult deceit and wickedness, that like a Serpent lurking in its hole, lies hid within him. More∣over, he says there was at the same time another person (by name Mark) who was most expert at Magical delusions: and further, he declares their prophane rites of initiation, and their most de∣testable mysteries in these very words;

For some of them prepare a nuptial-bed, and perform a secret ceremony by pronouncing some words over such as are to be initiated; and a marriage, they say, thus made by them, is spiritual, and conformable to the celestial nuptials: But others of them bring [those that are to be initiated] to the water, and dipping them, use this form of words, In the name of the unknown Father of all, In the truth the Mother of all, In Him who descended upon Jesus: Another sort of them pronounce Hebrew names, to put those that are to be initiated into the greater consternation.

But Hyginus dying, c 1.3 after he had been Bishop four years, Pius undertook the Government of the Roman Church. Moreover, at Alexandria Mark was chosen Pastour, Eumenes having sat there thirteen years compleat. Which Mark dying after he had presided there ten years, Celadion assumed the Government of the Alexandrian Church: and at Rome, Pius departing this life in the fifteenth year of his presidency, Anicetus was preferred to that See. In whose time Hege∣sippus relates that he himself came to Rome, and continued there untill Eleutherus was made Bishop. But at that time flourished Justin and was singularly eminent, one that in a Philosophi∣cal habit was an assertour of the Divine Word, and earnestly contended for the Faith in his writings: who, in the d 1.4 book he wrote against Marcion, mentions the man to be alive at that time when he com∣piled that work. His words are these;

And one Mar∣cion of Pontus; who now at this time teacheth his followers, and instructs them [to believe] there is another God grea∣ter than him that made the world. This man also, assisted by devils hath perswaded many throughout the world to speak blasphemy, to deny the Maker of the universe e 1.5 to be the Fa∣ther of Christ, and to affirm there is another

greater than he that made it: And all their followers, as we said, are called Christians, af∣ter the same manner as the name of Philosophers, derived from Philosophie, is in common given to all that profess it, though they differ as to their Sects and Opinions.

To this he adds fur∣ther, saying,

We have compiled a book against all the Heresies that ever were, which, if you be willing to read it, we will deliver to you.

The same Justin, having wrote many elaborate works against the Heathens, dedicated also some other books, containing an Apology for our faith, to the Emperour Antoninus, surnamed Pius, and to the Roman Senate: For he dwelt at Rome: But in his Apologie, he makes known himself, who and whence he was, in these words.

Notes

• a 1.1

  These words of I∣renaeus are extant in his 3 B. chap. 4. where the old translatour seems to have read the eighth: which reading is most agreeable to trenaeus, as ap∣pears from the 3 chapt. of the same book; where he, reckoning up the Roman Bishops, counts Hyginus the eighth from the Apostles. But in the 1 B. of Irenaeus chap. 28. its written [the ninth] so also in Epiphan. in Haeres. Cerdon. and in the Epistle of Cyprian to Pomp••ius. Vales.
• b 1.2

  Irenaeus does not say he was excommunicated; but that he sepa∣rated himself from the Church; whence it appears, that Cerdo con∣demned himself, in his own judgment, and so prevented the sentence of the Church. Vales.
• c 1.3

  Rufinus seems to have readit otherwise; for he tran∣slates it thus; Quarto au∣tem Episco∣patûs sui anno cùm decessisset Hyginus, &c. i. e. Hyginus dying in the fourth year of his being Bishop, &c. Vales.
• d 1.4

  Our Eusebius forgot himself here, in that he says, that these following words of Justins were taken out of his book against Marcion; they are taken out of Justins second Apologie; pag. 70. Edit. Paris. Vales.
• e 1.5

  These words [to be the Fa∣ther of Christ] are wanting in the common Editions of Justin; and they seem to be superfluous. Marcion asserted, there were two Gods, the one the Creatour, by whom this world was made▪ the other superiour to him; who framed the better and more excellent things: this God, he said, we ought to confess, and to deny the other. This is the meaning of Justins words: to whom agrees Epiphan. in Haeres. Marcion. Marcion held, that that most High God was the Father of Christ; and that Christ came down from heaven to repre∣hend the other God the maker of this world, whom he called the God of the Jews. Vales▪