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. XX. What Irenaeus wrote against the Schismaticks at Rome.

a 1.1 I Renaeus composed several Epistles against those at Rome who adulterated the sound law of the Church: He wrote one to Blastus concerning Schisme; another to Florinus con∣cerning b 1.2 Monarchy, or, that God is not the maker of Evil. For Florinus seemed to be a maintainer of that opinion: upon whose ac∣count, (being afterwards lead into the errour of Valenti∣nus,) Irenaeus compiled that work of his, [entitled,] c 1.3 concerning the number eight. In which piece he intimates himself to have lived in the first succession after the A∣postles: there also at the close of that work, we found a most profitable d 1.4 note of his, which we judged usefull to be inserted into this our History; it is thus;

I ad∣jure thee (who shall tran∣scribe this book) by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his glorious coming to judge the quick and dead, that you compare what you shall transcribe, and correct it diligently ac∣cording to that copie whence you shall tran∣scribe it; and that in like manner you transcribe this adjuration, and annex it to [thy] copy.

And let thus much have been profi∣tably said by him, and re∣lated by us, that we may al∣ways have [before our eyes] those antient and truely holy men, as the best pattern of a most accurate care and diligence. Moreover, in that Epistle (we spake of) which Irenaeus wrote to Florinus, he makes mention of his being con∣versant with Polycarp, saying;

These opinions, (O Florinus!) that I may speak sparingly, doe not appertain to sound doctrine;

these opinions are dissonant from the Church, and drive those

who give their assent to them into the greatest impiety; these Sentiments even the Hereticks, who are without the Church, have not dared to publish at any time; these opinions the Presby∣ters, who lived before our times, who also were the disciples of the Apostles, did in no wise de∣liver unto thee. For I saw thee (when being yet a child I was in the Lower Asia, with Poly∣carp,) behaving thy self very well in the Pa∣lace, and endeavouring to get thy self well esteemed of by him. For I remember the things then done, better than what has happened of late. For what we learnt being children, increases together with the mind it self, and is closely united to it. In so much that I am able to tell even the place where the Blessed Polycarp sate and discourst; also his e 1.5 goings out and comings in; his manner of life; the shape of his body; the discourses he made to the populace; the familiar converse, which, he said, he had with John, and with the rest who had seen the Lord; and how he rehearsed their sayings, and what they were, which he had heard from them concerning the Lord; concerning his miracles, and his doctrine, according as Polycarp re∣ceived them from those, who with their own eyes beheld the Word of life, so he related them, agreeing in all things with the Scriptures. These things, by the mercy of God bestowed upon me, I then heard diligently, and copied them out, not in paper, but in my heart; and by the grace of God I doe continually and sincerely ruminate upon them. And I am able to protest in the presence of God, that if that blessed and Apostolick Presbyter should have heard any such thing, he would presently have cried out, and f 1.6 stopped his ears, and according to his usual custom would have said; Good God! For what times hast thou reserved me, that I should suffer such things! and he would have run out of the place, where he was either sitting or standing, should he have heard such words as these. And this may be manifested from those Epistles of his, which he wrote either to the neighbouring Churches to confirm them, or to some brethren to admonish and exhort them. Thus far Irenaeus.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Here we began the 20 chapter; following therein Rufinus, Mus∣culus, and Christophorson. The Kings, the Maz. and Fuk. M. SS. begin the chapter from these words [And of this sort were the matters, &c.] which are the close of the foregoing chapter. Vales.
• b 1.2

  The antient Christians did frequently use this term; as often, as they disputed against the Gen∣tiles, under which title they put forth many books, to shew that there was one God, the maker and King of all things, which term [to wit, Monarchy] they ascribed to God the father; but [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. the dispensation, and administration] they assigned to the Son and holy Ghost; so Tertullian, (in his book against Praxeas,) and Tatianus, (adver∣sus Graecos.) There is a book of Justin the Martyrs, now extant, which has this title. Moreover, from this title of Irenaeus's book we may conclude, that Florinus asserted two principles, and em∣braced the opinions of Cerdo and Marcion, affirming one to be the Authour of Good, the other of evil. Vales.
• c 1.3

  See Irenaeus, and Epiphanius, concerning a work of Valentinus's, which bears this title. Vales.
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is the term in the original. Those notes which were set at the margin of M. SS. that the reader might understand some∣thing remarkable occurred there, were properly so called. There∣fore we translate it [adnotationem, i. e. a note.] This note is now to be found in many Greek M. SS. exprest onely by the two first let∣ters, thus [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.] which doe sig∣nifie [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. note.] This adjuration of Irenaeus's did so well please Eusebius, that he put it at the beginning of his Chronicon. Vales.
• e 1.5

  All our M. SS. and Nicepho∣rus, doe read [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. his goings out] and so we tran∣slate it. Vales.
• f 1.6

  It was the custom of the primi∣tive Chri∣stians, (when they heard any impi∣ous expres∣sion in a fa∣miliar dis∣course, which was disagree∣able to the rule of the Catholick faith,) forthwith to stop their ears, and run away. See Irenaeus (B. 3, Against Heresies, chap. 4;) and Jerom, B. 1. against Rufinus. Vales.