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. I. Concerning the Peace, which was procured by God for us.

THerefore, glory be to God the Al∣mighty and supream King, for all things: and manifold thanks to the Saviour and Redeemer of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom we pray that we may have always preserved to us a firm and inviolable peace, both from outward troubles, and also from all internal molestations of mind. Having (by the assistance of your prayers) added this tenth book of our Ecclesiastick History to those foregoing books at this place finished, we have dedicated it to you (most sacred a 1.1 Paulinus!) hereby publishing you to be the seal and closure as it were of this our whole work. Nor will it be incongruous (as we suppose) to place here * 1.2 in its due order, a com∣pleat Panegyrick concer∣ning the Re-edification of the Churches: obeying here∣in the holy Spirit, which exhorteth us in these words: O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath* 1.3 done marvellous things. With his own right hand, and with his holy arme hath he gotten himself the victory. The Lord hath declared his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the Heathen. Therefore, since the Scripture in∣joyneth us [to begin] a new song, let us a∣greeable thereto sing together; because, after such terrible, black, and horrid spectacles and relations; we are now vouchsafed to see such happy days, and to celebrate such Festivals, as many of our Ancestours, who were truly just and Gods Martyrs, desired to see upon earth, but have not seen them; and to hear, but have not heard them. But these persons, hastning a∣way with all possible speed, obtained far more excellent things, being taken up into Hea∣ven, and into the Paradise of divine joy and delight: And we, confessing these present en∣joyments to be greater than our deserts, stand amazed at the bounty of the Donour of such munificence: We also justly admire and adore him with the utmost vigour of our souls, at∣testing the truth of his Predictions by his Pro∣phets contain'd in the Scriptures, in which 'tis said: O come hither, and behold the works of the* 1.4 Lord, what miracles he hath done upon the earth; He maketh warrs to cease in all the world. He shall break the bow, and knap in sunder the spear, and burn the shields with fire. Let us therefore rejoyce

at the perfect and effectual completion of these things in our days, and with gladness prosecute the series of our narration. After the same manner therefore that we have related, did the whole race of those enemies of God vanish, and was suddenly taken away out of mens sight; so that that divine Oracle was again compleated, which says; * 1.5 I have seen the wicked exalted, and lifted up like the Cedars of Libanus, I went by, and lo, he was not: I sought his place but it could not be found. Now therefore a bright and glorious day, no cloud overshadowing it, doth enlighten, with raies of heavenly light, the Chur∣ches of Christ over all the earth. Neither were there any of those that were strangers to the community of us Christians, and to our Religion, b 1.6 but (although they did not enjoy them in the same degree that we did, yet at least in some mea∣sure) might together with us partake of the streams and effluxes of those good things, which had been procured us from God.

Notes

• a 1.1

  He means Pau∣linus Bishop of Tyre, to whom our Eusebius dedicated his Ecclesiastick History. For by his perswasion he undertook this work, as he does here plainly intimate. Eusebius designedly omitted the dedication of his books to Paulinus at the beginning of this his work, (which is usually done,) upon account of Paulinus's modesty (if I mistake not:) but was contented to make an honourable mention of him at the end of his History. For he supposed it signified not much, whe∣ther he dedicated his books to him at the beginning, or at the end of them. Eusebius dedicated to the same Paulinus two books 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, concerning the names of places: the former of these (which contained the division of the 12 Tribes, the description of the City Jerusalem, and the Hebrew appellations of extraneous nations) is now lost. But the latter (which treats of the Hebrew names of places) was above twenty years since put forth in Greek by the Reverend Father Bonsrerius; to which there is prefixt an Epistle to Paulinus. Wherein Eusebius attests, that by Paulinus's perswasion he attempted that work; and he gives him this title [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, O Paulinus, thou sacred man of God!] Paulinus there∣fore was our Eusebius's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Instigator to compile his books, as Ambrosius heretofore was Origen's.—Further, this Paulinus was at first a Presbyter of Antioch. Afterwards, being preferred to the Bishoprick of Tyre, he was much commended for his Presidency over that Church. And at length when Eustathius was divested of the See of Antioch, he was by the Antiochians preferred to the Gover∣ment of their Church: so Eusebius info〈…〉〈…〉 us, in his book against Marcellus, chap. 4. in these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Afterwards he inveighs against the man of God Paulinus, a most bles∣sed person; who was adorned with the dignity of a Presbyter at Antioch: and was so famous for his Government of the Tyrian Church, that the Antiochians challenged him as their own proper goods. Philostorgius (book 3. chap. 15.) says expresly, that Paulinus succeeded Eustathius in the See of Antioch, and that six months after his translation he died.—Paulinus therefore died in the year of Christ 328, after he had born the Episcopate of Antioch six months. Wherefore Gothofredus is much mistaken, who (in his notes on Philo∣storgius) supposes Paulinus to have died in the year of Christ 324; and blames Philostorgius for being inconstant to himself. But Philostorgius agrees very well with himself; which Gothofredus does not in asserting that Paulinus Bishop of Tyre died on the year of Christ 324. undoubtedly Paulinus Bishop of Tyre was present at the Nicene Council, and survived that Synod sometime; as Theodoret informs us book 1. chap. 6. and Sozomen book 2. chap. 18.—Baro∣nius indeed says that Paulinus died in the year 324, and that Eusta∣thius succeeded him. But Baronius affirms not, that that Paulinus, whom he makes Eustathius's predecessour, was Bishop of Tyre▪ Vales.
• * 1.2

  The phrase in the original is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] which Valesius, Chistophorson, and Gry∣naeus render in perfecto numero; and we, in its due order.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 98. 1, 2, 3.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 46, 8, 9.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 37. 35, 36.
• b 1.6

  This place (which neither Musculus nor Chri∣stophorson understood) must be thus mended; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. But (although they did not enjoy them in the same degree that we did, yet at least in some measure) might together with us partake of the streams, &c. Vales. In Stephens Edit. the reading is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.