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. VIII. How Eusebius assembled another Synod at Antioch of Syria, and caused another form of Faith to be published.

BUt Eusebius could by no means be at quiet: but (as the common saying is) moved eve∣ry stone, that he might effect what he had de∣signed. Therefore, he procures a Synod to be assembled at Antioch in Syria, under a pretence of dedicating a Church, which [Constantine] the father of the * 1.1 Augusti had begun to build: (after whose death, Constantius his son fi∣nished it, in the tenth year after its foundation was laid:) but in reality, that he might subvert and destroy the Ho∣moöusian Faith. At this Synod there met ninety Bishops, [who came] out of divers Cities. But Maximus Bishop of Je∣rusalem, who had succeeded Macarius, was not present at that Synod, a 1.2 having considered with himself that he had been before induced by fraud to subscribe Athanasius's deposition. Neither was Julius Bishop of Rome the Great present there: nor did he send any body to supply his place. Although the Ecclesiastick▪ Canon doth order, that the Churches ought not to make Sanctions contrary to the Bishop of Romes opinion. This Synod therefore is convened at Antioch (the Emperour Constantius himself being there pre∣sent,) in the b 1.3 Consulate of Marcellus and Pro∣binus. This was the c 1.4 fifth year from the death of Constantine the father of the Augusti. At that time d 1.5 Placitus, successour to Euphronius presided over the Churches in Antioch. The Eusebians therefore made it their principal busi∣ness to calumniate Athanasius, [saying] in the first place, that he had done contrary to that Canon, which they had then constituted, because he had recovered his Episcopal dignity without the consent of a general Synod of Bishops. For, returning from his exile, he had upon his own arbitrement and award rushed into the Church: [secondly,] that a tumult being raised at his entrance, e 1.6 many had lost their lives in that Sedi∣tion; and that some persons had been scourged by Athanasius, and others brought before the seats of Judicature. Moreover, they produced what had been done against Athanasius in the City of Tyre.

Notes

• * 1.1

  That is, he means Constan∣tiu••, and Constans, sons to the Emperour Constantine the Great; who had a little before this been proclaimed Augusti. Constan∣tine, the other son of Constantine the Great, was now dead. See chap. 5. of this book.
• a 1.2

  The par∣ticle [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] must be expunged here; and the whole clause read in this continued form; ha∣ving consi∣dered with himself how he had been circum ven∣ted that he might sub∣scribe A∣thanasius's deposition. For Maxi∣mus Bishop of Jerusa∣lem▪ had, together with Paul and the rest, sub∣scribed A∣thanasius's deposition, in the Council of Tyre. In regard of his sorrow for doing this, he refused afterwards to be present at the Council of Antioch; as Sozomen relates, in his 3^d book chap. 6. neer the end. Vales.
• b 1.3

  Athanasius (in his book de Synodis) set forth the time of this Council by these notes: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Those Bi∣shops that met at the dedication were ninety in number; [they were con∣vened] in the Consulate of Marcellinus and Probinus, in the tenth Indiction, the most impious Constantius being there present. Vales.
• c 1.4

  In the Consulate of Marcellinus and Probinus, on the eleventh of the Calends of June was compleated the fourth year from Con∣stantines death. The Synod of Antioch therefore was convened after this day, if it be true which Socrates here says, to wit, that it was con∣vened in the fifth year after Constantines death. Vales.
• d 1.5

  In Epiphanius Scholasticus's Version, this persons name is truer written, thus, Flaccillus. Nor is he otherwise called, in Pope Ju∣lius's Epistle to the Bishops convened in this Synod of Antioch. This person had been present before, at the Council of Tyre, and had with the Arians conspired against Athanasius, as the Epistle of the Egypti∣an Bishops to Dionysius the Comes doth inform us, which Epistle A∣thanasius has recorded, in his second defence against the Arians. Eu∣sebius of Caesarea dedicated the books he wrote against Marcellus, to this same Flaccillus. But, instead of Flaccillus, he is almost every where called Placitus: only in the following chapter, the Allatian M. S. terms him Flaccillus. Vales.
• e 1.6

  These calumnies of the Eusebians are incomparably well refuted by the Egyptian Bishops, in their Synodick Epistle, which Athanasius records, in his second defence against the Arians. Vales.