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. XIII. Concerning the tumult raised by the Heathens against the Christians.

HE also issued out an Order, that those who would not relinquish the Christian Reli∣gion, and come and offer sacrifice to Idols, should not hold any Military imploy about Court. Nor would he permit the Christians to be Governours of Provinces, saying, that their Law forbad the use of the sword against such delinquents as had deserved a capital punishment. Moreover, he induced many persons, partly by flatteries, and partly by gifts, to sacrifice. Immediately there∣fore both those who were true Christians, and also they who pretended [the profession of that Religion, being tryed] in a furnace as it were, were apparently manifested to all men. For such as sincerely and cord••ally professed Christi∣anity, willingly left their Military Offices, being resolved to suffer any thing, rather then renounce Christ. Amongst whom were Jovianus, Valen∣tinianus, and Valens, all which persons after∣wards wore the Imperial Crown. But others, who were not found Chri∣stians, a 1.1 who preferred riches and Secular Honours before the true felicity, without the least delay submitted and of∣fered sacrifice. One of which number was Ecebolius, a Sophista of Constantinople. Who, making himself con∣form to the dispositions and humours of the Em∣perours, was in Constantius's time pretendedly a very zealous Christian: In Julianus's Reign he seemed a very fierce assertour of Gentilism. Af∣ter Julianus's death, he would needs profess Chri∣stianity again: For, having prostrated himself before the door of the Oratory, he cried out, Trample upon me who am salt without savour. This is the true Character of Ecebolius, a person, as at first, so afterwards, light and inconstant. At that time the Emperour, desirous to be revenged upon the Persians for the frequent incursions they had made into the Roman Territories in the Reign of Constantius, went in great hast through Asia into the East. But being sensible of the many mischiefs which accompany a War, and that a vast Trea∣sure is required [to carry it on,] without which it cannot be commodiously managed; he craftily devised a way to extort money from the Chri∣stians. For he imposed a pecuniary mulct upon those that refused to sacrifice: and the exaction was very severe upon such as were sincere Chri∣stians. For every one was compelled to pay pro∣portionably to his estate. And thus the Empe∣rour, by an unjust collection of ill-gotten money, was in a short time mightily enriched. For that Law was put in execution, not only where the Emperour was present, but in those places also to which he came not. At the same time also the Pagans made incursions upon the professours of Christianity: and there was a great conflux of such as termed themselves Philosophers. More∣over, they constituted certain detestable Rites; in so much that they sacrificed young children, as well males, as females, inspected their entrails, and tasted of their flesh. And these were their practises, both in other Cities, and also at Athens and Alexandria. At which City likewise they framed a calumnious accusation against Athanasius the Bishop, acquainting the Emperour that he would destroy that City and all Egypt, and there∣fore that it was requisite he should be driven from that City. The b 1.2 Prefect also of Alexandria, according to the Emperours command, made an attempt against him.

Notes

• a 1.1

  In stead of [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, who preferred riches, &c.] I suppose it should be [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in regard they prefer∣red, &c. [Which emendation is confirmed by Epiphan. Scholasti∣cus's Version; and by Nicepho∣rus's expressing of this passage, in his tenth book, chap. 23. Vales.
• b 1.2

  The name of this Pre∣fect of E∣gypt [who in the Greek is called Prefect of Alexandria] was Her∣mogenes, as we are informed from Julian's 23^d Epistle. Vales.