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.

The PREFACE.

BEfore we begin the History of our Fifth Book, we make a request to those who shall read this Work of ours, that they would not blame us, because, designing to Write an Ecclesiastick History, we in∣termix therewith the Wars also which have at several times hapned, so far as we could procure a true Relation thereof. For we do this upon several accounts. First, to bring [the Readers] to a knowledge of what has been Transacted. Secondly, that our Readers may not be cloy'd, a 1.1 by being continually detained with [a perusal of] the contentious disagreements of Bishops, and with the designes they framed against one another. But most especially, that it might be made apparent, that when the Affairs of the State were disturbed, those of the Church also (by a certain sympathy as it were,) be∣came distempered and disordered. For, let any man make an observation, and he will find, that the mischiefs of the State, and troubles of the Church, have gathered strength and spread together. For, he will perceive, that they have either had their rise at one and the same time, or else have immediately followed one another. And sometimes [the calamities] of the Church lead the way; then follow the [commotions of the] State: at others, on the contrary. So that, I cannot perswade my self, that the interchangeable course [of these things] does proceed from any fortuitous accident, but that they take their beginnings from our iniquities: and that calamities are sent for the chastizement thereof. For, according to the Apostle, † 1.2 Some mens sins are open before hand, going before to judgment: and some [men] they follow after. Upon this account therefore, we have interwoven some affairs transacted in the State, with our Ecclesiastick History. What was done in the Wars during the Reign of Constantine, because 'tis so long ago, we could not find an account of. But we make a cursory mention of the Actions done since, according to the relation thereof, which we have received from persons yet living. We do, without intermitting any one of them, include the Emperours in this our History, because from such time as they began to embrace the Christian Religion, the affairs of the Church have depended upon them; and the greatest Synods have been, and at this present are * 1.3 convened by their determination and appointment. Moreover, we have made mention of the Arian Heresie, because it has disquieted the Churches. Let this be sufficient to have been said by way of Preface. We will now begin our History.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Instead of [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] I read [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by being continually detained.] For a repetition of the negative particle is inelegant and nauseous▪ in regard these words [may not be cloy'd] do precede. For, after them, an affirmation ought to fol∣low. Vales.
• † 1.2

  1 Tim. 5. 24.
• * 1.3

  The Rea∣der may observe from this passage, in whose power it was in those days, to summon General Synods.