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. Concerning the Prayers of the Nocturnall Hymns [sung] by the Arians and Homoöusians; and concerning the ingagement which hapned be∣tween them: and that the singing of Hymns in parts, wherein one sang one verse, another another, had its originall from Ignatius a 1.1 The∣ophorus.

THe Arians, as we have said, had their Meetings without the City. Every week therefore, as often as the Festivall days occur∣red▪ (I mean the Sabbath, and Sunday,) where∣on Assemblies were usually held in the Churches; they flock't together within the City, about the publick * 1.2 Piazza's, and sang Hymns adapted to the Arian Heresie, answering one another by turns. And this they did for the most part all night long. Early in the morning they sang the same alterna∣tive Hymns, passed through the midst of the City, out of its Gates, and so went to the places where they met. But in regard they would not desist from making use of such terms as gave a provocation to the Assertours of the Homoöusian opinion: (For they frequently Sang such words as these, Where are they who affirm Three to be one power?) Johannes being afraid, lest any of the more ignorant sort might be drawn away from the Church by such Hymns, in opposition to them appoints some of his own people, that they also might imploy themselves in singing of Nocturnall Hymns, and by that means both ob∣scure the Sedulity of the Arians about these things, and also confirm his own party [the Orthodox] in the profession of their Faith. This design of Johannes's was seemingly good and usefull; but the conclusion of it was di∣sturbance and dangers. For, in regard the Hymns of the Homoöusians, in their singing of them in the night, were performed with more of pomp and Show: (for Johannes invented Silver Cros∣ses, whereon were carried wax-tapers lighted; the Empress Eudoxia being at the charge here∣of:) the Arians, who were very numerous, and possest with an envious emulation, resolved to be revenged, and to make an Attack against them. For, by reason of that power and sway which they had formerly had, they were as yet hot and ready for such conflicts, and likewise they despised their adversaries. Without delay there∣fore, on one of those nights they ingaged. Briso, the Empresse's Eunuch, who at that time was the Singers Instructour, received a wound in his fore∣head by a stone: and moreover, some persons on both sides were slain. The Emperour incen∣sed hereat, prohibited the Arians from singing their▪ Hymns any more in publick. Such, as we have declared, were the transactions then. We are further to relate, whence this usage of singing alternative Hymns in the Church had its original. b 1.3 Ignatius the third Bishop of Antioch in Syria from the Apostle Peter, who also converst with the Apo∣stles themselves, saw a Vision of Angells, praising the Holy Trinity by singing of Alternative Hymns, and he delivered that way of singing, which he had seen in his Vision, to the Antiochian Church. Whence the same Tradition was spread over all o∣ther Churches. This is the account we have recei∣ved concerning Alternative Hymns.

Notes

• a 1.1

  So the holy Mar∣tyr Igna∣tius is usually stiled. This term is differently accented in the Greek, which makes its import different also. For if it be written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it denotes a Divine person, one whose soul is full of God. If it be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, its import is passive, and implies one born or carried by God. We are told by many Learned men, that Ignatius had this title from our Saviours taking him up in his arms. For, he was that very child (they say) whom our Saviour (Mar. 9. 36.) took up, and set in the midst of his disciples. Others, on the contrary, affirm this story to be groundless and uncertain. See D^r Cave's Life of Ignatius.
• * 1.2

  Covered, or Arched walk••.
• b 1.3

  I cannot imagine whence So∣crates had this story. For 'tis manifest, that Flavi∣anus and Diodorus were the first per∣sons, who in Constan∣tius's Reign divided the Quires of Singers at Antioch into two parts, and gave them David's Psalms, to be sung alternatively, or by turns: which usage being first practised at Antioch, afterwards spread over all the Churches of the world. Theodoret attests this in his Hist. lib. 2. cap. 24; as does also Theodorus Mo••suestenus (a person ancienter than he) who lived in the same times with Flavianus and Diodorus. Theodorus's words are quoted by Nicetas in Thesauro Orth••d••xae fidei, lib. 5. cap. 30. Although that way of singing of Psalms seems to have been used by the Syrians, before Flavianus and Diodorus's times. For Theodorus writes, that Flavianus and Diodorus were the first persons, who translated that kind of Psalmodie which they term Antiphonae [That is, when one singeth one verse, another another] out of the Syrian Language into the Grecian; and that those two persons appeared al∣most the only Authours of this thing, to all the parts of the world. What therefore the Syrians had done long before Flavianus's time, (to wit, in singing of David's Psalms alternatively in Syriack,) that F••••∣vianu•• and Diodorus ordered to be done, by the Grecians of Antioch in their singing the Psalms in Greek. Vales.