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. V. That Christ the Son of God framed all things, and has appointed to every thing the term of its Existence.

BUt, why do I defile my tongue with impure expressions, when I am about to praise the true God? I am resolved in the first place to * 1.1 wash away that bitter potion as 'twere, with one that is pure. Now, this pure potion is † 1.2 drawn out of that ‖ 1.3 ever-flowing Fountain of Virtues, of that God who is extolled by Us. Indeed, I account it my proper Business, to praise Christ [both] by [an holiness of] Life, and a thanksgiving also, which is due to him from us, for those his many and signal benefits. I assert therefore, that 'tis he who hath setled the Beginnings of this Universe, and who hath * 1.4 Created men, and a 1.5 who hath established these things by a certain Law and Order. And immediately, when † 1.6 they were newly brought forth, he removed them b 1.7 in∣to a certain blessed and flourishing

place, * 1.8 abounding with a c 1.9 variety of fruits; and at first He would have them ignorant of Good and Evil. But at length He appointed a Seat upon earth, a Mansion befitting a rational Creature; and then, in regard they were Crea∣tures endued with reason, He shewed them the knowledge of Good and Evil. Then also He gave order, that mankind should be in∣creased; d 1.10 and, that all that healthy space, terminated by the Circuit of the Ocean, should be inhabited. When Man∣kind was thus increased, Arts necessary for the use of Life e 1.11, were invented. In like manner, the Kinds of irrational Creatures increased also; a certain peculiar vir∣tue and power being found planted by Nature in every Kind. In tame Creatures, a Gentleness and Obedience to man: but in those that are wild, strength and swiftness, and a certain natural provi∣dence, whereby they may preserve themselves from danger. And, to men [God] enjoyned a Care over all the tame Creatures: but, against the wild, he instituted a certain Strife and Combat as 'twere. After these things, He formed the Generation of Birds; in number, almost infinite; but in nature and conditions, very different; [beautified] with a great and gorgeous va∣riety of Colours; and f 1.12 naturally endued with a Musical Harmony. Also, when he had most beautifully * 1.13 distinguished all other things whatever, which this world contains within its Compass; and had set the fatal Term of Life to them all; He † 1.14 finished the Fabrick of the Universe, grac't with all sorts of Ornaments.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or, Purge.
• † 1.2

  Or, Poured.
• ‖ 1.3

  Or, Ever∣lasting.
• * 1.4

  Or, In∣vented the Creation of man. So Valesius renders it.
• a 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The three former words have been added by Learned men from M. S. Copies. Nevertheless, they oc∣cur not, either in the Kings Copy, or in the Old Sheets. But I have set a point after the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the authority of the Kings, and Fuketian Copy, and from the Old Sheets. Which Christophorson ha∣ving not perceived, he joyned this with the following period. Now, the meaning of this place, is this. I affirm, says he, that as well man, as the other things which are in the world, are his workmanship, who hath constituted all these things in order; that is, the workmanship of the Supream God. It must therefore be written, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c; as 'tis in S^r Henry Savil's Book, and as Christophorson seems to have read. Then I reade, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and who hath established, &c; than which emendation there is nothing more certain. In the Fuketian Copy the reading is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Therefore, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 has the same import with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an expression which he makes use of hereafter. Vales.
• † 1.6

  That is, Our first Parents.
• b 1.7

  Here Constantine seems to place that Paradise, wherein God put Adam, without the Bounds of the earth. Which was the Senti∣ment of very many of the Ancients. Stephanus Gobarus, chap. 11. had handled this probleme; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that Paradise is neither in Heaven, nor on Earth, but between them. And this was the Title of the twelfth chapter, that Paradise is the Jerusalem above, and is in the third heaven: and, that the trees which are there▪ are endued with understanding and knowledge: and, that Adam, after his transgression, was cast down from thence, into the Earth. Then [follows] a contrary assertion, that Paradise is not in the third Heaven, but in the Earth. 'Tis cer∣tain, Tatianus, in his Oration Contra Graecos, does affirm, that that Paradise, wherein Adam was placed by God, was not in this earth which we inhabit, but in another far better. His words are these, (which doubtless Stephanus Gobarus had quoted, in confirmation of that Opinion;) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Be∣sides, Tertullian seems to have thought the same. For thus he writes concerning Adam, in his Book de Patientiâ. Innocent erat, & Deo de proximo amious, & Paradisi Colonus. At ubi semel succidit impa∣tientiae, desivit Deo sapere; desivit caelestia sustinere posse, exinde bomo terrae datus, & ab oculis dei dejectus, &c. The same may be made out from his Second Book against Marcion, Chap. 2 and 10; where he uses the same Metaphor with Tatianus.—Were that Book now extant, which Tertullian wrote concerning Paradise; it might be more plainly known, that this, which I have mentioned, was his Opi∣nion. Lastly, Clemens Alexandrinus (in Excerptis Theodoti, or in his Books 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 page 341, Edit. Commelin.) places the terrestrial Paradise, wherein Eve was made, in the fourth Heaven. But Origen had placed Paradise, whereof Adam was an Inhabi∣tant, in the third Heaven; as Methodius informs us in his Book de Re∣surrectione in Epiphanius pag. 572. And before all these, Valentinus placed that Paradise, wherein Adam dwelt, above the third Heaven; and had affirmed it to be intellectual; as Irenaeus attests, B.1. Vales.
• * 1.8

  Or, Loaden.
• c 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. The Rules of Gram∣mar re∣quire, that we should write 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 And so 'tis in the Fuketian Copy. Vales.
• d 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 It must, I think, be thus; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and, that all that, &c. It might also be writ∣ten in this manner, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c, wherefore, all that healthy place—was in∣habited; and so there needs no alteration. Vales.
• e 1.11

  After these words, Learned men have added these, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and Sciences; which I found written also at the margin of Moraeus's Book. Nevertheless, they are wanting, not only in the King's Copy, and in the Sheets, but in the Fuketian and Savil. Copies also. Vales.
• f 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I write 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as 'tis in the Fuketian Copy▪ A little be∣fore, where the reading is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but in nature and species very different; I read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 conditions; in which manner I also found it written in Turnebus's Book. Vales.
• * 1.13

  Or, Dif∣ferenced.
• † 1.14

  Or, Adorned the most perfect complement of the Universe.