M. Julius Philippus.

PHILIP, by treachery and disloyalty to his Soveraign, having ascended the Throne, proved a better Prince than Subject. By * embracing the Christian Religion, he strived to wipe away the stains of his former life, much to be approved of if Sincerity were joyned with his Profession, but nothing worth, if to daub over a guilty Conscience, he applied himself to Pardon and Pennance only.

Eusebius, to prove his Sincerity, writes, That he submitted*to be placed in the room of Common Penitents, because, in many things he had been faulty. This was a piece of humility not to be slighted, if with that self denial he had resigned his ill-gotten Power, or employed that Authority in the open owning and propagating the truth. But such was the earnest desire, even in those Primitive times, of gaining mighty Prelates to the Church, that the comfortable part of the Gospel, Forgiveness of Sins, was used as a Bait only to draw them in, being drest up in fashion and formality, light and trivial Ceremonies, which had a shew of sub∣mission, whilest the weightier parts of the Law, without which the other availeth nothing, were either neglected or dissembled.

Against this Philip, first Marinus set himself up Emperour, but he failing, Decius was advanced by the Souldiers, whom, whilest Philip sought to reduce, was himself slain by his own Army, and his Head cut off by the Teeth. The memory of him is preserved in Britain, upon a Pyramid or long Stone dug out of the ground not far from Old Carlile, with this Inscription: *

Eusebius saith, he Reigned seven years, but Eutropius and Victor, whom I fol∣low, * give him but five.

Upon the news of his death, the Praetorian Souldiers kill'd his Son PHILIP, whom he had created his Caesar, so that we see his disloyalty to his natural Soveraign Gordianus, was returned double fold upon him, and the Christian Religion, which might save him in the World to come, did not exempt him from the Punishments of this life, attending Treason and Usurpation.