The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 1 · History of century 4
CENTVRIE IV.
Constantine.
THE Church of Christ flourished in time of the ten Persecutions,Similitude. as a Palme tree groweth vnderunder the burthen, and spreads out her branches by increasing growth toward heaven. Satan on the other part, that piercing and crooked Serpent,Esa. 27.1. who striues against the militant Church of God, both by might and slight: when his might faileth, it is time to try his slight: which he did by the canker-worme of hereticall doctrine. Now therefore, let vsus entreate of the Arrian and Eutychian Persecutors, in the three subsequent Centuries. Other Heretiques, albeit they were fierce and cruell, such as the Donatists, yet their crueltie was like vntounto the stighling of a fish,Similitude. when the water is ebbed, and shee is not covered with the deepenesse of over-flowing water: the more stirre she maketh, the nearer shee is vntounto her death. But the Arrian and Eutychian Heretiques found Emperours favourably inclined to the maintenance of their errors, such as Constantius and Valens, protectors of the Arrian heresie, Anastatius and Heraclius, favourers of the heresie of Eutyches. This support they had of supreame powers, strengthened the arme of Heretiques, and made them able to persecute the true Church of Christ.
Notwithstanding, betwixt the ten great Persecutions, and the Arrian persecution, a short breathing time was granted by God vntounto his Church, who will not suffer the rodde of the wicked perpetually to lie vpō the righteous, lest they put out their hand vntounto inquity. The dayes of the raigne of Constantine, were the breathing daies of the persecuted Church: Men banished for the cause of Christ, by the Emperours edicts were returned from their banishment, restored to their offices, dignities, and possessions, which duely belonged vntounto them. The heritage and goods of such as had suffered death for the cause of Christ, were allotted to their neerest kinsmen, and in case none of these were found aliue, then their goods were ordained to appertaine vntounto the Church. These beginnings of an admirable change of the estate of persecuted men,Euseb. de vita Const. lib. wrought in the hearts of all people a wonderfull astonishment, considering within themselues what could bee the event of such sudden and vnexpected alteration.
The care that Constantine had to disburthen persecuted Christians of that heauy yoke of persecution, that pressed them downe so long, was not onelyonly extended to the bounds of the Romane Empire, wherein Constantine was soveraigne Lord, and absolute Commander: But he was carefull also to procure the peace of Christians, who lived vnderunder Sapores King of Persia,Sozon. lib. 2. cap. 14. who vexed Christian people with sore and grievous persecution: so that within his Dominions, more then sixteene thousand were found, who had concluded their liues by martyrdome. Among whom Simeon Bishop of Selentia,Idem lib. 2. cap. 8 9.10. & 13. and Vstazares the Kings eldest Eunuch, and his nurs-father in time of his minority, Pusices, ruler of all the Kings Artificers, Azades the Kings beloved Eunuch, and Acepcimas, a Bishop in Persia: all these were men of Note, and Marke, who suffered martyrdome vnderunder Sapores, King of Persia.
While the cogitations of Constantine were exercised with meditation,Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 15. by what meanes the distressed estate of Christians in Persia might be supported: by the providence of God, the Ambassadours of Sapores, King of Persia, came to the Emperor Constantine: whose petitions when he had granted, hee sent them backe againe to their Lord and Master: and hee sent with them a Letter of his owne, intreating Sapores to bee friendly to Christians, in whose Religion nothing can be found, that can iustly bee blamed. His letter also bare the bad fortune of the Emperor Valerian the eight persecuter of Christians and how miserably hee ended his life: and on the other part, what good successe the Lord had given vntounto himselfe in all his battels, because hee was a defender of Christians, and a procurer of their peace. What peace was procured to distressed Christians in Persia by this letter of Constantine, the history beares not: alwayes his endevour was honest and godly.
In Constantines dayes the Gospell was propagated in East India,Ruffin. l. 1. c 9. Theod. l. 1 c. 22. Sozom. l. 2. c. 24 Ruff. l. 1. c. 10. Socrat. l. 1. c. 20 Theod l. 1. 23. Sozom. l 2. c. 6. by Frumentius and Edesius, the brother sonnes of Meropius, a man of Tyrus. This History is written at length by Ruffinus, Theodoretus, Sozomenus, and many others. Likewise it was propagated in Iberia, a country lying in the vttermost part of the Euxine Sea, by the meanes of a captiue Christian woman, by whose supplications, first a childe, deadly diseased, recovered health, and afterward the Queen of Iberia her selfe was relieved from a dangerous disease, by her prayers made to Christ. The King of Iberia sent Ambassadours to Constantine, craving of him, that hee would send Preachers and Doctors to the countrey of Iberia, who might instruct them in the true faith of Christ. Which desire also Constantine performed with great gladnesse of heart.
Now to returne and to speake of the Dominions subiect to the Romane Empire,Euseb. de vita Constant. lib. 4. Constantine the sonne of Constantius Chlorus, began to raigne in the yeare of our Lord 310. and hee raigned 31. yeares: hee gaue commandement to reedifie the Temples of the Christians, that were demolished in the time of the persecution of Dioclesian. This commanmandement was obeyed with expedition, and many more large and ample Churches were builded, meet for the conventions of Christian people. Likewise, the temples of Idols were locked vp: better they had beene demolished, and equalled to the ground: then had it beene a worke of greater difficulty to Iulian the Apostate,Theod. l. 5. c. 20. Socrat. l. 1. c. 1. Idem l. 3. c. 11. & l. 3. c. 18. to hauehave restored againe Heathen Idolatry. Many horrible abuses, both in Religion and manners, were reformed by the authority and commandement of the Emperour, such as cubitus mensuralis, called foreign, in Egypt, whereunto was attributed the vertue and cause of the inundation of Nilus,Ruff. l. 2. c. 3…. by the Egyptians: therefore by the Emperors commandement this foreign was transported out of their Temples. In Rome the bloody spectacle of Gladiatores, Socrat. l. 1. c. 18that is, of Fencing men, with swords killing one another in sight of the people, was discharged. In Heliopolis, a towne of Phoenicia, the filthy manners of young women, accustomed without controulment, to prostitute themselues …o the lust of strangers, vntill they were maried: this filthy custom (I say) by the commandement of the Emperour Constantine, was interdicted and forbidden. In Iudea, the Altar builded vnderunder the Oke of Mambre,Soz…m. l. 1. c. 8. where the Angels appeared to Abraham, and whereupon the Pagans offered sacrifice in time of solemne Faires,Gen 18. for buying and selling of Merchant wares in that place: This Altar (I say) was commanded tō be demolished,Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 4. and a Temple to be builded in the same place, for exercise of divine service.
The care this good Emperour had, to quench the schisme that began in Alexandria, shall bee declared in its due time, God willing. In some things Constantine was not vnlike to King Salomon, who finding his Kingdome to be peaceably settled, hee gaue himselfe to the building of the Temple, of Palaces, and of Townes, which hee fortified and made strong. Even so Constantine finding that no enemie durst enterprise any longer to molest the peaceable estate of his settled Kingdome,Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 2. hee builded magnifique Temples in Bethlehem, the place of the Lords Nativity, vponupon Mount Olivet, from whence Christ ascended to Heaven, vponupon Mount Calvarie, where Christs Sepurchre was. Hee builded also a Citie in Bithinia,Socrat. l. 1. c. 18 and called it Helenopolis, for honour of his mother Helena, and another in Palestina, and called it Constantia, by the name of his Sister. Also hee builded a glorious Temple in Antiochia, which his sonne Constantius perfected, and to the dedication of that Temple a number of Bishoppes were assembled. And finally, hee builded the great Citie of Constantinople in Thracia, and called it Nova Roma, whereas before it was called Byzantium.Socrat. l 5. c. 8 Socrat. l 1. c. 6 Func. chron. This towne was builded Anno 336.
In the end the good Emperour intended to hauehave made warre against the Persians, and by the way hee was purposed to hauehave beene baptised in Iordan, where our Saviour Christ was baptised by Iohn:Iohn 3. but the Lord had disposed otherwise: for the good Emperor fell sicke at Nicomedia, and was baptised in the suburbs of that principall towne of Bithynia, not in Rome, nor by Silvester: but in Nicomedia, and by Eusebius. How this Eusebius coozned the Emperour, and obscured the wicked purpose of his hereticall heart from him,Euseb. de vira Const. lib. 4 and continued in good favour and credit with the Emperour, even to the last period of his life, so that hee had the honour to baptise the good Emperour, will bee declared hereafter. In his testamentall legacy, hee left his Dominions to his sonnes, ended his life happily, and was buried in Constantinople.
Constantius, Constans, and younger Constantius.
COnstantius governed the East parts of the Romane Empire, and he raigned 25. yeeres. The other two brethren governed the West parts. Constantine the younger was slain at▪ Aquileia, after hee had raigned with his brethren three yeers.Ruff. l. 1. c. 18 Socrat. l. 2. c. 46 Idem l. 2. c. 5 Soc. l. 2. c. 32 The Emperour Constans raigned 13. yeeres, and was slaine in France, by the Tyrant Magnentius: so after the death of Constance, the whole government of the Empire turned into the hands of Constantius. He overcame Magnentius in battell, who fled to Lions, and slew his mother, his owne brother, and himselfe: And so the Tyrant Magnentius brought himselfe and his kindred to a miserable end. Constantius was infected with the heresie of Arrius, by the meanes of an Arrian Priest, who had beene in Court with Constantia, the sister of the Emperour Constantine, and relict of Licinius. Ruff. l. 1. c. 11When shee was bound to bed, by infirmity and sicknesse, where of she died: She recommended this Arrian presbyter to Constantine her brother, whereby it came to passe,Theod. l. 2. c. 3 that he had favour and credit in the Emperours court. Hee procured the returning of Arrius from banishment, and was the first reporter to Constantius of his fathers testamentall legacie. And finally, he perverted Constantius from the true faith, which his father had professed. So pernicious a thing is it to hauehave deceitfull Heretiques lurking in the courts of Princes.
During the life-time of his brother Constans, Arrianisme had no great vpper hand, because Constans Emperour of the West protected Paulus Bishop of Constantinople, & Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria, and the rest of the Bishoppes whom the Arrians had most vniustly accused, deposed, and persecuted. But after the slaughter of Constans, the Arrians were encouraged by the inconstancy of the Emperour,Theod. l. 2. c. 3 whose flexible and instable minde, like vntounto a reede shaken with the winde, was inclined to follow the course, that the fore-mentioned Priest put in his head. This Priest informed the Emperour Constantius, that the word foreign, that is, Consubstantiall, was not found in holy Scripture, and that the inserting of this word in the forme of faith set downe by the Nicene Councell, was the occasion of many debates and contentions in the Church of God: and that the returning of Athanasius from banishment,Theod. ibid. was the ground of a terrible tempest, whereby not onelyonly the estate of Egypt was shaken, but also the estate of Palestina and Phoenicia, and other places not farre distant from Egypt. Moreover, he added, Athanasius had beene the author of m…testine dissention betwixt the Emperour Constantius and his brother Constans, so that … wrote menacing letters to his brother, either to repossesse Paulus and Athanasius into their places again or else if he lingred in so doing (since their innocency was cleered in the Councell of Sardica) he threatned to lead an army to the East, and to see them repossessed in their own roomes againe. The Emperour Constantius was easily incited to wrath against Athanasius, and he sent Sebastianus, one of his Captaines,Theod. l. 2. c. 13 accompanied with 5000. armed men, to slay Athanasius: but the Lord delivered him miraculously out of their hands, when there seemed to bee no way of escaping, because armed souldiers were planted round about the Temple: yet he went safely through the midst of them, and was not discerned, albeit many Arrians were present of purpose to designe and point him out by the finger, as a sheepe ordained for the slaughter.
Georgius, an Arrian Bishop, was seated in Alexandria, in the place of Athanasius, a wolfe in the chaire of a true Pastor, whose fury and madnesse was helped by Sebastianus, who furnished him with armed souldiers, to accompany all his wicked and divelish devices. A fire was kindled in the towne: Christian Virgins were stripped naked, & brought to the fire, and commanded to renounce their faith: but the terror of the fire made them not once to shrinke. When the sight of the fire could not terrifie them, he caused their faces to be so dashed with strokes, & misfashioned their countenances, that they could not bee knowne by their familiar friends: but they, like vntounto victorious souldiers, patiently endured all kinde of rebuke for the Name of Christ.Theod. ibid. Thirty Bishops of Egypt and Lybia, were slaine in the fury of this Arrian persecution. Fourteene Bishops (whose names are particularly mentioned by Theodoretus) were banished, of whom some died in the way, when they were transported, others died in the place of their banishment. Forty good Christians in Alexandria were scourged with rods, because they would not communicate with the Arrian wolfe Georgius: and so pitiously demained, that some peeces of the rods were so deepely fixed in their flesh, that they could not bee drawne out againe, and many through excessiue paine of their wounded bodies,Pro. 10.9 concluded their liues. Here is a liuely portrait of the mercies of the wicked, which are cruell.
The like crueltie the Arrians practised in Constantinople Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was banished to Cuculus, a little towne in Cappadocia, where he was strangled by the Arrians. Macedonius was placed in his roome, a notable Heretique, who vsed no lesse crueltie, in compelling the Christians of Constantinople,Socrat. l. 2. c. 27. to communicate with him, then was vsed of olde, to compell Christians to sacrifice to the Idoles of the Gentiles.
The exquisite diligence of the Arrians in procuring Councels to bee gathered for establishing of their errour, shall be declared in the right place, God willing. Now, to returne to the ciuill estate of Constantius, After that Magnentius had made an end of his owne life in most desperate manner, as is said, and his associate Britannio had humbly submitted himselfe to Constantius, and obtained pardon: yet was not the Emperours estate quiet and free of trouble: for there arose another Tyrant,Socrat. l 2. c. 32. called Siluanus, whom the Captaines of Constantius armie in France did hastily cut off, and make out of the way. Also the Iewes of Diocaesaria, a towne of Palestina, rebelled against him, who were ouerthrowne by Gallus the Emperours coosen,Socrat. l…b. 2. cap. 33. and the Citie of Diocaesaria was leuelled with the ground; This good successe made Gallus somewhat insolent, and he slew Domitianus, the Emperours great Treasurer in the East: therefore the Emperour gaue commandement to cut him off. Finally, the Germans, who had assisted him in his warres against Magnentius, they rebelled against him. And hee sent against them his coosen Iulian, the brother of Gallus, who subdewed the Germans, and hee likewise waxed insolent, and suffered the souldiours to salute him with the name of foreign, that is, of an Emperour. This was not vnknowne to Constantius, who made hast to preuent all further vsurpation. But by the way as hee was leading his armie through Cilicia,Theod. lib. 2. cap. 32. hee concluded his life, sorowing for this, as Theodoretus writes, that he had changed the forme of the Nicene faith.
Iulianus.
IN the yeere of our Lord 365. Iulian began to raigne, and he raigned 3 yeeres.Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 21. Ruffinus assignes vntounto him one 8. monethes only: he was Constantius neere kinsman, who made him Caesar, Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 1.and gaue vntounto him in marriage Helena his sister: He was brought vp in Christian Religion, but was peruerted by Maximus an Ephesian Philosopher, whom Valentinian the Emperour afterward punished vntounto the death,Socrat. ibid. as a practiser of Magicall artes. In the beginning of his raigne he restored those Bishops to their places againe,Socrat. ibid. whom Constantius had banished, not for louelove of Religion, but to impare the fame of Constantius: yet immediately after, hee manifested his affection toward Heathnicke superstition, and opened the doores of the Temples of the gods of the Heathen,Theod. lib. 3. cap. 4. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 4. which Constantine had locked vp, and incouraged others by his owne example, to offer sacrifices to the gods of the Gentiles.
Iulian absteined, for a time, from crueltie, and shedding of blood:Note. Theod. lib. 3. cap. 8. not for pitie, and compassion of Christians: but rather for enuie: For he enuyed the glory of Christian Martyrs whose magnanimitie, courage, and constant perseuerance in the faith of Christ vntounto the death, was commended in the mouthes of all men. But he indeuoured by subtile and craftie meanes to vndoe Christian Religion. He debarred the children of Christians from Schooles, and from the vse of Learning:Socrat. lib. 13. & 14. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 15. Also hee debarred them from warre fare, from offices of gouerment of Romane Prouinces, and from offices of heauie taxations: which taxations also the auarice of the Deputies of Prouinces increased, and made them more grieuous and intollerable. Neuerthelesse, when Christians complained of the vnrighteous dealing of the Deputies, the Emperour mocked them, and said, their happinesse was increased, according to the speech of Christ their Lord and Master Blessed are they, Math. 5.who suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake.
Likewise, in the market places of Cities, he set vp his own Image, with the Effigies of the gods of the Heathen pictured round about it: to the ende, that whosoeuer should doe ciuil reuerence to the Emperours Image, might also seeme to worship the gods of the Gentiles: And by the contrarie, they who would not bow to the gods of the Gentiles,Theod. lib. 3. cap. 16. might seem also to refuse all due reuerence to the Emperour. When he distributed gold to his Captaines and Warriours (as the custome was) he vsed a forme of distributing not accustomed before, to hauehave an altar neere vntounto his Princely throne, and coales burning vponupon it, and incense vponupon a table neere vntounto the altar whereby it came to passe, that no man receiued gold,Sozom. lib 5. cap. 17. before he cast incense vponupon the coales of the altar: by this subtile artifice circumuenting many, who knew not, that it was Iulians purpose to intangle them with the rites of ido |latrous seruice. In Antiochia, & in the Region round about he dedicated all the Fountaines to the Goddesses of the Gentiles, and caused all the victuall that was to be solde in market places, to be sprinckled with Heathenicke holy water. Neuerthelesse, Christians, without scruple of conscience dranke of the water that was in the Welles, and ate of the meate which they bought in the market, beeing fully perswaded,Titus 1. verse, 15. 1 Cor. 10. verse, 25. that to the cleane all thinges are cleane: and againe, it is written, Whatsoeuer is solde in the shambles, eat ye, and aske no question for conscience sake. The libertie that Iunentius and Maxentius, two worthie Warriours, vsed in reprouing the Emperour to his face, for his Heathnike superstition, moued Iulian to such wrath, that hee punished them vntounto the death: And so by degrees the policie and wisedome of Iulian in the end breakes foorth into the fruites of crueltie and shedding of blo od.Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 15.
Albeit no publicke mandate of Iulian was set foorth, commanding to persecute Christians, yet by many euident testimonies it was knowne to the people, that the Emperour hated them, and that no man would incur punishment, for outrage and violence vsed against them. Therefore in the towne of Sebaste,Ruffin. lib. 2. cap. 28. the Sepulchre of Iohn the Baptist was opened, his bones were burnt, and the ashes scattered abroad. Likewise the wicked men of Gaza and Ascalon, killed Preachers and holy Virgins, ripped their bellies, filled them with barlie, and cast their bodies to the swine to be eaten. Cyrillus also, a Deacon in Hierapolis, a towne of Phoenicia, at the foote of Mount Libanus,Theod. lib. 3. cap. 6. who in time of the raigne of Constantine had broke in pieces the images of the Gentiles, was taken by them, his bellie was ript, his liuer was drawne out of his bodie, which with Barbarous inhumanitie they chawed with their teeth. But the Lord suffered not such vnkouth crueltie to escape vnpunished: for the teeth of those who commited this fact of vnnaturall inhumanitie, fell out of their jaw bones,Theod. lib. 3. cap. 7. Note. their tongues rotted within their mouthes and their eyes were darkned and blinded: a just and deserued punishment of brutish Sauages practised by men. Marcus Arthusius had his body ouerlaid with hony, and it was hung vp in hot summer weather, to be molested with wasps, and flies.Theodoret. ibid. In Alexandria many Christians were slaine for discouering the abominations of the Pagans, especially in sacrificing to Mythra bloody sacrifices of reasonable creatures.Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 2. Among others, Georgius the Arrian Bishop was bound vntounto a Camel and both he and the Camell were burned with fire: whom no man counts a martyr, because he kept not the true faith. In the countrey of Phrygia, and towne of Miso, Macedonius Theodulus,Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 15. & Tatianus, for breaking in pieces images, were broiled vponupon hot grates of yron. The persecution of Athanasius, which with great hazard he escaped, by a stratageme, of turning backe his ship in the face of the persecuting enemies, was procured by Philosophers, sorcerers, & inchanters, who were about Iulian, and affirmed that all their trauailes would be spent in vaine,Rufsin. lib. 1. cap. 33. if Athanasius, the only barre, and obstacle of their doings, were not made out of the way.
The wrath of Iulian was highly kindled against the inhabitants of Caesarea in Cappadocia. This towne of old was called Maza, but the Emperour Claudius changed the name of it, and called it Caesarea. The inhabitants of the citie, for the most part,Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 4. were Christians, and they had of old ouerthrowne the Temples of Iupiter and Apollo, and the Temple of Fortune (which only remained) they ouerthrew in Iulians owne time. For this cause Iulian rased the name of Caesarea, out of the roll of cities, and exacted from them 300. pound weight of gold, compelled their Cleargie to serue in warrefare: And finally, he threatened to punish to the death al the inhabitants of Caesarea: but the righteous Lord cutted the cordes of the wicked and he had not power to performe all his bloody designes.
He had intention to fight against the Persians, yet would he doe nothing without consultation of his gods. He sent his most assured friendes to all the Oracles within the Romane Dominions, and he himselfe would inquire at the Oracle of Apollo in Delphos,Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 9. 10. Socrat lib. 3. cap. 18. 19. what should be the successe of his enterprises. The answere of Apollo was, that hee was hindered by the dead, to giuegive his responses. Hereof it came to passe, that Iulian gaue libertie to Christians, to transport the bones of the Martyr Babylas. About the same time fire came down from heauen,Theodoret. ibid. and destroyed the Temple of Apollo in Delphos and beate the image of Apollo in pieces, like vntounto the lightest and smallest powder, or dust.
Moreouer,Ruffin. lib. …. cap. 37.38.39. Socrat. l. 3. c. 20. Theod. lib. 3. cap. 20. Sozom. l…b. 5. cap. 12. Socrat. l. 3. c. 21. he gaue libertie to the Iewes, to returne to Ierusalem, to build their temple, & to offer sacrifices conforme to the law of Moses: not for louelove he caried toward the Iewes, but for hatred of the Christians: therefore the worke prospered not, but was hindered by earthquake, fire and a mightie tempest of wind. Marke how eueryevery thing this hateful enemy of Christ enterprised, had an euill successe. Iulian arriued at Ctesiphon the Metrapolitane towne of Chaldea,Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 1.2. after that Babylon was ruined. The king of Persia had his people in better preparation then the Emp. looked for: therefore he tooke deliberation to returne back againe to the bounds of the Romane dominiōs:The death of Iulianus. but he who was deceitful al his daies, was in end deceiued by an old Persiā captiue, who led the Emp. into a baren wildernes, where he cōcluded his life, wounded with a dart: but it remaines vncertaine by whom hee was slaine.
Iouinianus.
R…fin lib. 2. cap. 1.AFter the death of Iulian, Iouinian was chosen, by the Romane armie, to be Emperour, but liued not full 8. months in his Emperiall dignity. He accepted not the soueraignty, vntill the time the whole army with vniforme consent acknowledged themselues to be Christians. He made a couenant of peace with the King of Persia, such as necessity of a distressed army compelled him to condiscend vntounto:Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 21.22. for Nisibis, a great Citie in Mesopotamia, with some dominions in Syria, were resigned ouer to the King of Persia. The blame of this hurtfull capitulation, was imputed to the temerity of Iulian the apostate, who had burnt with fire the ships that should hauehave brought victualles to the armie, and gaue hasty credite to a Persian captiue. When he had reduced the army to the bounds of the Romane dominions, hee buried the dead body of Iulian in Tarsus, a towne of Cilicia: and hee reduced from punishment the worthy captaine Valentinian, whom Iulian had banished,Theod lib. 4. cap. 2.3. together with the Bishops banished from their places, or compelled to lurke: and in speciall Athanasius, whose counsel hee was resolued to follow in matters of Faith and church gouernement.Theod. lib. 4. cap. 4. In the ende hee tooke purpose to goe to Constantinople: but by the way, in the confines of Galatia and Bithinia, he concluded his life in a Village called Dadasta 9.Sazom lib. 6. cap. 6.
Valentinianus and Valens.
AFter the death of Iovinian, the Romane armie choosed Valentinian to be Emperour, who raigned 13. yeeres. In whom was accomplished which is promised in the Gospell, to render an hundreth-folde in this life, to them who suffer any losse for Christs sake, in the world to come eternall life. Valentinian for Christs sake lost his office in Iulians Court,Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 31. & he receiued in this world a kingdome, and hath a greater recompence of reward laid vp for him in heauen. The magnanimous courage of Valentinian in beating on the face that heathen priest,Ruffin. lib. 2. cap. 2. who sprinkled holy water vponupon his garments, whereby he thought his garments to be contaminate, and not his body sanctified.Theod. lib. …. cap. 16. This couragious fact was the cause wherefore Iulian banished him to Miletina, a towne in Armenia. He was relieued from banishment in the dayes of Iouinian, and wa… made Emp. after his death. He was borne in a towne of Panonia,Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 6. called Cibalc: he addressed himselfe immediatly after his acceptation of the Emperial soueraignty to Cōstantinople, & within the space of 30. daies he choosed his brother to bee his associate in the gouernement: in such sort, that the Emp. Valentinian gouerned the West,Socrat lib 4. cap. 1. and the Emperour Valens gouerned the Easterne parts of the Roman Dominions.
The Emp. Valens finding the Persians to be quiet, & disposed to keepe the couenant of peace bound vp in the dayes of Iouinian, he vndertooke an vnsupportable warfare against the Homousians. The vsurpation of the Tyrant Procopius, did somewhat slacken the readines and quicknes of his attempts but after Procopius was deliuered into the handes of the Emp. Valens, by Agelon & Gomarius his Captaines, he rent in pieces the body of Procopius, by bowing downe to the ground the toppes of strong trees,Socrat lib. 4. cap. 5. whereunto he caused the legs of Procopius to be fastened. The bodies of Agelon and Gomarius, the two Captaines who betrayed Procopius, were cutted in twaine with sawes of yron. In which fact the Emprour Valens had no regard to the oath of God, which he made vntounto them for their safetie.
Procopius being subdewed,Theodor. lib. 4. cap. 13. he bended all his might against the Homousians: He banished Miletius, B. of Antiochia, to Armenia: Eusebius B. of Samosata, to Thracia: Pelagius Bishop of Laodicea, to Arabia. The town of Samosata was so affectioned to their own Pastor Eusebius, Theod. ibid.that they would not cōmunicate with Eunomius, whom the Arians sent to fil his place. Valens was filled with wrath against the Fathers conucened in the councel of Lampsacum (this is a towne neere vntounto the straite forth of Hellespontus) because they adhered fast vntounto the Nicene faith.Socrat lib. 4. cap. 6. In Constantinople he not only banished the Homousians, but also the Novatians, & their B. Agelius, because they would not consent with the Arrian in the matter of faith.Ruffin. lib. 2. cap. 5. In Edessa, a towne of Mesopotamia, the Emperour gaue commandement to slay the Homousians, who were assembled together in the church: but the seruent zeale of one woman,Theod. lib. 4. cap. 17. that ran in hast through the rankes of souldiers, drawing with her, her yong and tender child, together with her couragious answere to the Captaine,Soz…m. lib. 6. cap. 18. staied the rage of the Emp. wonderfully: for she counted it a sweet fellowship that she and her babe should be found amongst the number of these, who were counted worthy to suffer death for the name of Christ. Neuertheles the Emp. banished of men who dwelt in Edessa, especially of such as were in spiritual offices, to the number of fourscore, whom he commanded, by two & two, to be dispersed through Thracia, Arabia, and Thebaida. The inuincible courage of Basilius, Bishop of Caesarea in Capadocia, the peaceable death of Athanasius, which hapned in the verie time of Persecution of this Arrian Emperour Valens, together with the furie and madnesse of the Arrian Bishop Lucius, intruded in Alexandria, All these things, God willing shall bee touched in their owne places.
Amongst al the facts of vnspeakeable cruelty committed by Valens, Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 16.one fact ouerwent all the rest. While the Emp. was at Nicomedia, fourescore Ambassadours were directed vntounto him: amongst whom Menedemus, Vrbanus & Theodorus were the chiefe. These complained to the Emperour, of the manifold injuries done to the Homousians.Theod. lib. 4. cap. 24. The Emperour gaue commandement to Modestus, the Gouernour of his armie, to embarke them into a ship, as if they were to be banished vntounto some remote and far distant place: but secret direction was giuen vntounto the ship-men, to set the ship on fire, and to retire themselues into a boat. So it came to passe, that these fourscore Martyrs circumvented by the craft of Valens, Sozom. l. 6. c. 14glorified the Name of Christ, by patient suffering of many deaths at one time, both tormented by fire, and drowned in water.
Terentius and Traianus, two worthy Captaines, vsed some liberty in admonishing the Emperour to abstaine from persecuting of innocent people,Theod. l. 4. c. 34 because his fighting against God, procured good successe to the Barbarians: but the Lord was minded to destroy him, therefore he could receiue no wholesome admonition: for a number of the Nation of the Gothes, whom he entertained as souldiers, meete to defend his Dominions against the invasion of forrainers and strangers,Ruff. l. 2. c. 13. they began to waste the Countrey of Thracia: and they fought against the Emperour Valens, and preuailed against him: so that he fled, and was overtaken in a certaine Village, which the Gothes set on fire. So this Emperour died miserably,Valens his death. burnt with fire by his enemies, without succession, and left his name in curse and execration to all ages,Sozom. lib. 7. cap. 40. after he had raigned 15. or 16. yeeres, as Sozomenus reckoneth.
Now to returne to the Emperour Valentinian: Hee was a defender of the true Faith, and was so highly offended against his brother Valens, that hee would make him no support against the invasion of the Gothes:Theod. l. 4. c. 12 for hee sayd, it was an impious thing, to strengthen the hand of a man, who had spent his dayes in warfare against God, and his Church. In his dayes the Samaritans invaded the bounds of the Romane Dominions. Valentinian prepared a mighty army to fight against them: but they sent vntounto him Ambassadours, to entreate for peace.Socrat. l. 4.c.31. When the Emperour saw that they were but a naughty people, hee was moved with excessiue anger, whereby he procured the rupture of some arters, or veines, wherevpon followed great effusion of blood. And so he himselfe died,Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 36. Valentinians death. leauing behinde him two sonnes, Gratianus, whose mother was Severa, and Valentinian the second, whose mother was Iustin
Gratianus; Valentianus the second, and Theodosius.
GRatianus, the sonne of Valentinian, after the death of Valens, Ruff. l. 2. c. 13his fathers brother, had the government both of West and East.Socrat. l. 5. c. 2 His brother Valentinian the second, was his associate in the government of the West: But when he perceived, that the waighty affaires of the Kingdome required the fellowship of a man who was ripe in yeeres, hee chose Theodosius, a man of Noble parentage in Spaine, to whom hee committed the government of the East, contenting himselfe and his brother Valentinian, with the government of the West. Gratianus in the beginning of his raigne, reduced from banishment those Bishops, whom the Arrian Persecuter Valens had banished. Hee was slaine by Andragathius, Captaine of the army of Maximus, Sozom. l. 3. c. 17who vsurped the Empire of the West. This Andragathius, not by valour and might, but by circumvention, fallhod, and treason, overthrew the good Emperour Gratian: for hee made a report to passe in Lions, where the Emperour Gratian had his remayning, that his wife was comming to him: and hee in simplicitie went forth to meete his wife beyond the riuer Rhonne: but Andragathius (who was couertly lurking in a chariot) stepped out,The death of Gratian. and slew Gratianus, after he had raigned with his father, with his brother, and with Theodosius, fifteene yeares.
His brother Valentinian, young in yeeres, was seduced by the intising speeches of his mother Iustina after the death of her husband, in whose dayes shee durst not presume to avow the Arrian Heresie: yet after his death, shee entised the flexible minde of her sonne,Theod. l. 5.13. to persecute Ambrose Bishop of Millaine, because hee would not consent to the Arrian doctrine. The zeale of the people affectioned to their faithfull Pastor, hindered the cruell purposes of Iustina. Sozom. l. 7. c. 13.Likewise the miracles wrought at the sepulchres of Protasius and Gervasius, opened the mouthes of the people to glorifie God, and to magnifie that Faith, which Protasius and Gervasius had sealed vp with their blood: these holy men of God were martyred in the second great Persecution, mooved by the Emperour Domitian. Aug lib. Confes. 9 cap. 7.The dolorous tithings of the death of Gratianus, and the neere approaching of the Tyrant Maximus to Italy, compelled Iustina to leaue the persecuting of Ambrose, and to flie to Illericum,Ruff. l. 2. c. 16 Theod. l. 5. c. 14 for safety of her owne life, and her sonnes life. Theodosius being mindefull of the kindenesse of Gratianus towards him, led an army against the Tyrant Maximus. The Captaines of Maximus army, terrified with the rumour of the might of Theodosius army,Soc. l. 5. c. 14 delivered him bound into the hands of Theodosius, and hee was iustly punished vntounto the death. Andragatius, who slew the Emperour Gratian (as is sayd) seeing no way to escape, threw himselfe head-long into a river, and so ended his wretched life. About the same time, Iustina the mother of Valentinian the second, shee died, her sonne was peaceably possessed in his Kingdome,Ruffin. l. 2. c. 17. and Theodosius returned to the East againe.
But within few dayes hee was compelled to gather a new army, and fight against the Tyrant Eugenius, and his chiefe Captaine Arbogastus, who had conspired against Valentinian the second, and strangled him while he was lying in his bed. This battell went hardly at the beginning, but Theodosius had his recourse to God by prayer: and the Lord sent a mighty tempest of winde, which blew so vehemently in the face of Eugenius army, that their darts were turned backe, by the violence of the winde, in their owne faces. Of which miraculous support, sent from aboue, the Poet Claudian writes these Verses:
O nimium dilecte Deo eui sundis ab antris
Eolus a mat as biemes,Claudian de 3. consul. honorii. cui… at ather,
Et cominrati veniunt ad classica venti.
The Tyrant Eugenius fell downe at the feet of Theodosius, to begge pardon: but the souldiers pursued him so straitly, that they slew him at the Emperours feete. Arbogastus, the author of all this mischiefe, hee sled, and being out of all hope of safety, slew himselfe.
Like as there was no sacrifice, wherein dung was not found, even so the life and actions of this noble Emperour, was spotted with some infirmities. Against the Inhabitants of Thessalonica, the Emperour was mooved with excessiue anger,Ruff. l 2. c. 18. so that seven thousand innocent people were slaine, invited to the spectacle of Playes, called Ludi circenses, and in the Greeke language, foreign. For this fault the good Emperour was reprooved by Ambrose Bishop of Millaine,Theod. l. 5. c. 17. and confessed his fault in sight of the people with teares: and made a lawe, that the like commandements, concerning the slaughter of people, should not hauehave hastie execution, vntill the tune that thirty dayes were overpassed: to the end. that space might be left to either mercy, or to repentance. In like manner, he was angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia,Theod. l. 5. c. 19. for overthrowing the brasen portrait of his beloved bedfellow Placilla. The Emperour denuded their towne of the dignity of a Metrapolitan Citie, conferring this eminent honour to their neighbour towne Laodicea. Moreover hee threatned to set the towne on fire, and to redact it vntounto the base estate of a village. But Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia, by his earnest travels with the Emperour mitigated his wrath (for the people repented their foolish fact,Sozom. l. 7. c. 23 and were fore afraid) and the good Emperour moved with pitty, pardoned the fault of the towne of Antiochia. His lenity toward the Arrians, whom hee permitted to keepe conventions in principall Cities, was with great dexterity and wisedome reprooved by Amphilochius, Theod. l. 5. c. 16.Bishop of Iconium: For hee came in vponupon a time, and did reverence to the Emperour, but not vntounto Arcadius his sonne (albeit already associated to his father in government, and declared Augustus) whereat Theodosius being offended, Amphilochius very pertinently, and in due season, admonished the Emperour, that the God of heaven also would bee offended with them, who tolerated the blasphemers of his only begotten Sonne, the Lord Iesus Christ. Wherevpon followed a lawe, discharging the conventions of Heretikes, in the principall Cities. In all these infirmities, it is remarkeable, that the good Emperour ever gaue place to wholesome admonitions.Note. Theod. l. 5. c. 26 The excessiue paines hee was compelled to vndertake in Warfare, hastened his death: for hee contracted sicknesse soone after his returning from the the battell fought against Eugenius, and died in the 60. yeere of his age, and in the 16. yeere of his raigne. He left behind him his two sonnes: Arcadius to governe the East, and Honorius to governe the West. ⸪