The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 1 · History of century 1
CENTVRIE I.
Augustus Caesar.
OVR Lord Iesus the true Prince of peace, was borne in Bethlehem Iuda of a maid,Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 1. cap. 5. in a very peaceable time, in the 42. yeare of the raigne of Augustus Caesar. At what time the Temple of Ianus was closed and locked vp,Funct. Chron. which in time of warres was continually patent and open. At the time of this blessed Natiuity the Angels of God reioyced,Luk. 1. the divels trembled. Some affirme that all the Oracles of Iupiter, Apollo and Hecate were silent, and gaue no answers: alwayes it is certaine that many yeares before the Lords blessed Nativity, the Lord permitted the world to be wonderfully blinded with the delutions of the diuell. The top of Iupiters Oake in Dodona was shaken, the caldron was smitten with the rod that was in the hand of Iupiters image: The Prophetesses forewarned by these fore-running tokens of inspiration were ready to vtter Iupiters Oracles, and the deceived people were humbly kneeling and attending vponupon the answer that should be giuen.Nazianz. in Iulian. annot. nouni. The tripode in Delphis, the laur…ll and fountaine in Daphne, Apollo his deceitfull ensignes, the ram-faced image of Iupiter, Ammonius in Gyrenia, with many moe places whereinto the sound of the diuels trumpet was heard, to these places (I say) did people bewitched by Satan resort in frequent numbers to be taught by the mouth of him who was a lyer from the beginning, and who remaineth a lyer, albeit hee spake at some time the truth, because hee speaketh it animo fallendi vponupon a purpose to deceiue. It is very credible, that the blessed Seed, who came to breake the head of the Serpent, did stopp his mouth also in the time of his blessed Nativity. The countrey of Iudea at this time was subiect to the Romanes,Luk. 2. and payed tribute to Caesar. The deputies of Augustus in Iudea and Syria, were Cyrenius, Coponius, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3.Ambibuchus, and Annius Rufus, one succeeding to another. Herod the sonne of Antipater by favour of Antonius obtained this honour to be Gouernour of the Nation of the Iewes, but the honourable name of a King he received from Augustus Caesar: this was ratified for his further assurance by the Senate of Rome, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 25 cap. 10.for which cause Herod to testifie his thankefull minde towards Antonius, builded a Castle in Ierusalem very neere to the Temple called Arx Antonia: And to the honour of Augustus, he builded Caesarea Palestinae, sometime called the tower of Straton. Now a forreiner and stranger,Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 1. Christ was borne when the Scopter vvas apparanly sliding from Iuda. Gen 46.10. of his fathers side an Idumean, of his mothers side an Arabian, and an aliant both from the stock of David, and also from the Common-wealth of Israell was raigning in Iudea, and the Sceper was sliding from Iuda, now I say, was it time that Shiloch should come, according to Iacobs prophecie, to whom the people should be gathered. Now was it time that the promised M…ssias should come & sit in the Throne of his father David, and of his Kingdome there should be none end. And indeed how can the Kingdome of Christ hauehave an end, who acquireth a new title and right of gouernment by death, which is the last period of other Kings governments, and in death they leaue a vacant roome to a successour:Christs Kingdome is everlasting. Rom. 14.9 Hos. 13.14. but Christ Iesus by dying, and rising againe, hath a right to rule both over dead and quicke. Yea in the very death it selfe hee was practising his kingly office in most effectuall manner, and and trampling Satan vnderunder feet, and vndoing the power of death,
In Augustus time also, Ioseph was admonished in a dreame to take the babe and his mother,Mat. 2.13. The vncertainty of tradition. and to flee into Egypt. Sozomen not content with the certainty of Scripture, addeth a particular nomination of the towne Hermopolis in Thebaida, whereinto Christ soiourned vntill the death of Herod the great. This hee had by the vncertainty of tradition. The miracle of the huge and high tree Prestis, that bowed the toppe lowly to the ground and worshipped her Maker Christ, and afterward had a medicinable vertue in fruit, leafe, and barke, to cure diseases, rather derogareth credit to that Egyptian tradition,Sozom. lib. 5. cap. …2. then assureth vsus of the verity of that report. Herod before his departure from this life; had put to death three of his sonnes, Aristobulus, Alexander, and Antipater, and by testamentall legacy had divided his dominions amongst his remanent sonnes, Archelaus, Herod, Antipas, and Philip: which testament being ratified by Augustus, Iudea, Samaria, and Idumea were alloted to Archelaus, Ioseph antiq. lib 17. cap. 13.the Tetrarchie of Galilee to Antipas, and Iturea and Trachonitis to Philip. Ioseph being returned from Egypt, when he heard that Archelaus did reigne in Iudea in stead of his father Herod, feared to dwell in Iudea, but beeing warned of God in a dreame, went to the parts of Galilee,Mat. 2.22.2…. and dwelt in a Citty called Nazaret. All this was done in the dayes of Augustus. After hee had reigned 56. yeares, or as Iosephus writeth, 57. yeares, viz. with Antonius 14. yeares, and after hee overcame Antonius and Cleôpatra Queene of Egypt in sea-warfare over against Epirus, hee had the Imperiall soveraignty himselfe alone all his dayes,Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. and died in the 77. yeare of his age.
Tiberius.
Romane Deputies in Iuda 1. Bucole Index.AFter Augustus raigned Tiberius Nero 22. yeares, seven moneths, seuen dayes. The Romane Deputies that were sent to Iudea in the time of his raigne, were Valerius Gratus, Pontius Pilat, and Vitellius. Valerius Gratus for louelove of gaine remooued the Priests of the Iewes from their offices, at his owne pleasure. Ananus, Ismael, Eleazarus, Simon the sonne of Camithus, all these were denuded of their priestly dignity, when as two of them, viz. Eleazarus and Simon had continued scarce one yeare in office. In end Ios…phus Caiphas is advanced to the Priesthood. This is the cause wherefore the Evangelist Iohn calleth Caiphas the high Priest of that same yeare.Ioh. 18.13. Matters of religion were now come to an horrible abuse, and were not ordered according to Gods holy ordinance, but according to the appetite of the Roman Deput ies.Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. After Gratus, Pontius Pilate was sent to be Deputy in Iudea, a man vigilant and actiue in all civill affaires, as the blood of the Galileans mixed with their sacrifices clearely proueth,Luk. 13.1. but in the cause of Christ remisse, negligent and slacke. After the issue of ten yeares, Vitellius is appointed Deputie in Iudea, and Pontius Pilate addresseth toward Rome. By gratifying of the Iewes of a matter of small importance he obtained great fauour.The Priestly …arments. The priestly garments were wont to bee kept in the Castle called Antonia, but Vitellius gaue commandement to the Captaine of the Castle, to let the high Priest hauehave the vse of them when hee pleased, and to chuse what place he liked best for the custodie of the priestly garments. Hee disauthorized Caiphas, following (as appeareth) the example of Valerius Gratus, and gaue his office to Ionathan the sonne of Ananus, sometime high Priest.Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 6. Euseb, hist. eccl. lib. 1. cap 10. Mat. 3. & 4. Christ crucified in the 18. yeare of Tiberius. Heb. 7. In the 15. yeare of the raigne of Tiberius, Christ our Lord and Saviour was baptized by Iohn in Iordan, was led to the wildernesse, fasted forty dayes, was tempted of the divell and began to preach.
In the 18. yeare of Tiberius, the Lord was crucified, and offered a sacrifice for our sinnes, which hath a perpetuall vertue to saue such as beleeue. Hee arose againe the third day from death. The high Priests and Rulers of the people gaue money to the souldiers, to obscure the glory of his resurrection, yet it was sufficiently knowne, not onelyonly to Christs Disciples, by his frequent apparitions to them, but also to Pontius Pilate the Romane Deputy himselfe, who had given out a sentence of death against Christ. Pilate by letters signified to Tiberius the miracles of Christ, his resurrection, and that hee was supposed of many to be God:The Senate of Rome refuseth to acknowledge the diuinity of Christ. Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 2. cap. 2. Rom. 1.21, 22. But the Senate of Rome refused to acknowledge the divinity of Christ, because hee was worshipped as God, before his Godhead was approved by the Senate of Rome. The words of the Apostle Paul had performance in the Romane Senate, foreign, they became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was full of darknes, when they professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles. The very smoke that riseth from the furnace seemeth to be somewhat at the first, but when it mounteth vp into the aire, the higher it ascendeth, the more it scatereth, and the sudden dispartion of it declareth it is but a vaine thing. Such was the wisedome of the Romane Senate, when they mounted vp so high as to iudge of diuine things farre surpassing the reach of the naturall vnderstanding of man, they prooued starke fooles, and people destitute of true vnderstanding: and Pilate himselfe ouerladen with many heauy calamities in the dayes of Caius, Pilate kille…h himselfe.put hands into himselfe, and so ended his wretched life. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 7.
Caius Caligula.
CAius Caligula, successour to Tiberius, raigned three years and nine months.Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 8. Hee was a proud Tyrant, enemy to all righteousnesse, the very childe of the diuell. I insist only vponupon Church matters. Hee was an hatefull enemy to the Iewes dwelling at Ierusalem, and at Alexandria. For one and the selfe-same cause were they both despised and hated of Caius, Caius would be counted a god.because they would not giuegive vntounto him diuine honors by building Temples, and Altars, and offering sacrifice to new Iupiter Caius, and swearing by his name. First concerning Ierusalem,Euseb. eccles. hist. lib. 2. cap. 6 Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 11 hee had sent Petronius to be Deputy in Iudea, with commandement to dedicate the Temple of Ierusalem to Iupiter Caius, and to set vp his image in the Temple. The Iewes were more willing to die, then to see the Temple of their God polluted. Petronius advertised the Emperour of the grievance of the Iewes,The Ievves abhorted the vpsetting of the image of Caius in their Temple. Act. 12. but before his letters came into the hands of Caius somewhat interveened that both disappointed the purpose of Caius, and also incensed his heart with fury and rage against his Deputy Petr… nius. At what time Herod Agrippa was at Rome, whom afterward the Angell of God smote at Caesarea, so that hee was consumed with wormes, hee was exceedingly beloved of Caius, because in the dayes of Tiberius hee had beene cast in prison, and bound with bands for the louelove hee carryed to Caius, in so farre that Caius invited Agrippa vponupon a certaine time to a banquet, and bade him aske what hee pleased, and it should be granted.The petition of Agrippa. Agrippaes petition was this, that Caius would suffer the Nation of the Iewes to liue according to their owne lavve. Caius was moued somewhat with this vnexpected petition, yet partly for his excessiue louelove toward Agrippa: also, left hee should seeme to them which fate at table to be a promise-breaker, the petition is granted. But the venome of his indignation against the Iewes hee poured out against Petronius, because that by lingring in executing his commandement occasion was offered to Agrippa to present this foresayd petition.The bloody letter of Caius written to Petronius his Deputy Ioseph antiq. lib. 18. cap. 11. The letter of Caius sent to his Deputy was cruell and bloody, the like whereof was seldom heard: because hee fulfilled not the Emperours desire, he is commanded to giuegive out sentence of death against his owne life, and to be both iudge and burrio to himselfe. Such mercy was in this new Iupiter Caius. Before I write any thing of his cruelty against the Iewes that dwelt in Alexandria, it is a meet place to admonish the Reader of the hypocrisie and counterfait holinesse of Herod Agrippa, who seemed both in the dayes of Caius, and also in the dayes of the Emperour Claudius, to bee a patterne of godlinesse, preferring at the banquet of Caius the liberty of the people of God, and the inviolable observation of the Law of God, to all the riches that the liberality of an affectioned Emperour could be able to afford.The hypocrisie of Agrippa. In Claudius dayes hee sayled from Italy to Iudea, hee acknowledged God to be the author of his deliverance from prison and bands, and offered a chaine of gold to bee hung vp in the Temple of Ierusalem,Ioseph. antiq. lib. 19 cap. 5. in testimony that hee receiued that benefit with a thankfull mind out of the Lords hands. In outward things hee was a builder of the wals of Ierusalem, vntill the emulous envie of Marsus, or envious emulation,Ioseph. antiq. lib. 19 cap. 7. the hinderer of all good workes, compelled him to desist and to leaue the worke imperfited. For all this outward shew of holinesse, the lessons of Caius whom he loued beyond all things, never left him till his last breath. Caius desired to be counted a god, so did Agrippa in Caesarea delight when his Oration was called the voyce of God and not of man. Caius persecuted the Iewes without a cause, so did Herod Agrippa the Christians.Acts 12. Caius the higher hee advanced himselfe, the greater was his fall, the like also happened to Agrippa. So pernitious a thing is vngodly company, burning their associats with their fire,Contention betweene the Iewes & Grecians who dwelt at Alexandria. or else blacking them with their smoke, and hurtfull every manner of way. In the towne of Alexandria the Grecians contended against the Iewes, both parties sent Ambassadors to Rome, the Grecians sent Appion, the Iewes sent Philo a very prudent and learned man. Appion with flattering words insinuated himself in the fauour of the Emperor Caius, & accused the Iewes that they neither builded temples,Ioseph. antiq. l…b. 18. cap. 10. Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 2. cap. 5. nor offered sacrifice to the honor of Caius, as the Grecians did. Philo was ready to answer, but Caius ruled with affection rather then with reason, caused Philo to be thrust out of his palace, and would not hearken vntounto him. In these two mirrors, we may see the cruell disposition of this Emperor, whose dependers were persecuters of Christians, like as he himself was a persecuter of the Iewes. If any good turne fell into his hand, it was rather by accident then of purpose to glorifie God, or to punish sin: he banished Herod Antipas, Euseb. hist. lib. 2 cap. 4. Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18 cap. 9.who beheaded Iohn the Baptist, & his wife Herodias that incestuous harlot, who ended their liues in penury and misery in Lyons of France. But all this was done for the fauor of Agrippa, but not for detestation of murther & incest. In end Caius was slaine by his owne servants, Chereas & Lupus, whom the Emperour Claudius afterward punished vntounto death.Ioseph. antiq. lib. 19. cap. 3. New Iupiter in worse case then old Iupiter. This new Iupiter I count him to hauehave been in worse case then old Iupiter the son of Saturne, albeit both of them died, yet the one after his death, was counted a god, but the other after his death was counted a diuell.
Claudius.
Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 19.CLaudius raigned thirteene yeares, eight months. Hee ratified the gift of the kingdome of Iudea, bestowed by his predecessor Caius vponupon Herod Agrippa, and added thereto all the dominions of Herod Antipas, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 19. cap. 4.whom Caius had banished. This Herod Agrippa when hee returned from Italy to Iudea, builded the walles of Ierusalem, sparing for no cost, so high and strong, that if the worke had not been hindered by the procurement of Marsus Governour of Syria, he had made them impregnable. Hee was not so carefull to build the walles of the spirituall Ierusalem, for hee beheaded the holy Apostle S. Iames, the brother of Iohn, and did cast Peter into prison, whom the Lord miraculously deliuered.Acts. 12. This Herod and the Iewes made hauocke of the glory of God,Acts 12. and blood of his Saints. For he gratified them by shedding the blood of the Apostles of Christ, and againe they gratified him by giuing him the glorie that appertained to God alone.The famine foretold by Agabus Acts 11. For which cause he was stricken by the Angel of God & consumed with wormes, In this Emperour Claudius dayes, the famine foretolde by the Prophet Agabus afflicted the world. One of the causes of this plague doubtlesse was the manifold abuses of the creatures of God, in the middes of the aboundance of bread, the contempt of the poore, which faultes were so vniuersally ouerspread in the world, that some of the Emperours themselues were not free of the foule spot of intemperancie:Funct. Ch…on. as the scoffing speeches of the people did witnesse in stead of Claudius Tiberius Nero calling the Emperour Caldius Biberius Mero. This is referred to the successour of Augustus.
In the yeere of our Lord 48. and in the sixt yeere of the reigne of Claudius, The Counci… of Ierusalem, Anno. 48. Acts 15.as Chytraeus reckoneth, was gathered that famous Councill of Ierusalem described viuely by the Euangelist Luke whereat were present the Apostles, Peter and Paul, and Iames, and Barnabas a reuerent man of God in whom Apostolike giftes were not lacking, with other worthie men, Iudas surnamed Barsabas and Silas notable Prophets and fellow-labourers of the Apostles: likewise the Commissioners of Antiochia, and Elders of Ierusalem with many others who were beleeuers. What was concluded in this Councell,Acts 15. I remit to the faithfull narration of the Euangelist Luke. Alwayes if votes be pondered rather then numbred, this is the Councell of Councels more worthie to bee called O Ecomenicke then the Councels of Nice, of Constantinople, of Ephesus, and Chalcedon. In the Councell of Nice were worthy Bishops, who came from all quarters, of the world, but in this Councill were holy Apostles, who could not erre in matters of faith, O Ecomenicke Bishops indeede, and any one of the holy Apostles was illuminated with more aboundance of cleare light in things pertaining to the worship of God then al the 300 & 18. bishops cōueened at Nice in Bithynea. Romane deputies.Many Romaine Deputies were sent in the dayes of Claudius to keepe Syria and Iudea in subjection to the Romaines, such as Marsus, Longinus, Cuspius Phadus, Tiberius Alexander, Cumanus and Felix. I leaue Marsus and Longinus for desire to open vp in what Deputies time things mentioned in holy Scripture came to passe. When Cuspius Phadus was deputie, there arose a deceitfull man named Theudas, to whom resorted a number of men aboue 400. who were slaine,Acts 5.36. and all who followed him were scattered, Iosephus writeth that Phadus sent forth a trope of horsemen, who suddenly charged the people that followed Theudas, and slew them,…seph antiq. lib 20 cap 2. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 11. Acts 5 37. and tooke Theudas aliue, and cut off his head, and brought it to Ierusalem, After this man arose one Iudas of Galile in the dayes of the tribute, and drew away much people after him: he also perished, and all that obeyed him were scattered. If Gamaliel in that narration keepe the order of time, as these words (After him) would import, of necessitie the words of the history of the Actes must be vnderstood of another Theudas then that man of whom Iosephus writeth in the place aboue mentioned. For Iudas of Galile liued in the dayes of Augustus ▪ and when Cyrenius was Deputie of Syria and Iudea, Iosephus lib 18. cap. 3. lib 20. & cap. 3.But I am not certaine whether or no the words foreign doe absolutely import that Iudas of Galile was posterior in time to Theudas. When Cumanus was Deputie, who succeded to Tiberius Alexander the insolencie of one Romaine souldier was the destruction of twentie thousand innocent people, he discouered the secret parts of his body vponupon a solemne feast day, neere vntounto the Temple, and in the sight of the Iewes, they counted this a contempt done to God in the porch of his owne house: Cumanus drew the Romane souldiers to the Castle called Antonia verie neere the temple, and set them in order, and the people of the Iewes fearing the inuasion of the souldiers, sled, and in the narrow passages ouertrode one another, and a great multitude of people were slaine,Ioseph antiq. lib. 20. cap. 4. After this the people of the Iewes came to Caesarea where Cumanus was for the time, and complained of a Romane souldier, who had cast a booke of holy Scripture into the fire, whom Cumanus beheaded, and so pacified the Iewes.Ioseph antiq. …b 20. cap. 4. In end, Cumanus through his euill gouernement procured to himselfe the indignation of the Emperour Claudius, he fauoured the wicked cause of the Samaritanes, who had stopped the passages of the Galileans, and slaine a great number of them. They were accustomed yeerely to goe vp to Ierusalem to holy fea…tes, and their way was through the townes and villages of the Samaritanes. Cumanus rather fauoured then punished this wicked fact of the Samaritanes, therefore he was remoued from his place, and Felix was sent to be Deputie of Iudea. Ioseph antiq. lib. 20. cap. 5.Whether Claudius was impoisoned by Agrippina his wife to prepare an easie passage to Nero her sonne to be Emperour or not, I leaue that to be read in authors, who hauehave entreated the liues of Emperours politikly. It contenteth me to write of the estate of the Church in their time.
Nero.
DOmitius Nero, succeeded to Claudius: he reigned thirteene yeeres and eight months,Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 5. His mother Agrippina after the death of Cneus Domitius Aenobarbus was joyned in mariage with the Emperour Claudius. In the first fiue yeeres of his gouernement he abandoned the insolencie of his wicked disposition, so that it was a prouerbe in the mouthes of men, Neronis quinquennium, in regard of his good cariage for the space of fiue yeeres. But a fire long couered, in end breaketh out into a mightie flame, that no water can slake it His cruelitie against his mother, his wifes Octa…ia and Poppea, his master Seneca, the Poet Lucan, and the vile abuse of his body with persons of his neerest consanguinitie, I remit to the reading of learned authors, who hauehave written exactly the historie of the Romane Emperours, and I hast to that which is the principall purpose of this compend, how wicked Nero kindled the first great Fornace of horrible persecution against the Christians. It cannot be denyed but in the dayes of Tiberius our Lord Christ Iesus was crucified: in the dayes of Caligula and Claudius the hands of that cruell persecuter Herod was mightily strengthened by the fauour, countenance and bountifulnesse of both these Emperours, so that he layd hands vponupon the pillars of the house of God: and so I deny not but the Church of God before the dayes of Nero was in the fornace of trouble, but now 'come the dayes whereinto the Roman Emperours like vntounto Nebuchadnezar were full of rage,Daniel. 3.19. and the forme of their visage was changed against the Christians, & they commanded that the fornace should be hoate seuen times more then it was wont to be.
The ten persecuting Emperours wrestled against God. Gen. 32.This historie henceforth conteineth on the one part, the great wrestling of persecuting Emperours against God, not like to the wrestling of Iacob with God. The place of Iacobs wrestling was Pen…el, where he saw God, the forme of wrestling was with many teares and strong supplications, the end was,Hos. 12. that the Angel should not hastly depart from him leauing him comfortlesse, the successe was the obtaining of a blessing, which was the armour of God to saue him against the hatefull malice of Esau: but by the contrary, Nero, Domitian, Traian, Antonius, and the rest set their faces against the heauen, commanded the holy One of Israel to depart out of the world, endeuoured to quench the sauing light of his Gospell, and by so doing, brought downe vponupon themselues, in stead of a blessing, that wrath that is reueiled from heauen vponupon all them who detaine the truth of God into vnrighteousnes,Rom. 1.18. On the other part is set downe the constant faith and patient suffering of the Saints who hated not the burning bush, because it was set on fire, but they loued it, because in it they were refreshed with the comfortable presence of the great Angel of God,Exod. 3. who would not for gaining of their liues once fashion themselues according to the similitude of Idolaters in outward and externall things. Tertulian in his booke de corona militis declareth that true Christian souldiers abhorred from setting a garland of flowers vponupon their heads, when they received wages for their painfull seruice in warfare, because it was the habit of Idolaters who sacrificed to Iupiter. O happy men of God, whose vertues the dead colours of Painters cannot represent, and the festered manners of this corrupt age cannot imitate! When shall the fresh oyle of the grace of God bee powred into our lampes, that the light of our faith, patience, and constant perseverance may shine clearely to the world as theirs did?
The occasion of this great persecution of Nero, The first persecution. Anno. Cler. 65. Bucole Index chron. Funct. chron. Chytr. chron.was his owne barbarous and cruell fact: hee caused the towne of Rome to be set on fire, which wasted the buildings of the towne for the space of sixe dayes, and to eschew the vile infamy of this barbarous fact, hee layde the blaine vponupon the Christians, and gaue forth edicts and commandements to to persecute them to the death. Nero was so hatefull an aduersary to all righteousnesse, that Eusebius following the example and words of Tertullian, affirmeth that if the Gospell had not beene an excellent good thing,Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 25. The martyrdome of Peter and Paul. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 25. it had not been condemned by Nero. It is supposed that Peter was crucified, and Paul was beheaded at Rome, in the time of this persecution. If this be true, the very dead bones of Peter and Paul are witnesses against the Romane Church, if they continue not in the same faith, that Peter and Paul sealed vp with their blood. The estate of the Iewes vnderunder Nero was very hard in respect of the oft change of the Romane Deputies.Romane Deputies. For in Neroes time continued Felix for a space, whom the Emperour Claudius had sent to Iudea, and after him Festus, Albinus, and Florus. This last Deputy was fashioned according to the similitude of the manners of Nero his Master, and the Proverb holdeth true in Nero and Florns, Such man, such master. In the time that Felix was Deputy, a certaine Egyptian man pretending to be a Prophet, and promising great things, perswaded foure thousand of the Iewes to follow after him,Act. 25. but Felix sent forth companies of horsemen and footmen, who slew foure hundreth of the people that followed the Egyptian,Ioseph antiq. lib. 20. cap. 6. and tooke two hundreth of them aliue, the rest were scattered, but the seducing Prophet escaped, and could not be found. When Festus was Deputy, King Agrippa heard the Apology of Paul, and sayd that in a part Paul perswaded him to be a Christian.Acts. 25. Acts 12. This Agrippa (I say) the sonne of Herod, whom the Angell of God slewe, was advanced to great honours by the Emperour Claudius, as his father had beene before him by the fauour of Caius, and he possessed not onelyonly his fathers dominions, but also the Tetrarchy of Iturea and Trachonitis, sometime belonging to Philip the sonne of Herod the great. His might and riches procured trouble to the Nation of the Iewes. He had a palace situate vponupon the West-side of the Temple of Ierusalem, and in regard it was builded vponupon a mountaine, he had a delectable prospect of the towne of Ierusalem: yet not content with this, hee mounted vp the walles of the Palace by a new building, so high, that they who were in the Palace might hauehave seene the Altar, and sacrifices of the Iewes offered in the inner court, which at that time was called Atrium Iudaorum. This doing grieved the hearts of the Iewes. They on the other part, to cut off the sight of those who dwelt in the Palace, from beholding their sacrifices, raysed vp the wall of the inner court on the West-side to such eminency, that no man could behold the sacrifices of the Iewes from the Palace.Contention. betweene Agrippa and the Ievves. King Agrippa and Festus with authority commanded the Iewes to demolish their new builded wall. In end this matter was referred to the Emperour Nero, who being solicited by his wife Poppea, gratified the Iewes in this poynt,Ioseph. antiq. lib. 20. cap. 7. and compelled them not to cast downe their wall. Festus died in Iudea, and Albinus was sent to be Deputie in Iudea. Ananus was the high Priest of the Iewes in those dayes, and finding opportunity of time, to practice the malice of his heart against Iames the sonne of Alpheus, furnanamed Iustus, The martyrdome of Iames furnamed Iustus.an holy Apostle and kinsman of our Lord Iesus. When Albinus was vponupon his iourney, and had not as yet arriued neither to the coasts of Egypt, nor of Iudea, this Ananus (I say) caused Iames furnamed Iustus, and the brother of our Lord,Ioseph antiq. lib 20 cap 8. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 23. to bee stoned to death. Eusebius writeth that he was throwne down from the pinacle of the Temple. This cruelty of Ananus, albeit it displeased both King Agrippa, and Albinus the Deputy of the Romans, and the people of Ierusalem, yet wicked men are wiser in their owne generation, then the children of light: and Ananus sawe that if hee had lingred vntill the Romane Deputy had arriued, hee could not hauehave procured the death of a man counted so inst, and so welbeloved of the people, as the Apostle Iames was. It is to be marked that Eusebius in the forementioned place describeth the Martyrdome of Iames furnamed Iustus, before the edict of the persecution of Nero, after which folloshed the martyrdome of Peter and Paul, in the 12. yeere of Nero his raigne,Epiphan. contr. heres. neuerthelesse, the Romane Church had forged Epistles decretall, whereinto Clemens Bishop of Rome, writeth to Iames furnamed Iustus, after the death of Peter. What credit these decretall Epistles deserue, it shall be declared hereafter, God willing. But Florus who succeded to Albinus, was an avaritious and cruell man: hee exhausted the treasure that was in the Temple, and tooke out of it sixteene talents of siluer. And when the Iewes at Ierusalem murmured against him, hee came to the towne in great wrath, and permitted the souldiers to slay, and to spoyle the Citizens of Ierusalem at their pleasure. Likewise he afflicted with vnaccustomed cruelty,Ioseph. de bello Iuduco lib. 2. cap. 15. The ground of the warre betweene the Iewes and the Romanes. Mat. 24. men of noble birth, by scourging and crucifying them. This was the ground of the warre betweene the Romanes and the Iewes, wherein Ierusalem came to that lamentable ruine foretold by our Saviour Christ. Now to returne to the Emperour himselfe, and forme of his death. After he had raigned 13. yeares and eight moneths, the Senate of Rome proclaimed him to bee an enemy to mankind, and condemned him to be whipped with wands to the death, and to be harled through the City. For feare of which punishment he was forced to flie, and by slaying of himselfe, made an end of his most wretched life. Iustin.
Vespatian.
AFter Nero, Otto, Vitellius, and Galba contended for the Empire, and were all hastily cut off, and made out of the way,Bucole Index. chron. and Flavianus Vespatian was chosen Emperour by the Roman Arny, he reigned ten yeares. The Nation of the Iewes at this time, for the most part was given ouer into a reprobate minde, according as it was foretold by the Prophet Zacharie:Zach. 11.9. Then sayd I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die, and that that perisheth, let it perish, and let the remnant every one eate the flesh of his neighbour. Like as the intollerable cruelty of Flerus had irritat the Nation of the Iewes: even so on the other side, the vnsupportable obstinacy of the Iewes had incensed the wrath of the Romanes against them. They were now become so head-strong,Ioseph. de bello Iud lib. 2. c. 30 that they reiected the sacrifice that was wont to be offered for Caesar. The calamity of the Iewes who dwelt in Alexandria, and in Damascus, was but the beginning of sorrowes: fifty thousand Iewes were slaine in Alexandria,Ioseph. de bello Iud. lib. 2. cap. 36. and 41. ten thousand in Damascus. Besides this, many signes and wonders both in heauen and earth, did proclaime their future desolation and destruction. A Comet was seene in heauen,Forerunning tokens of the destruction of Ierusalem. hanging ouer the towne of Ierusalem for the space of a yeare, and having the similitude of a sword: in the Temple at the mid time of the night, a cleare light was seene shining round about the Altar, in brightnes not vnlike vntounto the light of the day: and the great brasen port of the Temple opened of it owne accord, about the sixt houre of the night: chariots of fire were seene compassing townes, and a voyce was heard in the Sanctuary warning to flit,Ioseph. de bello Ind. lib. 6. c. 31. and to transport, with many other fearfull signes and wonders. But a people senslesse, whose eyes were dimme, whose eares were dull of hearing, whose heart was fatte, and locked vp by Satan in infidelity, they could take no warning of the wrath to come, because the Lord was minded to destroy them. Flavius Vespatian, and his sonne Titus Vespatian leading an army of threescore thousand armed men from Ptolemaida, besieged the townes of Galilee and Trachonitis: so many as would not willingly bee subiect to the Romanes, the townes of Gadara, Tiberias, Iotopata, Tarithea, Gamala, all these were brought vnderunder the reverence of Vespatian, and Iosephus, who had beene lurking in a caue (after the towne of Iotopata was conquered) was taken aliue, and kept in bands by the Romans: hee foretold that Vespatian should be Emperour, and saluted him Caesar, and foreign,De bello Iud. lib. 3. cap 27. while Nero was yet aliue. When this prophecie came to passe indeed, and hee was chosen to bee Emperour, hee sent for Iosephus, and commanded that he should be loosed from bands, but Titus his sonne, thought more expedient that his bands should bee cut off from him, rather then loosed,De bello Iud. lib. 4. cap 39. to the end he might be counted a worthy man, who never deserved captivity nor bands. Flavius Vespatian returned to Rome, and left behinde him his sonne Titus to subdue the Iewes, and to besiege the towne of Ierusalem, but the Christians who dwelt at Ierusalem, were warned by God to depart out of the towne of Ierusalem,Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 5. so they left it, and dwelt beyond Iordan in a towne of Decapolis, called Pela. Separation of the corne from the chaffe, goeth before the vnquenchable fire wherewith the chaffe shall bee burnt. Titus beganne to besiege Ierusalem in the first yeare of the reigne of his father,The destruction of Ierusalem. Anno Chr. 71. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 7. at the time when the people were gathered to celebrate the feast of the Passeouer. The terror of the sword of the Romanes without, the feare of mercilesse brigands within the bowels of the towne prevailing, the shewer of the dead (wanting the honour of buriall) infecting the aire, and devouring the living with contagious sicknesse, the violent plague of famine breaking assunder the bands of nature, and constraining women to eate the birth of their owne bellies.De bello Iud. lib. 6. cap. 21. All these calamities seased vponupon them at once, in the iust iudgement of God. They despised the Father of eternity, and the Prince of peace, and sayd to Pilate, Wee hauehave no King but Caesar. Ioh. 19.15.Now they finde that the mercies of Caesar were cruell, and his sonne Titus, who was commended in all mens mouthes, as meeke, mercifull, liberall, and eloquent, and was called Amor & delitiae humani generis: that is, The louelove and most dainty thing of all mankinde, yet God made him a terrible scourge to the Nation of the Iewes, who forsooke the Lord Iesus, and preferred Caesar vntounto him. In Scripture wee reade of many great viols of the wrath of God powred downe vponupon vnrighteous men, but these are greatest that resemble by most liuely representation the great condemnation of the wicked at the last day, such as the flood of Noe, the ouerthrow of Sodome, and destruction of Ierusalem. The flood of Noe was vniuersall and sudden, so shall be the condemnation of vngodly men at the last day. The overthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha,Mat. 24.37. 38.39. was a destruction vnsupportable, and the more meet to bee an example of the vengeance of eternall fire.Iude ver. 7. The flood of Noe, the overthrow of Sodome, and destruction of Ierusalem, types of the great iudgement to come. Mat. 24. The destruction of Ierusalem, and the forerunning tokens thereof, are so mixed with the tokens preceeding the condemnation of the great day, that it may bee clearely perceiued, that God hath appointed the one to be a type and figure of the other. So oft as we call to remembrance the flood of Noe, the overthrow of Sodom, and the destruction of Ierusalem, let vsus feare & stand in awe to fall into the condemnation of vngodly men, because all the terrors of these iudgements concurre and are massed together in the iudgement of the last day. What are the deepe wells of water, what are the shoures of fire and brimstone, what is famine, pest, and sword, both intestine and forraine, in comparison of that worme that never dieth, and that fire that shall never be quenched, and the blacknesse of darknes, with weeping and gnashing of teeth, &c? It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Concerning the number of them that were slaine in Galilee, Trachonitis, Samaria, and Iudea, chiefly in the Metropolitane towne Ierusalem, over and besides those that were sold to be slaues, and those that were deuoured by wild beasts, in the triumph of Flavius and Titus at Rome, reade Iosephus de bello Iud. lib. 6. cap. 45.
Titus.
AFter Flavius, raigned Titus Vespatian his sonne, two yeares, two months, twenty dayes.Bucole Index chron. The Nation of the Iewes being now subdued, there was great peace in all parts of the Romane dominions, both by sea and land, and the Temple of Ianus in Rome,Bucole. was closed and locked vp againe.
Domitian.
FFlavius Domitian was associate to his brother Titus in government,The second persecution. Anno Chr. 96. Chytr. Chron. during his life time; and after his death was his successor. Hee raigned 15. yeares. Hee was proud like Nero, and persecuted innocent Christians as hee did, so prone and bent is our corrupt nature to sinne, and to follow evill examples. Now againe the Church of Christ militant vponupon the earth, must learne obedience by suffering, and must giuegive a proofe before the world, that the Covenant of God is written in the tables of her heart, and so deeply ingraved by the finger of God, that no tribulation, anguish, persecution, famine, nakednesse, nor death itselfe can separate her from the louelove of Christ. The members of the Church were the good Merchants,Mat. 13. of whom Christ speaketh, who having found a pearle of vnspeakeable value, were content to sell all they had for louelove of gaining it: they had tasted of the Well of water springing vp into eternall life, and thirsted not againe for the water that cannot satisfie the heart of man with ful contentment.Ioh. 4.14. The banishment of the Apostle Iohn. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 18. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 19. In this second great persecution, the beloved disciple of Christ, the Apostle Iohn was banished to the Isle of Patmos, for the word of God. Flavia Domicilla, a woman of noble birth in Rome, was banished to Pontia, an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italy. Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Millain:Chytr. chron. concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres, God willing, wee shall speake in the third Century, and in the Treatise of Reliques. Chytraus writeth, that Timothie was stoned to death at Ephesus, by the worshippers of Diana, and that Dionysius Areopagita, Domitian afraid by rumors of the Kingdom of Christ.was slaine by the sword at Pareis. Domitian had heard some rumors of the Kingdome of Christ, and was afraid as Herod the great had beene, after the Nativity of our Lord: but when two of Christ kinsmen, according to the flesh, the Nephewes of the Apostle Iude were presented before him, and hee perceived them to be poore men, who gained their living by handy labour, and when hee had heard of them, that Christs Kingdome was not of this world, but it was spirituall, and that hee would come at the latter day to iudge the quick and the dead, he despised them as simple and contemptible persons,Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 20. and did them no harme. In the end, as the life of Domitian was like vntounto the life of Nero, so was he not vnlike vntounto him in his death: for his owne wife and friends conspired against him, and slew him: his body was carried to the graue by porters, and buried without honour. The Senate of Rome also decreed, that his name should bee rased, and all his acts should bee rescinded. Sueton. in Dom. Ierom. catal. script. eccles.
Nerva.
Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 21COccius Nerua after Domitian, raigned one yeare, foure moneths. And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled, were borne in Italy: from henceforth strangers doe rule: for Traian the adoptiue sonne of Nerva, his successor was borne in Spaine. Nerva redressed many things, that were done amisse by Domitian, and in his time the Apostle Iohn was relieued from banishment, and returned againe to Ephesus,Euseb. lib. 3 cap. 21 where he died.