The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 1 · History of century 2
CENTVRIE II.
Traianus.
TRaian the adopted sonne of Nerva, was the first stranger who obtained that honour to bee King of the Romanes.Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 4. cap. 3. Hee raigned 19. yeares, 6. moneths. A man so exceeding well beloved of the Senate and of the people of Rome, that after his dayes, whensoever a new Emperour was elected, they wished vntounto him the good successe of Augustus, and the vprightnesse of Traianus. Notwithstanding of this,The third persecution. Anno. Chr. 108. hee was a cruell persecuter of Christians. And this third persecution is iustly counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions. To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame. It was no great dishonour to bee hated of Nero and Domitian, wicked men and haters of righteousnes, but to bee hated and persecuted by Traian, a man counted a patterne of vpright dealing, this was a great rebuke. Notwithstanding Christians looked to Iesus, the author and finisher of their faith, who for the ioy that was set before him, endured the crosse, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. Many hauehave more patiently endured paine in their flesh, then shame and contempt in the world,Heb. 12,2 but Christs true Disciples must resolue to be a gazing stocke to all the world, and to bee counted the off-scourings of the earth, as the holy men of God did in the dayes of the Emperour Traian. These were Citizens of heauen, liuing in earthly tabernacles, liuing vponupon the earth,Rom. 12. but not fashioned according to the similitude of this world. In doing great things by faith, they surpassed mighty Monarches: In patient suffering of evill, they overwent admired Plilosophers. In this persecution Simon the sonne of Cleopas, The martyrdome of Simon the sonne of Cleopas. Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 3 cap. 23.an holy Apostle suffered martyrdome, being now an hundreth and twenty yeares old: hee was first scourged, and then crucified: but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the name of Christ. Of Ignatius martyrdome wee hauehave spoke in the first Century, the time of his suffering,The letter of Pliny 2. vvritten to Traian. was in the time of Traianus. Plinie the second Deputy in Bithynia, breathing threatnings against innocent Christians, persecuted great numbers of them to death. In the end he was commoued and troubled in his owne mind, cosidering both the number & patient suffring of christians that were put to death, he wrote to the Emperour, declaring that Christians were men of good conversation, and detested murther, adultery, and such other vngodlinesse: onelyonly they had conventions earely in the morning, and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ, whom they worshipped as God, but they would not worship images (here marke the portrait of the Ancient Apostolike Church, and what conformity the Romane Church in our dayes hath with it, the Lord knoweth.) This letter of Plinius mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part, yet gaue hee no absolute commandement to stay the persecution, but onelyonly that the Iudges should not search them out narrowly,Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 3. cap. 23. but if any happened to bee presented before them, then let them bee punished. What confusion was in this edict, it is well marked by Tertullian: Tertul. Apol.the one part of it repugneth to the other. In forbidding to search them out narrowly, hee declareth their innocency, but in commanding to punish them when they were presented, hee pronounceth them to bee guilty. This is that Emperour for whose soule Gregory the first made supplications to God 400. yeares after his death, and was heard of God as Damacen writeth.Damas. Serm. de defunct. Gregory 1. prayed for the soule of Traian This superstitious Monke, of the descent of Saracens blood, if he supposed Gregory to be so full of charity, that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour, why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours, to the end that they being all delivered from the condemnation of hell, heaven might be counted a mansion both for Christs true Disciples, and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies?
Adrianus.
AFter Traian, AElius Adrianus raigned 21. yeares. In his time Aristides and Quadratus, Chytr. chron.the one a Bishoppe, the other an Orator at Athens, wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion,Euseb. eccles. hist. lib 4. cap. 3 Ierom. catalog. script. eccles. Barcochebas a false Prophet, seduced the Nation of the Ievves. and did so mitigate the Emperours minde, that in his time no new commandement was set forth to persecute Christians. Barcochebas at this time perverted the Nation of the Iewes, and called himselfe the promised Messias: whom the foolish Iewes followed to their owne overthrow and destruction. Tynius Rufus, Deputy in Iudea, besieged this man in Bethera, a towne not farre distant from Ierusalem, and destroyed him with all his adherents. Also the whole Nation of the Iewes was banished from their natiue soyle: and the towne of Ierusalem was taken from the Iewes, and delivered to other Nations to bee inhabitants of it, and was called by the Emperours name AElia. Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 4. cap. 6.Thus we see that the Iewes who would not receiue Christ, who came in his Fathers name, yet they received another who came in his owne name, and like vntounto babes, who are easily deceived with trifles, they were bewitched with the splendor of a glorious name: for Barcochebas signifieth the sonne of a starre: and hee said to the Iewes, that hee was sent as a light from heaven to succour their distressed estate: but hee might hauehave beene called more iustly Barchosba, the sonne of a lie. Here I giuegive warning againe, that we take heed to our selues,Note. left wee bee circumvented with the deceitfull snares of the diuell: for it is an easie thing to fall, but a difficult thing to rise againe. The Christians who lived in the dayes of Adrian, were glad to bee refreshed with the crums of outward comfort, which are denyed to no accused person in the whole world, viz. that Christians shall not be condemned to death for the importunate clamours and cryes of a raging people accusing them, except it be prooved that they hauehave transgressed the Law, and hauehave committed some fact worthy of death. Reade the Epistle of Adrian written to Minutius Fundanus, Euseb. ecel. hist. lib. 4 cap. 9. Adrianus his intention to build a church for the honor of Christ. Bucole. Note.Deputy in Asia. The good intention of Adrian in building a Church for the honour of Christ, voyd of Images, (because such was the custome of Christians) was hindered by some of his familiar friends, who sayd, that if hee so did, all men would forsake the temples of the gods of the Gentiles, and become Christians. In this point good Reader marke what Church is like vntounto the ancient Primitiue and Apostolike Church, whether the Church decked with Images, or the Church voyd of Images.
Antoninus Pius.
TO Adrian succeeded Antoninus Pius, his adopted son, and raigned 23. yeares.Carion lib. 3. Monarch. 4. Hee was so carefull to preserue the liues of his Subjects, that hee counted it greater honour to saue the life of one Subiect, then to destroy the liues of a thousand enemies. In this Emperours time Iustinus Martyr wrote notable bookes of Apologie for the Christians, which were presented and read in the Senate of Rome, and mollified the Emperours minde toward Christians, as clearely appeareth by his edict,Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 4. cap. 13. proclaimed at Ephesus, in time of most solemne conventions of all Asia.
Antoninus Philosophus, and L. Verus.
AFter Antoninus Pius succeeded his sonne in law Antoninus Philosophus, otherwise called Marcus Aurelius, with his brother L. Aurelius Verus. This is the first time wherein the Romane Empire was governed by two Augusties. Albeit Titus had associated his brother Domitian, to be a fellow labourer with him in the worke of government, yet was not Domitian counted or called Augustus, vntill the death of his brother Titus. But now at one and the selfe same time, two Emperours do raigne. Antoninus Philosophus raigned nineteene yeares, Lucius Verus his brother nine yeares.Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 5 cap. 9. Bucole. And so after the death of Verus, the whole gouernment returned to Antoninus Philosophus onelyonly. Hee was called a Philosopher not onelyonly in regard of his knowledge, but also in respect of the practise of Philosophie. He was neither greatly pust vp by prosperity, nor cast downe by aduersity: yet he was a cruell persecuter of innocent Christians.
Now is the fuell added to the furnace the fourth time,The fourth persecution. Anno Chr. 168. and the flame is great, and the arme of wicked men who hated the name of Christians, is strengthened by the Emperours commandement. The trumpets of the Monarches of the world found the alarme against him who made them Kings & rulers on the earth. The poore innocent lambs of the sheepfold of Christ appointed for the shambles, strengthened their hearts in God, and in the power of his might, & chose rather to suffer adversity with their brethren, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, they were content to be racked,Heb. 11.25 and would not be delivered, that they might bee partakers of a better resurrection,Heb. 11.35 whose bodies torne with stripes vntill their very inward bowels were patent to the outward sight, witnessed the vnrent firmenesse and stability of their faith. They were so supported with the power of that grace that commeth from aboue, that they were not terrified with the multiplied numbers of cruell torments, newly devised for dashing that invincible courage of faith which was seene in Christians. Yea further then this. When the persecuting enemies were compelled to change the high tuned accent of their menacing speeches, and to craue but a little conformitie to the Emperours desire in swearing by his fortune, the holy men of God would not once seeme to fall away from their profession, by answering with timerous and doubtfull words: but glorified God with a cleare and constant confession of their Christian faith. Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, and Iustinus Martyr, The martyrdome of Polycarpus and Iustinus.a man of singular erudition, were both martyred in the fervent heat of this persecution. But aboue all other places, the consuming flame of the furnace brast out most vehemently, in France that happy Nation, wherein, both of old, and late time, so many were found worthy to giuegive their blood for the name of Christ. Vetius Epagathus, Maturus, Prothenus, Attalus, Sanctus, and Photinus Bishoppe of Lyons, all suffered for the testimony of Christ in France. And Blandina a worthy woman suffered many torments,Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 5. cap. 1. Bucole Index. Slanderous speeches against Christians. Euseb. ibid. and renewed her spirituall courage by continuall iteration of these words, Christiana sum, that is, I am a Christian. In like manner Christians were persecuted with the slanderous speeches of Pagans, obiecting vntounto them the banquets of Thyestes, and the chambering of Oedipus, that is, the eating of mens flesh, and incestuous coppulations. But men who are giuen to the momentaneall delights of sin are not willing to die, because that by death they are separated from all bodily pleasures. The Christians by patient and willing suffering of death for Christs sake, clearely witnessed vntounto the world, that they were not addicted to the deceitfull pleasures of sinne.Iustin. Martyr. Apol. Neverthelesse, these slanderous speeches were credited by the pagans, and tooke such deepe roote in their hearts, that those who seemed before to be more meek and moderate then others, now they became full of madnesse and rage, against Christians: and that which was foretolde by our master Christ, it was fulfilled at this time, to wit, The time shall come, that whosoever killeth you, Iohn. 16.2.shall thinke hee doth God good service. The huge number of Martyrs that were slaine in the fury of this persecution, are both accurratly and at great length set downe by that worthy instrument of Gods glory, who lately wrote the Booke of Martyrs: I onelyonly point out shortly the estate of the Church at this time. In this Emperours time good men were not wanting, who admonished him to appease his wrath against Christians: such as Claudius Apolinaris, Bishop of Hierapolis, and Melito Bishop of Sardis. But nothing could asswage his cruell heart, vntill hee was cast into the furnace of grievous troubles himselfe: for his army that fought against the Germanes and Samaritanes, fell into great distresse for want of water,The Romane Army supported by the prayers of the Christians. but was supported by the prayers of the Christian legion that was in his army. For they bowed their knees to Christ, and prayed for helpe, and the Lord Iesus sent raine in aboundance to refresh the army of the Romans, & dashed the Barbarians with thunder and fire. In remembrance whereof, the Christian legion was after that time called foreign, or Fulminatrix. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 5.After this victory hee asswaged his anger, and wrote to the Senate of Rome to deale gently with Christians, by whose prayer hee acknowledged both himselfe and his Army to hauehave received deliverance from God.
Commodus.
COmmodus the sonne of Antoninus, Euseb. ecel. hist. lib. 5. cap. 27.raigned 13. yeares. Many of the Romanes not without cause, called him Incommodus. He presumed to do great things, and to change the names of moneths, and would hauehave the monethmonth of December to be called Commodus, like as the two names of two moneths, Quintilis and Sextilis had beene changed in time past, and called Iulius and Augustus, for honour of these two welbeloved Emperours. But hee was not so well favoured of the people, that this ordinance could hauehave place any longer, then during his owne life time. The Church in his dayes was not altogether free of persecution: for Apollonius a man of noble birth in Rome, and a man of great learning suffered death, because hee would not forsake the Christian religion.Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. Contrary Ievves. His accuser also was punished to the death. Such advantages Iudges might easily hauehave taken, finding so many discrepant lawes, some made in favour, and some conceived in disliking of Christians.
Pertinax and Iulianus.
AeLius Pertinax Emperour sixe moneths. Didius Iulianus two moneths. Eusebius maketh no mention of D. Iulianus, but of Pertinax onelyonly, to whom succeeded Severus. Eseb. lib. 5. cap. 27.