The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 2 · History of century 3

The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ · Book 2 · History of century 3

p. 273CENTVRIE III.

Bishops of Rome.

TO Victor succeeded Zephyrinus the 14.Zephyrinus. Platin. Euseb. 6.21. Bishop of Rome, who liued in that charge eight yeeres, seauen moneths, ten dayes. Eusebius attributeth vntounto him 18. yeeres, so vncertaine is the computation of the yeeres of the gouernment of the Bishops of Rome. Eusebius writeth nothing of his decretall Epistles, and these that are forged by late Writers are foolish and ridiculous. Consecration of the holy cup to be in a vessell of glasse onelyonly. A Bishop to be accused before honest Iudges, twelue in number, whom the Bishop himselfe shall chuse if need be. Honest and vnspotted witnesses to be heard in this cause no fewer then 72. conforme and aboue the number of those 70. Disciples whom Christ adioyned as fellow-labourers in Preaching with his Apostles. And finally, that no definitiue sentence should be pronounced against a Bishop, vntill the time his cause were heard of the Patriarch of Rome. This is but a mocking of the Church of God, to attribute such smelling pride, such vnaccustomed formes of Iudicatory, such defencing armour fencing & guarding vnrighteous men against iust deserued punishment, to the simplicitie of an ancient Church, humbled vnderunder the crosse, and fighting vnderunder the yoke of heauie and long-lasting afflictions. These false and forged decretall Epistles, altogether vnknowne to the Fathers, who liued before the dayes of Constantine, Note.will procure one day a decree & sentence of wrath against those, who hauehave giuen out new intended lies, vnderunder the names of ancient and holy Fathers.

The canons of the Apostles (albeit a booke falsely attributed to the Apostles) doe agree better with Scripture, then p. 274the constitution of Zephyrinus; for the scripture saith, That by the mouth of two or three witnesses, eueryevery word shall be confirmed.Mat. 18.16Matt 18:16 The canons of the Apostles say, foreign, that is, Let not an Heretique be admitted to beare witnes against a Bishop, neither yet one witnesse onelyonly, albeit, he be faithfull:Canon. Apost. cap. 74. because that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, eueryevery word shall be confirmed. The writer of the canons of the Apostles, had some remembrance of the words of Scripture: but the forger of the decretall Epistles of Zephyrinus is like vntounto a ship-man, who hath hoised vp his saile and aduanced his ship so far into the sea, that he hath lost the sight of land and townes, as the Poet speaketh, Provehimur Pelago, terraque vrbésque recedunt. Surely this lying fellow, who euer he hath bin, that hath written this supposititious decretall Epistle of Zephyrinus, he hath hoised vp his saile, and is so bent to lie, that he hath lost both sight & remembrance of the words of holy Scripture.

Callistus the 15.Callistus. Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. Bishop of Rome continued in his charge fiue yeeres. Platina saith 6. yeeres, 10. moneths, 10. dayes. The fable of Pope Damasus, who affirmeth that Callistus builded a Church to the honour of the Virgin Mary, beyond Tyber, is reiected by Platina himselfe, because the hystorie of the time cleerely prooueth,Note. that in the dayes of Seuerus, and his sonnes, the conuentions of the Christians could not hauehave beene in magnificke temples, but rather in obscure chappels, or subterraneall places, so that the multiplied number of lies written of the Bishops of Rome, who liued in this age, and the decretall Epistles falsly attributed vntounto them, plainly proue, that the garment of antiquitie, vnderunder the lap whereof Papists would so gladly lurke, is altogether wanting to them.

Vrbanus 1. was the 16. Bishop of Rome.Vrbanus. Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 22. He continued in his office 8. yeeres. Platina 4. yeeres, 10. moneths, 12. dayes. Of his martyrdome Eusebius maketh no mention. Others who record his martyrdome, are not certaine in what Emperours dayes he was martyred.

p. 275I proceede to his successour Pontianus the 17. B. of Rome. He continued in his charge 9. yeeres,Pontianus. Platin. 5. months, 2. dayes. Euseb. saith 6. yeeres. He was banished to the Isle Sardinia where he died. Of the two decretall epistles ascribed vntounto him, the second is general written to al men who feare and louelove God, & the very first words of it proue it to be false & forged: Pontianus sanct… & uniuersal…s Ecclesia Episcopus, &c. that is, Pontianus B. of the holy vniuersal Church, to al them who feare & louelove God,Tom. 1. C…ncil. wisheth welfare. Such magnificke stiles as these were not as yet in vse, & when they crept into the Church afterward, they were giuen by persons who admired the vertues of some singular and rare men, such as Cyprian and Athanasius and Eusebius: but no man did vsurpe such proud & arrogant ti tles of dignitie in his owne writings directed to other Christians, and therefore the learned reject this epistle as composed by some late vnlearned and flattering fellow. After Pontianus succeeded Anterus the 18. B. of Rome,Anterus. Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 29. to whom Eusebius assigned but one month of continuance in his ministrie: Damasus assigneth to him 12. yeeres: Platina 11. yeeres, 1. month, 12. dayes: and this diuersitie of counting cannot be reconciled.Fabianus. Next to Anterus succeeded Fabianus the 19. B. of Rome, vponupon whose head a doue lighted when the people were consulting concerning the election of a B. therefore with full consent of the whole cōgregation he was declared to be their B. The people at this time were so farre from being secluded frō giuing their consent to the election of him who should be ordained their Pastour, that the consent of the people had the sway in the election of Pastours, Func. Chron, & Commentar.Func. Chron. & Commentar. Platin. de vitis He suffered martyrdom vnderunder the raigne of Decius the 7. great persecuter, after hee had continued in his office 14. yeeres, 11. months, 11. daies: Many constitutions made by him are cited by Gratianus and inserted Tom 1. Concil.Tom. 1. Concil. One of them I cannot passe by. We constitute that vponupon eueryevery Lords day the oblation of the altar shall be made by eueryevery man & woman both of bread & wine, Note.to the end that by these oblations they may be deliuered frō the heapes of their sinnes. First marke in this constitution that the bread and p. 276wine which the people brought with them vponupon the Lords day, for the ministration of the holy communion is called the oblation of the altar, the table whereupon the bread and wine were laide, was called the alter: the bread and the wine are called the offering or the sacrifice, because part of it was distributed in the holy communion, to keepe a memoriall of the Lords death, and the rest was giuen to the sustentation of the poore, and in that respect also it was called a sacrifice as …he scripture speaketh,Heb. 13 16.Heb 13:16 To do good & to distribute forget not, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. The last part of the decreet is blasphemous and falsly attributed to Fabian: because the sinnes of men and women, who beleeue and repent, are forgiuen onelyonly for the merite of that bloodie sacrifice which the Lord Iesus offered vponupon the Crosse for our sins. But our furnishing of elements to the cōmunion, & sustentation of the poore cannot merite forgiuenes of sins.

The successour of Fabianus was Cornelius the 20.Cornelius. A councel at Rome against Novatus Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. Bishop of Rome. He had a great strife against Nouatus and his complices. He assembled a Councell at Rome of 60. Bishops, besides Elders and Deacons, by whom the heresie of Nouatus was condemned: and the Nouatians were separated from the fellowship of the Church. Cornelius was bāished from Rome by the Emperour Decius, and sent to a towne in Hetruria called Centum-cellae where hee had great comfort by the mutuall letters that passed betweene him and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage. When the Emperour got knowledge of this, he sent for Cornelius, and accused him as a man who not onelyonly despised the worshipping of the gods, & was disobedient to the Emperours commandement, but also that he was a trafficker against the estate of the empire by receiuing and sending letters beyond sea. Cornelius answered that he wrote matters pertaining to Christ, & the saluation of mens soules, and not of matters belonging to the estate of the empire. Notwithstanding the Emperour Decius commanded that hee should be scourged with plumbats (this was a sort of grieuous whip) and afterward that hee should be led to the Temple of Mars with commandement to put him to p. 277death,The martyrdome of Cornelius. Platin. de vita. Euseb lib. 7. cap 2. Lucius. if he refused to worship the image of Mars. Thus was Cornelius beheaded for the name of Christ, after hee had gouerned. 2. yeeres, 3. daies. Or as Eusebius writeth, 3. yeares.

Lucius the 21. Bishop of Rome was successour to Cornelius, & continued in the gouernement of the Church of Rome 3. yeeres, 3. months, 3. daies, Platin. Euseb. 8. months, lib. 7. cap. 2. One decretall epistle is assigned vntounto him, written vntounto the Bishoppes of France and Spaine,Platin. Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 2. Tom 1. Conc…l. wherein hee braggeth that the Bishops of Rome cannot erre in matter of faith: but the ineptitude of a barbarous Latine stile, wherein the Epistle is dited, declareth it hath beene written by an vnlearned Asse, and not by Lucius Bishop of Rome.

Stephanus 22. Bishop of Rome ruled that Church 2 yeeres Platin. 7. yeeres,Stephanus. Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 5. 5. months, 2. dayes. He was greatly commoued against Cyprian B. of Carthage, because that by his opinion of rebaptizing those who were baptized by Heretikes,Platin. in vit… Lucij. the vnitie of the Church of Christ was perturbed and rent, Platina writeth that Cyprian before his martyrdome forsooke his opinion of rebaptizing and was content by imposition of hands according to the custome of the Romane Church to receiue such as had beene baptized by Heretikes. The constitution concerning consecrated garments that men in spirituall offices should weare in the Church, and no where else, lest they incurre the like punishment with Baltasar, Dan 5.Dan 5who abused the holy vessels of the house of God, in my opinion is not judiciously attributed by Platina vntounto this B. Stephanus: because the ordinance smelleth rather of Iudaisme then of Christian religion, and the reason subioyned to the constitution is altogether impertinent. It was sacriledge indeed and a proud contempt of God in the person of Baltasar, to drinke common wine with his harlots in the vessels of gold dedicated to the holy seruice of God, but an holy preacher to walke in the same apparell in the streete wherein he preached and ministred the communion in the Church, this is no sinne nor a thing forbidden by any Apostolike precept. But Platina is dreaming when he ascribeth such sriuolous constitutions to a Bishop, preparing himselfe for death: for Platina supposeth p. 278that he was martyred in the dayes of Galliexus. Let the reader marke vponupon what sandy ground of friuolous constitutions (and falsely alledged) Popish faith is grounded. The decree of Stephanus concerning marriage,Tom. 1. Concil. … Gratia no. bearing that the Priests, Deacons, & Subdeacons, of the Oriental Church were coupled in matrimonie, but in the Roman Church no person in a spiritual office from the Bishop to the Subdeacon had libertie to marrie; if it were true, as it is assuredly false, the Orientall Church hath a great commendation, because they would not be wiser then God, and they would not lay the yoke of the ordinances of men vponupon the consciences of their Church-men: but prohibition of marriage (which I hauehave prooued to be a doctrine of deuils) cannot be referred to so ancient a beginning.

The Romane church desirous to be masked with a shewe of antiquitie, they hauehave attributed Canons to the Apostles which are not found in their writings. Yet it is a shame to the forgers of these canons to be found the principall impugners and transgressers of them,cap. 5. foreign, that is to say, A Bishop, elder, or deacon, who vnderunder pretence of religion putteth away his owne wife, if he cast her off, let him be excommunicated: and if hee perseuere in so doing, let him be deposed. How can this constitution of Stephanus agree with the Canons of the Apostles? Heere I appeale to the consciences of honest and vpright men if they finde not that the lie is not onelyonly repugnant vntounto the veritie, but also vntounto it selfe. The supposititious Canons of the Apostles, and the supposititious constitutions of Stephanus cannot both consist. I know what they answere, viz. that the Canons of the Apostles speake of those Bishops, Elders, and Deacons, who had wiues when they were admitted to ecclesiasticall offices, these should not put away their wiues vnderunder pretence of religion: but concerning others who were vnmarried in the time of their admission the 25. Canon declareth otherwise. foreign, p. 279that is, to vnmarried men who are promoted to the clergie, we command that if they please they shall marrie, but onelyonly readers and singers, to wit, shall hauehave this priuiledge. It is an vnsufferable thing to heare such leuitie and inconstancie imputed to the holy Apostles, that they debarred no man from the office of a Bishop, Elder or Deacon, because he was a married man. O but if any man enter vnmarried to be a Bishop, Elder, or Deacon, then hee must not marrie. If marriage had beene an vncleane thing it might hauehave debarred men from entering into holy offices, but if it be a cleane thing, it cannot exclude them after they hauehave entred.

The other decreet alledged out of Gratian, dist. 79. Oporrebat ut haec, &c. that by the constitution of Peter and his successors it was ordained, that one of the Cardinall Elders or Deacons should be consecrated to be Bishop of Rome, & no other. Such stiles of preheminence are vnknown to scripture,Xistus. 2. and to the antiquitie of this time. Xistus or Sixtus the 2. of that name, and in number the 23. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Stephanus, and gouerned 2. yeeres, 10. months, 23. dayes.Euseb lib. …. cap. 27. And Func. Chron, 11. yeeres, such vncertaintie is in counting the yeeres of their administration. The chaire of Rome through the vehemencie of persecution was vacant without a successour 1. yeere 11. months, 15. dayes, as Damasus granteth, and Onuphrius the corrector of Platina cannot denie.Note. If the Bishop of Rome be the head of the Church, then was the Church headlesse almost for the space of two yeeres.

To Xistus 2 succeeded Dionysius 24.Dionysius. Bishop of Rome, and continued in his ministration 9. yeeres, according to the computation of Eusebius. Damasus assigneth vntounto him 6. yeeres & 2. months, Marianus 6. yeeres and 5. months: such certaintie is in the cheife and principall ground of the Romane faith, concerning the succession of the Romane Bishops, that scarse two writers doe agree in one minde concerning the time of their succession.

To Dionysius succeeded Felix 1. the 25. Bishop of Rome,Felix 1. Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 32. and gouerned 5. yeeres. He liued in the dayes of Aurelian p. 280the 9. persecuter,Platin. and obtained the honour of martyrdome. In the three supposititious decretall epistles assigned to him, the second epistle written to the Bishops of the Prouinces of France, very sollicitously careth for Bishops that they be not accused by secular men, but with so many caueats, as in effect exempteth them from all accusation. The language wherin the epistle is indited, cannot agree with the ornat stile of the Latin tongue in this age, he being a Romane borne, as, Platina writeth. Post quam ipse ab …s charitativè conventus fuerit. Ad summos primates causa ejus canonicè defertur. Conciliū regulariter convocare debebunt, &c. The Galilean language manifested not more euidently that Peter was a man of Galile: then the first of these 3. phrases manifesteth that the foresaid epistle was compiled in a time of great barbaritie.Mat. 26.73.Matt 26:73

Eutychianus. …seb lib 7. cap …2. caius. Euseb lib. 7. cap. 32. Func. chron.Eutychianus the 26. Bishop of Rome followed after Felix 1. Heē continued scarce ten months in his ministrie.

Caius the 27. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Eutychianus and continued 15. yeeres. He liued in the dayes of the persecution of Dioclesian, and lurked for a time in subterraneall places. In the end he was found out by the persecuters, and put to death, and with his brother Gabinius and his brothers daughter Susanna suffered martyrdome.Platin. de vita. Here it is to be marked that many martyrs died before the edict of horrible persecution was set forth in the 19. yeere of Dioclesians raigne. For Marcellinus succeeded to Caius, Func.Anno 298. but the cruell edicts of persecution of Dioclesian were not set forth before the 308. yeere of our Lord. Whereby it appeareth euidently, that many Christians were put to death before the edicts of horrible persecution were renued by the Emperour Dioclesian. So hard was the outward estate of Christians, that they were put to death vponupon the warrant of the edicts of Valerian and Aurelian, before the edicts of Dioclesian and Maximian came forth. To Caius is attributed the constitution of ecclesiastical orders and degrees, by which men must mount vp to the dignitie of a Bishop.Platin. De…ct. Cai…. …x lib. Pent. D…m…. First he must be Ostiarius, next Lector, 3. Exorcista, 4. Acoluthus 5. Subdiaconus, 6. Diaconus, 7. Presbyter, and last of all Episcopus.

p. 281This order of ascending by degrees to the dignitie of a Bishop is confidently referred to the constitution of the Apostles: but I say, Beatus qui non credit, that is, happie is he who beleeueth it not.Note. Like as within scripture there is no lie, so likewise without scripture there is no truth in matters of faith, ordering of maners, and appointing of ecclesiastical offices, all that is necessarie is contained in the written Word of God. But now to performe a part of that which I promised in the end of my treatise of Antiquitie, and to let euēry man see what vnlearned Asses they hauehave been who hauehave set foorth the fained. decretall epistles of the fathers of this age. In the epistle written by Caius to the Bishop Felix aboue-mentioned, hee saith, If any man, of what dignitie so euer he be, delate such persons (viz. Bishops, Elders, Deacons) for faultes that cannot bee proued, let him vnderstand that by the authoritie of this constitution hee shall be counted infamous. This constitution hath three parts: First, that no ecclesiasticall 11 person should be accused before a secular Iudge. Secondly if 2any accusation be intended against Bishop, Elder, or Deacon, 3it should be qualified by sufficient probation. Thirdly if the accuser succumbe in probation, hee should be counted infamous how eminent so euer his dignitie and estate shall be.

The compiler of this supposititious decretal epistle had no consideration of the time wherein Caius liued. It was a time of persecution, Christian Bishops were continually drawne before secular Iudges, & accused of odious crimes whereof they were most innocent: and Caius himselfe was compelled to lurke a long time in a subterraneall caue. At this time to bring in Caius, as it were sitting in a throne, commanding that no Bishop should be accused before a secular Iudge,Note. &c. what is this else but profusion of words without judgement and vnderstanding? If this decretall epistle had beene attributed to Bonifacius 8. Gregorius 7. Alexander 3. it had bin a more competent time, and the constitution had seemed more probable to the reader. Moreouer the language is like vntounto the matter it selfe. Intelligat jacturam infamiae se sustinere, in place of, jacturam fam….

p. 282Marcellinus. Platin. Func. Chron.Marcellinus the 28. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Caius and ruled 9. yeeres: he fainted in time of the persecution of Dioclesian, and sacrificed to idols, but afterward hee repented as Peter did, and gaue his life for the testimonie of Christ. He who accuseth himselfe, closeth all other mens mouths from accusation of him: hee who truly repenteth, by his repentance is restored to all the dignities of the children of God which were lost by sinne: hee who suffered martyrdome for Christ, and he whose body lacked the honour of buriall for the space of 30. dayes, for the cause of Christ onelyonly (I say) his name should be kept in reuerent remembrance as if hee had not fallen.

After Marcellinus succeeded Marcellus the 29. B. of Rome who continued in that Ministration 5. yeere.Marcellus. 6. months 21. dayes. He liued in the dayes of Maxentius, by whom he was enclosed into a filthie stable, to the end that lacking the salubritie of wholsome aire, he might be destroyed with the filth & stinke of the dung of beast: which thing also came to passe indeed, for he died in the stable. This holy martyr, so long as he liued, he made the stable lik… vntounto a sanctuarie: for he neuer intermitted the holy exercises of prayer, & fasting: and the church when peace was granted to them by the mercy of God, builded a temple in that same place where the stable had beene,Platin. de vitis. wherein Marcellus died. The name of Marcellus is pretermitted by Eusebius.

Eusebius.After Marcellus succeeded Eusebius the 30. Bishop of Rome and continued 6 yeeres, 1. month, 3. dayes. In his time Platina writeth that Helena the mother of Constantine found the crosse of Christ. But Onuphrius himselfe is compelled to grant that both Damasus and Platina erred in that narration, because Constantine at this time had no dominion in Syria,Note. neither was he as yet conuerted to the faith of Christ. But the tyrant Maximinus with great crueltie oppressed the Church of Christ in the boundes of Syria and Iudea. And therefore such as read the historie of the primitiue Church, let them read with judgement: because it is an easie thing to erre, if any man giuegive such vndoubted credit to ecclesiasticall writers as he giueth to sacred scripture.

p. 283Of other Preachers and Doctors.

TErtullian a learned Preacher of the African Province,Tertullian. & of the citie of Carthage, a man of a quick & pregnant wit, flourished vnderunder the raigne of Severus, the fift persecuter. When hee came to Rome, hee was not free of the envie and reproaches of the clergie of the Romane Church, and mooved with anger, hee declined to the opinion of the heretique Montanus, and wrote books against the true Church, such as the volumes following, De pudicitia, De persecutione, De i…iuni…s, De monogamia, De exsasi, lib. 6. and his seventh booke against Apollonius.

This lamentable defection of Tertullian, may bee an example to all men of great vnderstanding and excellent learning, not to bee puft vp, nor to be high minded, lest they fall into the snare of the divell. For Tertullian wrote learned apologies for the Christians,Ierom. catal. scrip. eccles. Hist. Magd. cent. 3. cap. 10. and mightily confuted the errour of Marcion: notwithstanding of all this, hee was high minded, and ioyned himselfe to the opinion of Montanus. If hee had kept himselfe free of this foule spot, hee was worthie for his gifts to hauehave beene counted amongst the most famous Doctors of the Church, after the dayes of the Apostles.

Origen the sonne of Leonides an Egyptian,Origen. was a young man of seventeene yeeres of age, when his father was martyred, in the persecution of Severus. His wit was so pregnant in his youth, and so capable of all kinde of instruction, that his father would often vncover his brest when hee was a sleepe,Hist. Magd. cent. 3. cap. 10. and kisse it, giving thankes to God, who had made him father of so happy a sonne. After his fathers death, hee sustayned himselfe, his mother, and six brethren by keeping a Schoole, for all his fathers goods was confiscate, for his confession of Christ.

When Origen had spent his young age, the description p. 284of his life, in Greeke saith; foreign, that is, when hee was in his mid-age, the Churches of Achaia vexed with heretiques, sent for him: and as hee was vponupon his iourney to Athens, hee went through Palestina, and was ordained to be a Presbyter or Priest, by Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem, and Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea. This fact offended Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria, so highly, that he was full of rage against Origen: and wherefore? because he being a man of Alexandria received ordination to an Ecclesiasticall office, from the Bishops of Ierusalem, and Caesarea.

Note.When Bishops become serious in trifling matters, and hauehave a greater regarde to their owne glory, then to the advancement of the kingdome of God: then that may bee spoken of them, which Ierome writeth of Demetrius, Qui tanta in eum debacchatus est insania, vt per totum mundum super eius nomine scriberet, that is, Hee was so full of rage against him, that hee replenished the world with writings mentioning the name of Origen. But consider what fault was in Origen, who was craving no ordination: And what fault was in Alexander and Theoctistus, men whose names shall be had in everlasting remembrance. They did nothing of intention to grieue the heart of Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria, but onelyonly being carefull of the advancement of the kingdome of God, they endeavoured to strengthen the hands of Origen, against the heretickes of Achaia, by conferring vntounto him, the calling of a Presbyter. No man can iustly offend against me, if I cast in this sentence, as a common admonition to all Preachers, foreign, Let vsus not bee ouer serious in ridiculous matters. The name of Origen was so famous, that not onelyonly the Bishops of Achaia, sollicited him to come to their bounds for stopping the mouthes of Heretickes, but also hee was sent for at two diverse times to be present at the Councels convened in Arabia, against heretickes. Some Heretickes afffirmed that the soules of men perish with their bodies, and are raised vp againe in the day of the resurrection,Coment. Func. in Chron. l. 6. with the bodies, whom Origen mightily refuted. Likewise, hee p. 285was present at the Councell in Arabia, gathered against Berillus Bishop of Bostra, who denyed that Christ was existent before his manifestation in the flesh, and by the travelles of Origen, Berillus was reclaimed and reduced to the true faith: therefore I reckon him not in the roll of heretickes.Euseb. l. 6. c. 33. Firmilianus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, invited Origen to come to Cappadocia, where hee detained him a long time. Likewise Mammea the mother of Alexander the Emperour, sent for him, to come to Antiochia, and had him in reverent regard. Likewise hee wrote to the Emperour Philip, and to his mother, who was the first Emperour that professed the name of Christ.Ierom. catal. script. Eccles. Hee studied to bee acquainted with the Hebrew language, farre contrary to the custome of his owne Nation: and hee conferred the Hebrew text with the Greeke translations, not onelyonly the Septuagints, but also the translations of Aquila, Euseb. l 6. c. 17.Theodosion, and Symmachus, and he found out the fift, sixt, and seventh editions.

Notwithstanding all these excellent gifts and renowned fame of Origen, hee wanted not his owne grosse errours, and foolish facts. In expounding of Scriptures, he became a curious searcher out of allegories. Yet this father of allegories Origen, mistooke the words of Christ spoken of Eunuches,Mat. 19.12.Matt 19:12 There bee some chaste, which hauehave made themselues chaste for the kingdome of heauen: these words, I say, spoken in an allegor…coll sense, hee tooke in a simple and vnfigurate meaning,Euseb. l. 6. c. 8. and gelded himselfe, to the end hee might liue without all suspition of vncleannesse. No learned man hath commended this fact of Origen, so farre as my reading can extend, for if a man might lawfully dismember his own body, to the end hee might liue chastely, why might not a man in like manner cut off his owne hand, to the end he should not in hastie motion of anger kill his neighhour? But the obedience of the commandements of God is seated in the heart, and more commended for voluntary subiection, then for necessity of abstinence of committing evill, because there is not an instument in the body able to commit transgression.

p. 286Finally, by seeking of divinity without the bounds of the holy Scriptures of God, in stead of true divinity, he was entangled with foolish errors: concerning the creation of many worlds, one succeeding to another: concerning the paines of divels and wicked men, after long torments to be finished: and concerning the possibility of nature to keepe the whole law of God. For which opinions, long after his death he was excommunicate in the fift generall Councell, holden Anno, 551. Concerning his weakenesse in offering to Idols, rather then to suffer his chaste body to be abused, I hauehave spoken in the historie of the seventh persecution. Hee lived vntill the dayes of Gallus and Volusianus, and died in 69. yeere of his age, in the towne of Tyrus, where hee was buried.

Cyprian was an African, borne in Carthage, in his youth altogether given to the studie and practice of Magicall arts. His conversion was by the meanes of Cecilius, a Preacher, whose name after hee bare, and through occasion of hearing the history of the prophet Ionah. Ierom. catul. script. eccles. & coment in Iona. Ierom. ibid. Nazian. in laudem Cypriani.After his conversion hee distributed all his substance to the poore, and became first a Presbyter, and afterward Bishop of Carthage. Hee was banished in the persecution of Decius, and martyred vnderunder Valerian. The worthy D. I. Foxe thinketh that Nazianzen commendeth another Bishop of that same name borne in Antiochia, and Bishop in Antiochia, who suffered martyrdome in the dayes of Dioclesian.

This Cyprian Bishop of Carthage, was a man full of louelove, a great comforter of Cornelius, Bishop of Rome. He suffered martyrdome, as Ierom writeth, that same day, albeit not in the same yeere,Ierom. catal. script. eccles. that Cornelius concluded his life by glorious martyrdome. Hee had great strife against two contrarie Sects, viz. againsh Novatus, who was excessiue rigorous against those who had fallen in time of persecution: and against Novatia…us and Felicissimus, who by the contrary would hauehave had both Heretiques and Apostates received without all forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline.Hist. Madg. cent. 3. c…p. 10. He esteemed much of those who suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ: p. 287and hee sayd of the metall mynes, that those that were condemned for Christs sake to worke in them; that whereas they were wont to deliver gold,Note. and silver, and precious things vntounto the world; now by the contrary, the mynes receiue gold, and siluer, and the most precious things in the world: counting the Confessours and Martyres of Christ the rich treasures of the earth, of whom the world was not worthy.

His opinion concerning rebaptizing such as were baptized by Heretiques, albeit it was erronius, yet his modesty in not damning them rashly, who were of a contrary opinion, is greatly praised by Saint Austen, who saith that the modestie of Cyprian in his error, was more to be regarded, then a sound and right opinion concerning baptisme, without humility and modesty.Aug. de Baptis. contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 17. Hee was a faithfull builder of the house of God, not by word onelyonly, but also by writing, and his bookes remaine to this day, as a precious treasure in the Church of Christ. The booke de Revelatione capitis Iohannis Baptisiae, is supposititious, because in it mention is made of the reverence that Pipinus King of France did to the head of Iohn Baptist, when it was transported from Constantinople to France; and it is knowne that Pipinus was not borne 300. yeeres after the martyrdom of Cyprian: how then could Cyprian write of a fact done so long time after his death?

The Church of Christ was multiplyed vnderunder the persecutions of S…verus, Maximinus, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian, and Dioclesian. All these sixe persecutions are comprehended in the third Centurie.

Bishops of Ierusalem.

IN Ierusalem was Narcissus, Narcissus.against whom wicked men combined themselues together, with forged accusations and false testimonies, sealed vp with oaths and imprecations, p. 288to grieue the heart of Narcissus, in so much that hee left his calling, and fled to the wildernesse, where hee lurked a long time. But the false witnesses who bare testimony against him,Examples of Gods iustice against false witnesses. escaped not vnpunished by the hand of God: One of them and his whole family and substance was burned with fire: another of them was stricken with an heavie disease, such as hee himselfe in his imprecations had wished vntounto himselfe: the third was terrified with the sight of the iudgements of God, that lighted vponupon the other two, and hee repented, and poured out the griefe of his dolorus heart in such aboundance of teares,Euseb. c. 6. l. 9. that hee became blinde. All these false witnesses were punished, and he who was penitent, albeit the Lord pardoned his sinne, yet hee chastised him with temporall punishments.

The Bishops of the next adiacent Churches, because they knew not what was become of Narcissus, they admitted another called Dios, Dios. Germanion. Gordius.who continued but a short time. To him succeeded Germanion: and after Germanion, Gordius, in whose time Narcissus manifested himself to the Church of Ierusalem, who requested him to take his office againe: for they reverenced him as a man raised from death to life againe, and the punishment of God inflicted vponupon his accusers, increased their reverence toward him. Hee was old, and not able to discharge the weighty office of a Bishop: therefore Alexander a worthy man,Alexander. was ioyned as fellow labourer with him. Eusebius writeth that he was admonished by a celestiall vision of the will of God, that hee should bee Bishop of Ierusalem with Narcissus (for hee had beene Bishop of another paroach before, in Cappadocia): by the like celestiall vision,Ierom. catal. script. Eccles. Narcissus and other of the Clergie were admonished, that the day next following, a Bishop should enter into Ierusalem, whom God had appointed to be an helper to Narcissus. Hee defended Origen against the fury and madnesse of Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria, who set both himselfe and others to great busines for a matter of no importance, as is sayd.Ierom. ibid. In the persecution of Decius, he was carryed to Caes…rea, closed in a darke prison, and dyed a Martyr, as hath p. 289beene declared. Alexander is supposed to hauehave been the 35. Bishop of Ierusalem.Euseb. l 7. c. 14. Func. Chron. Mazabanes, Hymeneus Lebdas, Thermon, all these followed Alexander.

Bishops of Alexandria.

IN Alexandria to Philetus and Demetrius, succeeded Heraclas the twelfth Bishop of that towne.Heraclas. Hee was disciple to Origen, and a fellow labourer with him in gouerning the Schoole of Alexandria, in the end hee was chosen to bee Bishop of Alexandria:Dionysius. whose successor was Dionysius, the thirteenth Bishop, whom God delivered miraculously from the hands of persecuters, in the dayes of Decius, by the sudden assault of a number of people, who had beene at a mariage feast. When they heard that Dionysius was taken by souldiers, and led away to Taposiris, they arose from table and followed with a speedy pace, & with a tumultuary voice, so that the souldiers who had Dionysius in keeping, were afraid and fled: and so Dionysius by the great providence of God, was delivered out of the hands of his enemies. After him Maximus, Euseb. l. 6. c. 40. Func. chron.Theonas, Petrus, a Martyr vnderunder Dioclesian and Achillas, were Bishops of Alexandria.

Bishops of Antiochia.

AFter Serapion, Asclepiades.succeeded Asclepiades the ninth Bishop of Antiochia: of whom Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem (being the prisoner of Christ in Caesarea) wrote vntounto the people of Antiochia, that it was a comfort to him, and it made his imprisonment and bonds the more easie, that hee heard it reported that Asclepiades, a man well exercised in the true faith,Euseb. l. 6. c. 1…. Zebenus. by the providence of God, was made Bishop of Antiochia. Philetus was the tenth: Zebenus the eleventh: p. 290and Babylas was the twelfth Bishop of Antiochia,Babylas. of whom Eusebius recordeth, that hee dyed in prison: like as Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem ended his life in prison: both the one and the other,Euseb. l. 6. c. 39. suffered such kinde of martyrdome vnderunder the persecution of Decius.

In the Catalogue of Emperours, catholicke Bishops and Heretiques, subioyned to the Ecclesiasticall History of Theodoretus: wee reade that Babylas Bishop of Antiochia, would not suffer Decius to enter into the Temple wherein Christians were convened, and that before hee was beheaded, hee gaue direction to burie with his bodie, the chaine also, wherewith his bodie had beene bound, as a funerall ornament of his buried body. But Eusebius deserueth best credite, who affirmeth that hee dyed in prison, and maketh no mention of his beheading. Some imagine that hee who died in prison, and hee who was beheaded, were both Bishops of Antiochia, but living in different ages: yet seeing the Catalogue aforesaid, speaketh of this suffering vnderunder the Emperour Decius, it is more probable that there is some ouersight in the writer of the Catalogue. To Babylas succeeded Fabius. Fabius.Hee was entangled with the error of Novatus, but was reclaymed againe by the vigilant travails of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria.Euseb. l. 6. c. 44. Demetrianus. Paulus Samosatenus. Domnus. Demetrianus a married man, was successor to Fabius. Paulus Samosatenus a pestilent Heretique, was the fifteenth Bishop of Antiochia. Domnus the sonne of Demetrian the sixteenth, Timeus the seventeenth, Cyrillus the eighteenth, and Tyrannus the ninteenth Bishop of Antiochia.

The names of the Bishops of Rome, Alexandria, and Antiochia, were the more accurately obserued and registred after the Councell of Nice (albeit I recite them before) because it happened in that generll Councell, that for timous suppressing of heresies, the Bishoppes of these places were called Patriarches, and had power to convocate Councels within their owne bounds, for suppressing of Heretiques. Alwayes it fell out farre contrary to the expectation of holy fathers: for the Patriarches were the chiefe protectors p. 291of heresie, as the historie of the subsequent Centuries euidently declareth. Neuerthelesse in this Centurie beside those men of God aboue mentioned (nothing inferior in spirituall graces to the Bishops of Rome, Alexandria, Antiochia and Ierusalem) there were many worthy men in other places, such as F…rmilianus Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, a man familiarly acquainted with Origen. Gregorius and Athenodorius, brethren and Pastours in Pontus. Helenus in Tarsus, and Nicomas in Iconium. Theotectus in Caesarea Palestinae.Euseb. l. 7. c. 2…. Maximus in Bostra. Eusebius and Anatholius Bishops of Laodicea. Quirinus Bishop of Scesiana, or as others call it, Scescania, a worthy martyr, about whose necke a milstone was hanged,Func. Chron. as hath beene before declared.

I make an end of this second head with the greater gladnesse, that I perceiue the litle stone hewed out of the mountaine without hands to be waxing and growing to the bignesse of a great mountaine, replenishing the whole earth, euen in the time of most horrible persecutions.