History of the First Ten Persecutions, History 2 · Chapter 1

History of the First Ten Persecutions · History 2 · Chapter 1

Chap. 1.

Traianus.

TRAIAN the adoptiue sonne of NERVA was Of Emporours.the first stranger who obtained that honour to be king of the Romaines. Hee reigned 19. yeeres 6. months, Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 4. cap. 3. A man so exceeding wel beloued of the Senat & people of Rome, that after his dayes whensoeuer a new Emperour was elected, they wished vntounto him the good successe of AVGVSTVS, and the vprightnesse of TRAIANVS. Notwithstanding of this, he was a cruell persecuter of Christians. And this third persecution is justly The thirde persecution. ANNO Chr. 108counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions. To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame. It was no great dishonour to be hated of NERO and DOMITIAN, wicked men and haters of righteousnesse, 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 joy that was set before him, endured the crosse, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hande of the throne of God, Heb. 12. ver. 2. Many hauehave more patiently endured paine in their flesh, then shame and contempt in the world, but Christs true disciples must resolue to be a gazing stock to al the world & to be countedthe offscourings of the earth, as the holy mē ofGod did in the daies of the Emperour TRAIAN. These were citizens of heauen, liuing in earthly tabernacles, liuing vpō the earth, but not fashioned according to the similitude of this world, Rom. 12. In doing great things by faith, they surpassed mightie Monarches: In patient suffering of cuil they ouerwent admired Philosophers. In this persecution SIMON the sonne of CLEOPAS an …oly A postle suffered martyrdome being now The martyrdome of Simon the son of Cleopas,an hundreth and twentie yeeres olde: he was first scourged, and then crucified: but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the Name of Christ, Euseb. eccl hist lib. 3. cap. 32 Of IGNATIVS martyrdome wee hauehave spoken in the first Centurie, the time of his suffering was in the time of TRAIANVS. Plin. 2. Deputie in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of The letter of Plinie 2. written to Traian,them to the death. In ende he was commoued and troubled in his owne minde, considering both the number and patient suffering of Christians that were put to death, hee wrote to the Emperour, declaring that Christians were men of good conuersation, and detested murther, adulterie and such other vngodlinesse: onelyonly they had conuentions 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 make the portrait of the ancient Apostolicke Church, & what conformitie the Romaine Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth) This letter of PLINIVS mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue he no absolute commandement to stay the persecution, but only that the judges should not search them out narrowly, but if any happened to be presented before them, then let them be punished, Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 3. cap. 33, What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by TERTVLLIAN: the one part of it repugneth to the other. In forbidding to search them out narrowly, he declareth their innocencie, but in commanding to punish them, when they were presented, hee pronounceth them to be guiltie. Tcrtul. Apol. This is that Emperour for whose soule GREGORIE the first made supplications to God 400. yeeres after his death, and was heard of God as DAMASCEN writeth serm. de defunctis. Gregorie…. prayed for the soule of Traian.This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if hee supponed GREGORIE to be so full of charitie 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 ende that they being all deliuered from the condemnation of hel, heauen might be counted a mansion both for Christes true disciples, and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies▪

Adrianus.

AFter TRAIAN AELIVS ADRIANVS reigned 21. yeeres, Chytr. Chron. In his time ARISTIDES and QVADRATVS, the one a Bishop, the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion, and did so mitigate the Emperors mind, that in his time no new commandement was set foorth to persecute Christians, Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 4 cap. 3. Ierom Catal. script. eccles. BARCOCHEBAS at this time peruerted the nation of the Jewes, and called himselfe the promised Barcochebas a false prophet seduced the nation of the lewes.MESSIAS: whome the foolish Iewes followed to their owne ouerthrow and destruction. TYNIVS RVFVS Deputie in Iadea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Jerusalem, and destroyed him with all his adherents. Also the whole nation of the I…wes was banished from their natiue soyle: and the towne of Jerusalem was taken from the Jewes and deliuered to other nations to be 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 receiued another who came in his owne name, and like vntounto babes who are easily deceiued with trifles, they were bewitched with the splendor of a glorious name: for BARCOCHEBAS signifieth the sonne of a starre: and he saide to the Iewes, that hee was sent as a light from heauen to succour their distressed estate: but he might hauehave beene called more justly BARCHOSBA the sonne of a lie. Here I giuegive warning againe, that wee take heede to our selues lest we be circumveened with the deceitful snares of the deuill: for it is an easie thing to fall, but a difficill thing to rise againe. The Christians who liued in the dayes of ADRIAN were glad to be refreshed with the crums of outward comfort, which are denied to no accused persō in the whol world. viz. that Christians shall not be condemned to death for the importunat clamors and cryes of a raging people accusing them, except it be proued that they hauehave transgressed the Law, and hauehave committed some fact worthie of death. Reade the epistle of ADRIAN written to MINVTIVS FVNDANVS Deputie in Asia, Euseb, eccl. hist. lib. 4. cap. 9. The good intention of ADRIAN in building a Church for the honour of Christ, voide of images (because such was the custome of Christians) was impeded and hindered by some of his familiar Adrianus his intention to builde a Church for the honour of Christ.friendes, who said, that if he so did, all men would for sake the temples of the gods of the Gentiles, and become Christians, Bucolc. citing the testimonie of LAMPRIDIVS writing the life of ALEXANDER SEVERVS. In this point good reader marke what Church is like vntounto the ancient primitiue and Apostolicke Church, whether the Church decked with images, or the Church voide of images.

Antoninus Pius,

TO ADRIAN succeeded ANTONINVS PIVS his adopted sonne, & reigned 23. yeeres, Chytr. Chron. Hee was so carefull to preserue the liues of his subjects, that he counted it greater honour to saue the life of one subject, then to destroy the liues of a thousand enemies, Carion lib. 3. Monarch. 4. In this Emperours time IVSTINVS MARTYR wrote notable bookes of Apologie for the Christians, which were presented and reade in the Senate of Rome, and mollified the Emperours minde toward Christians, as clearely appeareth by his edicts proclaimed at Ephesus in time of most solemne conuentions of all Asia, Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 4. cap. 13,

Antoninus Philosophus, & L. Uerus.

AFter ANTONINVS PIVS succeeded his sonne in law ANTONINVS Philosophus otherwise called MARCVS AVRELIVS with his brother L. AVRELIVS VERVS. This is the first time whereinto the Romaine empire was gouerned by two Augusti. Albeit TITVS had associated his brother DOMITIAN to be a fellow labourer with him in the worke of governement, yet was not DOMITIAN counted or called AVGVSTVS vntill the death of his brother TITVS. But nowe at one and the selfe same time two Emperours doe reigne. ANTONINVS Philosophus reigned. 19. yeeres, LVCIVS VERVS his brother 9. yeeres. And so after the death of VERVS the whole gouernement returned to ANTONINVS Philosophus alanerly, Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 5. cap. 9. Bucolc. He was called a Philosopher not onelyonly in regard of his knowledge, but also in respect of the practise of Philosophie. Hee was neither greatly puft vp by prosperitie, nor greatly casten downe by aduersitie: yet he was a cruell persecuter of innocent Christians. Now is the fuell added to the fornace the fourth time, and the flame is great, and the arme of wicked men who hated the The fourth persecution. ANN. Ch. 168.name of Christians is strengthened by the Emperours commandement. The trumpets of the Monarches of the world sound the alarme against him who made them Kings and rulers on the earth. The poore innocent Lambes of the sheepfold of Christ appointed for the shambles strengthened their heartes in God, & in the power of his might, and chused rather to suffer aduersitie with their brethren, then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season, Heb. 11. ver. 25. they were content to bee racked, and would not be deliuered, that they might be partakers of a better resurrection, Heb. 11. ver. 35. whose bodies lacerat with stripes vntill their very inward bowels were patent to the outward sight, witnessed the vnrent firmnesse and stabilitie 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 excogitate for dashing that inuincible 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 menassing speeches, and to craue but a litle conformitie to the Emperours desire in swearing by his fortune, the holy men of God would not once seem to fall away from their profession, by answering with timorous and doubtsome wordes: but glorified God with a cleare and constant confession of their Christian faith. POLYCARPVS B. of Smyrna, and IVSTINVS MARTYR a man of The martyrdome of Polycarpus and Iustinus.singular erudition were both martyred in the feruent heate of this persecution. But aboue all other places, the consuming flame of the fornace brast out most vehemently in France that happie nation, whereinto both of old and late time so many were found worthie to giuegive their blood for the Name of Christ. VETIVS EPAGATHVS MATVRVS, PROTHENVS, ATTALVS, SANCTVS, and PHOTINVS B. of Lions, all suffered for the testimonie of Christ in France. And BLANDINA a worthie woman suffered many torments, and renued her spirituall courage by continuall iteration of these wordes, Christianasum, that is, I am a Christian, Euseb. eccl, hist. lib, 5. cap 1. Bucolc. Index. In like maner Christians were Slanderous speeches against Christians.persecuted with the slāderous speches of Pagans, objecting vntounto them the bankets of THYESTES, & the chambering of OEDIPVS, that is, the eating of mens flesh & incestuous copulations, Euseb. ibid. But men who are giuen to the mo-mentaneal delites of sin are not willing to die, because that by death they are separat 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, Neuerthelesse these slanderous speeches were credited by the Pagans. and tooke such deepe root in their heartes, that these who seemed before to be more meeke and moderat 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 whosoeuer killeth you, shall thinke hee doth God seruice, Iohn 16. 2. the huge number of martyrs that were slaine in the furie of this persecution are both accuratly and at great length set downe by that holy man of God who lately wrote the booke of the martyrs: I onelyonly point out shortly the estate of the Church at this time. In this Emperours time good men were not inlacking, who admonished him to appease his wrath against Christians: such as CLAVDIVS APOLLINARIS B. of Herapolis, and MELITO B, of Sardis. But nothing could asswage his cruell heart, vntill hee was casten int… the fornace of grieuous troubles himselfe: for his arm… that fought against the Germanes and Sarmatians fell into great distresse for want of water, but was supported by the prayers of the Christian legion that was in his armie. For The Romain armie supported by the prayers of the Christians.they bowed their knees to Christ, and prayed for helpe, and the Lorde Iesus sent raine in aboundance to refresh the armie of the Romanes, and dashed the Barbarians with thunder and fire. In remembrance whereof the Christian legion was after that time called foreign or Fulm…natrix, Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 5. After this victorie he asswaged his anger, and wrote to the Senat of Rome to deale gently with Christians, by whose prayers hee acknowledged both himselfe and his armie to hauehave receiued deliuerance from God.

Commodus.

COMMODVS the sonne of ANTONINVS reigned 13. yeeres, Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 5 Cap. 27. Many of the Roman's not without a cause called him INCOMMODVS. He presumed to doe great things, and to change the names of months, and would hauehave the month of December to be called C…mmodus like as the two names of two months Qu…ntilis & Sextil…s had bene changed in time bypast, and called Iulins and Augustus for honour of these two welbeloued Emperours. But hee was not so well fauoured of the people, that this ordinance could hauehave place any longer, then during his owne lifetime. The Churel in his dayes was not altogether free of persecution: for APOLLONIVS a man of noble birth in Rome and a man of great erudition fuffered death, because hee would not forsake the Christian religion. His accuser also was punished to the death, Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 21. Such aduantages Iudges might Contrarie l…wes.easily hauehave taken, finding so many discrepant lawes, some made in fauour, and some conceiued in disliking of Christians.

Pertinax and Julianus.

AELIVS PERTINAX Imp. 6. months. DIDIVS IVLIANVS 21 months. Chytr. Chron. EVSEBIVS maketh no mention of D. IVLIANVS but of PERTINAX alanerly, to whome succeeded SEVERVS, Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 5. cap. 27.