History of the First Ten Persecutions, History 1 · Chapter 1
Chap. 1.
Augustus Caesar.
OVR Lord Iesus the true Prince of peace, was borne in Bethlehē Iuda of a maid, in a very peaceable time in the 42. yeere of the reigne of AVGVSTVS CAESAR. Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 1. cap. 5 at what time the temple of IANVS was cloied & locked vp, Functii Chron. which in time of warres was continually patent and open. At the time of this blessed Nativitie the Angels of God rejoyced, Luc. 1. the deuils trembled. Some affirme that all the Oracles of IVPITER, APOLLO and HECATE were silent and gaue no responses: alwayes it is certaine that many yeeres before the Lordes blessed Nativitie the Lord permitted the world to be wonderfully blinded with the delusions of the deuill. The top of IVPITERS oake in Dodona was shaken, the caldron was smitten with the rodde that was in the hand of IVPITERS image: The Prophetesses forewarned by these fore-running tokens of inspiration were readie to vtter IVPITERS oracles, and the deceiued people were humblie kneiling and attending vponupon the response that should be giuen, Nazianz in Iulianum. Annot. Nonni. the tripode in Delphis, the laurell and fountaine in Daphne, APOLLO his deceitfull ensignes, the ram-faced image of IVPITER AMMONIVS in Cyrenia with many moe places whereinto the sound of the deuils trumpet was heard, to these places (I say) did people bewitched by Satan resort in frequent numbers to bee taught by the mouth of him who was a liar from the beginning, and who remaineth a liar, albeit he speake at some time the trueth, because he speaketh it animo fallendi vponupon a purpose to deceiue. It is very credible, that the blessed Seede, who came to breake the heade of the Serpent, did stoppe his mouth also in the time of his blessed Natiuitie. The countrie of Iude… at this time was subject to the Romanes, and payed tribut to CAESAR, Luc. 2. The deputies of AVGVSTVS in Iudea and Syria were CYRENIVS, COPONIVS, AMBIBVCHVS and ANNIVS RVFVS one succeeding to another, Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. HEROD the sonne of ANTIPATER by fauour of ANTONIVS obtained this honour to be gouernour of the nation of the Iewes, but the honourable name of a King hee receiued from AVGVSTVS CAESAR: this was ratified for his further assurance by the Senat of Rome, Ioseph. Antiq. lib. 15. cap, 10. for which cause HEROD to testifie his thankfull minde toward ANTONIVS builded a Castle in Ierusalem very neere to the temple called Arx Antonia: And to the honour of AVGVSTVS he builded Caesarea Palestinae sometime called the towre of STRATON. Now a forreiner and stranger, of his fathers side an Idumean, of his mothers side an Arabian, Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 1. and an aliant both from the stocke of DAVID, and also from the Commonwelth of Israel was reigning in Iudea, and the scepter was sliding from Iuda, now I say was it time that SHILOCH should come, according to IACOBS prophecie, to Christ Was borne when the scepter was apparently sliding from Iuda.whome the people should be gathered, Gen. 49. 10. Now was it time that the promised M…SSIAS should come and 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 gouernement by death, which is the last period of other Kings gouernements, and in death they leaue a vacant roome to a successour but Christ Iesus by dying, and rising againe hath a right to rule both ouer deade and Christs kingdome is euerlasting,quicke, Rom, 14. 9. Yea in verie death it selfe he was practising his kingly office in most effectuall maner, and tramping Satan vnderunder feete, and vndoing the power of death, Hos. 13. 14.
In AVGVSTVS time also IOSEPH was admonished in a dreame to take the babe and his mother, and to flee into Egypt, Mat. 2. 13. SOZOMEN not content with the certaintie of Scripture addeth a particular nomination of the towne Hermopolis in Thebaida whereinto Christ sojourned vntil the The vncertainty of tradition.death of HEROD the great. This he had by the vncertaintie of tradition. The miracle of the hudge and high tree Prestis, that bowed the top lowlie to the ground and worshipped her maker Christ, and afterward had a medicinable vertue in fruit, leafe, and barke to cure diseases, rather derogateth credit to that Egyptian tradition, then assureth vsus of the veritie of that report, Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 21. HEROD before his departure from this life, had put to death three of his sonnes, ARISTOBVLVS, ALEXANDER, and ANTIPATER, and by testamentall legacie had diuided his dominions amongst his remanent sonnes, ARCHELAVS, HEROD ANTIPAS and PHILIP: which testament being ratified by AVGVSTVS, Iudea, Samaria and Idumea were alloted to ARCHELAVS, the Tetrarchie of Galile to ANTIPAS, and Iturea and Trachonitis to PHILIP. Ioseph, Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 13. IOSEPH being returned from Egypt, when he heard that ARCHELAVS did reigne in Judea in stead of his father HEROD, feared to dwell in Iudea, but beeing warned of God in a dreame went to the partes of Galile, and dwelt in a citie called Nazaret, Mat. 2. ver, 22, 23. All this was done in the dayes of AVGVSTVS. After he had reigned 56. yeeres, or as Iosephus writeth, 57. yeeres, viz. with ANTONIVS 14. yeeres, and after he ouercame ANTONIVS and CLEOPATRA Queene of Egypt in sea-warfare ouer against Epirus, he had the imperiall soveranitie himselfe alone all his dayes, and died in the 77. yeere of his age, Ioseph, Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3.
Tiberius.
AFter AVGVSTVS reigned TIBERIVS NERO 22. Romaine Deputies in Iudea.yeres 7 moneths, 7. dayes. Bucolc. Index. The Romane Deputies that were sent to Iudea in the time of his reigne were VALERIVS GRATVS, PONTIVS PILAT and VITELLIVS. VALERIVS GRATVS for louelove of gaine remooued the Priests of the Iewes from their offices at his owne pleasure. ANANVS, ISMAEL, ELEAZARVS, SIMON the sonne of CAMITHVS, all these were denuded of their priestly dignitie, when as two of them, viz. ELEAZARVS and SIMON had continued scarse one yeere in office. In end IOSEPHVS CAIAPHAS is aduanced to the priesthood. This is the cause wherefore the Euangelist Iohn calleth CAIAPHAS the high Priest of that same yeere, Iohn 18. ver. 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 Romaine Deputies Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. After GRATVS, PONTIVS PILAT was sent to be Deputie in Iudea, a man vigilant and actiue in all civile adoes, as the blood of the Galileans mixed with their sacrifices clearely prooueth, Luc. 13. 1. but in the cause of Christ remisse, negligent and slacke. After the issue of ten yeeres VITELLIVS is appointed Deputie in Iudea and PONTIVS PILAT addresseth toward Rome. By gratifying of the Iewes in a matter of small importance The priestly garments.he conquessed great fauour. The priestly garments were wont to be kept in the Castle called Antonia, but VITELLIVS gaue commandement to the Captaine of the Castle to let the high Priest hauehave the vse of them when he pleased, and to choose what place he liked best for the custody of the priestly garments. He disauthorized CAIAPHAS, following (as appeareth) the example of VALERIVS GRATVS, and gaue his office to IONATHAN the sonne of ANANVS sometime high Priest, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap, 6. In the 15. yeere of the reigne of TIBERIVS Christ our Lord and Sauiour was baptized by IOHN in Iordan, was led to the wildernesse, fasted fourtie dayes, was tempted of the deuil, and began to preach, Euseb. hist. eccl. lib. 1. cap. 10. Mat. 3. and 4.
In the eighteenth yeere of TIBERIVS the Lord Iesus was Christ crucified in the 18 yeere of Tiberius.crucified, and offered a sacrifice for our sinnes, which hath a perpetuall vertue to saue such as beleeue, Heb. 7. He arose againe the thirde day from death. The high Priestes 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 Christes disciples, by his frequent apparitions to them, but also to PONTIVS PILAT the Romaine Deputie himselfe, who had giuen out a sentence of death, against Christ. PILAT by letters signified to TIBERIVS the miracles of Christ, his resurrection, and that he was supponed of many to bee God: but the Senat of Rome refused to The Senat of Rome refuseth to acknowledge the diuinitie of Christ.acknowledge the divinitie of Christ, because hee was worshipped as God, before his Godheade was approoued by the Senate of Rome, Euseb. eccles. hist lib, 2. cap. 2. The words of the Apostle PAVL had performance in the Romaine Senat foreign they became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse, when they professed themselues to bee wise, they became fooles, Rom. 1. ver. 21. 22. The verie smoke that riseth from the fornace seemeth to be somewhat at the first, but when it mounteth vp into the aire, the hier it ascendeth, the more it scattereth, & the sudden disparition of it declareth it is but a vaine thing. Such was the wisedome of the Romaine Senate, when they mounted vp so hie as to judge of diuine things far surpassing the reach of the naturall vnderstanding of man, they proued starke fooles, and people destitut of true vnderstanding: and PILAT himselfe ouerladen with many heauie calamities Pilat killeth himselfe.in the dayes of CAIVS put handes into himselfe, and so ended his wretched life, Euseb. lib, 2. cap. 7.
Caius Caligula.
CAIVS CALIGVLA successour to TIBERIVS reigned three yeeres and nine months, Euseb. lib 2. cap. 8. He was a proud tyrant, enemie to all righteousnesse, the verie childe of the deuill. I insist only vponupon Church matters. Hee was an hatefull enemie to the Iewes dwelling at Ierusalem, and at Alexandria. For one and Caius would be counted a god.the selfe-same cause were they both despised and hated of CAIVS, because they would not giuegive vntounto him diuine honours by building Temples, and altars, and offering sacrifice to new IVPITER CAIVS, and swearing by his name. First concerning Ierusalem, he had sent PETRONIVS to be Deputie in Judea, with commandement to dedicat the Temple of Jerusalem to IVPITER CAIVS, and to set vp his image in the Temple, Euseb eccles. hist. lib. 2. cap. 6. Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 11. The Iewes were more willing to die, then to see the Temple of their God polluted. PETRONIVS aduertised the Emperour of the grevance of the Iewes, but before The Iewes abhorred the vpsetting of the image of Caius in their Temple.his letters came into the hands of CAIVS somewhat interueened that both disappointed the purpose of CAIVS, and also incensed his heart with furie and rage against his Deputie PETRONIVS. At that time HEROD AGRIPPA was at Rome whome afterward the Angell of God smote at Casarea, so that he was consumed with wormes, Acts 12. he was exceedingly beloued of CAIVS, because in the daies of TIBERIVS he had bene cast in prison, and bound with bands for the louelove he caried to CAIVS, in so farre that CAIVS inuited AGRIPPA vponupon a certaine time to a banquet, and bade him The petition of Agrippa.aske what he pleased, and it should be granted. AGRIPPAES petition was this, that CAIVS would suffer the nation of the Iewes to liue according to their own law. CAIVS was moued somewhat with this vnexspected petition; yet partly for his excessiue louelove toward AGRIPPA: also, lest he should seeme to them which sate at table to be a promise-breaker the petition is granted. But the venome of his indignation against the Iewes he poured out against PETRONIVS, because that by lingring in executing his commandement occasion was offered to AGRIPPA to present this foresaide petition. The letter of CAIVS sent to his Deputie was cruel and bloodie, the like whereof was seldome heard: because hee The bloodie letter of Caius written to Petronius his Deputie.fulfilled not the Emperours desire, hee is commaunded to giuegive out a sentence of death against his owne life, and to be both judge & burrio to himselfe, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18 cap. 11 Such merciemercy was in this new IVPITER CAIVS. Before I writ anything of his crueltie against the Iewes that dwelt in Alexandria, it is a meete place to admonish the reader of the hypocrisie & counterfaitholines of HEROD AGRIPPA who seemed both in the dayes of CAIVS, and also in the dayes of the Emperour CLAVDIVS to be a paterne of godlinesse, preferring at the banquet of CAIVS the libertie of the people of God & the inviolable obseruation of the law of God to all the riches that the liberalitie of an affectioned Emperour could be able to afford. In CLAVDIVS dayes he sailed from Italie to Judea, he acknowledged God to be the author The hypocrisie of Agrippa.of his deliuerance from prison & bands, & offered a chaine of gold to be hung vp in the Tēple of Ierusalē, in testimonie that he receiued that benefit with a thankfull minde out of Lords hands, Ioseph, antiq. lib 19. cap. 5. In outward things he was a builder of the wals of Ierusalem, vntill the emulous enuy of MARSVS, or enuyous emulation the hinderer of all good workes, compelled him to desist & to leaue the worke imperfited, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 19. cap 7. For all this outward shew of holines, the lessons of CAIVS whom he loued beyond all things, neuer left him till his last breath CAIVS desired to be counted a god so did AGRIPPA in Caesarea delite when his oration was called the voyce of God & not of man. Acts 12. CAIVS persecuted the Iewes without a cause, so did HEROD AGRIPPA the Christians, Acts 12. CAIVS the higher hee aduanced himselfe, the greater was his fall, the like also happened to AGRIPPA. So pernicious a thing is vngodly companie, Contention betweene the Iewes and Grecians who dwelt at Alexandria.burning their associats with their fire, or els blecking them with their smoke, and hurtfull eueryevery maner of way. In the towne of Alexandria the Grecians contended against the Iewes, both parties sent ambassadours to Rome, the Grecians sent APPION, the Iewes sent PHILO a very prudent and learned man. APPiON with flattering words insinuated himselfe in the fauour of the Emperour CAIVS, and accused the Iewes, that they neither builded temples, nor offered sacrifices to the honour of CAIVS, as the Grecians did. PHILO was readie to answere, but CAIVS ruled with affection rather then with reason caused PHILO to be thrust out of his palace, and would not hearken vntounto him, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 10. Euseb. lib. 2. ecles. hist. cap 5. In these two mirrours we may see the cruell disposition of this Emperour, whose dependers were persecuters of Christians, like as hee himselfe 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 sinne: hee banished HEROD ANTIPAS, who beheaded IOHN the Baptist, and his wife HERODIAS that incestuous harlot, who ended their lifes in penuritie and miserie in Lyons of France, Euseb. eccles. hist. lib. 2. cap 4. But all this was done for fauour of AGRIPPA, Ioseph. antiq: lib. 18. cap 9. but not for detestation of murther and incest. In ende CAIVS was slaine by his owne seruants, CHEREAS and LVPVS, whom the Emperour CLAVDIVS afterward punished vntounto the death, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 19, cap. 3. This new IVPITER I count him to hauehave bene in worse case then old IVPITER the sonne of SATVRN, albeit both of them died, yet the one after his New Iupiter in worse case then old Iupiter.death, was counted a god, but the other after his death was counted a deuill.
Claudius,
CLAVDIVS reigned thirteene yeeres, eight months, Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 19. Hee ratified the gift of the kingdome of Iudea, bestowed by his predecessour CAIVS vponupon HEROD AGRIPPA, and added thereto all the dominions of HEROD ANTIPAS, whom CAIVS had banished, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 19. cap 4. This HEROD AGRIPPA when hee returned from 'Italie to Judea builded the walles of Ierusalem, sparing for no cost, so high and strong, that if the worke had not beene hindered by the procurement of MARSVS gouernour of Syria hee had made them impregnable. Hee was not so carefull to build the walles of the spirituall Jerusalem, for he beheaded the holy Apostle S. IAMES the brother of IOHN, and did cast PETER into prison, whome the Lord miraculously deliuered, Acts 12. This HEROD and the Iewes made hauocke of the glory of God, and blood of his Saintes. For hee 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 alanerly. For which cause he was stricken by the Angel of God, and consumed with wormes, Acts 12. The famine foretold by Agabus.In this Emperour CLAVDIVS dayes, the famine foretolde by the Prophet AGABVS, Acts II. 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 worlde, that some of the Emperours themselues were not free of the foule spot of intemperancie: as the scoffing speaches of the people did witnesse in stead of CLAVDIVS TIBERIVS NERO calling the Emperour CALDIVS BIBERIVS MERO, Funct. Chron. This is referred to the successour of AVGVSTVS.
In the yeere of our Lord 48. and in the sixt yeere of the reigne of CLAVDIVS, as CHYTRAeVS reckoneth, was gathered The Council of Jerusalem. ANNO 48.that famous Councill of Jerusalem described viuely by the Euangelist LVKE, Acts 15. whereat were present the Apostles, PETER and PAVL and IAMES, and BARNABAS a reuerent man of God, in whome Apostolike giftes were not inlacking, with other worthie men, IVDAS surnamed BARSABAS and SILAS notable Prophets and fellow-labourers of the Apostles: likewise the Commissioners of Antiochia, and Elders of Jerusalem with many others who were beleeuers. What was concluded in this Councill, I remit to the faithfull narration of the Euangelist LVKE, Acts 15. Alwayes if vot…s bee pondered rather then numbred, this is the Councill of Councils more worthie to be called O Ecomenicke then the Councils of Nice, of Constantinople, of Ephesus, and Chalcedon. In the Councill 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 all the 300. and 18. Bishops conveened at Nice in Bithynia. Many Romaine Deputies were sent in the dayes of Romaine deputies:CLAVDIVS to keepe Syria and Iudea in subjection to the Romaines, such as MARSVS, LONGINVS, CVSPIVS PHADVS, TIBERIVS ALEXANDER, CVMANVS and FELIX. I leaue MARSVS and LONGINVS for desire to open vp in what Deputies time things mentioned in holy Scripture came to passe. When CVSPIVS PHADVS was deputie, there arose a deceitful man named THEVDAS, to whom resorted a number of men about 400. who were slaine, and all who followed him were scattered, Acts 5. ver. 36, IOSEPHVS writeth that PHADVS sent foorth a troupe of horsemen, who suddenly charged the people that followed THEVDAS, and slew them, and tooke THEVDAS aliue, and cutted off his head, and brought it to Ierusalem, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 20. cap. 2, Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 11 After this man arose one IVDAS of Galile in the dayes of the tribute, and drew away much people after him: hee also perished, and all that obeyed him were scattered, Acts 5 37. 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 THEVDAS then that man of whome IOSEPHVS writeth in the place aboue mentioned. For IVDAS of Galite liued in the dayes of AVGVSTVS, and when CYRENIVS was Deputie of Syria and Iudea, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 18. cap. 2. and likewise antiq lib. 20. cap. 3. But I am not certaine whether or no the words foreign doe absolutely import that IVDAS of Galile was posterior in time to THEVDAS. When CVMANVS was Deputie, who succeded to TIBERIVS ALEXANDER the insolencie of one Romaine souldier was the destruction of twen… … innocent people, hee 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: CVMANVS drewe the Romaine 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, fled, and in the narrowe passages ouertro de 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 Cesarea where CVMANVS was for the time, and complained of a Romaine souldier, who had casten a booke of holy Scripture into the fire, whom CVMANVS beheaded, and so pacified the Iewes Ioseph. antiq. lib. 20. cap. 4. In end CVMANVS through his euill gouernement procured to himselfe the indignation of the Emperour CLAVDIVS, 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 Jerusalem to holy feastes, and their way was through the townes and villages of the Samaritanes. CVMANVS rather fauoured then punished this wicked fact of the Samaritanes, therfore he was remoued from his place, and FELIX was sent to be Deputie of Iudea, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 20. cap. 5. Whether CLAVDIVS 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 lifes of Emperours politickly. It contenteth me to write of the estate of the Church in their time.
Nero.
DOMITIVS NERO succeeded to CLAVDIVS: hee reigned thirteene yeres and eight months, Euseb. lib 3. cap. 5. His mother AGRIPPINA after the death of CNEVS DOMITIVS AENOBARBVS was joyned in mariage with the Emperour CLAVDIVS. 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 sloken it. His crueltie against his mother, his wifes OCTAVIA and POPPEA, his master SENECA, the Poet LVCAN, 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 Romaine Emperours, and I haste to that which is the principall purpose of this compend, howe wicked NERO kindled the first great Fornace of horrible persecution against the Christians. It cannot be denyed but in the dayes of TIBERIVS our Lord Christ Iesus was crucified: in the dayes of CALIGVLA and CLAVDIVS the hands of that cruell persecuter HEROD was mightily strengthened by the fauour, countenance and bountifulnesse of both these Emperours, so that hee layed handes 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 nowe come the dayes whereinto the Romain Emperours like vntounto NEBVCHADNEZAR werefull of rage, and the forme of their visage was changed against the Christians, and they commanded that the fornace should be hoate seuen times more then it was wont to be hoate, Daniel chap. 3. ver. 19.The ten persecuting Emperours wrestled against God,
This historie hencefoorth conteineth on the one parte, the great wrestling of persecuting Emperours against God, not like to the wrestling of IACOB with God, Genes. 32. The place of IACOBS wrestling was Peniel where he sawe God, the forme of wrestling was with many teares and strong supplications, Hos. 12. the ende was, that the Angel should not hastely 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 ESAV: but by the contrare, NERO, DOMITIAN, TIAIAN, ANTONIVS, and the rest set their faces against the heauen, commanded the holy One of Israel to departe out of the worlde, 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 trueth of God into vnrighteousnes, Rom. 1. ver. 18. On the other part is set downe the constant faith and patient suffering of the Saintes 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 Angell of God, Exod. 3. who would not for gaining of their lifes once fashion themselues according to the similitude of Idolaters in outward and externall things. TERTVLLIAN in his booke de corona militis declareth that true Christian souldiers abhorred from setting a garland of flowres vponupon their heades when they receiued wages for their painfull seruice in warfare, because it was the habite of Idolaters who sacrificed to IVPITER. O happie men of God, whose vertues the dead coloures of Painters cannot represent, and the feastered maners of this corrupt age cannot imitat! Oh when shall our shadowes departe? when shall the fresh oyle of the grace of God bee powred into our lampes, that the light of our faith, patience, and constant perseuerance may shine clearely to the world as theirs did?
The occasion of this first great persecution of NERO was his owne barbarous and cruell fact: he caused the towne of The first persecution. ANNO Chr. 65Rome to bee set on fire, which wasted the buildings of the towne for the space of sixe daies, Bucol. Index chron. Funct. chron. Chytr. chron. & to eschew the vile infamy of this barbarous fact, he layde the blame vponupon the Christians, & gaue foorth edicts and commandements to persecute them to the death. NERO was so hatefull an aduersarie to all righteousnes, that EVSEBIVS following the example and words of TERTVLLIAN, affirmeth that if the Gospel had not bene an excellent good thing it had not beene condemned by The martyrdome of Peter & Paul.NERO, Euseb. eccles. hist. lib. 2. cap. 25. It is supponed that PETER was crucified, and PAVL was beheaded at Rome in time of this persecution. And EVSEBIVS is in that opinion, lib. 2. cap. 25, If this betrue, the very deade bones of PETER & PAVL are witnesses against the Romaine Church if they continue not in that same faith that PETER & PAVL sealed vp with their blood. The estate of the Iewes vnderunder NERO was very hard in respect of the oft change of the Romaine Deputies. For in NEROES time continued FELIX for a space, whome the Emperour CLAVDIVS had sent to Romain Deputies.Iudea, & after him FESTVS, ALBINVS, and FLORVS. This last Deputie was fashioned according to the similitude of the maners of NERO his master, & the Prouerb holdeth true in NERO & FLORVS, Such man such master. In the time that FELIX was Deputie, a certaine Egyptian man pretending to bee a Prophet, & promising great things, perswaded foure thousand of the Iewes to follow after him, Acts 25. but FELIX sent foorth companies of horsemen and footmen, who slew foure hundreth of the people that followed the Egyptian, and tooke two hundreth of them aliue, the rest were scattered, but the seducing Prophet escaped, and could not bee found, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 20. cap. 6. When FESTVS was Deputie, King AGRIPPA hearde the Apologie of PAVL, and said that in a part PAVL perswaded him to be a Christian, Acts 25. This AGRIPPA (I say) the sonne of HEROD whome the Angell of God slewe, Acts 12. was aduanced to great honoures by the Emperour CLAVDIVS, as his father had beene before him by the fauour of CAIVS, and he possessed not only his fathers dominions, but also the Tetrarchie 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. Hee had a palace situat vponupon the West-side of the Temple of Ierusalem, & in regard it was builded vponupon a mountaine he had a delectable profpect of the towne of Jerusalem: yet not content with this, he 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 Iudeorum. This doing grieued the harts 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 eminencie, that no man could behold the sacrifices of the Iewes from the palace Contention betweene Agrippa and the Iewes.King AGRIPPA and FESTVS with authoritie cōmanded the Iewes to demolish their new builded wall. In end this matter was referred to the Emperour NERO, who being solisted by his wife POPPEA, gratified the Iewes in this point, & compelled them not to cast downe their wall, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 20. cap. 7. FESTVS died in Iudea and ALBINVS was sent to bee Deputie in Iudea. ANANVS was the high Priest of the Iewes in these dayes, and finding opportunitie of time, to practise the malice of his heart against IAMES the sonne The martyrdom of Iames surnamed Iustus.of ALPHEVS surnamed IVSTVS, an holy Apostle & kinseman of our Lord Iesus. When ALBINVS was vponupon his journey, & had not as yet arriued neither to the coastes of Egypt nor of Iudea, this ANANVS (I say) caused IAMES surnamed IVSTVS, & the brother of our Lord to be stoned to death, Ioseph. antiq. lib. 20. cap. 8. EVSEBIVS writeth that he was thrown down frō the pinacle of the Temple, Euseb. eccl. histlib. 2. cap. 23. This crueltie of ANANVS albeit it displeased both king AGRIPPA, and ALBINVS the deputie of the Romaines, & the people of Ierusalem, yet wicked men are wiser in their owne generation then the children of light: & ANANVS sawe that if he had lingred vntill the Romaine Deputie had arriued, he could not hauehave procured the death of a man counted so just, and so welbeloued of the people, as the Apostle IAMES was It is to be marked that EVSEBIV in the forementioned place describeth the martyrdome of IAMES surnamed IVSTVS before the edict of the persecution of NERO, after which followed the martyrdome of PETER and PAVL in the 12. yeere of NERO his reigne, Epiphan. contrahares. neuerthelesse the Romaine Church had forged epistles decretall whereinto CLEMENS Bishoppe of Rome writeth to IAMES surnamed IVSTVS after the death of PETER. What credite these decretall epistles deserue, it shall bee declared hereafter Godwilling. But FLORVS who succeeded to ALBINVS was an avaritious and cruell man: he exhausted the treasure that was in the Temple, and tooke out of it sixteene talents of siluer. And when the lewes 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 crueltie men of noble birth, by scourging & crucifying them, Ioseph. de bello Iudaico lib. 2. cap 25. This was the ground of the warre betweene the Romanes and the Jewes, wherin Ierusalem came to that lamentable ruine foretold The ground of the warre betweene the Iewes and the Romanes.by our Sauiour Christ, Mat, 24. Nowe to returne to the Emperour himselfe, and forme of his death, After he had reigned 13. yeeres and eight monethes, the Senate of Rome proclaimed him to bee an enemie to mankinde, and condemned him to be whipped with wands to the death, & to be harled through the citie. For feare of which punishment he was forced to flie, and by slaying of himselfe made an end of his most wretched life. Iustin.
Uespasian.
AFter NERO, OTTO, VITELLIVS, and GALBA contended for the empire, and were all hastely cut off, and made out of the way, and FLAVIANVS VESPASIAN was chosen Emperour by the Romaine armie, he reigned 10. yeeres, Bucol. Index Chron. The nation of the Iewes at this time for the most parte was giuen ouer into a reprobate minde, according as it was foretolde by the Prophet ZACHARIE: Then saide I, I will not feede you: that that dieth, let it die, and that that perisheth, let it perish, and let the remnant eueryevery one eate the flesh of his neighbour, Zach. 11. 9. Like as the intollerable crueltle of FLORVS had irritat the nation of the lewes: euen so on the other side the vnsupportable obstinacie of the Iewes had incensed the wrath of the Rom. unes against them. They were now become so headstrong that they rejected the sacrifice that was wont to bee offered for CAESAR, Ioseph. de bello Iudsico lib. 2. cap. 30. The calamitie of the Iewes who dwelt in Alexandria and in Damascus, was but the beginning of sorrowes: fiftie thousand Iewes were slaine in Alexandria, ten thousand in Damascus, Ioseph. debel. Iud. lib. 2. cap. 36 & 41. Besides this many signes & wonders both in heauen and earth, did proclaime their future desolation and destruction. A Comet was seene in heauen hanging ouer the towne of Ierusalem for the space Foreranning t…kens of the destruction of Ierusalem,of a yeere, and hauing the similitude of a sword: in the Temple at the mid time of the night, a cleare light was sene shining round about the Altar, in brightnesse not vnlike vntounto the light of the day: and the great brasen port of the Temple opened of the owne accord about the sixt houre of the night: chariots of fire were seene compassing townes, and a voyce was heard in the sanctuarie warning to flit and to transport, with many other feareful signes and wonders. Ioseph. de bello Iud. lib 6 cap. 31. But a people senslesse, whose eyes were dimme, whose eares were dull of hearing, whose heart was fatte and locked vp by Satan in infidelitie, they could take no warning of the wrath to come, because the Lord was minded to destroy them. FLA. VESPASIAN and his sonne TITVS VESPASIAN leading an armie of threscore thousand armed men from Ptolemaida besieged the townes of Galile and Trachonitis: so many as would not willingly be subject to the Romanes, the townes of Gadara, Tiberias, Iotopata, Tarithea, Gamala, all these were brought vnderunder the renerence of VESPASIAN, and IOSEPHVS, who had beene lurking in a caue (after the towne of Iotopata was conquessed) was taken aliue, and kept in bands by the Romanes: he foretolde that VESPASIAN should bee Emperour, and saluted him CAESAR, and foreign while NERO was yet aliue. de b…llo Iud. lib. 3. cap. 27. When this prophecie came to passe indeede, and hee was chosen to bee Emperour, hee sent for IOSEPHVS and commanded that hee should be loosed from bands, but TITVS his sonne thought more expedient that his bands should be cut off from him, rather then loosed, to the end he might be counted a worthy man who neuer deseuned captiuitie nor bands, de bello Iud. lib. 4. cap. 39. FLAVIVS VESPASIAN returned to Rome, and left behind him his sonne TITVS to sub due the Iewes, & to besiedge the towne of Ierus…lem. but the Christians who dwelt at Ierusalem were warned by God to depart out of the towne of Ierusalem, so they left it, and dwelt beyond Iordan in a towne of Decapolis called Pella, Euseb eccles. hist lib. 3. cap. 5. Separation of the corne from the chaffe goeth before the vnquenchable fire wherewith the chaffe shall be burnt. TITVS began to besiege Ierusalem in the first yeere of the reigne of his father, at the time when the people were gathered to celebrate the The destruction of Ierusalem. ANNO Chr. 71.feast of the Passeouer, Euseb. lib. 3. cap 7. The terrour of the sworde of the Romaines without, the feare of mercilesse brigands within in the bowels of the towne preuailing, the flewere of the dead (wanting the honour of burial) infecting the aire, and devouring the liuing with contagious sickenesse, theviolent plague offamine breaking asunder the bands of Nature, and constraining women to eate the birth of their owne bellies, Ioseph. de bello Iud. lib. 6. cap. 21. AH these calamities seased vponupon them at once in the just judgement of God. They despised the father of eternitie, and the Prince of peace, & saide to PILAT. We hauehave no King but CAESAR, Ioh 19. 15. now they find that the mercies of CAESAR were cruell, & his sonne TITVS who was commended in all mens mouths as meeke, merciful, liberal and eloquent, and was called amor & delitiae humani generis, that is, the louelove and most daintie 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 we reade of many great vials of the wrath of God powred downe vponupon vnrighteous men, but these are greatest that resemble by most viue representation the great condemnation of the wicked at the last daye, such as the flood of NOE, the ouerthrow of Sodom, and destruction of Ierusalem. The flood of NOE was vniuersall and sudden, so shall be the condemnation of vngodly men at the last day, Mat. 24 37. 38. 39. The ouerthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha, was a destruction vnsupportable, and the more meete to be an example of the vengeance of eternall fire. epist. Iud. ver. 7. The destruction of Ierusalē, & the forerunning tokens therof are so mixed with the tokens preceeding the condemnation The flood of Noe, the ouerthrow of Sodome and destruction of Ierusalem types of the great iudgement to comeof the great day, that it may be clearly perceiued that God hath appointed the one to be a type and figure of the other, Mat 24. So ost as wee call to remembrance the flood of NOE, the ouerthrowe of Sodom and the destruction of Ierusalem, let vsus feare and stand in awe to fall into the condemnation of vngodly men, because all the terrors of these judgements concurre and are massed together in the judgemēt of the last day. What are the deep Weeles of water, what are the shoures of fire and brimstone, what is famine, pest and sworde, both intestine and forraine, in comparison of that worme that neuer dieth, and that fire that shall neuer be quenched, & the blacknesle of darknesse, with weeping and gnashing of teeth, &c.? It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God. Concerning the number ofthem that were slaine in Galile, Trachonitis, Samaria & Iudea, chiefly in the Metropolitane towne Ierusalem, ouer and beside those that were sold to be siaues, and those that were deuoured by wild beastes, in the triumph of FLA. and TITVS at Rome, reade Ioseph. d… bello Iud. lib. 6 cap. 45.
Titus.
AFter FLAVIVS reigned TITVS VESPASIAN his sonne two yeeres, two months, twentie dayes, Bucolc. index Chron. The nation of the Iewes being nowe subdued, there was great peace in all parts of the Romaine dominions, both by sea and land, and the temple of IANUS in Rome was closed and locked vp againe, Bucolc.
Domitian.
FLAVIVS DOMITI AN was associat to his brother TITVS The second persecution. AN. Chr. 96.in gouernement during his lifetime, and after his death was his successor: hee reigned 15. yeeres, Chytr. chron. He was proud like NERO, & persecuted innocēt Christians as he did, so prone & bent is our corrupt nature to sin, & to follow euill examples. Now againe the Church of Christ militant vponupon the earth must learne obedicnce by suffering, & must giuegive a proofe before the world, that the Couenant of God is written in the tables of her heart, and so deepely ingraued by the finger of God, that no tribulation, anguish, persecution, famine, nakednesse, nor death it selfe can separate her from the louelove of Christ. The members of the Church were the good marchants, of whom Christ speaketh, Mat. 13. who hauing found a pearle of vnspeakable value, were content to sell all that 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 full cōtentment, Ioh. 4. 14. In this second great persecution the belooued disciple of Christ the Apostle IOHN was banished The banishment of the Apostle Johnto the Isle of Patmos for the worde of God Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 3. cap. 18. FLAVIA DOMICILLA, a woman of noble birth in Rome was banished to Pontia an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italie, Euseb. eccl. hist. lib. 3. cap. 19. PROT A'SIVS and GERV ASIVS were martyred at Millain, Chytr. Chron. concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres, Godwilling, wee shall speake in the thirde Centurie, and in the treatise of reliques. CHYTRAEVS writeth that the Euangelist TIMOTHIE was stoned to death at Ephesus by the worshippers of DIANA, and that DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA was slaine by the sword at Pareis. DOMITIAN had heard Domitian afraide by rumors of the Kingdome of Christ.some rumours of the Kingdome of Christ, and was afraid as HEROD the great had beene, after the Natiuitie of our Lord: but when two of Christs kinsemen, according to the flesh, the Nephewes of the Apostle IYDE were presented before him, and hee perceiued them to bee poore men, who gained their liuing by handie labour, and when hee had heard of them that Christes Kingdome was not of this world, but it was spirituall, and that he would come at the latter day to judge the quicke and the dead, hee despised them as simple and contemptible persones, and did them no harme, Euseb. eccles. hist. lib. 3. cap. 20. In ende 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 caried to the graue by porters, and buried without honour. The Senat of Rome also decreed that his name should be rased, and all his actes should bee rescinded, Sueton. in Domit. Ierom. catal. script. eccles.
Nerva.
COCCIVS NERVA after DOMITIAN reigned 1. yeere, 4. months, Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 21. Bucolc. And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled, were borne in Italie: from this foorth 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 where hee died. Euseb. cccles. hist. lib. 3. cap. 21.