From Eusebius Pamphilus : His Ten Books of Ecclesiastical History, Faithfully Translated and Abridg’d from the Original, by Samuel Parker, Gent.; London : Printed for George Sawbridge at the Three Flower de-Luces in Little Britain, 1703; pp. 55-72.
THE
Ecclesiastical History
OF
Eusebius Pamphilus
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55
BOOK IV.
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CERDO dying about the Twelfth Year of Trajan, Primus succeeded him in the Bishoprick of Alexandria, and Alexander succeeded Evarestus when he had been Bishop of Rome Eight Years.
In the Eighteenth Year of this Emperor, the Jews of Alexandria, Egypt, and Cyrenaica, rais’d a Tumult, which ripen’d to a War, against the Gentile Inhabitants, who being defeated at first, retir’d to Alexandria, and there slaughter’d all the Jews they could find. The Jews of Cyrene, when they had thus lost their Associates, were contented to Rob and Plunder the Egyptians, till the Emperor sent Marcius Turbo 56 to quell them, which he did after some time by cutting off prodigious Numbers of them. A like Blow they receiv’d from Lucius Quietus, who was order’d to drive them out of Mesopotamia; and his Victory got him the Prefecture of Judæa.
In the mean time Christianity gain’d ground apace, but after Trajan, who was Emperor almost Twenty Years, in the beginning of Adrian’s Reign, great Severities were us’d through the Malice and Artifices of some ill-disposed People; so that Quadratus and Aristides thought it reasonable to draw up their Apologies for the Christians, and present them to the Emperor. They are both extant, and express the cordial Sincerity and Zeal of a true Christians Spirit. That of Quadratus speaks of Persons then still living, of whom some had been miraculously cur’d, and others rais’d to Life by our Saviour himself.
In the Third Year of Adrian, after Alexander, who had been Bishop Ten Years, Xystus succeeded in the See of Rome, and Justus in that of Alexandria after Primus, who was Bishop about Twelve Years.
After Justus, in the See of Jerusalem, succeeded Zachæus, then Tobias, Benjamin, John, Matthias, Philip, Seneca, Levi, Ephres, Joseph, Judas, all approv’d good Men, and of the Circumcision; that Church having consisted of Hebrew Converts, down from the time of the Apostles to the taking of Jerusalem under Adrian.
57Xystus was Bishop of Rome Ten Years, and Justus of Alexandria Twelve. The first was succeeded by Telesphorus, and the latter by Eumenes.
The seditious Jews growing daily more and more insolent, Rufus, the Prefect of Judæa, destroy’d an innumerable Multitude of them, Men, Women, and Children, and made seizure of their Territory. Barchochebas, a Savage Wretch, was their Captain, and persuaded them, that (as his Name imported) he was a Star sent from Heaven to be their Deliverer. But the Romans beleagur’d the Rebels so long, and so close, that they were almost famish’d, took Bethera, the City, where they were insconc’d, not far from Jerusalem, and Barchochebas receiv’d his Deserts, from which time forward the Jews were expell’d the Territory, and forbid to come within so many Miles of Jerusalem, a Roman colony was sent to supply their places, and the Name of Jerusalem chang’d to that of Ælia. By this means there came to be a Church of Gentile Converts there; the first Bishop of which was Mark.
And now came abroad the Twin-Hereticks, Saturninus and Basilides; the first an Antiochian, the second of Alexandria, educated in the School of Menander, as Menander crept out of the Nursery of Simon the Sorcerer. Saturninus poyson’d Syria, and his Doctrines hardly differ’d from those of Menander. Basilides’s Cure lay in Egypt, and his new Divinity was a Rhapsody of monstrous Notions and magical Schemes 58 (as the great Agrippa Castor, whose Confutation of Basilides is extant, has inform’d us). This Heretick wrote Twenty four Books (says the same Author) against the Gospel of Christ, he made it no Sin to do Sacrifice and Renounce Christianity in times of Persecution; he oblig’d his Followers to a Silence of Five Years in Imitation of Pythagoras, and hatch’d of his own Brain a couple of Imaginary Prophets, with hard Names to amuse his Fanatics, Barcabas and Barcoph. Of the same Complexion was Carpocrates, the Founder of the Sect of the Gnosticks, who publickly us’d and practis’d the magical Incantations of Simon the Sorcerer, and held familiarity with Evil Spirits, enjoyning all that would be initiated in his Mysteries to live as wickedly as they could, to gain the favour of those Angels that (as they said) created and govern’d the Word, and would otherwise be troublesome. Thus the Devil try’d all his Arts, and play’d all his Engines against the Christian Religion. Thus were some Believers caught in his Snares, while Infidels made an occasion of it to Blaspheme, and load the Church with a Charge of the blackest Crimes, such as Incest and Thyestean Feasts, because of the open and horrid Abominations which were practis’d by these Apostates. But notwithstanding the utmost Efforts of him and his Agents, the Christian Religion spread it self over all the Quarters of the World, and made its way (under the Divine Patronage) by the strength of its own Truth and Sanctity, 59 not only through all the Province of Greece, but among those of the Barbarians too, even in spite of the Treachery of Revolters, (who subdivided themselves quite away into little Sects and Parties) and of the Malice of Persecutors and Infidels (whose Calumnies were soon refuted and confounded by plain Matter of Fact) so that the Church Militant has ever since reign’d the Church Triumphant (as it were) upon Earth.
To this Felicity the several eminent Ecclesiastical Writers that then flourish’d, were not a little Instrumental, in which number was Hegesippus, who wrote The History of the Preaching of the Apostles in Five Books, in a plain and easy Stile; and declares of himself, that as he had made it his Business to visit the Bishops of the Church, so he had found them all unanimous in their Doctrines; and that the same Law, the same Gospel and Faith, which God had reveal’d both before and by Christ, had been constantly preserv’d along with the succession of the Bishops in all the Churches. He tells us, That the first Heretick was one Thebuthis, being disappointed in his Expectations of the Episcopal Honour; next he mentions the Simonians, Cleobians, Dositheans, Gorthens, Masbotheans; and, as the Spawn of these, the Menandrians, Marcionites, Carpocratians, Valentinians, Basilidians, Saturnilians, and others; and again, as deriv’d from these; the False or Pseudo-Christs, Pseudo-Prophets, Pseudo-Apostles. He speaks also of the Jewish Sects, the Essens, 60 Galilæans, Hemerobaptists, Masbothæans, Samaritans, Sadduces, and Pharisees. Justin, a Native of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, was another Christian Writer of great Repute, who (as himself informs us) had examin’d and try’d all sorts of Philosophy, but never could receive the Satisfaction he sought, till his Conversion to Christianity; the first occasion whereof, he tells us, was his disbelief of that improbable Character which the Heathens gave of the Christians, for that he could not understand, how ’twas possible that the Christians should be such Canibals and Libertines, as the Heathens represented them, and yet so chearfully and bravely expose themselves to the Fury of their Enemies, and court the most formidable Deaths for the sake of their Religion. From the same Author we learn, That Serenius Granianus having certify’d Adrian in how tumultuary and inhumane a manner the Christians were proceeded against; the Emperor dispatch’d a Letter to Minucius Fundanus, Proconsul in Asia, commanding that none of them should be further prosecuted, except such as were found to be Disturbers of the State, and that whosoever brought vexatious and invidious Informations against them, should be punish’d themselves.
Adrian reign’d One and twenty Years, and was succeeded by Antoninus Pius, in whose First Year Telesphorus, having been above Ten Years Bishops, suffer’d Martyrdom, and Hyginus succeeded in the See of Rome. Now it was, that 61 Valentinus, Cerdon, Marcion, and Marcus, introduc’d their Heresies. Of Valentinus and his Blasphemies, Irenæus has left us an Account at large. Cerdon, he tells us, was of the Family of Simon the Sorcerer, and affirm’d that God or Jehovah, in the Old Testament, is not the same with the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because that God is known, but the other unknown, and that is a God of Justice, but this is a God of Mercy. Marcion was a Native of Pontus, and maintain’d that there was another God every way superior to him who made the World. This Heresy had a great many Followers. Marcus’s Heresy consisted of Magical Rites and Operations. Irenæus also mentions their diabolical Mysteries and initiating Ceremonies. ’Tis the way with some of them (says he) to lay out a Marriage-Bed for their new Proselytes, and mutter their own mystical Forms over it, and this they call a spiritual Marriage. Others of them Baptize in the Name of the unknown Father of all, unto Truth the Mother of all, unto him that descended into Jesus. Others deliver themselves in Hebrew Forms, as the more solemn and puzling.
Hyginus was Bishop of Rome Four Years, and succeeded by Pius; and after Pius, who died in the Fifteenth Year of his Episcopate, came Anicetus. At Alexandria Marcus succeeded Eumenes, who had held that See Thirteen Years, and Ten Years after Celadion succeeded Marcus.
62Under Antoninus Pius, the Infidels begun again to vex the Christians in the several Provinces of the Empire; upon which Justin Martyr presenting an Apology, and others of the Christians in Asia appealing to the Emperor, he sent an Order in their Favour, to the same effect with that of Adrian.
In the time of Anicetus’s Episcopate, Polycarp came to Rome, and conferr’d with him upon a Question that had been started in the Church, concerning the Observation of Easter. This Polycarp was he, whom the Apostles had ordain’d Bishop of Smyrna, the genuine Orthodoxy of whose Preaching all the Churches in Asia, and all his Successors at Smyrna have attested. While he was at Rome, he converted a great number of Hereticks. It happen’d once that Marcion meeting him, desir’d him only to take notice who he was : Yes, reply’d Polycarp, I know thee to be the first-born of Satan. So strictly was that Rule of the Apostle observed in those Days, to avoid, and not so much as to eat with any Person that perverted the Word of God.
After Antoninus Pius, who reign’d Twenty two Years, his Sons Marcus Aurelius Verus Antoninus and Lucius Verus succeeded, and with them a bloody persecution in Asia. The Constancy of the Christians that suffer’d in it, was as astonishing as the Tortures were terrible. They were scourg’d till their Veins and Arteries, and their very Intrails lay bare : Others were thrown upon rugged sharp Conchs and 63 Iron Spikes, and when they had endur’d the utmost Misery the Persecutors could invent, they were flung to Wild Beasts. Among others Germanicus, a Youth, gave a most extraordinary Prof of Christian Courage. The Pro-Consul was earnest with him, to have some regard to the Bloom and Vigour of his Age; but instead of listening, the brave young Man urg’d and provok’d the Wild Beast that was to devour him, and dragg’d him forward to his Prey. Quintus, a Native of Phrygia, who came from thence on purpose to offer himself to the Fury of the Adversaries, (with some others) being fear’d at the sight of the Tortures and Death that were prepar’d for him, prostrated himself for Mercy before the Officers, but in vain; and his Example became a Warning to others, not rashly to throw themselves upon Tryals of this nature. Germanicus being destroy’d, the Multitude loudly demanded Polycarp. He had some time before been persuaded with much difficulty, to retire to a neighbouring Village, where with a few other Christians he employ’d his Days and Nights, (as he had always done) in Prayers for the Peace and Preservation of the Churches. Three Days before he was apprehended, he dreamt he saw his Pillow consum’d in Flames; whereupon waking, he told his Dreams to the Christians that were with him, and that himself was shortly to be carry’d to the Stake for the Testimony of Jesus. Fresh Dangers approaching, and being much importun’d, he retir’d again 64 to another Village. The Inquisitors coming thither, found two Christians Children, one of which they beat to Death, because he would make no Discovery, but the other conducted them to Polycarp. He might have yet withdrawn, but staying till they came in, he chearfully receiv’d them, saying, The Will of God be done. Then he order’d a handsome Entertainment for them, and only desir’d an Hour’s time for his Devotions, in which he recommended to God the Holy Catholick Church, and particularly those Members of it with whom himself had been concern’d or acquainted. The Hour being expir’d, although his venerable Age, Gravity, Courage, and Resolution, had wrought Amazement and Compassion in the Breasts of the Messengers, he was convey’d upon an Ass towards the City, till being met upon the Road by Herod the Irenarch, and his Father Nicetes, he was taken up into their Chariot, and press’d by them over and over to do Sacrifice, and acknowledge Cæsar’s Divinity, but the good Man persisting in the Negative, they loaded him with Contumelies, and thrust him out of the Chariot with such Violence, that his Leg was very much hurt in the Fall. However, he took not notice of it, and mov’d on as fast as he was able with all eternal Demonstrations of Composure and Satisfaction. As he came upon the place of Execution, a Voice from Heaven encourag’d him, O Polycarp, be strong and undaunted. And this the Christians that were near him heard, though so loud was 65 the Noise and Tumult, that it was lost to the Multitude. Pro-Consul first demanded of him whether he was Polycarp. He answer’d, He was. Then the Pro-Consul wish’d him to take pity on his own hoary Head; Deny your Christ, said he, swear by the Genius of the Emperor; Repent and say, αἶρε τοὺς ἀθέυς (Let the Atheists die). At this Polycarp look’d round, with a reverend Aspect, upon the Multitude, holding out his Hand towards them, and lifting up his Eyes to Heaven, said with a deep Sigh, Let the Atheists suffer. Swear, said the Consul, Reproach your Christ , and I will release you. Fourscore and six Years (said Polycarp) have I been his faithful Minister. Never did he use me unkindly. How then can I Blaspheme my King and my Saviour? Still the Pro-Consul press’d him to swear. If (said the Holy Man again) you will pretend yourself ignorant of my Character, and under that Pretext urge me to Swear by what you call the Genius of the Emperor, know I am a Christian, and if you desire to learn what Christianity is, allow me the Space of one Day, and I’ll inform you. Come, (said the Pro-Consul) hold forth to the Multitude. I am ready (said Polycarp) to bring you to a right Sense of the Christian Faith; for we are commanded to pay all Duty and Submission, so far as may consist with our Eternal Salvation, to Magistrates and Powers as constituted by God himself. But (continu’d Polycarp) as for this Multitude, they are unworthy of such Instructions. Unless (said the Pro-Consul) you Abjure, you must be thrown to the Wild Beasts. 66 Let them come on; (said Polycarp) we Christians are not us‘d to change from Better to Worse, but from Bad to Better. You shall be burnt alive (said Pro-Consul). Your Fire (said Polycarp) will be spent in an Hour, but that which is reserv’d for Sinners is Eternal. Dispose of me as you please. The Pro-Consul was confounded at this Alacrity and Sprightliness, but Proclamation being made, That Polycarp had profess’d himself a Christian; the Gentiles, and Jews of Smyrna, demanded a Lyon should be set upon him, which the Governor denying upon a Point of Proscription, he was condemn’d to the Flames, and so he stripp’d himself to his very shoes, which were usually drawn off by others that were ambitious to touch the Flesh of so venerable a Saint. Then they mov’d that he might be nail’d up to the Stake; but he told them, He that would support him under the Pain, would enable him to keep his Body quiet and Steady : So being only chain’d, he prayed in these Words, Blessed be thou, O Father , of thy Blessed and Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have receiv’d the Knowledge of Thee; O God of Angels, and Powers, and every Creature, and of all the Just that live in thy Sight; Blessed be thou that hast made me worthy to see this Day and Hour; that hast made me a Partaker among thy Holy Martyrs in the Cup of thy Christ, that my Soul and Body may be reunited unto Life Eternal, being sanctify’d by thy Holy Spirit. O grant, I beseech thee, that this Day I may be presented before thee among thy Saints, a rich and acceptable 67 Sacrifice according to thy heavenly Will, and as thou, O God of Truth, hast reveal’d unto me. Wherefore, O Lord, I adore thee for all thy Mercies, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee through they Only Begotten Son, the Eternal High-Priest, Christ Jesus, through whom in the Unity of the Holy Spirit to Thee, be Glory now and for evermore. And when he had cry’d aloud Amen, the Fire was kindled, and the Flames waving in Sheets round his Body, (which did not seem to scorch, but appear’d like Gold in a Furnace, and exhal’d an Aromatick Odour) an Executioner was commanded to thrust him through with his Sword, which was no sooner done, but such a Stream of Blood issued from him that it extinguish’d the Fire. Thus died this truly Apostolical and Prophetick Bishop. Nor could the Christians with all their endeavours procure his Body, which was afterwards burnt; it being vainly and ignorantly suggested that for the future, perhaps, they might transfer their Adorations from Christ to Polycarp. Yet they carry’d off his Bones, and reposited them honourably, as a most valuable Treasure, and annually celebrated his Martyrdom. Beside him suffer’d other illustrious Martyrs in the same Persecution, particularly Metrodorus and Pionius were burnt; the latter having first with an extraordinary Courage and Vigour profess’d and prov’d the Holy Truth in the Face of the Judicature, admonish’d those that had laps’d to return, encourag’d and comforted the Faithful, and endur’d the severest Methods of Torture. 68 In Pergamus, among other noble instances of Christian Bravery, suffer’d Carpus, Papulus, and a Woman, whose Name was Agathonica. About the same time, Justin seal’d that Divine Philosophy with his Blood, which he had so vigorously defended with his Pen and his Tongue, being inform’d against by Crescens, a Cynick, a Man of leud Life, Illiterate and Proud, whom Justin had publickly confuted. And this came to pass according to what Justin foresaw, as he declares in his first Apology, where he manifests the Ignorance, Disingenuity, and Malice, of those pretended Philosophers that oppos’d Christianity; and has withal inserted this remarkable Relation. A certain marry’d Woman, who before had led an ill Life, being converted to the Christian Religion, did what she could to Proselyte her Husband, a very Leud and Immoral Man. When all her Endeavours to reform him prov’d ineffectual, fearing that otherwise she could not deliver her own Soul, she serv’d him with a Writ of Divorce, and left him; but instead of being affected with any generous Sense of her Intentions herein, the Husband brought an Information against her for being a Christian. Upon this she appeal’d to the Emperor for a Demur of the Persecution, till she had settled her Affairs and Estate, which was granted. Then her Husband got a Centurion to Apprehend and Interrogate Ptolemy, the Christian, that had converted her. Ptolemy persisted in the Profession of his Faith, and suffer’d accordingly; 69 as did also Lucius and another Christian, for expostulating with the Judge upon the Injustice of the Sentence against Ptolemy, and professing their Christianity. This Justin, besides his two Apologies, wrote a Treatise against the Gentiles; another, Concerning the Monarchy of God; another entitul’d Psaltes; another, Of the Soul; another against the Jews, in a Dialogue between him and Trypho, wherein he shews the great Inveteracy of the Jews against the Christians, and what Prophecies they had expung’d out of the Copies of the Old Testament; and moreover informs us, That there were then Gifts of Prophecy in the Church; and that St. John, the Apostle, wrote the Revelations. Irenæus quotes him with all Respect and Deference, whence we may compute how highly he was esteem’d by the Ancients.
In the Eighth Year of Marcus Aurelius, died Anicetus, Bishop of Rome, after he had sate Eleven Years, and was succeeded by Soter. Celadion govern’d the Church of Alexandria Fourteen Years, and was succeeded by Agrippinus. In the See of Alexandria sat successively, Heron, Cornelius, Heros, Theophilus.
Among the Ecclesiastical Writers that now flourish’d, was Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, who wrote several Epistles to several Churches; one to the Lacedemonians, exhorting them to Orthodoxy and Unity; another to the Athenians, upon occasion of some irregular Practices and Principles, that obtain’d among them from the time of the Martyrdom of Publius, their Bishop, 70 till QuadratusQuadratus (afterwards their Bishop) reform’d and settled them; another to the Church of Nicomedia, against the Heresy of Marcion; another to the Cretan Churches to Caution them against Hereticks; in which he gives a great Character of Philip, their Bishop; another to the Church of the Amastrians, and the rest of the Churches in Pontus, where he mentions Palma, their Bishop. The Subject of it is concerning Marriage and Chastity, and the reconciling of Lapsers and Heretics; another to the Gnossians, wherein he disswades Pinytus, the Bishop, from rigour in imposing Celibacy; in his elegant and pious Answer, to which Pinytus sets forth the great Deserts of Dionysius; another to the Church of Rome, inscrib’d to Soter, their Bishop, applauding them for the great Beneficence and Charity, which that Church had constantly shewn to the distress’d Members of Christ; beside one more that goes under his Name, directed to Christophora, a Sister in the Faith.
Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, was Author of three Books to Autolychus, concerning the Principles of the Christian Religion; one against Hermogenes, where he quotes places out of St. John’s Revelation; another against Marcion, Theophilus being one of the many Judicious, Learned, and Good men, who made use at that time of all the Methods possible to exterminate Heresies, and preserve the Orthodox from Infection. Together with these, we have his Catechetical Discourses. He was succeeded in the See of Antioch by Maximin.
71Philip, Bishop of Gortyna, was another of those who writ against the Marcionites; but no body has dissected them s well as Modestus.
Melito, Bishop of Sardis, compos’d two Books concerning Easter; one, Of the rule of Life and the Prophets; one, Concerning the Church; one, Concerning the Nature, and another Concerning the Formation of Man; one, Of the Obedience of Sense to Faith; one, Concerning the Spirit, Soul, and Body; one about Baptism; one about Truth; one, Concerning Faith, and of the Generation of Christ; one, Of Prophecy; one about Hospitality; one entituled, The Key; one, Concerning the Incarnation of God; there are also his Discourses concerning the Devil, and concerning the Revelation of St. John, and his Apology to the Emperor Antoninus, in which he assures him, that though his Majesty should Treat the Christians never so unjustly and inhumanely, they would yet be most ready to submit to his Severities with all Patience and Resignation.
Apollinaris, Bishop of Hierapolis, wrote an Apology to the Emperor aforesaid; five Books against the Gentiles; two, Concerning Truth; two against the Jews; and others against the Cataphrygians or Montanists. The rest of his Works are lost.
Musanus writ a most elegant Discourse against the Encratites, or Followers of Tatian, who after the Death of Justin, his Master, turn’d Heretick. This Sect had their Æones, as well as the Valentinians. With Saturninus and Marcion, they condemn’d Marriage and Eating of 72 Flesh, and affirm’d, that Adam was damn’d. One Severus afterwards made Additions to the Heresy, whence they took the Name of Severiani. They receive the Books of the Old Testament and the Four Gospels, but reject the Acts and St. Paul’s Epistles, exclaiming vehemently against that Apostle. Tatian, their Founder, has complicated the Four Gospels into one; which Work is entituled Diatessaron, and has presumed to correct the Stile and Expression of St. Paul’s Epistles. He is a Voluminous Writer, but his Master-piece is his Treatise, against the Gentiles.
Bardesanes, a Syrian, and at first a Disciple of Valentinus, wrote several Pieces, which were translated into Greek; among the rest, Dialogues against Marcion, and other Hereticks; and a Dialogue (Dedicated to Antoninus) concerning Faith.