A most excellent and pathetical oration, or, Declamation of Gregory Nazianzen's stigmatizing, and condemning the Emperor Julian for his apostatising from the truth and containing, by way of history, the persecution of the Christians during his reign, the confutation of pagan abominations and the obscenity, as well as absurdity, both of the substance and ceremonies of their pretended religion, with respect unto its doctrine and the ... ceremonies approved of among the primitive Christians. Gregory, of Nazianzus, Saint. 1662 Approx. 210 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 105 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A42036 Wing G1879A ESTC R293 11941784 ocm 11941784 51284 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A42036) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 51284) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 31:17) A most excellent and pathetical oration, or, Declamation of Gregory Nazianzen's stigmatizing, and condemning the Emperor Julian for his apostatising from the truth and containing, by way of history, the persecution of the Christians during his reign, the confutation of pagan abominations and the obscenity, as well as absurdity, both of the substance and ceremonies of their pretended religion, with respect unto its doctrine and the ... ceremonies approved of among the primitive Christians. Gregory, of Nazianzus, Saint. [2], 206 p. Printed by W. Godbid for H. 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Christian martyrs. 2007-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-10 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2007-11 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A most Excellent and , and 〈◊〉 ORATION , or DECLAMATION OF GREGORY NAZIANZEN'S Stigmatizing , and condemning the Emperor JULIAN FOR HIS Apostatising from the TRUTH , AND ●ontaining , by way of History , the Persecution of the Christians during his reign , the Confutation of Pagan abominations , and the obscenity , as well as absurdity , both of the substance , and Ceremonies of their pretended Religion , with respect unto it's Doctrine , and the more , or lesse , consequential Ceremonies , approved of among the Primitive Christians . London , Printed by W. Godbid , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the Blew-Anchor , at the lower walk of the New-Exchange , M. DC . LXII . GREGORY NAZIANZEN THE DIVINE . His upbraiding the Emperour JULIAN for his Apostacy . HEAR this , all ye people , give ear unto me , every inhabitant of the earth ; for with a strong loud Trum●et , and as mounted on a high ●ower , looking on all sides , every way , I call , to assemble you toge●her : Hearken , Countries , Na●●ons , and Languages , all sorts of Men and Ages , every one that ●ow is , or hereafter shall be : Yea , ( to make my Summons the more universal ) listen , I say , all ye Powers of Heaven , and Angels altogether , by whose irresistable means a great Tyrant was destroyed ; a great one , and not such a one as Sihon King of the Amorites , or Ogge the King of Bashan , petty Potentates , and destructive to the Israelites onely , a small portion of the Universe , but the Apostate Dragon , the great Wit , the All-daring Assyrian , and common Enemy of the whole world ; who not onely threatned ruine and destruction to all the Earth , but also hatcht despiteful imaginations , and belched out most abominable blasphemies against the Almighty . Hear , O Heavens , and give ear , O Earth , ( for the times require I should use the loftiest terms of the most Seraphical Prophet , who spake the highest of all the rest ) neither is it to small purpose , he calling and invoking them for witnesses against a cast-down People of Israel that had sinned against God , if I appeal unto the self-●ame creatures , against a Dragon , a Tyrant , who had as highly trans●ressed against the same God , to ●is own irrecoverable downfall , ●nd , as a just reward for that his ●●tragious wickedness . Hear also , if thou hast any sense , ●ou Soul of that great Constance , 〈◊〉 the Cristian Souls of Empe●ours that were before him : Thou ●●ul , more especially , of Constance , ●ho having attain'd the inheritance 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ , hast advanced his ●orship upon earth , and so well ●●ablished his Authority with the ●●esent Age , that , of all the Emperors that ever were , mad'st thy self the most venerable , and commendable for the same . But , O dire misfortune ! the like whereof was never heard , that thou couldst not foresee an unlucky mishap , unworthy altogether , and incompatible with the merits of thine other illustrious Acts , namely , Thy making way for that Man's rise unto Empire and Rule amongst Christians , who , of all other , became the greatest Enemy and Persecutour of the Christians . In which one Act , to ill purpose , thou mis-imployed'st thy clemency and courtesie , by unfortunately preserving him to life , who was the death of so many , that far excelled him in all manner of vertue and piety , while they lived . Nevertheless , that the soul of thou , the aforesaid Constance , now receivest great solace , I verily assure my self , as well in perceiving that his wickedness long since extinguished , and Christianity reduced to its pristine integrity , as in this my discourse , which , at present , I offer to God , as a more acceptable sacrifice , purer , and better , I suppose , than those of beasts , or other vain and detestable immolations of meats and drinks , the magnificence and greatness of which sacrifices declared more ●learly unto all the world their im●iousness , and ( as I may so term 〈◊〉 ) foolish wisdome in so doing . ●or the custome and practice of ●●esh and blood , siding with dark●ess , abandoned the light of truth , ●hich , while but glimmering upon ●●rrupt natures , the fruit thereof 〈◊〉 came dry , and in an instant withe●●d , together with the abomina●●e stock , that , for a time , sustain●● them . The rooting out of ●hich unfortunate wretches , be●●g men , sometimes of greater ●●rldly wealth than other worthi●●ss , hath rendred them equally 〈◊〉 famous , as well for their pre●●pitate downfal , as prophane 〈◊〉 worthiness , to all succeeding 〈◊〉 . As for my self , who offer unto God a sacrifice of thanksgiving , and pay my vows to the most High , who is he that can set up a Theater of Thankfulness , equal in any sort to the least grace we have received ? Or , what Voice thunder out thanksgiving in that manner as is most fit , for such ineffable benefits , as I would have it ? What Auditors , with me , will entertain the words I am now a framing ? The retribution I am , at present , about to render unto the Divine Word through discourse in words , though not so agreeable perhaps to the efficacy of that gracious appellation the Word , wherewith h● is so pleased ( among many other Titles assumed by him ) to accep● of ? Again , the sting of infamy b● reproach in words , as a deserve● and due punishment to him , wh● made it a crime unto Christians i● the Greek Tongue to make use o● words ? In which regard , out of 〈◊〉 pernicious envy , and hatred towards us , he forbad all Christian● the use and exercise of speaking that , which ought to be common to all men . In which his so doing , ●s if to him alone the propriety ●herein wholly belonged , thinking thereby to have more reason then ●ll other , he shewed himself thereby the most foolish and unreasona● of all men , and that for two rea●ons ; First , Because thereby he ●eclared himself to be of opinion , ●hat the Greek tongue was to be ●ade use of onely for the service ●f Religious matters , and not like●ise as indifferently for all other ●urposes , according to the usual ●anner of uttering whatsoever no●●ons of the mind in that self-same ●ialect : Just as if under the name ●nd notion of Trading , he should ●orbid , at the same time , the use of ●ll manner of Trades practised ●mong that Nation . Secondly , Because he thought we were so dull , ●s not to perceive the things he ●id , to be done on set purpose , ●hereby greatly to deprive us of so ●onsequential a benefit : we making some account of the excellency of that language , and he fearing thereby his impiety , might the more easily be convinced . As if arguments had their force in the elegancy onely , and appropriating of Greek words to the same purpose , and not in the knowledge rather of simple and sincere truth . Besides , having a tongue , it 's less possible to hinder us from setting forth the truth therewith , than from otherwise adorning the same with eloquence in that language . So that , being inhibited by Julian's Ordinance to learn Greek , he might hinder us onely to speak as the Athenians did , that is to say , more elegantly , perhaps , and properly : but never the more , for all that , retain , or stop the currant of truth it self . Whereby he made his weakness appear sufficiently , and yet never the more with-held himself from being reproved , and confuted , having over and above acknowledged , that in that he had nothing to doe to meddle , or to trouble his head with such matters . The truth is , It was not for a man who had no great assurance , either in the truth of his own Re●igion , or in his own ability of ●eaking well , to go about to hin●er us from speaking ; no more ●han if he should think himself the ●aliantest Champion in the world , ●nd thereupon forbid all gallant ●hen , either to fight , or to enter ●●to the lists with him . No , so to ●o would be thought rather a sign ●f a fearful Coward , than valiant Captain , seeing the prise is won of ●hose that fight , and not of them ●●at sit still ; of those that have ●●eir full strength allowed them , ●nd not of the maimed , or that are ●●ated in any part of their vigour 〈◊〉 try mastery with . If there●ore thou beest in fault , for hin●ering on thy part the means of ●ombating , and wilt not suffer 〈◊〉 to fight , therein thou shew●●t thy self overcome , and thence ●all I carry the victory against ●ee without contending , because thou permittest me not to fight . See then the fine doings of this wise Emperor , and Law-giver , who , that there might be nothing free , whatsoever , from his Tyranny , hath published his own folly , by being , in the beginning of his Reign , desirous , and undertaking after to exercise that his Tyranny on words , and on the Art of eloquent speaking . It will be a most fitting thing for me notwithstanding , to render all possible thanks to Almighty God , with the words of my mouth , for recovering so to do through his providence to offer up unto him all kind of honorable sacrifice , not sparing any thing therein , either of goods , or other inheritance possessed by me ; who , having run the hazzard both of the times , and of his Tyranny , have been preserved however , by the onely providence of God , for that purpose , whom , before all things , we are bound nevertheless , both with our words and deeds , to glorifie after that man●er . As out of an abundant Harvest , ●herefore , common to all partakers ●ith me of such his grace , I 'l fi●●sh the intended discourse I have 〈◊〉 say of Words , fearing , if I stretch 〈◊〉 speech farther , I be longer ●han is requisite , and somewhat ex●●avagant beyond the due bounds ●● that subject , for which I came ●ther to dilate of . And now , me-thinks , I perceive ●y discourse well-nigh approach●h , and advanceth it self , in a ge●●ral congratulation , to all that I ●●hold at present . And therefore , ●call unto a spiritual Dance , and ●efreshment all you , who in fast●●g , weeping , and praying , pass ●●ys and nights to obtain deli●erance from oppressing evils , ●●ounding a most assured remedy ●●ereof on Hope , that never fail●h . I call , in like manner , those , ●ho have suffered infinite pains , ●avels , and vexations , through ●●eat and d●verse torments of the times , been made a spectacle to Men and Angels , ( as the Apostle speaks ) their bodies abased , but their souls remaining invincible , doing all things through Christ that strengthneth , and comforteth them . And you , after the same sort , who , undervaluing ( the object of mortals malice ) wordly honors , have taken in good part the spoiling of your temporary goods , have , for a time , been injuriously separated from your Husbands , Wives , Fathers , Mothers , Children , or any other , in whatever degree of blood , affinity or friendship , allyed unto you , were willing to participate with your Saviour , in the fruit of his blood-shedding , and otherwise suffering for his Name-sake , being now able to say and sing with the Prophet unto God , Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads , we went through fire and water , but thou broughtest us out into a place of safety . I call , on the other side also , to this famous Banquet , all those , who , acknowledging God above all things , have hitherto re●●ined an assured faith , notwith●●anding the mysteries of Provi●●nce , which , oftentimes out 〈◊〉 contrary accidents , draw un●oked for events , and by vertue ●●ereof , win us as evincingly to ●epentance , our reason being for●erly carried away with perverse ●●petuosity , which should have ●●en held out , or renewed it self , 〈◊〉 not being so envious at the fool●sh , ( as the Psalmist hath it ) when 〈◊〉 saw the prosperity of the wick●● ; but rather conforming our ●●lves to the will of God , and con●●uing constant to the end , by put●ng little repose in what we saw ●resent before our eyes ; which ●eing brought to pass nevertheless 〈◊〉 we would have it , should con●●rm and further fortifie us in the ●●uth . I call , also , you , who have ●our minds wholly fixed on the ●ca●fold , and great Theater of this ●orld . In doing whereof , I will 〈◊〉 the words of Esdras , saying , ●ome hither , women , who come to see the plays , and stop the eyes of your minds , keeping them from errors and deceits , know , it 's the same God that 's exalted among the Nations , exalted in all the earth : In all times , and things , he hath wonderfully and extraordinarily made himself known , but never so manifestly never so evidently , as at this time . Moreover , would to God there were even in this good company , in this numerous Troop , which heretofore chanted with us , not a feigned and unsavoury Song , and whereunto we gave honorable way , have opinion they 'l one day render themselves worthy of reproof . But I wonder wherefore they are so retired apart from us , and marvel how , in so solemn a Rejoycing , they are not present with us , and that contrarily they have made a particular Dance , which falls not at all in any good cadence . They 'l pardon me though I speak after this manner , and that zeal encites me to declare and manifest things as they are . Notwithstanding I will ●●eviate the stinging of my tongue , 〈◊〉 the honor of the hope and pre●●rvation of my brethren , having ●●w more respect to the antient ●●●endship , then to the neglect I 〈◊〉 . But yet because hereafter I ●●all be more patient , I will be ●ore vehement at present in chid●●g and reproving . I exclude then 〈◊〉 of this Assembly with grief and ●●me trouble , a sort of men , la●enting at that they understand 〈◊〉 , grieving at that they feel for there lies the pity of their ●il ) however I reject it . These 〈◊〉 they who have not sowed on 〈◊〉 and firm ground , but their 〈◊〉 fell upon stony places , where ●●ey had not much earth ; The ●●me are they that hear the word , ●nd for a while with joy receive it , 〈◊〉 have they not root in themselves , ●nd therefore dure but for a time ; ●●r when tribulation or persecution ●riseth because of the Word , by and 〈◊〉 they are offended . I will banish from this company yet further off those that are worse who departing from him that ha● purchased , and conducted them t● a place of greater safety , and magnificence , have given no manner o● resistance to the times , or to thos● that cousen'd them into a miserabl● and slavish captivity : but rather with obstinate alacrity , shewe themselves perverse , and of no reputation , being scandalized at th● good word of God , and suffere● themselves to be carried awa● without any affliction , or tentatio● at all assaulting them . Nay rather , ( like inconsiderate wretches 〈◊〉 they are ) either to gain some littl● temporary estate , or retain other evil gotten goods , have sold their eternal salvation in exchange forsuch transitory trash , such riches ( falsly so called ) of short continuance . And now , seeing we have cut off from this noble Assembly , that which is superfluous , let us take courage , and purifying our bodies and souls as much as is possible for us , all agreeing in one spirit , with one voice , sing the triumphant and ●●torious Ditty that Israel rejoy●●● in , at the time when the 〈◊〉 were swallowed up in the 〈◊〉 , ( Meriam leading and be●●ning the Tune , as followeth ) I 〈◊〉 sing unto the Lord , for he hath 〈◊〉 gloriously , the Horse 〈◊〉 his Rider hath he thrown into 〈◊〉 Sea. ( I change that of the 〈◊〉 ) But where it hath pleased 〈◊〉 , and as he thought fit and just , 〈◊〉 that doth , and disposeth all 〈◊〉 , even He that turneth the 〈◊〉 into the morning ( as the ●●●phet Amos hath it ) and maketh 〈◊〉 day dark with night : — 〈◊〉 strengthneth the spoiled a●●●nst the strong : — He rules 〈◊〉 governs , as in a circle , all this ●●rld , that which agitated and t●●ubled , and which is not : all our 〈◊〉 that are subject to variation 〈◊〉 change , and that are carried ●●●etimes on this manner , and ●●●etimes on that , for our sakes , 〈◊〉 are immoveable , fix'd , and 〈◊〉 firm in the Divine Providence , however they seem to go ●● proceed contrarily . That whi●● is known to the world , ( viz. ●● Divine Wisdom of his Father ) 〈◊〉 us is covered and hid : He hat● put down the mighty from th●● seats , and exalted them of low degree . Also , ( which I have take from another Text of Scripture ▪ The Arms of the wicked shall 〈◊〉 broken , but the Lord upholdeth 〈◊〉 righteous . In like manner fro● another place , as my memo●● serves me , ( having abundance 〈◊〉 Texts wherewith to compose th●● Song , and which offer themselve● to this Thanksgiving ) It 's he 〈◊〉 raisethg up the wicked above the 〈◊〉 , then putteth him down agai● that he appears no more : If we tak● heed to turn away readily , and 〈◊〉 the evil pass . Who is he among them th●● treats of Divine matters , that 〈◊〉 sufficiently sing , and make relatio● of these things ? Who , that ca● worthily represent the power o● God , and make all his praises understood ? What voice or power of ●●●quence equal this miracle ? Who 〈◊〉 that divided the sea by his 〈◊〉 , that brake the head of the 〈◊〉 in the waters , that brake 〈◊〉 head of the Leviathan in pieces , 〈◊〉 gave him to be meat to the 〈◊〉 inhabiting the Wilderness ? 〈◊〉 Who hath shut up the sea with 〈◊〉 , when it brake forth , as if it 〈◊〉 issued out of the womb ? When 〈◊〉 the cloud the garment 〈◊〉 and thick darkness a 〈…〉 for it , and brake up for it my 〈◊〉 place , and set bars and 〈◊〉 , and said , Hitherto shalt thou 〈◊〉 , and no further , and here shall 〈◊〉 proud waves be stayed ? Truly 〈◊〉 hath appeased them , they not 〈◊〉 been long time furious and 〈◊〉 up . Who is it that hath 〈◊〉 us the favour to go upon the 〈◊〉 of Serpents and Scorpions , 〈◊〉 laying not our selves in wait to 〈◊〉 their heels , that , at the same 〈◊〉 , assailed us publickly , and 〈◊〉 up their heads against us , 〈◊〉 also he ordained we should tread under our feet ? Who is that hath done justice and judg●ment when it was not looked for Who , that hath not for ever reac●ed out the rod of sinners upon 〈◊〉 righteous ? ( I say , upon the right●ous , if righteous any may be said be , while remaining upon eart● and no otherwise ) or ( to spe●● more humbly ) upon those 〈◊〉 knew God ? For the truth is , 〈◊〉 have not been afflicted as righteous for , as none simply are so , so , fo● being so none are afflicted but fo● their good , and to the end ( lik● brave Champions ) they should pu● shame and confusion upon their afflicters . But , as sinners rather , w● had the punishment of sin through afflictions imposed upon us ; after which , the Lord , in mercy , hath been pleased to shew his fatherly care and affection towards us , by his so having chastned us , that we might become wise , and ( as far as he thought needful ) to make us the more advised in our after return unto him . For , He hath not rebuked us in his anger , nor chastned 〈◊〉 in his heavy displeasure ; but 〈◊〉 shewed his mercy in the one , 〈◊〉 in the other , viz. in his chastise●●nt and pardon . Who is it that 〈◊〉 done vengeance among the ●●●tions ? chid and rebuked his 〈◊〉 ? The Lord strong and 〈◊〉 , the Lord mighty in battel . 〈◊〉 a Voice , a Verse , that hath 〈◊〉 to the great graces we now 〈◊〉 , which Isaiah uttered to 〈◊〉 ages , and is very agreeable 〈◊〉 this season , and sutable to the 〈◊〉 of benefits , at present , 〈◊〉 by us : Sing , O heavens , be joyful , O earth , and break 〈◊〉 into singing , O mountains : God hath comforted his people , will have mercy upon his afflict●●● ▪ For all creatures , all 〈…〉 have knowledge , as I 〈◊〉 , of these things . For the 〈◊〉 was made subject to 〈◊〉 not willingly , but by reason of 〈◊〉 who hath subjected the same 〈◊〉 . Because the creature it 〈◊〉 also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption , into th● glorious liberty of the children 〈◊〉 God. For we know , that the wh● creation groaneth and travelleth 〈◊〉 pain together untill now . The Apostle also enters further into the sam● celebration , and rejoycing , to 〈◊〉 God's children have the enjoyin● of this contentment and delight Now then , Sing , O barren , ( for cannot pass by the alledging 〈◊〉 Scripture ) thou that didst not bear● break forth into singing , and 〈◊〉 alond , thou that didst not travel wit● child , for more are the children 〈◊〉 the desolate , than the children of th● married wife . Rejoyce also all you , who hav● been wrapt up in this unpleasan● and irksome winter of adversity For God hath had pity of his people , and hath not forsaken his inheritance : He hath done wonderful things , his antient determination and purpose is true , which 〈◊〉 to satisfie those that fear him , tha● hope in his mercy . For he hat● broken the gates of brass , and 〈◊〉 th● bars of Iron in sunder . ●t's true , because of our 〈◊〉 he hath humbled us ; but 〈◊〉 ●ave been comforted , and the 〈◊〉 being broke , we have been 〈◊〉 by the grace of God , which 〈◊〉 called us , and which comforts 〈◊〉 that are lowly of heart . See 〈◊〉 I compose this Hymn with 〈◊〉 Words , and Divine 〈◊〉 ▪ And truly , I know not how to 〈◊〉 merry , and recreate my soul 〈◊〉 any other , being transported 〈◊〉 my self ( as it were ) with ●●●lowing content . So that I 〈◊〉 no esteem of low and 〈◊〉 things , fitting and alledging 〈◊〉 many matters , which are 〈◊〉 unto me by the holy 〈◊〉 . ●ell then , there have been 〈◊〉 ( in the first place ) the 〈◊〉 of God's providence in 〈◊〉 Translation of Enoch , and 〈◊〉 of Elias ; in Noah that 〈◊〉 , and , with him , a 〈◊〉 of all things , in a little 〈◊〉 of wood , containing the whole world , from the Deluge the Universe , to the intent 〈◊〉 the Earth after might be f●nished with more righteous In●●bitants . Again , in old Abraha● that was called , and gratifi'd in latter days with an off-spring , make Faith of an other seed , 〈◊〉 promised posterity : who willing presenting , according to Go● command , his onely son , that 〈◊〉 free-born , in sacrifice , in stead him found a Ram in a Bush , God's appointment , to offer 〈◊〉 unto the Lord. The ruine 〈◊〉 of the wicked Sodomites , 〈◊〉 were swallowed up with fire 〈◊〉 brimstone , was wonderful , wh● at the same time , righteous 〈◊〉 and his family were onely save● And , which is yet more wonder● the Pillar of Salt into which 〈◊〉 wife , for looking back , was tu●ed , remaining after , to represe● unto all faithless people , what fearful thing it is , when on called of God , to return 〈◊〉 unto the acting of what ever thi● expresly forbidden by him . We ●ead likewise of Joseph , who was ●old into Egypt , and being filled with the wisdom of God , was after made Governor next under Pha●aoh of that whole Land , to make ●he better provision in a time of ●earth and scarcity , for his father ●acob , and all his houshold . Moses ●ad the honor to see God , received , ●nd gave the Law to the Israe●●tes , and , being appointed by God 〈◊〉 to do , was their Conductor out ●f Egypt to the Land of Promise . The ten Plagues of the Egyptians , ●nd the deliverance of the Israe●ites , at the same time inhabiting in ●he midst of them , was very won●erful . So was the Sea its turning ●ack with a Rod , and going toge●her again upon a word spoken by Moses , at what time the Israe●●tes had passage through the same , 〈◊〉 on dry ground , and the Egypti●ns were drowned , and utterly ●ver-whelmed with the waters ●hereof to their final destruction . What can be spoken enough of those two Canopies ( as I may 〈◊〉 speak ) carried over the heads 〈◊〉 the Israelites by God himself , in their passage unto the Land of Canaan through the wilderness the Pillar of the Clowd which l●● them by day , and the Pillar of Fire which gave them light by night ? Of Manna , rained among●… them in their Camps , as they went , from the Lord out of heaven , and Quails sent them from the same hand of Providence enough to glut six hundred thousand persons in the Wilderness ▪ Of the just quantity of that heavenly Manna measured out 〈◊〉 them by God , whereof they ha●… never the more to store up , th●● gathered more at a time then wa● commanded them , nor they 〈◊〉 less , to suffice nature , that gathered not so much ? Of Waters some drawn out of a stony Rock others , of bitter made sweet ? Of Amaleck's being fought against b● Prayers , in a mystical and hidde● manner ? The Sun its standi●● still , and the Moon staying her ●ourse ? Jordan divided , and the Walls of Jericho falling upon the ●ound of Trumpets made of Rams ●orns , after compass'd about seven ●ays ? The Earth , and the Fleece 〈◊〉 Wool , interchangeably wet ●nd dry ? Strength in Samson's long ●air , equal in power to a whole ●rmy ? A little company that ●ap'd water carrying away the ●ictory , and with as small a num●er vanquishing , beyond their ●nemies expectation , many thou●●nds of their adversaries ? I need ●ot , I perswade my self , recite so ●any wonders as followed upon ●he Incamation , and happy comming of Jesus Christ into the ●orld by birth , or that which the ●oly Apostles after did in his ●ame . Many Books and Histo●●es there are , that plentifully bear ●itness of those matters . But of 〈◊〉 which is come to pass in these ●●mes , I shall again further make 〈◊〉 manifest unto you . Hearken then , and I will relate the same to all you that fear God , to the intent that the generation that is next to come , and the succession of generations after that , may know the wonderful power of God. In which regard , because it s not so easie a matter to declare these things , without representing the greatness and quality of the peril wherein we were formerly plunged , and that cannot be done without discoursing of the evil complexion of his nature , and of what principles and seed of malice he came , who was the Author thereof , to such outrages ( having by little and little encreased his impiety , even as poison that comes from cruel Beasts , and venomous Serpents ) referring the larger and more ample discourse of those acts , to those that have a purpose to compose Tragical Books and Histories , ( for having not the leisure to dilate much of things too far from our present subject ) I shall , in reciting part among many others , leave something printed and engraven on your memory , as on a pillar , to be communicated to them that shall come after us , and betake me to his more principal and apparent actions . He then ( viz. Julian ) having been first preserved by great Constance , succeeding in the Empire of his father , when the Troops were armed against their Chiefs , making some stirs , and ●he Imperial House governed by ●ew Captains : Then , I say , ●eing saved with his brother by ●ncredible and extraordinary means , ●e gave not thanks either to God ●or his preservation , or to the Emperor , by whose means he was preserved ; but persisting ungrateful both to the one and to the ●ther , shewed himself an Apo●tate to God , and rebellious to Constance his Foster-father . Now you must know , there was ● Palace wherein these two bro●hers , who alone remained of the ●lood of the Emperors , were , by ●he commandment of that most gracious Prince , brought up , and there served according to the fashion of Emperors . That he ( viz. Constance ) did , to justifie himself in part , that the disasters , happening in the beginning of his Reign , came not from him . Then ▪ to shew the freedom and magnanimity of his courage , in calling them to the Association with him in the Empire . Finally , for the better , and more firmly establishing of his estate . In which , notwithstanding , there fell out more goodness than prudence , with respect unto himself . They then , being at rest and tranquillity from all business , becaus● they had not yet the Imperial dignity , but by destination , and i● hope , their age not permitting tha● they should be employed i● places of command ; received by the care of the Emperor , who wa● their Uncle , perfect instruction i● all sorts of Sciences . Certainly they gave themselves the more to Philosophy , not onely that which treats of Reasons and ●iscourses , but also Moral , and which concerns Piety , frequent●●g and conversing with persons ●ccomplish'd , and who made their ●ertues appear in their honest and ●●olish'd actions : so that they made ●hemselves to be enrolled in the ●rder of Church-men , so far , ●hat they read the Gospel to the ●eople , not thinking it any de●aing , or disparaging themselves ●n point of honor , so to do : but ●n the contrary , supposing there could not be in a Prince or Potentate a more excellent ornament , than to be actively employed in their own persons about Offices touching Religion . So that ●n them a great affection to Moral Philosophy , and Christian Doctrine , appeared , building for the Saints and Martyrs magnificent Tombs , giving great gifts to Churches , and being conversant about such like Acts , which were evident tokens , and shined in both of them , for a time , as lively Characters of Christian Philosophy , and the fear of God. One of them indeed was trul● and vertuously inclined to piety for , though of a stirring and troublesome nature , yet , for matte● of Faith , he was constant and firm ▪ But the other dissembling , an● gaining time , hid under the appearance or shew of simplicity ▪ an evil intention of mind , ( a● one may guess at the matter . ) To which purpose I cannot conceal 〈◊〉 Miracle that then hapned , a goo● one , and such as may serve for instruction to many , that are not so sincere as they should be in the truth of Religion , of which openly they seem to make much profession . These two brothers being employed in beautifying the Monuments of Martyrs , and a jealousie between them who should bestow most magnificence and liberality in building a Chappel they set up with great costs and charges ; as they did not proceed with the like design , so the Masons wo●k thereabout did not go on with the 〈◊〉 success of dispatch to the one ●●rty , as to the other : for where●● what the eldest set workmen out , proceeded on to some tol●●able perfection , God being ●●eas'd to accept the same , as ●●metimes he did the sacrifice of 〈◊〉 , that , as an offering of the ●●rst-born , with a pure and sincere ●art , was presented unto him . ●he other's work , viz. of the ●●ungest , ( see , alack , the Lord 's ●●ghting of the wicked in things ●●nder'd by them unto his ser●●ce , who by small discovereth ●●eater matters ) his work , I say , 〈◊〉 the sacrifice of Cain , was ab●●minated by the Martyrs . The ●artyrs indeed he made to smile at ●hat he did , but the ground , ne●●rtheless , sunk under that part 〈◊〉 the Fabrick which was built by 〈◊〉 . Which , so soon as perceived 〈◊〉 him , made him bestir himself 〈◊〉 taking pains to erect the same ●●ain out of hand ; but , after all 〈◊〉 labour and pains-taking , it disdained , for all that , to receiv● foundation from a person so d●famed , so blasted in his reput●tion ; as if thereby proclaiming 〈◊〉 the world the after-ruine whic● necessarily should befall it for 〈◊〉 own unworthiness ; or , as if in 〈◊〉 hapning , it would honor the Ma●tyrs , by the neglect and litt●● esteem it seem'd to make of 〈◊〉 detestable a person . Which ce●tainly was an undoubted presa●● of his folly and arrogance , as 〈◊〉 of the contempt he should 〈◊〉 afterwards towards holy Ma●tyrs , together with many othe● outrages purposed by him to 〈◊〉 put in practise against the Church● of the Christians , and other th● like places destinated by the●unto sacred uses . With respe●● whereunto the Almighty , aft●● this sort , ( though for the prese●● it was not known apparently 〈◊〉 any , yet ) at a distance seemed 〈◊〉 persecute , as it were , the Persec●tor , and well nigh declared the reward and recompence of those 〈◊〉 impious doings . O the subtle nature of corrupt ●ypocrisie to do evil ! which , not●ithstanding , could not avoid the ●…ain that was set to catch him , ●nd into which he fell afterwards ! O how admirable is the Lord , in manifesting what was to happen , ●y cutting down wickedness , and ●aking further declaration of his ●●acious providences ; a Miracle ●…uly Paradoxal , yet true . O the ●●eat fore-sight and heroick mind ●f the Martyrs ! that for the pre●●nt , would not receive honor●…●rom him , who , for the future , ●hould disparage them , that re●used Monuments and Gifts from ●im , who should make many a ●rave Champions faith , against ●is will , illustrious , and envy ●hem , at the same time , in their ●ombats and victories , for so fight●ng ! To say truth , they would not , ●y any means , permit themselves ●…lone should receive scandal , and ●e injuriously dealt withal ; viz. That their Monuments should be ●uilt by so wicked hands , and other Churches served with more holy , neither give occasion after to the Author thereof thereby to boast in such his profaneness , 〈◊〉 setting up with the one hand 〈◊〉 some , and pulling down with the other to the rest , certain Chapels dedicated to holy Martyrs , some of them reproached , and other in outward shew reverenced and respected by him ; vailing , under a counterfeit appearance , ever , the true neglect and contempt he usually made of all things . Wherein , nevertheless , 〈◊〉 found no great matter to glory of , though never so well advised in deceiving men , God Almighty , at the same time , being undeceived , who understandeth all things , and confoundeth , in their ow● subtlety , the most crafty , though never so cunningly masking themselves under the colour of what ever appearances otherwise . For , although the Lord with-held not , for a se●son , this indignity done to the Martyrs , neither the forecast and hidden malice wherewith the 〈◊〉 was put in practice , nor stop●●d the current of such wicked in●●ence from falling upon them , 〈◊〉 causes ever just , and best ●●own unto himself , according to his inscrutable wisdome , 〈◊〉 secret disposal of all things , even as 't was his will to have 〈◊〉 iniquity of the Amorites come ●its full , before their destruction ) ●et requisite it was nevertheless the story , that this malignant ●●ture should be detested of all 〈◊〉 , and the honour done by him the Martyrs , as unworthy of 〈◊〉 , be utterly rejected . A thing , heeded , which may serve well 〈◊〉 the edification of many , there●● to discern the equity and justice God in his all-wise acceptance all things , in what manner so 〈◊〉 offered , and presented unto 〈◊〉 . For it is he that saith to Israel ●hen they had sinned : Bring no ●ore vain oblations , Incense is an ●bomination unto me , the New Moons , and the Sabbaths , the calling of Assemblies I cannot 〈◊〉 with ; it is iniquity , even the s●lemn meeting . Neither doth 〈◊〉 that is sincere and down-right towards God , need any thing depe●ding upon men to take delight i● that 's unworthily presented unt● him , the Lord no less abhorri●● him that killeth an Oxe , then th●● slayeth a Man ; that sacrificeth 〈◊〉 Lamb , then that cutteth off a Dog neck : casting out of his Temp●● the hire of a whore , receiving 〈◊〉 holding suitable to his acceptan●● the sacrifice that is presented un●● him with pure and innocent hands with a mind lifted up to heave● and clean from taking pleasure 〈◊〉 whatsoever sin committed by hi● No marvail then , if he refused th● honour that Julian after offered 〈◊〉 to him , seeing wickedly , and from 〈◊〉 malignant heart , he presented th● same unto God ; who regards 〈◊〉 as man , neither casteth he his 〈◊〉 upon the outward appearance , b● penetrateth even into the bottom of the heart and thoughts , whenc● virtue and vice fetch their appro●●l , and receive either recom●ence of reward , or punishment ●ccordingly , from the Almighty . ●hus fared it with Julian in this ●atter . If any difficulty of be●●ef therein remains , so that the ●●uth thereof may be called into ●●estion , there are witnesses yet ●●ving to be produced that saw the ●●me , who related , and represented 〈◊〉 miracle unto us , and who have 〈◊〉 purpose also to communicate a ●ore ample and full description ●●ereof unto posterity . Well then , after become men , ●●ey should have entred into the ●recepts of Philosophy ( would to God such their entrance had never ●een , or that they had attained ●nto the perfection thereof ; which , 〈◊〉 them that are well born , serves as 〈◊〉 weapon of true virtue , to defend ●hem from the impostery of all ●anner of contrary inconveni●●nces , though , to the perverse and ●●ase minded , it becomes sometimes 〈◊〉 spur , to set them forward in their untowardness , ( as in Julian , wh● to give the Devil his due , was we●● vers'd in the study of whatev●● profane literature . ) It 's true , 〈◊〉 was a great Philosopher , and ye● for all that , 't was not possible 〈◊〉 him to conceal his disease , to kee● close in his mind the deceit of impiety that therein lurked . For , 〈◊〉 fire in wood , though the flame appears not , is known by the smo●● and sparkles that ascend from 〈◊〉 or , as water that runs in hollo● places , in time of great wind● having no way to expatiate it sel● nor issue free , but is oftner troubled , and mingled with earth , an● other filth , renders a sad noise fro● within , being prest with the violence of the wind , and kept bad by the force of other accident● meeting together with it : So thi● man , though he concealed much o● his profound wickedness by reaso● of the time , and instruction of th● Emperour , it not being for a whil● either lawful , or safe to make known his irreligion openly , ye● discovered he nevertheless , some●●●●g then of the inwards of his ●●…ghts to men of more under●●●●ding and subtle in Paganisme , 〈◊〉 in the true Religion , and Do●●●●… of Jesus Christ : Also , in the 〈◊〉 which he had with his Bro●●●● , wherein he maintained the ●●●…eks ( that is , the Gentiles ) ●●●…ing then befitted him , under Pre●●●…e of disputing to uphold the ●●●…ker side : but it was , indeed , a ●●…ourse , or exercise meerly a●●●●…st the true Religion , and which 〈◊〉 much contented them who 〈◊〉 the character of a more impi●●● Religion imprinted in their ●●●…ts . ●ut so soon as the Emperour had ●●…ared his Brother Gallus King 〈◊〉 ●he Romans , giving him , with 〈◊〉 Government , a great part of 〈◊〉 Land ; and that to Julian also , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 permitted full power , and 〈◊〉 , to keep company with the ●…ctors and freely to hear the dis●●●rse of the Gentiles : And also , 〈◊〉 Asia was as a School to him of the false Religion , whose In●●bitants , the most part of them , 〈◊〉 conversant and much verst in Ast●●logy , and Prognostication ; that 〈◊〉 can fore-tell things to come , 〈◊〉 likewise in Sorcery , and in Incha●●ments , ( a Science ordinarily f●●lowing the other ) there remain no thing but one , viz. that 〈◊〉 and authority were joyned to i●piety . Now , it was long befo●● that the great iniquity of some ●●quired this for him to our 〈◊〉 : as who say , the health , ● good constitution of the Christi●● body being arrived to the 〈◊〉 of its perfection ; power , hono●● and plenty of all things brough● change . For , the truth is , it● harder matter to keep , then to ●●tain unto what is desired , an eas●● thing by care , and pains-taking , call back , and cause lost felicity return again , then to conserve after gotten : Seeing , when in p●session of this world's goods 〈◊〉 any great aboundance , we are 〈◊〉 to wax proud , and A man's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wise man tells us ) shall 〈◊〉 him low : but honour shall 〈◊〉 the humble in spirit . 〈◊〉 , being humbled after afflicted 〈◊〉 our pride , ( for after pride , hu●●lity often follows , as after hu●●lity , honour ; God resisting the 〈◊〉 , and giving grace unto the 〈◊〉 , ) we are thereby the more ●●nestly enforced to seek after 〈◊〉 lost condition till we obtain 〈◊〉 same : which , after found , we 〈◊〉 not so heedful in preserving till 〈◊〉 made more wise by having the 〈◊〉 in the whole , or , at least in 〈◊〉 taken away from us . In this 〈◊〉 ( as it should seem ) it befel 〈◊〉 Christians at that time , God , 〈◊〉 weigheth all things equally , ●●asureth all things justly , being ●●eas'd to oppose , after this man●●r , one contrary to , or with an 〈◊〉 . Which , that holy man after ●od's own heart , David having 〈◊〉 much experience of in his life●●me , puts usually in the number of 〈◊〉 gracious mercies the Lord 〈◊〉 done for him by abasing him , and then restoring him , not bei●● unmindful , upon any occasion , 〈◊〉 thankulness to acknowledge 〈◊〉 good he thereby received fr●● him . To which purpose , what 〈◊〉 he ? Before I was afflicted , I 〈◊〉 astray : but now have ▪ I kept 〈◊〉 word : Putting by this method ●●mility between Sin and Repe●tance , as if it were engendred 〈◊〉 the one , and likewise did engen●●●● the other . Which , if ye mar●● is most true ; Sin , for the 〈◊〉 part , being the Mother of Hu●●lity , and Humility of Repentan●● So we , after humble , have 〈◊〉 lifted up , and whereas heretof●●● being by little and little , thro●●● the good conduct of God brou●●● to such an estate , and measure 〈◊〉 happiness , as we are now in 〈◊〉 ( as I may so say ) at such his m●●cies , it seemed good unto God 〈◊〉 cast us down . Among many other sad thin● that then befell us Christians , ' tw●● none of the least , that the Kin●dome , and Life of Caesar ( viz. 〈◊〉 Gallus ) came to an end . How 〈◊〉 fell out , or by what means , I 〈◊〉 forbear to tell you , as being ●illing to offend either the 〈◊〉 thereof , or him that suffered it , that respect I owe unto the Pie●● of them both . Nevertheless , 〈◊〉 approving of them in their ●●●knesses , but considering them ●hey were men , they could 〈◊〉 of them be exempted from 〈◊〉 faulty , and in that regard both enough to be reprehended , were not possible that the reasons 〈◊〉 we shall use to accuse the 〈◊〉 , might be the justification of 〈◊〉 other . This man then ( Julian I mean ) 〈◊〉 the appointment of Constance , 〈◊〉 presently heir , not of the 〈◊〉 but of the Kingdome of his ●ther Gallus , and soon after was 〈◊〉 also with him , who gave him 〈◊〉 estate , being forced to pay the ●●mmon tributeof all men , as over●●me , and carried away by death , 〈◊〉 the loss , and destruction of all 〈◊〉 survived him . And now , what shall we touching this most divine , this 〈◊〉 Christian Emperour ? I care 〈◊〉 for addressing my complaint 〈◊〉 any but to thee , O thou 〈◊〉 Soul , as if thou sawest , and he●est me , while , at present , dire●●ing my speech unto thee ! 〈◊〉 know , that it can offend thee in 〈◊〉 thing , who art now resident 〈◊〉 God , who inheritests his 〈◊〉 who art gone from us here 〈◊〉 to exchange thy earthless 〈◊〉 for a better , and more durabl●● heaven . Tell me , neverthele●● who was it that suggested 〈◊〉 counsel unto thee of leaving 〈◊〉 thy successour ? who gave to 〈◊〉 that advice , which comes so 〈◊〉 short of that sublime subtlety ; 〈◊〉 great judgement , wherewith 〈◊〉 wa' st indued ; not onely above 〈◊〉 the Princes of thine own 〈◊〉 but above them all , in like 〈◊〉 that ever were before thee ? Th●● who hast purged our Horizon 〈◊〉 barbarisme , and subdued Do●●stick Tyrants , the one by reas●● 〈◊〉 other by force , but with such ●●●terity both , that the one did no 〈◊〉 , was no let , or hinderance 〈◊〉 other : and whose Trophees ●●●eived by armes and battles , 〈◊〉 fair , and great ; but those 〈◊〉 without effusion of blood , 〈◊〉 yet more excellent , and ap●●●red more glorious to all the 〈◊〉 . Thou , to whom from all 〈◊〉 of the Universe● Embassa●●● , and Deputies were sent : 〈◊〉 , to whom all Nations yield●●● obedience , or , at least , were 〈◊〉 the point of obeying , so that 〈◊〉 , who were not yet 〈◊〉 , carried themselves in that 〈◊〉 , as if already they had been ●●●rcome : Thou that wa'st led by 〈◊〉 hand of God in all thy delibe●●●ons and actions : Thou whose ●●●gment seemed to surmount all 〈◊〉 force ; and thy Force , on ●●other side , to surmount all ●●●gement : but the glory , or fame 〈◊〉 Piety , bore the bell away , 〈◊〉 from the one , and the other . 〈◊〉 then , in this onely act of thine shewedst thou thy self 〈◊〉 , and hast been surprised ? 〈◊〉 what purpose , I beseech thee , 〈◊〉 that easie propension of this 〈◊〉 inhumane goodness ? Which of 〈◊〉 infernal Spirits was it that 〈◊〉 the same into thy mind ? 〈◊〉 was it possible that thou shoul● deliver , in an instant , to a 〈◊〉 villain , to a common murdere● ▪ 〈◊〉 fair an inheritance , so 〈◊〉 an ornament ? ( I mean the C●●●stians under thy dominion , in 〈◊〉 life time . ) The Flock 〈◊〉 through the out-spreading 〈◊〉 of that bright Morning-star , good Sheepheard Jesus Christ shining upon them , is so 〈◊〉 in all the world ? The royal Pr●●●●hood of God multiplied , 〈◊〉 spread abroad with so much 〈◊〉 and travail here on earth . It may be ( my Brethren ) I 〈◊〉 seem unto you to have shewed 〈◊〉 self partial and malicious in 〈◊〉 discourse , in that , among the 〈◊〉 sons of my accusation , I do 〈◊〉 readily adde what is true . But , if observe what I have declared , ●●u'l find by the same arguments 〈◊〉 my complaint , I have suffici●●tly justified what I said , and ●●●ewise that the absolution is fix●● to the accusation . For , when I ●●oke , and used this term good●●ss , I thereby declared his inno●●nce . And now , who is he , among ●●em who have known him but ●●eanly , who knowes not that be●●use of his zeal to Religion , and ●●fection to us-ward , wishing all ●●od , and prosperity to the Chri●●●ans , he made so great account 〈◊〉 Julian ? as also , that he made 〈◊〉 so much reckoning of the ho●●ur of his race , or of the increase 〈◊〉 the Empire , as of us ? But , on 〈◊〉 contrary , would have given all ●●ings , the Empire , life , and all ●hereof any thing is dear , and ●●ecious , for our assurance , and ●●eservation ? there having been ever man living , that desired a ●●ing more to heart , then he the ●●gmentation of Christianity , and to see it attain to the height of glory , and power in his days . For certainly , neither the su●duing of Nations , nor the goo● Policy of his Empire , nor 〈◊〉 abundance of his Wealth , nor 〈◊〉 hieght of his Honour , nor the Co●templation that , in name , and e●fect , he was King of Kings , 〈◊〉 any other things , in which 〈◊〉 ground their felicity in this wor●● ever brought him so much conte●● as that we by his means , and he 〈◊〉 , prospered both with Go●● and Men , and thereby ( as in a mi●rour ) saw the authority of 〈◊〉 Church established indissolubly 〈◊〉 ever : raising thereon his consid●rations higher , and more royal● then many others , in clearly di●cerning that the Roman Estate ●●thered its greatness , and increas● with that of the Christians . An● in consideration ( it seems ) th● untill the coming of Christ in 〈◊〉 flesh , They attained not unto 〈◊〉 highest point of rising into an ●●solute Empire of Monarchy , 〈◊〉 Perfection of Government , which 〈◊〉 , and not before , could ever ●rought to pass , or accomplish●● : He remembred our cause , ( as 〈◊〉 reason he had to do so ) with 〈◊〉 much zeal , good will , and all ●●rty affection . So that , if it ●●pened at any time , that it was 〈◊〉 somewhat harsh to us , it 〈◊〉 not that he the less esteemed 〈◊〉 or would do us a dispeasure , or ●●●tifie others to our prejudice : 〈◊〉 his seeming severity tended 〈◊〉 to reduce us to one and the ●Wor● belief , and not otherwise to ●●ide , and separate us by Schismes . 〈◊〉 for all this , he was but little ●●tchful ( as we have formerly 〈◊〉 ) on his own guard through his ●●●plicity , as also , in his clemency 〈◊〉 appeared a kind of weakness : 〈◊〉 he that is without malice thinks 〈◊〉 of malice , and therefore he 〈◊〉 not of that which was to 〈◊〉 , by his not knowing what it 〈◊〉 to dissemble . By such means as these impiety 〈◊〉 in by little and little , two contrary affections meeting togethe● the one in a good people , the ●ther in the wickedest and 〈◊〉 Atheistical man of the who●● world : who fretting without ca●● against the Christians , had nothi●● to say against our doctrine : 〈◊〉 having no considerable precepts 〈◊〉 the Gentiles School , that could 〈◊〉 maintained by reason , without e●ample , sought by his impiety 〈◊〉 render himself renowned and ●●mous , beginning , in a new ma●ner , a war with him , who ma●● him Emperour . But when 〈◊〉 knew he could not carry it 〈◊〉 vertue , and lawful means , he 〈◊〉 do it by the contrary , namely 〈◊〉 the same affection , that he broug●● about his other mischeif and wic●edness . Behold then the Apolo●● made to Christians in the 〈◊〉 half of Constance : which 〈◊〉 not but seem just and equitable 〈◊〉 men of judgement . Howev●● there are some who finding themselves satisfied in this matter , 〈◊〉 not yet be satisfied therewith , but ●●cuse him of simplicity , and small ●●resight in imparting the Empire , 〈◊〉 thereby putting the Authori●● , and Forces into his hands , who ●as his enemy , and whose Brother 〈◊〉 had formerly put to death . Hereupon , it is necessary for us little to discourse upon this , though 〈◊〉 be but to shew that this act of 〈◊〉 was not wholly against reason , 〈◊〉 humanity both , no , nor yet un●ecoming altogether the grave ●●ovidence , and good judgement 〈◊〉 the Emperour . For , it would 〈◊〉 a shame to us , having received 〈◊〉 much honour from him , and ●●owing him to be so accomplish●●d , and excellent in piety , not to ●●eak further in his just defence : 〈◊〉 especially , seeing he is dead , 〈◊〉 hath now left us . In which ●●gard we cannot justly be re●●oached for using flattery , having 〈◊〉 liberty to speak freely , with●ut any suspition , in proposing law●●l onely , and true grounded argu●ents on his behalf . To which purpose , who wou●● not have thought the honours co●ferr'd upon him should have re●dred him more mild , and peac●able ? as also , the confiden●● wherewith too assured of hi● more ingenious , and just ? Lik●wise , in that the two Brothers ha●… by a royal judgement , and sentence , the one received punishment , the other advancemen● there was no possibility of believing , that he , who had adorned J●lian's youth with dignities and honours greater then could ever b● hoped for by him , would ever punish the eldest without a just ●nd lawful cause . So that , for resolution of the thing in question so f●●… it may be answered , the one 〈◊〉 Constance his acts ought to be attributed to the temerity of Gal●● who was punished , and the oth●● to the good nature of himself , wh●… gave those honours unto Julian Or , to say truth , Constance had no● so much assurance in Julian's fait● and oath , as in the power that wa● then remaining in his own hand . Some thinke , under the same ●elief Alexander the great gave ●orus , not his life onely ( who ●ravely on the other side , fought ●or the Crown ) but also the King●ome of the Indies . Neither ●ould he make his magnanimity ●etter appear , then by such an act ●f his , who being Alexander , ●hought there went more of him 〈◊〉 overcoming , then by armes ; ●eeing 't was in his own power ( as 〈◊〉 conceived ) if the other , viz. ●orus , had shewed himself un●rateful , and rebellious thereupon , ●o have overcome and utterly vanquished him afresh . So his great ●ssurance , great Constance his confidence , I mean , in his own strength , was the cause of his so liberally ●estowing those great honours , that ●ut of a magnanimous mind , and heroick spirit , he so profusely conferred upon Julian . But what need I debate so much of this , seeing its easie for me , although I let go this reason , to gain my cause ? For if he that truste● another man , doth ill , how muc● more he that is trusted , if he fa●● in such his trust ? and if it b● blameable , not possibly to fore ▪ see an evil inclination ; in wh●● degree of blame and baseness sha●● we put that perverse nature , tha● so foully deceived him , who so fairly , and ingeniously trusted thereunto ? But certainly it 's a thing , whereof we cannot soon beware , unles● we be as malicious in our selves . Besides , let us do what we can , it 's a hard matter to make a wicke● man good . For reason would , that this man should have shewed himself faithful to Constance : an● if there had been any sparke of ill-will towards him , to have utterly extinguished the same . But , on the contrary , in recompense of so many benefits , he conceived against him an evil affection , became ● Malefactor towards him his Benefactor , making it his design to do evil unto that gracious Emperour , who had no other design , then to do ●ood unto him . Behold , good people , the do●trine that the Platonists , the ●hrysipsians and the famous Peripa●●ticks , the Stoicks , and other , who ●orme their pallats to speak so ●rettily , have taught him ! Take ●otice of the Geometrical Pro●ortion , the discourse of Justice , ●nd of those Patient Philosophers , that maintain , It 's better to take , ●hen to do wrong . See also what ●rave Preceptors , what great Coun●ellors of State , what grave Law-makers he took to him in the quar●ours , and drew out of taverns ; and of whom he was wont to say that [ he approoved not their manner of living , but rather admired their eloquence : ] nor it neither , but , possibly , rather their impiety . These alone were the men , whom he thought good to advise with , and to ask counsel of , in whatever to be done , or , otherwise , left undone by him . And , are we not well advised ( think ye , ) to admire this kind 〈◊〉 people , who forme Idea's of Co●mon-wealths in their discourse , th●● can never be reduced into Act who sooth up cruell Tyrants 〈◊〉 their Oppression , with fair speechs and present to the gods a half pen●● with a grave look of the forehead ? Of this sort , some believ● there is no God at all ; Others n● P●ovidence , but that all thing● come to us by hap-hazzard , ●● chance : Some , that we are governed by the Stars , and Figures ●● fatal necessity ; ( I know not where they have it , nor from whom ) Others , that all things tend to Voluptuousness , and therein the quintessence of humane life consists ; but , as for Virtue , they give it a fine name onely , and extend its relation no further then the limits of this life , positively putting it down for granted , that [ the faults we commit in this life dyes with us , and no further account to be made for them after death . ] The ablest of all their Wise men are endued ( it seems ) with no bette●●nowledge , but being wrapt up in ●he muddy and obscure darkness of ●rrour , and ignorance , never lifted ●p the understanding to discern ●ver so little the beams of saving ●ruth , but rather troubling them●elves with things here below , and that fall under the cognisance of the senses , never comprehended ●ny thing about the nature of Devils ( as most reasonable it is that God , the Creator of them , should be ) If there were any one among them , that had dived never so little further into the abstruse secrets of nature , being destitute , at the same time , of the grace of God , he rested upon that which to him seemed easier to understand , and brought the vulgar multitude to conforme themselves thereunto . Is it then any great wonder , that he , who was endued with such Precepts , and taught by such Masters , should prove a Traytor to him that trusted him ? a Felon , and rebell to him that raised him up ? If there be yet any other question of defending , by accusing him , He could not ( I should think ) be much troubled in mind for the death of his Brother , who was his Brother's enemy by reason of his Religion , and so much displeased to see Christianity flourish . No , but being transported with rage rather against true piety , he the sooner troubled the State , to establish and give liberty to his false , and foolish opinions : it being requisite , according to their reasons , to annexe the Empire to Philosophy , and ( as it fell out after ) rather to complete , then to cause the evils of the Common-wealth to cease . Now the first Act of his rebellion , and temerity was , to make himself be crowned , and to procure , or rather assume to himself the sublime title of Emperour ; which , in times past , was wont to be obtained , not as a rape , or prey of fortune but by succession , or by the will of the Emperour , or else ( as anciently practised ) by Order from the Senate . But he would 〈◊〉 acknowledge , as author of his ●●nour , him , who was the true ●●rd of the Monarchy . Then ●●ving forged in his mind a foolish ●●cessity of taking up armes , which 〈◊〉 was so rash , and un-advisedly ●●ld to undertake , ( See but what 〈◊〉 contrived , and to what point he ●●duced his oversight and folly , O 〈◊〉 extreme fury of this man ! ) 〈◊〉 went armed with great forces ●gainst his Prince , and part of the ●est , under the colour and covert 〈◊〉 excusing himself for taking up●● him the Crown . I say under 〈◊〉 colour , &c. because , as yet he ●●ssembled , and endeavoured to ●ver his disloyalty , and madness 〈◊〉 a time , when indeed , his whole ●ope , and full intention was to ●●tablish himself in the Empire , ●nd by his ingratitude render him●●lf notable to all the world . Wherein his hope ( as it fell out ●fter ) did not deceive him , was ●ot in vain . With respect where●nto , I would not that they should be ravish't with admiration , 〈◊〉 mind not the incomprehensib●● height of God's Providence governing all things , and ascribe litt●● or nothing to him in the all-wise di●posing , and regulating of State● who , whatever they imagine to th● contrary , as sweetly , as secretly ordains whatever he will hav● brought to pass , in its due seaso● and the same for the better alway● though silly men sometimes mislike thereof , and are not , perhaps , satisfied in their understanding wherefore he doth so . No● this Divine Providence ( you mu●● know ) induced not this man 〈◊〉 do evil : For , God is not the Author of evil , but of all goo● things , sin proceeding never from him , but from the party alone tha● makes choice thereof . As for this wicked Impe of Satan , ( I mean Julian ) he stayed no● his restless motion , but readil● running to those Companies thi● were of his government , and unto a part of the Marches of the Barbarians , whereof , rather by craft , ●hen by open war , he became Ma●ter , approached the Imperial Court ( as instructed so to do , say ●ome of his Party , by Prognosti●ation , and the advertisement of Devils , who promis'd him an hap●y adventure , and a change of ●hem that then governed the af●airs : ) or , according to the saying ●f those who know truth , he the ●ooner advanced , thereby to arrive , ●t a day prefixt , to effect horrible ●nd secret wickedness , as hasting to ●e at the murder , whereof himself was the author , covering the con●piracy then by means of one of ●is Domesticks . So that , it was ●ot divining , but knowing certain●y , and the act it self a work of wickedness , and not a benefit the Devils had granted him : who by ●hat which fell out in Persia , have ●ade the power they had well ap●ear of luckily conducting his af●airs . Let them be quiet then , who attribute to Devils his celeri●y , or quick dispatchin that matter , however , we cannot deny but th●● the foul act of his consulting with d●vils was damnable . Nevertheles● had not the disease of the Emperour prevented the incursion of th●● Tyrant , and the secret war bee● stronger then the disclosed army the Villain had soon felt , that 〈◊〉 hasted to his ruine , and that , before he was chastised by the astonishment he was put into by 〈◊〉 Persians , he had carried the punishment of his deserts to the R●man Territory , where he , befo●● that , had contrived his wicked conspiracy , which was likely enough because as then he discovered no● himself , although enclosed with th● army of the most valiant Emperor , that he might have no way of escaping : as it was easie to judge by that which happened afterwards , there being but little expectatio● of cutting off the means of retreat to him that had already th● Empire in his hand . But , as th● Emperour marched vertuously against perfidiousness and impiety ( Good God what a mischeif do I 〈◊〉 make mention of ! ) he dyed 〈◊〉 the middest of the way , repen●●●g himself to God , and Men , 〈◊〉 he had been so kind unto Julian , 〈◊〉 , as much as it was then 〈◊〉 for him to do , shewed the af●●●tion he bore to the true Religion . Years , at present , mixt with joy 〈◊〉 down my cheeks , and , as the 〈◊〉 and Floods , strive together , 〈◊〉 , in their meeting , mingle , and ●●●uble one an other , while I am ●●●covering what happened after . 〈◊〉 the end and issue was pleasant 〈◊〉 agreeable to us , as the begin●●ng had been sad and heavy , not ●●ely in regard of the Christians , 〈◊〉 their afflictions , which pro●●eded , either by the instinct of 〈◊〉 evil Spirit through the will of ●od , who knows the cause there●● ; or ( it may be ) from our ar●●gance , which had need of being ●●strained , and purged : but also 〈◊〉 the regret of that wicked soul , 〈◊〉 of those , carried together with 〈◊〉 ▪ to perdition . There are some , who bewail onely the last plagu● and torments they endure here below , as having no respect at al● but to this present life , and , 〈◊〉 their mind , regard not the futur● nor believe any chastisement sh●●● be imposed upon , or recompe●●● done them for the things commi●ted by them in this world , leadi●● the lives of beasts , and mindi●● nothing but the present time onely placing their soveraign good in h●mane tranquillity , and , contrarily attributing misfortune , and infelicity to adversity , and to thing that happen crosse to their desires ▪ But , as for my self , I deplore mo●● the torments they shall receive i● the other world , and the which 〈◊〉 surely , though secretly prepare● for the wicked ( to say nothing 〈◊〉 that which is more grievous , viz. to be deprived , to be banished from the presence of God for evermore . Alas what sore punishmen● will that be ! ) But how can I refrain bewailing of this miserable man ? how otherwise chuse but more lament ●●ose , who , of their own accord , 〈◊〉 self-motion have retired them●●lves to his false worship , then ●●ose that compelled thereunto by ●●rsecution ? And how can I hinder 〈◊〉 lamenting yet more him , that ●●rried others , then those who vo●●ntarily rendred themselves , and 〈◊〉 part , or sided with the wicked 〈◊〉 their profaneness ? Contrarily , it 's a thing neither ●rievous , nor irksome to Christians 〈◊〉 suffer for the Name of Christ , ●ut a happy contentment , not one●y in consideration of the heavenly ●●fe , but also of the constancy and ●lory he hath made way for them to ●ttain unto here below among pe●ils . Whereas to the followers of Ju●ian , the evil that 's already befallen ●hem is beginning of future torments that are threatned , and destined for them hereafter . So that , it had been much better , they had been longer punished here , then to be reserved to that high seat of justice in heaven . But I will not in●● hereon further , that I may 〈◊〉 the Law , that forbids rejoycing 〈◊〉 the fall of an enemy , when he 〈◊〉 cast down ; and that rather , bei●● our selves in better condition , 〈◊〉 should shew our compassion towards him in his greatest nece●sity . I will resume therefore the chi●● scope of my discourse , and spea● of him from whom proceeded 〈◊〉 unlimited a desire after vice , 〈◊〉 immense a zeal to all manner 〈◊〉 wickedness . How came it to pa●● that he ran so fast to mischief● from whence was that his enmity to Jesus Christ ? He entre● and entituled himself his Disciple he had the knowledge , by conference , touching many subtle discourses of truth , proposed by himself , and heard , from others , fin● precepts of saving health , or eternal salvation . And behold , no sooner came he to be Emperour , but he made open profession of Paganisme , as if he had been ashamed of being formerly a Chri●●●an , and for that reason would ●ischief the Christians , because ●●mself had been a Christian in the ●●ginning . But here was the ori●●nal of his audaciousness , ( as they 〈◊〉 , who boast of their being of his 〈◊〉 Counsel ) having washed 〈◊〉 ground with filthy and dete●●●able blood , ( see , into what foul ●●rms I am constrained to fall ! ) 〈◊〉 had a purpose to have establish●d abominable ceremonies in op●osition unto ours , being himself ●according to the Proverb ) as the ●ow that wallows in the mire . He ●rofaned his hands thinking to wash ●nd purge them with that , that ●●uched the sacrifice , which is done ●ithout effusion of blood , by means ●hereof we participate with God ●n his Passion , and in his Divine Nature . The Royal Palace was ●mployed in dissections and sacrifices , serving himself in his wicked reign with wicked Coun●ellers . And now , while making mention on of dissections , and of the foolis● or rather damnable affection he bore to them , I know not , whethe● I should put in writing , a common and triviall miracle , or give credi● unto what is said of it . For , the truth is , my mind hangs , as in 〈◊〉 ballance , not knowing which way to incline , there being some thing● worthy to be beleived , others not ▪ Neverthelesse , it being no new thing , but oftentimes happening that upon the change of grea● estates , by means of such vai● dissections of beasts , &c. som● prodigious things have been presignified ( though , in this manner to fall out after , is that which seem● worthy of admiration , both to me , and to all them , who are willing , and have a desire that holy thing● should be declared , and handled holily ) I shall take the boldnesse to make further relation of what 's reported . Behold then what happened . One day as he sacrificed , the standers by saw in the entrails of the beast [ a crosse crowned in a circle ] which ●●ought astonishment , and troubled ●●me of his own Party , as if there●●… had been signified that we ●…ould carry away the victory : ●…t the Prince of impiety being ●ore couragious , replyed that it ●●pressed rather we should be shut 〈◊〉 , and enclosed . Behold then 〈◊〉 miracle that I spoke of ! If it 〈◊〉 false , the wind will blow it ●●ay , if true , it 's Balaam Prophe●●…ng ; and Samuel coming again , ●●d appearing unto the Witch of ●●ndor , and Saul ; the Devils con●●●sing Christ , whether they will 〈◊〉 no , and the Truth , to procure ●●lief , proved by its enemies . It ●…ay further be that this was done , 〈◊〉 ordained , to reduce this man ●●om his impiety . For God , who 〈◊〉 prone to mercy , can , and doth ●●ten use many extraordinary waies 〈◊〉 lead men unto salvation , through 〈◊〉 knowledge of the truth . See an other thing ( reported of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any , and credible ) one day , ●●…ing into a hideous , and almost inaccessible cave ( would to 〈◊〉 from thence he had fallen i● Hell , rather then gone on furth●● to such mischiefs ) and having man in his company worthy of 〈◊〉 Hells , who took himself to be great Master in this Science , 〈◊〉 rather Sophistry ( for among th●● they have a fashion to devine 〈◊〉 conferring of future things 〈◊〉 Devils in obscure places , wheth●● it be they love darknesse , beca●●● they are darknesse it self , and exc●lent Work-men in the darkn●●● of sin , or , be it they avoid meeti●● with good people on the face of 〈◊〉 earth , least such , after seen them , might take any power fro● them in their devining ) he 〈◊〉 struck into a great fear . Now , astonishment had seised on 〈◊〉 villanous man at his first entra●●● into the Cave , before spoken 〈◊〉 and increased more and more aft●● ( For it 's said such dealers with 〈◊〉 Devil have strange and inward b●ings , and representments ) and 〈◊〉 there appeared unto him Ph●tasmes of fire , with ( I know not ●hat ) other follies , and raving ●●ymeras ; Being surprized there●ith ( for he was a Novice in this ●●ctrine ) he had recourse to the ●●rosse of Christ , and call'd to his 〈◊〉 him against whom he then re●●●ted . ( That which followes is ●●ore notable . ) The Crosse of ●hrist had the better of it : for the ●evils were overcome thereupon , 〈◊〉 the frights vanished ; But what 〈◊〉 out afterwards ? Mischief took ●●eath again , he again grew hardy , 〈◊〉 begins , as formerly to play his ●●anks afresh ; whereupon the ●●me frights , in an instant , repre●●nt themselves . What then ? He ●as fain to addresse himself , once ●ore to the Crosse of Christ ; im●ediately after the Devils are qui●●ed : whereat , the Novice being in a great perplexity , the Master 〈◊〉 the Sacrifice , that was near 〈◊〉 perceiving the matter , pervert●● both the truth , and him , told 〈◊〉 the Devils were not affraid of 〈◊〉 Crosse of Christ , but had both 〈◊〉 and Christ in abomination . 〈◊〉 evill speech of that leud man c●●ried him away quite : for as he sai● so he immediately perswaded hi● and thereby drew this untowa●● Disciple of his into the gulfe 〈◊〉 utter destruction . Wherein th●● was nothing strange , for a vicio●● nature will sooner follow the co●●sell of a wicked man , then retire 〈◊〉 the advice of a good . What he 〈◊〉 and what he said more in the Cave and what illusions he was cheat●● with before he came up , they 〈◊〉 learned the same , and since instr●cted others therein , know very we●● He came up I am sure , much tro●bled in mind , making the sa●● appear more evidently in his ou●ward gestures , and in the gastlyn●● of his looks , as also by those mean● further manifested , who they we●● whom he adored , continuing on 〈◊〉 that time more especially 〈◊〉 he was alwayes full of 〈◊〉 ) to commit all manner of ●●●kednesse . I say , from that time , ●●●ause then he shewed , and made 〈◊〉 be more seen . Insomuch ( as I ●●●eive ) he gave it out to be taken 〈◊〉 of , that he had not lost his 〈◊〉 in descending , and having fel●●wship with Devils , calling the ●●aviour , in that his being inspired , ●●ball , and appropriating there●●th to himself fair , and honourable 〈◊〉 . These were his beginnings . But 〈◊〉 that which he hatched was ●●●closed , and the mind that he had 〈◊〉 persecute us appear'd , he thought 〈◊〉 an other device worthy of a man ●●rowly flush't , and perfect in ●●ckednesse , or else , that had 〈◊〉 the same of those , who had 〈◊〉 exercised in such doctrine . For 〈◊〉 it was a thing too bold , and gross , 〈◊〉 declare War openly , and consti●●te himself Captain of Paganisme , ●hich had brought some difficulty to that whereat he aimed : so w● had made our selves more couragious , if they had not taken us b● force , and had opposed to Tyrann● the great affection which we ha● to the true Religion : it being th● disposition of generous courages t● be bent against those , who woul● carry things by force : Even 〈◊〉 the Flame , that 's excited by th● wind increaseth so much the more as the wind is more vehement grounding his judgment therein , no● onely by the reasons he had to● comprehend it , but also by precedent persecutions of the Christians which had brought to Christianity more glory , then diminution , in tha● Christians had setled their minds i● piety , and , as hot Iron in water , hardned them against perills . Bu● he thought that making War wit● subtlety , and adding force with perswasion , also mingling a mild manner of dealing with his Tyrannical power ( which was nothing else , but to cover the fire with abait , ) he thought ( I say ) that this manner of proceeding was ground●d on reason , and would carry the ●atter . For , above all things , he ●●vyed them , who were Champi●ns of Martyrdome , and therefore ●rove , with all his might , to force , ●nd constrain people to return to ●aganisme , and proceeded so sub●ely in it , that none perceived it : ●nd contrarily we endured punish●ents without having the honour ●f Martyrdome . But , it was ●reat-simplicity in him , for all that , 〈◊〉 to do . First , because he per●waded himself , we knew not the ●ause why we were in trouble , ●nd that by this Sophistry , and Ca●illation , he thought to cover the ●ruth , not seeing that the more he ●aboured to take away these honors , ●o much the more he made us ap●ear greater , and fairer . Secondly , ●or that he perswaded himself , that what we did , was for the desire of ●ain-glory , and not for the zeal of truth . As on their part , for the ●ame cause , they were wont to make use of Empedocleans , of Aristeans , of Empedotineans of T●●phonians , and a troop of such li●● wicked juglers . One of whi●● casting himself into the Gulphs 〈◊〉 Sicily , to make men beleive 〈◊〉 should become a God , and be ●●ken from them , to change this 〈◊〉 for a better , was discovered 〈◊〉 his chamlet Cloak , which the flam● cast out , to be dead , and cons●quently no God , but a lover on●● of vain glory , and an ignorant , 〈◊〉 silly Asse . Others , secretly retiring in pl●ces under ground , sick of the sam● disease of vain-glory , and love 〈◊〉 themselves , being discovered after got not so much renown by the●● secret retreats , as reproach for suc● their impostures . But , as for Christians , its thei● only joy , to suffer for Gods cause for the true Religion of Christ : i● comparison whereof , we ma●● little account of pleasing men have no other aim , but to be accepted of the Almighty . Besides which consideration , they ●●at are truly wise , and lovers of ●eavenly , and divine matters , 〈◊〉 to be joyned with Christ alone , 〈◊〉 Christs sake , without any other ●●ward : they that do good works ●ith intention of receiving recom●ence for the same , being in the ●econd degree of vertuous people : ●nd they that abstain from evil do●ng for fear of punishment , in the ●hird . Thus is it with us , that are ●rue beleiving Christians , and the proof that we are so minded indeed , ●s easie for them to find , that will undertake it . But , Iulian desirous to deprive us that are Christians of the chief honours , ( for many judge by their own affections , the affections of others ) above all , set upon our Fame and reputation . Wherein he proceeded not openly , as former persecutors , but Tyrannically invented alwayes something against us , that it might be to him a chief crime , to force the people of the habitable earth and to tyrannize over the most perfect , and accomplish't doctrine that ever was . But certainly , he made war wit● us , and persecuted piety in th● cowardliest , and basest manner tha● might be , in regard , among th● persecutions wherewith he astlicte● us , he caused frauds , and decei● to interveene in troubling us . For , whereas power branche●● it self into two considerations , th● one consisting in perswasion , th● the other in Force , and Violence ▪ He made use of that part of his power which was the hardest and most inhumane , namely force ; ( reflecting for the most part unto Tyranny , through the unrulinesse of the Common People both in City and Country , whose audaciousnesse is otherwise intollerable , being carried inconsiderately unto all attempts sometimes , without either wit , or discretion ) This force he put in practice against the Christi●ns without any expresse Edict , or Ordinance , for what he would have them do , but onely that he would establish an unwritten law , by ●hich he forbad any one of them ●ould be sought after for his good ●ill , and affection to Religion . The ●●ntlier part of his Power , which ●as perswasion , he reserved to him●●lf , although he kept not the same ●●violately . For , as nature cannot ●ermit , that the Leopard should ●uit his spots , or , the Moore his ●lacknesse , or Fire its heat , or ●he Devil the hatred he bears to ●han ( who from the beginning was 〈◊〉 murderer ) so it could not suffer ●hat this man should abandon his ●ruelty , wherewith he was fully ●ncensed against us . But ( as they 〈◊〉 ) the Cameleon changeth her self ●iversly , and can take all colours , ●ut while I leave there this fabu●ous Sophister , Proteus the Egyptian Iulian did the same to the Christians , bearing towards them all affections of the soul , except mildnesse , his very mercies to them being cruell , and his perswasion mixt with much violence ; covering , under the outside of equal dealing , all manner of injustice , and oppre●sion . Which the more easily 〈◊〉 be guessed at , by those subtle me●● usually put in practice by him , 〈◊〉 draw us to his lure : His perswasio● to this purpose being alwaies bri●● but his violence , which follow●● after , if not yeilded unto in wh●● he would have , lasting long . In 〈◊〉 word , his accustomed manner 〈◊〉 dealing with us , was after the fashion of Hunters seeking to catch thei● game , viz. either with snares 〈◊〉 of fair words to take us , 〈◊〉 with other weapons of violence 〈◊〉 make after us , untill reduced unde● him as his prey . Having resolved in his mind , and made good this division of hi● power into seeming mildnesse , an● force , he betook himself to another stratagem ( which only was resolved upon , though otherwise very inconstant , and extreamly variable in all his proposals ) and t' was this , to begin the execution of his wickednesse upon those of his own House , and Guard ( a way practiced by all Persecutours ) there being no hope ●f invading those that are further ●ff , if those nearer hand be not ●●rst looked after . Even as an Ar●y cannot fight its enemies , if , at ●he same time , it be revolted ●gainst it's chief . For this reason , ●e changed all the Officers of the ●mperial house , putting some away , ●thers to death , neither , for that wanting in their several respects ●articularly to this great Emperour , ●ut because they then shewed it most of all , and at the highest . For which two considerations they ●ecame ( it should seem ) unprofita●le and might not be suffered to serve him . He gained the Souldiery afterwards , partly by himself , partly by means of their Commanders : and esteeming it easier to perswade , he won some by Offices and Dignities , others , ( who knew no other Law but the Will of their Prince ) by their simplicity : and ( to say more ) he drew to him a great part of the Army , viz. as many as he found weak , and inclinable , and who then , and before , were servants of the times . Having gained some , and in hope to gain others , he was not nevertheles● Master of all , neither could he th●● persecuted us , procure to himself such a multitude by his ministry , but that yet there remained more then seven thousand , who bowed not the knee to the Baal of his power , who worship't not the Image of his gold , and who , though bitten perhaps with his Serpentine words , by looking after on the Brazen one , or on one that was a type of Christ on the Crosse , received no hurt by him . Of which number there were not a few , that had honours and dignities , whom , a man would have judged in appearance , might have suffered themselves to be wrought upon , either by fear , or hope . There were also very many of low condition , of no great esteem , but for their number , unto whom having given the assault , he was by them repulsed : even as a great , and thick wall by a thin and ●●eak Engine . Moreover , he angred not him●●lf any more , because those that ●ot from him had courage , and ●onquered : for he was so much out ●f his senses , that those , whom he ●oped to overcome , seemed to him ●s all won already . Yea , he had ●he boldness to undertake against ●he great Standard , which being ●oftily displayed , with the Cro●s woven therein , conducted , and magnificently guided the Army , that had the Vertue ( as the Latine word bears the name ) of comforting , and lessening labours and trawails , and which ( as a man may say ) is the King of Standards , as well of them adorned , and enobled with the Pictures of Emperours , enrich't with devises by Embroderies of diverse colours , as of those carried at the end of a Lance , and flying in the air , with faces of horrible Dragons , and jaws gaping , casting flaming lights , and embroidered with ranks of Shels represented to the life in cloath of Gold , & thereby affording both applause , and pleasures to the beholders . After then that with content he had ordered his House , and thought he was on the top of all his businesse and out of whatever fear and danger , he attempted that which followes . What was that ? to suppresse the truth of God , by labouring , Tooth and Nayl , ( as we say in the Proverb ) utterly to subvert , and root out , not onely the Christians , but also Christianity it self , from off the earth . O foolish , wicked , and ill taught man in things out of thy reach , and of highest concernment ! dared'st thou thus obstinately to undertake so silly , and unlikely an enterprise against that fair portion of Gods inheritance , and Manna of the habitable earth , which had penetrated throughout all extremities by means of the profit , and facility of preaching of the Gospel , ( that thou childishly calledst folly , and yet had subdued the wise , withstood Devils , and resisted time ) as being old , and new together , accordingly , as those of thy party , the Heathens have composed one of thy Gods ? The first , viz. the truth of the Old Testament , declared but to a few , the last , viz. that of the New to very many : the former , as the draught or discription of a shadow , the latter as the accomplishment of the same mystery folded up , and reserved for a certain time onely , and to be revealed after . Again , who , and from whence art thou , that thou daredst to set upon so rich an inheritance of Christ ? so rich , and great , I say , both , and which shall never perish , although there were never so many more furious , and more out-ragious then thou wast : but shall advance itself , and grow more and more famous for ever ? In regard I beleive the Prophesies of old , and those things in like manner which are manifest at present before our eyes , things that as God he hath created , and as man inherited , which the Law hath set forth , but grace accomplished , the Prophets fore-told , the Apostles confirmed , and the Evangelists consummated , or made good and perfect from the beginning unto all ages . Hast thou been so bold as to approach near the holy Sacrifice of Jesus Christ with thy abominations ? and to come with the blood of thy beasts in opposition to his divine blood , that hath washt and purged all the world ? Diddest thou dare to make War against peace ? to lift up thy loose hand against him that was fastned both for thee , and by thee upon the tree ? hast thou set , or composed thy tast against Gall ? wouldest thou set up a Trophee in defiance of the Crosse of Christ ? erect against his Death a Destruction ? against his Resurrection a Rebellion ? against the truest Martyr that ever was ( if a Martyr we may call him ) those that were no Martyrs ? Persecutor as Herod , Traytor 〈◊〉 Judas , but that thou never shew●d'st thy repentance in an halter as ●e did ! Thou who hast crucified ●esus Christ in like manner as Pi●ate ! enemy of God's as the Iews ! who , to thine own inevitable , ●hough future destruction , wast ●eserved , for a time , to be Author ●f so much mischeif ! dost thou ●othing respect those that have ●een sacrificed for the name of Je●us Christ ? Hast thou no regard to ●hat great St. Iohn Baptist ? to St. Pe●er , St. Paul , St. Iames , St. Steven , ●nd a world of other valiant Cham●ions , that both before , and since ●heir time , have miraculously main●ained Gods truth in peril of their ●ives and goods ? manfully fought ●gainst fire and sword ? powerfully ●ubdued beasts and Tyrants by pre●ent torments , and denounced condemnations , as if they had only borrowed their bodies , or , indeed , had no bodies sensible at all of what they suffered for Gods cause ? Now wherefore all this ? That with their mouth , at last , they should renounce the true Religion ? So belike or , otherwise , thou wouldst never have caused honour● to be ordained for them , together with praises , and feasts . But so far off was this Devil Iulian from bringing this to passe , that the Christians in his reign , for the most part , not onely still perfisted in their former profession , and defence of Gods truth , but also by them Devils were cast out , Diseases cured , Apparitions and Prophesies followed , their humane bodies upon touching , or repairing unto , had vertue and power given them a● well as their sanctified souls , to work miraculous effects : yea further , drops onely of their blood , or , the like little remains of their Martyrdome , had the same efficacy and power , &c. What sayest thou ▪ wilt thou still slight , and not yet have a reverent esteem of such like persons ? Thou , who admirest the burning of Hercules , caused upon a disaster of having offended women ? and the dismembring of Pelops , either for the love of strangers , or Gods ? with respect whereunto the Pelopides rendred themselves noble and remarkable both by the shoulders , and by the Ivory : who admirest the gelding of the Phrygian Preists , that receive their shame with the sweetnesse of musical Instruments , wherewith appeased after ? the torments and cruelties used in the mysteries of Mythra , and his burnings , as well just , as mystical ? That murdering of Strangers kil'd by Bull 's The Sacrifice of that Kings Daughter , because of the City of Troy ? and the blood of Meniceus which was shed for the Thebans ? then that of the Daughters of Scedasus at Euctres ? thou that makest so great account of those young Laconicks , who whipt one another till the blood followed , and besprinkled the Altar for the delight of that chast Goddesse , and Virgin ? who makest so great esteem of the Hemlocke of Socrates ? of the Thigh of Epictetes ? of the Belly of Anaxarchus ? whose patience was more by necessity then of good will : who commendest also the precipices of Cleombrotus , moved to cast himself from thence by the reading of the discourse of the Soul ? the dispute of Pythagoras touching his Beanes ? the content of death by Theanes ? or of I know not what other of his School , and Sect ? Neverthelesse , thou most wise and generous , if thou wilt not admire the things I have said came to passe heretofore because of our Religion : at least contemplate on that which is present , and consider the patience of our Scipioes , and Epam●nonda's : seeing thou marchest with thy Army , and causest thy self be served with meats common , and not delicate to eat : that approvest very much of those Emperors , who make War , and conduct their Armies themselves : that savourest of I know what generosity , and discretion in honouring the virtue of thine enemies , and makest more esteem of the valour ●f thine Adversaries , then of the ●owardlinesse , and idlenesse of whosoever of thine own party : ●eest thou not many among us , ●aving in their possession neither ●ouses nor goods , stript likewise ●f their flesh and blood , and yet ●hrough such their sufferings approaching near unto God ? who ●ye on the bare earth , their feet ●as Homer speaks of a certain Devil that desired to honour him ) all ●irty ! who are humble , and yet ●levated above all here below ? who are on earth here with men , ●nd yet , at the same time , in heaven above with God ? who are bound , and yet free ? forced , and yet invincible ? who possesse nothing in the world , and yet injoy all things that are in the world ? who consist of two sorts of lives , the one which they make no reckoning of , the other , whereof they esteem very much ? who dye to live ? who through the dissolution of body and soul , are re-united unto God ? who live exempt from all inordinate affections , and yet filled with the holy and true love of God ? to whom appertains the fountain of light , whose beams already penetrate their souls : who are spiritually nourished , as it were , with angelicall singing of Psalms ? and kept turns , whole nights , together in praising God ? who have thei● minds already in heaven , by a divine rapture , before they dye ? to whom appertains cleannesse and purity ? who know its all one to depart from this world , and to be with God ? to whom belongs rocks , and also paradise ? to be cast down upon the earth and yet to be set upon thrones in heaven ? to be naked in their bodies , and yet cloathed with incorruption in their souls ? to be here in deserts , but yet in heaven with good company ? who neglecting and repressing the sensualities of the body , injoy , for all that , a perpetual , and un expressible content of the soul ? whose tears are the deluge ●f sin , and restauration of the ●orld ? whose extended hands put ●ut fire , tame the raving of wild ●easts , dull the edge of the sword , ●ake whole troops fly away ? and ●now thou also , that , at length , ●hey shall withstand , and triumph ●ver thy impiety , although , for a 〈◊〉 , thou bravest it , and , with thy ●evils , dancest ( as I may so say ) 〈◊〉 the delights of thine own hearts ●●sts , and heathenish devices . Nevertheless , O impudent fel●ow as thou art ! how can it be ●hat , in the mean time , thou better ●onsiderest not of these things ? ●hou , who art as liable to death , as ●ny other worldling ? How can'st ●hou find in thine heart to make no ●reater esteem of those before ●poken Saints of God , neither to ●everence them as thou oughtest ? ●re not the gifts and graces , where●ith those clear Lights of heaven ●hine so bright , far to be preferred ●efore the unsatiable covetousness ●f Solon that wise man , whom Craesus made tryal of with his Lydian gold ? or the Philocaly of S●crates , that is , an affection in doating upon fine things ? for I am ashamed to think of , much less b● in love with his foul sin ( of Sod●my , I mean ) although , with ver● much artifice , heathen men hav● strove to cover it , and are commended for their so doing . O● the licourishness Plato shewed i● Sicily ? which brought him to suc● a condition , that he was sold without being redeemed by any of hi● own disciples , or other of th● Greek Nation ? Or , the glutton● of Xenocrates ? the Cinicalne●● of Diogenes ? who made a Tun hi● house , wherein he more accounte● of Beggars , then of Princes ; o● Barly-loaves , then of fine Manche●● ( as the Tragedy hath it . ) Or , th● Philosophy of Epicurus ? who kne● no other soveraign good , then th● pleasure he took to please hi● senses . You , make great account o● Crates . Certes , 't was an exploi● worthy a brave Philosopher , vo●untarily to quit himself of his ●reat revenues : and , that they not ●inder him in his study of Philo●ophy , to cast away much riches ●ormerly possessed by him in great ●ontempt , but the manner of his ●penly making known the same , ●y boastingly publishing the know●edge thereof to posterity , is a ●●gn he was ambitious of popular ●pplause : a mark whereby we dis●ern him to be affected as well with ●he tumour of Vain-glory , as with ●he humour of being a Philosopher . ●ou admire him , who being at ●ea , and commanding all his goods , 〈◊〉 a tempest , to be cast over●oard , thanked fortune that she had ●educed him to a Sultan , or to a ●hilosophers cloak . Also Anthiste●es , who , as a quarreller , having all ●is face broken , made no more ac●ount of it , then the writing on his ●prehead , as on a table the name ●f him that had beaten him ; to ●he end , peradventure , he might make his complaint more hainous against him , when time should serve . Thou highly prizest 〈◊〉 other , that lived not long since who making his Oraisons to th● Sun , stood upon his feet as long a● the day lasted , observing , it ma● be , to begin then when it came nea● the Earth , that such his prayer● might be the breifer , and finishing them when the Sun set . Thou als● makest great account of him , who in winter , being on the guard , too his charge so to heart , that he passe● the whole night , which froze hard in contemplation , and had hi● mind so intent thereon , that he fel● not the cold at all . Thou praises● also the curiosity of Homer's desir● to know the Riddle of Arcadia● and Aristotle , who stayed sometim● on the bank of Euripus , to understand the cause of its Ebbing an● Flowing ; neither of which bein● perfectly understood by either o● them , was the cause of the one an● of the others death . Thou esteemest also of the Wells of Cleander of the Girdle of Anaxagoras , an● of the Weeping of Heraclitus . Now tell me , how many hast thou of these ? and how long have they ●asted ? And wonderest thou not at so ●any thousand of ours , that have ●ollowed the like Philosophy , and ●ar more admirable , all their lives ? ●eest thou not how , in all parts of ●he world , as well men , as women ●f our Religion , have striven one ●ith an other , even unto admira●ion on all sides , who should be ●ost renowned for vertuous living , ●orgetting even the laws of nature , ●hen endeavouring to appease God 〈◊〉 their chast conversation and pa●ence , not onely the meaner sort ●f people that are wont to live of ●odily labour , but the great and fa●ous also for their ancestry and ●ignities ? Who changed their for●erly accustomed delicious man●er of living in all plentifulness 〈◊〉 variety of delights , for the ●rder discipline of a more severe 〈◊〉 , to follow Christ : who , though 〈◊〉 attaining to the grace of eloquent speaking , ( true piety not consisting in Rhetorical straines , and in the fruit of wisdome proceeding from the lips ( according to the opinion of one of your own Poets ) and being of little value , ) yet most excellent they were , notwithstanding , in the sweet disposition of their souls , in the sincere and exact government of their lives and actions , to the Will of God. But this man , shutting his eyes to all this , and aiming onely to please Devils , ( which already many times , justly overwhelmed him ) before he made any Ordinances for common affairs , rush'● upon the Christians : and , althoug● he had two things which gave hi● trouble , viz. the Galileans ( for 〈◊〉 he was pleased injuriously to ca●● us ) and the Persians , who , bearin● troubles patiently , continuall● made war against him : So it was he had a business came so near him that the Persian war seemed 〈◊〉 him but as a Play and Fable : where of , though he made no shew , yet he was so transported with fury , that every one took notice of him : But this so prudent person , so good a common-wealths-man , considered not , that in the first Persecutions , there happened but a little confusion and trouble , because our doctrine was not then spread among so many people , the knowledge of the truth as then made manifest but to few that had need of more light , but now that the Word of our Saviour is so far spread , and so well establish'd among us , to strive to pull it up , and to shake Christianity , it 's no other thing , then to overthrow the Roman Empire , to expose to all manner of danger and ●azzard the whole State of the Republick : which is the worst that our greatest enemies can wish to us , namely to see us receive these evils from our selves , and by the means of this new and admirable Philosophy and Policy , by which we become so happy , and return to the first age , and golden condition of the world that was without trouble , without all kind of dissention , or Warring one with another . But they 'l tell me , the People are gently governed , Taxes remitted , Magistrates worthily chosen , Theeves punished , and such like things , with respect unto temporary felicities , and make it good . For it must needs be we should have our ears tingle with such manner of applauding him in his Government . But the divisions , neverthelesse , and commotions of Towns and Countryes , the destruction of families , the quarrels of private houses , the separation of married folks , that were likely to follow such a mischief , and , as the truth is indeed , have followed the same , brought they any augmentation to his glory , or commodity and benefit otherwise to the Common-wealth ? Who is he , that is such a Partizan of Paganisme , so void of common sense as to avow the same ? For , even as in a mans body , when a member or two are out of order , the other cease not to do their office , and to conserve the welfare of the rest that are in health , and the greater number , by means whereof , even those that were ill affected , ●ut of frame often come again to their naturall constitution : but when too many parts are ill affected , there 's scarce any remedy , but ●hat the whole body becomes in danger to be overthrown : So in ●tates and Republiques , particular defects may sometimes be made ●p , when , at the same time , it fares well with the generall : but when ●he greater part is weak , without doubt the General is in much haz●ard to be destroyed . A case so obvious and trivial to every common understanding that the grossest enemies we have cannot possibly ●ut soon foresee the same , especi●lly at this time that the Christians ●re so increased . But the malice of this man hath ●o blinded his reason , that hand over head he ceaseth not to molest ●ll manner of Christians , little and great : Yea , so tainted he is with all kind of wilfull hatred against us , not onely unworthy of a judiciou● Emperour , but also of a far meane● man in understanding and place that , as if , with our Name , h● could take from us the beleif whic● we repose in Christ , he hath commanded our Name should b● changed , and that we should be no longer called Christians : yea , 〈◊〉 make us ashamed , as if thereby w● were accused of some great crime● he made a new edict touching th● same , calling us therein , and o●daining we should be called Galileans , in stead of Christians ; she●ing indeed thereby that the name o● Christian is a glorious and honourable Title , otherwise , certainly , 〈◊〉 would never have taken it from us ▪ and , in lieu thereof , given us a● other lesse famous , and not of the like reputation . Or , whether fearing some vertue to lye hid under tha● Name , which might cause those o● his Party tremble , so oft as spoken in their hearing [ in like manner as those Devils in the Gospel are reported to have trembled at the name of Christ ] took away the occasion of their being so troubled , by forbidding us to be called after that name . As for us , we desire not to change those names whereby he is called , knowing nothing more ridiculous , then those appellations of Phales , Isiphales , venerable Pan , &c. wherewith he takes a pride to be stiled : being Names not onely infamous , and shamelesse , but such , as upon consideration of the reasons wherefore at first they were taken up , cannot otherwise then give offence unto modest ears that take notice thereof , Neither envy we his title of Caball , whereof he boasts so much in his follies , or that other epethice of Hercules Kill-cowe , &c. worshiped as a God , because , in his Thirteenth labour , he begot with Child in one night fifty daughters of Thyestes . If endeavour to find out new names , wherewith to reproach him for his fouler , and more villanous actions , we are not ignorant how to fit him with a great many more to the purpose , then those , whereby to vilifie us , he hath invented against the Christians . The History of his unworthy Acts is not so altogether unknown to us , but that it 's an easie task , thereout to furnish our selves with Names more then a good many , whereunto to intitle him , as due to his deserts , though much unbeseeming the man he would be taken for , being not content to be stiled by the Title of Emperour of the Romans onely , but also would be called Emperour of the whole world . For so he perswaded himself , he should be before his death , as being bewitched into such a beliefe by those Devils , and Magicians that thereinto infatuated him . As for our being call'd Galileans , that are Ch●istians , we are no whit ashamed thereof , seeing Christ our blessed Redeemer was so called . Yea further , seeing he that is Lord , Creatour , and Governour of the Universe , Son , and Word of God the Father , sitteth on the same Throne , with him , Mediatour , and High Priest , and , for the love of us , ( that despised , and cast his Image in the dust , as ignorant , perhaps , a great many of us , of that high mistery of his Deities conjunction with our flesh ) took upon him the forme of a Servant , and ●ore our sins in his own body on the ●ree , that they might dye with him : If he , I say , suffered himself to be called a Samaritan , and ( which is worse ) a Devil : ( to whom it was an easie matter with an Hoast of Angels , yea , a word speaking only to vindicate himself , and repulse a whole world of wicked men ) and was neither offended thereat , nor made complaint against them that did him that injury , but sent them gently away , ( shedding tears to obtain pardon from God his father for them that crucified him ) shall we , that are vile worms , however christned in his Name , hold it an unseemly thing , think it much to be defamed , after that sort , or troubled therewith , when , in the same manner , reproached for his sake ? God forbid . Nay rather , — being reviled , we blesse : being persecuted , we suffer it , esteeming more of such injuries , and other scoffings , wherewith reproachfully thou tauntest us , then to be otherwise made rich by thee , for a time , with the muck of this worlds goods , then to be advanced by thee to fleeting Honours , and Offices , and whatever other earthly preferment that 's in thy power , and choice to confer upon us . Yea , moreover , whereas it 's thy whole delight , thi●● hearts content is solely fixed on such matters , we stick not to make open profession unto thee , and unto all the world besides , in the words of the Apostle , that we determine not to know , ( much lesse to be affected , and hunt after ) any thing among you , save Jesus Christ , and him crucified . He had one quality more in him , an unworthy and dishonest one both , and that was , he accustomed himself , when covertly ayming to gain us to his Party , at the same time to put on the Fox his skin upon that of the Lions , or , ( as I cannot better express the same ) to cloth , under the mask of Minos his justice , his own cruelty , and oppression . To abridge my discourse , the rest of his abominable actions I 'le leave further to be dilated , unto those hereafter that shall be pleas'd more largely to pen the whole History thereof , not doubting , but many will strive to make Posterity acquainted with things of such consequence , and whether Tragedy , or Comedy , ( call them as you list ) deserve not to be concealed . As for my part , I 'le reduce unto those passages before spoken of , one , or two of his most signal acts , to let them who admire his deeds , and count him praise-worthy for the same , know , a man cannot invent charges enough , is not able to find faults so many , or reproaches so great and shameful , as he deserved . It 's a maxime among Emperours , ( I know not whether it be practised with other Monarchs , but among the Romans it 's exactly observed ) viz. that , in honouring them , they set up for the reigning Emperours , publick Statues ; for , as for Crowns , and Diademes , they suffice not ( it should seem ) no , nor Scarlet , nor solemne Ordinances , nor Taxes , and Tributes , nor great number of People to applaud them at their first entrance into Supreme Authority : but it 's their pleasure , over and above , like Gods , to be adored , that thereby they may be held for more majestical and sublime . They will also have the same adoration done , in like manner , even to their very Pictures , and Images , that thereby their eminency may be set forth more absolutely , and completely . Among these Images , and Representations , each Emperour chuseth severally unto himself certain of them : e. g. Some , setting forth to the life great Cities making Presents : Others , a famous Victory crowned with triumph : Some , Magistrates on their knees , with devises expressing their Charges and Offices : Others , cruell Beasts kill'd with Arrows , directly shot through again ; Others certain vanquished Barbarians laid prostrate at their feet , or otherwise kill'd in diverse manners . For they desire not onely the truth of things , whereof they assume the glory to themseves , but also , to have Representations , and Pictures thereof . See now how this man plotted , what craft by him was used against the Christians . As those , who in drinks sometimes mingle poison , so he infused , upon a time , abomination among his Imperial Ceremonies , confounding together the adoration of Idols with the Ordinance of the Romans . For which purpose , among the Effigies of Emperours , and other usual Pictures , he caused to be interposed the resemblances of Devils , and that done , exposed them to the People , Cities , and principle Governours of Provinces . These Images , or Pictures were after that manner contrived , that who so adored the Emperour , the mischief could not be avoided , but , at the same time , he must , of necessity , adore therewith Devils , the Effigies , or Pictures of Devils , being so cunningly interweaved with those of the Emperour . Now who so adored not those Representations , the Imperial Majesty was offended therewith , and the Party refusing to give honour thereunto found guilty of High Treason against the Emperour . There were some wiser , and more advised , who finding out the deceit , were not taken with this so artificially invented snare ; who were afterwards punished for such their prudence , under the pretence , they had not honoured the Emperour : when as the true cause was , for their being faithful rather to the great Monarch of heaven and earth , and to the true Religion . A great number of the simpler and poorer sort of people were ensnared herein : who , in my opinion , deserved to be pardoned for their innocency , being by subtlety thereunto inforced . After this sort , matters being thus deceitfully handled , 't will be sufficient to make this person infamous , and worthy of just reproof , in regard private Persons , and Princes , should not govern themselves alike in their affairs , their actions being of different weight and importance , a private person not so much to be blamed when he doth any thing by subtlety , and after a covert manner , because otherwise , perhaps , he is not able to compass what he would have , by force , and therefore is constrained to use art , and dissimulation : but , as for a Prince , it should be otherwise , because , as it is a shame to be overcome by force , so , I esteem it yet a greater , to cover his designs with craft , and faining . There 's beyond this an other matter , which , though it came from the same forge and conception , is yet worse , because the evil of greater consequence . I will annex it here unto what I have spoken formerly . There was a certain day , wherein the Emperour would bestow a Largesse , whether accustomed and ordinary , or more solemn and at a prefixt time , to manifest his inward malice towards us , it skills not . 'T was ordained then , all the Army should assist therein , that every one , according to his degree ▪ and dignity , might receive his Largess and Pay. ( Behold here another mistery of villany , see here how iniquity playeth its part ) under the colour of liberallity he would bring it to passe , by alluring the Souldiers with money , ( who for the most part , are ordinarily covetous enough , if not too unsatiable ) The businesse was this . Being pompously set in great state , and also very powerful through his wiles , by reason whereof , ( as if he had been an other Melampus , or Pro●heus ) he could change himself into whatsoever formes , at his pleasure , ●ccording to the quality of affairs he had in hand , ( the story that I am ●bout to tell , would move compassion in whosoever of any good nature , or tollerable apprehension , whether beholding this sad specta●le with their eyes , or otherwise ●earing the samerelated unto them : ) There was before him Gold , there was Incense , and just against him Fire ; close by stood the Master of the Ceremonies , who gave notice what was to be done : The outward pretence was , the making ●se of certain more ancient , and honourable Ceremonies in that their reception of the Emperours Largesse , but the issue after was , They were to Sacrifice Incense in the Fire , and receive from the Emperour the wages of such their perdition ( very little indeed for a thing of so great concernment , for the losse of so many souls , by their committing therein so hainous and execrable an offence against the Almighty . ) O wretched gain ! O miserable recompense ! wherewith the Souldiery were betrayed , and sold by such an invention they who had conquered the whole universe , by means of a little Fire , a little Gold , and a little incense , were discomfited and destroyed ▪ 〈◊〉 ( which was more pitiful ) thought not upon their death and ruine . Such as went thither , for the lucre of 〈◊〉 little money lost thereby their souls , kissing the Emperours hand , and perceiving not , that , at the same time , they kist the hand o● their Assasinate , and were nothing the better by so easily suffering themselves to be carried away , a● by an inviolable Law , unto such simplicity , and unadvisednesse ▪ How many thousand Persians should there have been to have made such a defeat ? how many archers , and slingers of stones ? how great a number of armed Souldiers ? what engins to beat down walls could have done that , which one onely hand , one only journey , and one wicked counsel brought to pass , and accomplished ? I will insert here one story more lamentable then the former but ●ow recited . 'T is reported that some of the before-said Souldiers having been deceived by ignorance , after the Act committed , and re●iring to their Houses , as they were at Table with their Companions , and about to drink water ( as accustomed to doe ) not thinking of the mischief which they had brought upon themselves , but taking the cup in their hand , and lifting up their eyes on high , began to call upon the name of Jesus Christ : Whereat , one of them more sensible of what they had done , then the rest , said to them , after this manner . [ What mean ye to invoke Jesus Christ , after renouncing him ? ] with which words being astonished , and stricken ( as it were ) half dead , what strange thing ( say they ) do you affright us withall ? tell us , when was it that we renounced him ? unto whom the other replying , when ye burnt incense before the Emperour , which was a sign of such your renouncing him ; presently these poor souls leapt from the board , as men bereaved of their wits , and , incensed with despite and choler , ●an to the Market-place , crying aloud , [ We are Christians , we are Christians , we have not been Traitors to thee , O Saviour Christ ! let all the world know it , and principally our good God , for whose sake we are content to live or dye , as seemeth good to him : we have not wilfully abjured the confession of thy holy Name ; if with our hands we have transgressed , our hearts never gave consent thereunto : we have been deceived with the Emperors Gold ; that was it , whereby we were contaminated : but such our unperceived abomination , when time was , we have since the knowledge thereof , utterly abandoned , and desire our blood may be shed in expiation for ●hat great offence formerly committed by us . ] After which Out●ries openly made by them , they an directly to the Emperour , furi●usly throwing the Gold received ●rom him formerly , before his face , ●n presence of the standers by , unto ●he earth , exclaiming with a loud ●oice , we have not been call'd by ●hee to receive honour , but to be markt with the infamy of Repro●ates : Do us the honour , who are ●hy Souldiers , to kill and sacrifice ●s to Christ , who is our King : For ●he Fire of Incense burned by us at ●hy command , command us to be ●urned with fire ; and for the ashes ●hereof , reduce thou us to ashes : cause our hands to be cut off , which ●nwittingly have been advanced to other Gods : honour others with thy Gold , who will not repent the ●eceiving of it : as for us , the riches which we look for , is to gain Christ , which gain vve prefer before all other gain , before vvhatever other riches , or honour , or things of this life , that thou art able to impart unto us . This vvas it they said , and advertised others to take notice of th● craft that vvas put upon them , t● purge themselves from the sins o● this intoxication , making satisfaction , or leastvvise endeavouring so to doe , by their blood , unto Christ Jesus that dyed for them With vvhich resolution of their the Emperour being exceedingly irritated , vvould not , neverthelesse command them to be put to death publikely , for fear of rendring them Martyrs in his so doing : but gav● order they should be sent forthvvith into exile , punishing them that vvay , the more reservedly , fo● the neglect , the little regard the● seemed to shevv unto his person i● their Speeches , and Actions before him , but novv specified . Had he pu● them to death , there could nothing be more acceptable unto them and , as for his Banishing of them , they vvere so far off from being troubled therevvith , that they too● it as a great favour from him , rejoycing with inward delight in their souls , ( I dare say ) in that thereby they conceived themselves the more freed , or at least , they were the more removed out of sight from being upon every occasion , defiled and deluded further with his enchantments and deceits . Having this intention , and imploying otherwise his malice diverse wayes ( for his mind was nothing setled ) and inflamed more with a Diabolicall fury , than with ●ny naturall reason , being uncon●tant in his resolutions , he concea●ed alwayes the secrets of his wick●dnesse . But as 't is said of the ●●re of Mount Aetna , that it is hid●en in the bowels of the earth , ●ourishing and increasing its self in ●eing retained by force , or some ●ther thing , ( viz. the breath of a Gyant in torments ) rendring hor●ible murmurings continually from ●he low pits thereof , casts out a moke on the top , ( an inevitable sign of the calamity aproaching , if the fire become so great that it cannot be stayed ) and then with violence breaking its bounds , ascendeth upwards , and enlarging its widenesse , makes a strange vomiting , which spoiles and corrupteth the Land neer adjoyning : So was it with this man , who sometimes commanded , and helped himself in our affairs with the frauds , and impostures of his deceitfull , and sophisticall Edicts . But , since his untamed fury was let loose , he could not by any means conceale his malice . Fo● from that time , he began to persecute those of our Religion openly . Where , passing over thos● Ordinances he made against ou● Sacred Churches , ( which wer● generally published ) together wit● robbing us of those Offerings , an● Money consecrated to God , proceeding no less from avarice , the irreligion ; the forcibly taking a way of our holy Ornaments , whic● were pulled from us by filth● and profane hands , the Priests and Sextons , for keeping them , being dragged up and down , and tormented , defiled also and covered over with blood streaming from their bodies torn with lashes of rods , when their hands at the same time , were fastned to pillars ; the Crosse-bow-men running through Provinces , and Cities , wickeder and crueller then himself , who gave the command that we should be utterly routed instead of the Persians and Scythians : Forbearing ( I say ) the speaking of these things , who is it that knoweth not the Sa●agenesse of them of Alexandria ? who , among many other enterprises which furiously they put in practice against us , making use of the Licenciousnesse of the times , without any either honesty , or modesty in ●o doing , ( being a people furious ●nd turbulent by nature ) so far ●eightned after destruction , their ●hirst , that ( as 't is reported ) they fil●ed our holy Temple with two sorts of blood , viz. the blood of beasts sacrificed , and of Men. In which barbarousness of theirs an Officer of the Emperours Army was chief , who , for this onely cruelty , got him a name , and made himself famous amongst them . Who is he , moreover , that hath not heard of the swarms of the Heliopolitans , and rashnesse of the Gazeans ? who , for their mercylessenesse towards us , in recompense thereof were honoured and applauded by him , and had experience of his liberality . Who is he that hath not been made acquainted with the fury of the Arethusians ? who till then being altogether unknown , were since had by him in great reputation , it not being vertuous actions alwayes that bring reputation and credit to persons , but also superlative wickednesse sometimes , and , never the like heard of , brutish invention pu● in practice to punish innocen● Christians . I will onely recite tha● which may seem horrible and crue● to very Atheists themselves . Certain chast Virgins knowing little of worldly affairs , as excluded from the sight of almost all other save themselves , by these barbarous Arethusians having been dragged stark-naked into the Market-place , to the intent they might be put to the more open shame , were commanded to have the hair of their head cut off , after which , their flesh cut in peices , ( my God! scarce have I the patience to repeat it ) was immediately thereupon by them savagely devoured with their Teeth in a Feast sutable to that their execrable fury , filling their bellies also then with the raw Livers of those Virgins , and after that , common meat being brought in , some of them took the bowells and guts of the aforesaid Virgins , yet reaking hot , and mingling them with hog-wash , threw them to the Swine , before the others faces , that they might see their hungry hogs tear the same , and , together with barly mingled amongst it , eat it up all . A dish of meat which till then , never the like was fed upon , and wherewith the Inventer thereof should have endeavoured to glut the Devil onely : As , the truth is , the Devil after made a fine meal of the blood of the wounds which that wicked Emperour Julian received in his bowells , and whereof he was slain when shot into his body in the last Wars that he ever fought upon earth , with the Persians . Again , who is such a stranger in our affairs , as hath not heard of Marcus Arethusius a famous man among us ? who ignorant of the story of him , except I relate the same at present ? who in the raign of Constantine's giving full liberty to the Christians to exercise their Religion , pull'd down one of the Gentiles Temples , or rather a retreat , or habitation of theirs for Devils , and converted a great number of them that were Pagans unto the Christian faith , to the right way thereby unto everlasting life , as well by the excellency of his manners , as by his eloquence : and for the same cause , was not well liked of by the Arethusians , or , at least , those among them that were followers of Devils ? But , since the affairs of Christians were troubled , and that those of the Greeks , and other Gentiles began to rise high , he could not avoid the violence of the time . For the vulgar , being wont ; for a time , to retain their passions . as fire that is hid in wood , or , as a stream of Water that is stopt , upon any the least occasion riseth , and breaketh through all . He then observing the madnesse of the people , who were not a little animated against him , and threatned him , was resolved at first to flye from them , not so much for want of courage , as to obey the command of Christ , which wills us to retire from one City to an other , and thereby to give way to our Persecutours . For good Christians must not onely regard their own particular , though never so vertuous and constant , as beware of their enemies , and that , on their part , they give not the least occasion to do them an injury , which , without scandall to their weak brethren , and to the prejudice of true Religion which publikely they make unfained profession of , 't is in their choice to put by , or make prevention of . It so fell out , neverthelesse , that perceiving many to be apprehended , and dragged before Magistrates because of him , and that there were some in danger of the losse of their souls , by reason of the cruel persecutions wherewith they were afflicted in their bodies for his sake , he would not altogether neglect them , who for the making sure of his person , were in hazzard to lose their own . Wherefore , being first holily and well-advised , he returns back from his retirement , and offering himself to the people , resolved with patience to undergo whatever calamities of the times : With respect whereunto , what injuries and oppressions were there , unto which he was not exposed ? What could be more lamentable ? every one brought ( I know not what ) resolution to adhere to that foul sin of diversly afflicting him , carrying neither any regard to the constancy of him , nor to the quality of his Persecutours ; who were the more irritated against him through a supposition , that his return to them proceeded rather from a contempt , or neglect that he made of their persons , then of any virtue , or constancy in himself to undergoe vvhatever tribulations to be inflicted upon him by their fury . Whereupon , this holy old man , this voluntary Souldier of Jesus Christ vvas led through the City ( venerable for his age , but more for his life to all the vvorld ) exposed to these tyrants , and hang-men , and conducted by people of all manner of qualities , rich and poor , young and old , men and women , some of one sort , and some of another , hurried together : yea ( and which was more strange to behold ) those who had estates , and were of the wealthiest , strove together , were emulous among themselves , who should punish him most , all indifferently esteeming it a commendable thing to inflict whatever torments upon him , and to triumph over him ; Whom all the people of the Town villanously handled , some halling him through the Streets , other thrusting him into the Kennels : these plucking him by the hair of his head , those smiting him upon every part-of his body : using further , shamelesse reproaches , and not to be spoken of , among so many other mischiefs ; just as those are wont to be done unto , vvho vvere punished in those Paganish mysteries of Mythra . He vvas also lifted up in the air as in a svving , too and fro tossed from one side to the other : he had his precious body received naked upon the points of their Pen-knives , who acted their parts in this mournfull and sad Tragedy against him : Yea further , they put his legs in a presse , and squeesed them to the bones : they cut off his ears with a fine slender thread , making him , in the mean time , stand upright in a basket , and rubbing , or besmeering him all over with honey and salt , they exposed him to Waspes and Bees about noon , when the sun shined hottest and clear : which made his flesh seem , as it were , to melt , and gave those animals a warm throat full of this happy meat . I call the meat , this flesh happy , because , however tortured , yet suffering patiently for Christs sake , he rendred every part of his body happy , as a blessed sacrifice , and most acceptable in the sight of God. There 's an other story as well worthy to be remembred , and spoken of him , and that is this . This good old man and young both ( for the dolours which he underwent in his old age caused him not to abate of the lively chearfulnesse he was indued within his youth ) smiling in the height of his torments , was heard to utter these famous and most remarkable words unto his tormentours , saying , [ I esteem very much the posture wherein you have put me in thus lifting me up , It 's a good omen to see my self exalted , and others below me . ] He had as much to say touching the different condition wherein himself was , in comparison of those that persecuted him : the contemplation whereof seemed to make him feel no more pain , then as if he had been onely an assister at the tormenting of another , taking those his sufferings for an honour , and not for a punishment , wherewith they seemed after a sort , but indeed were no way able to afflict him . Where is there a man never so little gentle and debonaire , that is not affected with this gallantry , that reverenceth not this holy Martyr for these brave acts ? But the times permitted not to shew pity in such cases to the Christians , neither the irregular passions of the Emperour , whose unrelenting will it was still , that the people , Cities , and Magistrates should , by all means , carry themselves cruelly unto us , though many of them , for all that , were utterly ignorant of the bottome of his wicked heart . Thus went the affairs with this constant old man. If you ask the reason ? 'T was because he refused to give five Shillings to his Executioners : which was an argument evident and plain , that he had the patience to suffer for the cause of God , and his true Religion only . In regard , whilst they demaunded at first a great sum of money , in lieu of the Temple it's being pull'd down by him , and would abate nothing of that price , but either the whole sum was to be laid down by him , or else he rebuild it at his own charge , one would have thought this refusall of him came from want of means , and disability to satisfie what was demanded , rather then from zeal to the true Religion : but after that by his constancy he had gained to be abated in part , and continually had something cut off with respect unto the price formerly required , so that the demand in the end amounted but to a little in value , yea so little that it was easie for him to pay it , the difference between them was who should remain master , they in making him give something , though never so little , or he , on the contrary , ( who was not to be forced , ) to pay any thing at all , although very many there were that voluntarily offered to give for him more then they desired , not onely because of his unparallel'd piety , but also in consideration of his invincible and unconquerable constancy . At what time a man might cleerly see , he fought not in this list for money , but for Religion . Let then those that so much admire this Philosophicall Emperour , resolve us , whether these , and the like actions of his , were signes of mildnesse and gentlenesse , or contrarily , of much pride and cruelty . As for my part , I beleive the Question is soon answered . I have not as yet declared how this Sufferer was one of them , who had formerly saved this detestable Prince , when all his Race was in dangers , by secretly conveyhing him away from those that sought to destroy him . The reason , it may , be , of his deserving to be so grievously punished , namely , for his imprudent preserving him then , who became after so great a plague to all the world . In consideration of which whole businesse , with respect unto the patient suffering all manner of cruell torments , and other lamentable reproches by this Martyr of ours , A certain Greek , that is to say , a Pagan in Religion , ( though in his behaviour otherwise , somewhat above , and beyond all other of his kind that ever lived either before or since his time , to be admired at ) being not able any longer to behold the tormentours on his own Party , and the constancy of him that endured thus all manner of punishment on the other , brake forth into these noteable words unto the Emperor , and in the presence of the whole company that was then assembled together , & spake after this sort . [ Are not we ashamed , Sir , to fee our selves so overcome of the Christians , that we have not the power to be masters over one poor old man , who hath gone through all sorts of torments , and of whom , if we had had the better , it had been no great matter ? is it not a great impeachment of our credit , when all 's done , to retire vanquished by him ? Whereupon ( as it seemed then ) the other Officers blush'd , but those Kings , that is to say , the Pagan Priests mock'd at it . Could any thing in the whole earth be more shameful and wretched , not with relation so much to him that suffered the same , as , on the other side , especially , who caus'd these mischiefs , and other the like abominable outrages to be put in practice ? In this sort , after a most barbarous , and never the like heard of inhumanity , dealt they with Arethusius ? So that the cruelty of Phalaris , and of Echetus will seem small , in comparison of theirs ; more espcially of his who compelled them thereunto , and was Author thereof . O that I could meet with the Creature , that had the gift to infuse into me the Knowledge of Herodotus , the Eloquence of Thucidides , whereby to paint out the wickednesse of this man ; to set forth in livly colours to Posterity , the whole History of those severall passages of profound villanies that were acted by him throughout all his whole life . I pass to make mention of Orontes , or of them who had their throats cut in the night , which he hid in favour of the Emperour , being staid because of the body of him to whose death he seemed to consent , for that would be more proper to be put in Verse . Neither will I speak of the Caves , and places under ground in the Imperial Pallace ; or , of that which was done in Ponds , and in Pits , and in Ditches filled with the pernicious treasure , and detestable mysteries , not only Anatomies and dissections of Children and Virgins ( made use of to cause Divels appear by Divinations , & in other abominable and irregular Sacrifices ) but also , of them who were in trouble for the true Religion . Concerning all which , it 's my advice not to tax him openly ; and that because himself was ashamed thereof . And good reason , for it 's certain , had he not endevoured to keep them secret , they had turned to his confusion , after made known and discovered . As for the Christians of Caesarea , a magnanimous People , and constant in Piety , who were so injured , and cast down by him , it 's not a matter , it may be , which deserves reproach ; because that being irritated against Fortune , ( which sometimes was contrary to him ) in time of prosperity he had ( in his opinion perhaps ) just cause of vengeance ; as also , we must excuse somewhat the injustce that then bore sway , and wherewith ●hey were then so much infested . Who is it that knows not how ●he multitude furiously incensed ●gainst the Christians , killed a great number of them , and threatned ●et worse ? And thereupon the Governour of the Province keeping a middle way betwixt the time present , and the Edicts then already made , and esteeming it , on the one side , better to comply with the Season , and on the other , to carry some respect unto the Laws ; after putting a great number of the Christians in prison , chastised also some Pagans . Whereof , being afterward accused , he was brought before the Emperour , and thereupon deprived of his Government : Whom ( although alleadging the Emperours Ordinances , on which he had grounded his Judgement ) it failed but a little of his being condemned thereupon unto death ; thoug● in the end , he experimented hi● clemency , and was banished only ▪ His Reply , nevertheless , to th● Emperour , was gallant and brave For , when extolling unto him th● valour of the Pagans above the Galileans , in that one Paga● sometimes brought under his Subjection many Galileans . [ Wha● great matter is it , ( quoth th● Governor to the Emperor ) if on● Pagan overcome or subdue a multitude of Galileans ? Hath not you● Highnesse made an Edict for th● Pagans to do thereafter ; Are no● they backed by your Command , to use all manner of violence against them , when whosoever will , is not only permitted , with all sor● of injustice , to molest them , but also assisted , and may call for what help as he thinks fit , at his pleasure , to wrong and confound them ? When as he that is most cruell , is most commended ; he reputed the best Subject that exerciseth his wit most to vex them ? When for a Pagan , in the least manner , to be courteous to a Ga●ilean , is to be criminous in the ●ighest degree ? When noneless with●tand , none sooner yeild themselves ●o our fury , than those Galileans ? When not only a few , but many ●undreds of them , though of force to resist , yet in obedience to your Majesties pleasure and will , patiently submit themselves to one poor Pagan Executioner , to be punished ? To beat then those that resist not , and after to boast of their manhood that do so , what is it , but to publish rather their violence , than to make good their valour to Posterity ? Besides , the pleasure of a Prince , or Emperor , is a Law not written , which , being upheld by force and authority , hath much more power in it , than when written , and not upheld by the same force to maintain it . This should not be so ( say they ) who have set forth unto us a new God , good and gracious . Contrarily , your Highness publickely hath forbidden us to trouble the Christians , as also commanded that Christians should not be injured at every mans pleasure ; so that thereby the Christians are discharged from our causing them any more wrongfully to be afflicted . The Hydra , though you cut of● one of its heads , is never the less hurtfull , because , in stead of tha● one cut off , other nine succeed in the place thereof . And ( if we must beleeve Fables ) did we ever see a Patarical Chimaera gentle and pleasant , because it had three divers Formes , which should rather cause the same to be thought hideous ? Or , must that infernall Cerberus , or Scilla , the plague of Sea-men , be counted harmless , because the upper parts thereof ( as 't is said ) are pleasing and beautifull to the sight , as resembling a faire Creature of humane kind , when the rest of it are full of the figures of Dogs-heads , and of other wild beasts , that commit all manner of mischief ? when it swalloweth up whole fleets of ships , and is as dangerous as Charybdes , right over against the same ? But what ? Wilt thou find fault with the arrowes and stones , and excuse the Crosse-bowes , and those that shoot in them ? Or , shall we condemn the Hunters dogs for greedily running after their prey , and worrying of it , and at the same time , hold them excused and innocent , that make use of them ? 'T will be very far from reason so to conceive , and needs some sophisticall cheat to cover over , and wrap up the truth by the force of a fair speaking tongue , to defend these vices . Their 's a means ( I confesse ) to warrant ( in some sort ) him that would disguise himself with these subtleties , by taking to him the Helmet of Pluto , the Ring of Gyges ; which , in turning the beril or broad part , makes him that wears it , become invincible . On the contrary , this great impostor , by how much the more he striv●● to walk in the dark , and no body see him , to dance in a net ( as we say in the Proverb ) and not be perceived , by so much the sooner ( as it happened ) was he descried and laid open by the judgement of truth : at least , by those that had eyes in their heads to perceive , that he alone was Author of these mischiefs , of those actions , which himself with all his subtlety , was never able to make good . So easie a matter it is for wickednesse , we see , to be convinced and made manifest unto all men , when , however daubed over , for a time , with fair shewes , it hath recourse still unto its own naughtinesse , and falls foul upon the head alwayes of its first contrivers . If the acts thus committed by him untill this time were very uncouth , and far strange from magnanimity , or whatever other Imperial vertue , may we say that what he fore-thought to put in practice for the time to come would prove better , and more ingenuous ? No such matter : yea , it had been somewhat more tolerable , if what he purposed to do , had not been far worse , and crueller , then that which we have already recited . For , even as a Dragon , when he raiseth part of his scales , and beginneth to set up his bristles , the other being sin a readinesse , it s not possible for him , but he must also raise , and set them up , in like manner , although ; till then , they were composed , and stirred not : Or , as in Thunder , when rumbling in the clouds , the lightning thereof we di●cern with our eyes , before hear with our ears the great Claps that follow after : So , this fulminating Emperour had already hatched in his mind , and contrived in design those abominable enterprises which after he intended to bring to pass , and was fully bent most barbarously to put in practice against us Which were so strange and unusuall till then , that to him alone it appertained both to invent , and to cause them after to be executed . It s true , before his time , the Christians had been made sensible of grea● troubles and vexations that Dioclesiaen their first Persecutour , an● Maximinian ( who succeeded him being worse , as also Maximi● ( the cruellest of the three , whos● Statues beaten down in publiqu● places , and yet to be seen , serv● as a memoriall of the hurt done b● him , and in which are engrave● for ever the deformities of his Person ) ▪ brought upon them . But neither of these three , no , nor an● Tyrant that ever preceded them at any time thought of , or invente● the like Stratagems , wherewith 〈◊〉 torment us , had he lived to hav● finished such his diabolical desig● and hellish purposes against us . These then were his drifts , ( 〈◊〉 those of his Privy Councel averr● But he was prevented by the grac●ous providence of God , and 〈◊〉 the tears of many a good Christia● that shed them in abundance , applying no other remedy against the venome of this their Persecutour . It was in his intention also , to take all manner of liberty from Christians : and to inhibit them all things : viz. The conference of Publique Assemblies , of Markets , and of all Places also , wherein any Jurisdiction was held : as being none of them capable of such rights , if first he had not presented Incense before the Altar , and thereby discharged the Salary of such , and so signal a mystery . O Emperours , O Kings , O Law-makers ! Have not yee ( even as the Influence of heaven , the light of the Sun , the benefit of the Air , by a gracious and universall Decree , are common to every one ) established Laws , and Ordinances for all the world freely and indifferently to make use of ? Yet this wicked man , this Perverter of all things would go about to deprive us Christians thereof . So that though never so much injured in our Persons , cheated in our Goods , or receiving what ever other intollerable wrong from them , it should not be permitted us , by way of Justice , to have any recourse to whatever Laws , or Ordinances , to right us . In this regard , they began to assume liberty to themselves to mock and flout us , yea to assault us with blowes unto that excesse , that they scarce suffered us to fetch our breath , or enjoy one quiet hour amongst them . Which nevertheless , was so far from disheartning us for making ever the lesse profession of the faith and repose that we put in Christ Jesus , that it heightned in a great many of us who were so injured , a greater constancy to Go●s Glory , howbeit to the Authors of our Persecution , greater sham● and reproach for so troubling us . But le ts hear the Reason , of all this ( I beseech you ) of this Assasinate , of this Apostate-Law-givers thus dealing with us . You shall have it in his own words , your Law ( quoth he ) permitteth you neither to defend your selves , nor to demand reason of justice , nor to possesse any thing in particular : but rather to make no account of this world , or , of the things that are in it , as being all of them transitory , and vain . Mo●eover that , It 's not for you to render evil for evil , but whosover shall smite you on the one Cheek , to turn to him the other also : again , to one suing you at the law , to take away your cloake , to let him have your coat also . It may be , he will adde , We must pray for them which despightfully use , and persecute us . For , how should not he have the exact knowledge of all things commanded , and permitted us Christians ? He , I say , who before attaining to the Empire , was entred into the Order of a Reader of the holy Scriptures , and who had the honour to serve at the high Altar , as also , to adorne our Martyrs with Churches , and Chappels ? Above all , I admire one thing of him , that , seeing he had exactly studied our Books , he took no notice , ( or else , in good earnest , would not see that which is written elsewhere ) viz. Every wicked man that goes away from God shall perish : In like manner , He that troubles them , who remain faithfull , and contrives punishments , whereof himself is worthy . With respect whereunto , If we must needs be such , as he will have us , and govern our selves according to those aforesaid Precepts of our Saviour , concerning the regulating our Actions thereunto : and , as for himself , in the mean while it may be lawful for him to live as wickedly as he lists , in all manner of ungodliness , by using oppression , and whatever other deceit against Christians , that desire to live more quietly , in all righteousnesse towards God , and good conversation towards their Neighbour : If the actions ( I say further ) of mans life , being either vertuous or vicious , the Gods , whom those of his own Party seem to worship and obey , approve of vertuous men , and reject those that are vicious : If this be a thing confessed by the Testimony of our very Enemies , and of those that persecute us , we have then gained what we desire to have granted , we have obtained our cause . If it be said by them moreover , that on their side also , they have any honesty , or fair deportment , though but in word onely , and not in deed towards us , and are not so impudent and accomplished in wickedness ( thereby supposing to please themselves , though not their prophane Gods ) as to maintain , that vice appertaines to them as their proper inheritance : Let them shew us how , and what Justice there is in it , that we should be so constant in our suffering afflictions , and they not to pardon such as pardon them ; considering we have the better at one time , and you at another ; seeing the affairs of this world rowle and change , first of one fashion , then of another . Have the Christians ever used you , as you have used them ? What Libertys have we deprived you of ? Against whom is it , we have incited the Peoples fury ? To whom have we sent Captains , that that did more than was commanded them ? What People have we reduced into the danger of hazarding their lives for us ? Who are they we have deprived of their Places and Honours , appertaining unto them , as to honest men ? In a word , what did we ever commit like unto many things which you have in part executed , and in part , threatned to practise against us ? Truely , you cannot say what : You ( I say ) who so reproach us for being defective , for our coming short of that meeknesse , and gentlenesse , that by Christ our Masters counsell is required of us . Moreover , Thou , who art so wise , and well advised , in shutting us up within the narrow Precincts of Christ's stricter advises in the Gospel , why markest thou not , that in those very places , some things are injoyned us , upon promise of reward , if we do thereafter , which are not imposed for all that , upon necessity of obeying , under pain of punishment , if we not performe the same ? For , though it be a thing very excellent , and to be wished that all were perfect , and if possible , attain to the top of well-doing , in whatsoever commanded , or forbidden us : Yet , seeing there 's a great difference between those that do those duties whereunto injoyned , some obtaining to a great height of perfection ; others unto a mediocrity only : What reason hast thou , to make Ordinances , whereunto all are not bound for observance , and yet punishest such as performe them not ? Every one , not deserving a reward for what he doth , being not liable presently unto punishing for what he doth not . And therefore , in binding our selves unto what we should observe , as much as may be , through the whole course of our lives , it becometh us , at all times , to regulate our manners and actions , by the Laws of true Philosophy ; which , as it rewardeth ever , where rewards become due to our deserts , by doing what it commands ; so it punisheth no● at any time , where punishments are not due for our not doing that , whereunto , by way of counsell we are onely , lovingly and most tenderly advised . But , I will again embarque my self in the discourse of what he [ Julian ] did touching Sciences , and the use of Tongues ; it not being possible to ref●●in from often making mention of him , and forcing my self to defend him in what lies in my power to speak truely in his behalf , and yet justly otherwise , rendring him worthy of neglect , where he deserves the same . In which regard , he never did , ( I may speak it impartially ) a more unjust and insufferable action , than when he would have prohibited us Christians the study thereof . Which perverse resolution of his , barbarously intended against us , every man , me thinks , that with delight , addicteth himself to the profession of good literature , should contemn , even as I do , who cannot hold from revealing my self to be of that number , and who , by reason , and in comparison , thereof , have quitted altogether , and wholly abandoned all other things of this life ; whether they be goods , money , jewels , plate , authority , honours , or the like trash , depending upon those unappeaseable tormentours ; the vexatious desires of this world , that as in a dream , bring fading pleasures , but no true joyes to the beholders thereof with their eyes . But , as for my self , I have embraced the onely study of Tongues , and other Sciences , having no manner of regret at the pains I have endured , aswell by Sea as Land , to attain thereunto ; desiring that I , together with all my Freinds and well-wishers , may be abundantly furnished , and fortified therewith : And which I have allwayes cherished , and chosen above all things , next unto that Soverain good , the glory of God , and Salvation of the Elect , depending on him in his Son , and our Saviour Je●us Christ , through the grace and powerfull operation of the Holy Ghost . So that if every one ( as Pindarus hath it ) feels , or is sensible of his own losse most , it 's necessary for me to discourse of this subject ; not any thing that can be imagined being so agreeable therewith , as to render all possible thanks to the Word or Son of God the Father , by the words and benefit of the tongue , for that the study of Tongues , and other Liberal Sciences have hitherto been left free to us . But , what ayled thee ? or from whence proceeded it ( O thou light and unsatisfiable man ! ) that thou wentest about to forbid the Christians this study of Sciences and Tongues ? which was , not onely in the number of those evils , wherewith we were threatned , but also , well neer ordained and published . Why so ? And Wherefore I pray ? Whose counsell , reason ( I beseech you ) hath carried thine Understanding ? ( call'd by thee , in thine own terme , and fancied phrase , Mercury . ) What willfully wicked men , what inchanted Devils have suggested the same unto thee ? If thou wilt , we will tell the truth , why . It was requisite and meet for thee , after committing so many foul and enormous things , that thou shouldest be reduced unto such a passe , as to be hurried into thine own confusion , by , in what thou reputed'st more prudent and wise , therein unwittingly to make thy self appear to all the world a very fool through thy much over-sight , and indiscretion . For , say , I pray ; To what did this thy Ordinance tend ? What reason therein had'st thou , for that thy new and strange prohibiting us the leave of attaining to the knowledge of the Tongues , and other Sciences ? If any equall , and indifferent ? produce the same , and wee 'l quietly be satisfi'd without further complaining . For , as accustomed we are to overcome with reason , so will we never ( with Gods help ) be so destitute of common sense , so void of tolerable understandi●g , as not to yeild , and give place to reason , in like manner . Yea , but reply you , Sciences and the Greek tongue belong to us ; even as Barbarisme , and Ignorance to your Religion ; which consists in no other great matter , then to say only [ I beleeve . ] But they among you , nevertheless that follow the Sect of Pythagoras , will they not laugh you to scorn for so saying ? Seeing [ Ips● dixit , the Master said it . ] was enough among them : viz. Their great Principle , and of more account , than whatever answer else , though never so prudent , and to more purpose . For after this first , and so much esteemed maxime of theirs , in making no further answer , ( which was injoyned all them that followed his Philosophy , ) he accustomed himself to speak little : It being certainly observed among them , upon whatever Question asked , or reason demanded to reply onely , [ So Pythagoras is of opinion . ] and therewith without other satisfaction , or further resolution given , to rest content . So that , it was in a manner the same thing , though with some little change of words and syllables ; for them to remain satisfied with Pythagoras their Master 's [ I have said it . ] as for us , with respect unto what said by Christ our Master , to say [ We must beleeve . ] All this notwithstanding , you forbear not still to mock , and detract us , for that , by our Religion , we have bound our selves to give credit unto that , which Persons filled with the Spirit of God , have transmitted unto us . Whereas , their very authority , were there nothing else , is proof sufficient for what they have written , being of more power , and force , to convince the gainsayers , than all the Ipse dixit's of Pythagoras , all the Demonstrations , and Positions of whatever other Philosophers , and humane Doctors since the beginning . But suppose the tying our selves to believe certain Doctrines , delivered unto us after that sort , be lyable in good earnest , to be reproved , and justly contradicted by you : How can you prove the use of Tongues to be in your power only ? If so , How comes it to pass , that we , against your Laws , and Ordinances , have a share therein ? For , to whom belongs the Greek Tongue ? to whom to speak , and understand it ? I say , to speak , and understand it , thereby to distinguish the force of words , with which you aequiocate , when diverse things are comprehended under one , and the same expression ; some understanding one thing , and some another ? But thou must confesse , the Greek tongue depends either on the Service of thy Religion ; or else , on the pleasure of those that first invented , and established the same . If on thy Religion , tell me where , and by what Preists , it was first ordained , that the Greek tongue should be spoken therein ; as we see it hath been resolved , whereof , and to what Divels , we should sacrifice ? For , according to the Statutes , and Rules of your Doctors and Preists , it 's not lawfull unto all , to use all alike ; or , to one , to use all after the same manner . In what Place , ( as in the Countrey of the Lydians ) is it a holy thing , proper and pecu●iar unto them , to render curses unto Hercules ? and to beleive , they do this fained God a great honour in singing reproachfully unto him ? Or , ( as to the Inhabitants of Taurus ) to kill Strangers ? And ( as in Lacedemonia ) to be whip'd till the blood springs forth untill it touch the Altar ? To whom is it a holy matter , ( as to the Phrygians ) to be gelt , as they were , the Musick sweetly sounding , and they losing their genitals in dancing ? Or , ( as in other places ) to use Sodomy , keep brothel Houses , and make use of such other the like mysteries ? There was a custome , and ordinance also , to speak Greek unto some of their Devils . Which , if still it should be used , it could not prove , or thereby be inferred as a proper , and peculiar thing for the Greeks , or Pagans to apply to some one of their Gods , or Devils that whereof every one might be served , every one of them make use of : . Even , as it is ordained to sacrifice very many things that are vulgar and common : which , if thou sayest , it 's not so , and the Dialect of this tongue appertains properly to thee , as of thy domain , and in this right , repellest us : I answer , it cannot be comprehended what reason thou hast for it , or how thou can'st appropriate it to Devils . For , although the Service , or Caball of thy Religion be performed in the Greek tongue , it followes not therefore , that the Greek tongue depends on Religion : neither is it a sufficient reason to proscribe , and exclude us from making use of so good a Dialect : the conclusion would not be pertinent . As if two Qualities happen to be in one Subject , it followes not , those two are one same thing . For , supposing one same man to have the Art of Drawing Pictures , and Melting Gold , it should then follow that his Gold-mel●ing , and Picture-drawing should be one and the same thing : Which but to suppose only were a very vain , and most absur'd conceit . I demand then of thee , ( who art so jealous of the Greek tongue , ) what thou meanest , in not permitting , but rather going about to hinder us from making use of it ? Forbiddest thou us thereby the down-right , and trivial manner of speaking thereof , accordingly as the Common People are accustomed to speak it ? or , that of speaking more elegantly therein , and with choicer tearms , that are not so intelligible of the unlearned , or of those that are not so well ver'st in the knowledge of Tongues . A Tongue is not proper , or peculiar to them , who have invented it , or to any Art , or Profession comprehended in the mind : but to all that can understand it . For , even as in the Artificial tuning of Musical Instruments , the string heightned , or loosed , renders divers sounds , yet all , according to his mind , that , to make good Harmony therewith , playeth ; and governeth the Instrument : So useth the divine Word , the great and Soveraign Work-man , for matter of Sciences , and so forth , with us ; It being , according to his pleasure , that this man should invent one Art , that an other , and communicate the same , without appropriating either , to their first Inventors : and thereby render out lives more pleasing , more acceptable , or more tunable each to other . Tell me , then ? the Greek tongue , appertains it to thee alone ? What ? the Rudiments of Letters , were not they the Invention , first of all , of the Phoenicians ? or ( as ●ome say ) of the Egyptians ? or rather of the Hebrewes , a wi●er Peo●le then either of them , who maintain their Law in Tabl●s of Stone , was first written by the finger of Cod ? belongs it to thee alone , to speak elegan●ly , as those of Athens ? and measures ( I ought first to have named the Science of encamping , and making War ) to whom belong they ? Belongs not that of War-like Inventions to the Euboeans , if it be true Palamedes was of that Nation , and for the same reason , evil spoken of , accursed , envyed , and after condemned by those that set forward to the Conquest of Troy ? Well then , If the Egyptians , Phoenicians , and Hebrews , of whose Inventions we make use , in our doctrine : If the Inhabitants of the Isle of Euboea , claim that as theirs properly , the same reason that thou alleagest : what shall we do ? or how justifie our selves to them ? w●… being liable , by the same Law , tha● thou wouldest make , to be deprived of many excellent Arts , descended unto us from others , and , consequently , our selves forced to render them back again to their firs● Inventors ; till , at length afte● returning what we had from them ▪ It befall us , as it did the Jaye i● the Fable , who , when she had restored unto other Birds the feathers that she borrowed of them her self afterwards remained naked and became deformed . To give an instance , or two , in certain Particulars . The Art of Poesy , doth it belong to thee only ? or may it not rather be ascribed to a poor Old Woman ? who being punch'd on the shoulder ( as the tale goes ) by a young fellow passing by , and affronting her , she fell thereupon into such a fury , that unadvisedly , and upon a sudden she rapt out a Verse : whereat the fellow taking delight , with more curiosity after skanned the feet thereof upon his fingers : and , by this means , the admirable Art of Poesy was first occasioned . Again , if thou braggest , and art so vain-glorious because of thine Armes , tell me , brave Sir , from whom haddest thou them at the beginning ? Were not the Cyclops they that first invented the Art of Forging ? If Scarlet also be so much prised by thee above all things , who made thee so cunning and knowing a man therein , as not to ascribe the first finding out thereof to the Tyrians ? in whose Countrey a Shepheards Dog of theirs browsing upon a Swad of red Beans , and his Chapps becomming all over , as it were , bloody therewith , gave his Master a hint thereby , to take notice of the Flower thereof : And from thence sprang the first attempting to Die , with the juice of it , that cloth which is now in so great esteem with you , O ye Emperours ! and great Persons . What sayest thou in thy claime farther unto Husbandry , touching Plowing , and Tilling the Earth ? As also , to the Art of making Ships ? when the Athenians deny thee the right , to be the sole Master , and Proprietor thereof , by ascribing the first invention therein , to Ceres , Triptolemus Dracon ; as also to Celeus , Icarus , and to the rest of that Fabulous rout . Where took your filthy Mysteries , ( fit onely to be celebrated in the night ) their first rise ? To pass by these foolish matters , and have a fling again at thy fury , or rather impious acts : From whence hadst thou the Invention of taking thy first imitation of formalityes , and giving the same to thy Paganisme , as also other of thy most abominable Ceremonies in serving thy false Gods , are they not from the Thracians , ( as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ; ) and thy manner of Sacrificing from the Caldeans , and Cypriots ? Even as Astronomy from the Babylonians ; Magique , from the Persians ; the Art of Divining by Dreams , from the Telinesians : as that , by Birds , from the Phrygians , who first observed the motion , and flying of them . To avoid prolixity ; From whence hath sprouted every Science put in practise by thee ? Hath not some one , or other , gathered from each of them a particular Invention , and through reducing the whole altogether into one Mass , thereby forged out unto thee a false , and foolish Religion ? May we not then openly avow it to thy face , that when thou shalt have rendred up each Art of thine , to it 's own Authour and Inventor , there will remain nothing behind to thee , but thine own Folly , together with thy new Ordinance of denying us all things , for the further establishing of thy fond and wicked Religion ? Thou being the First of the Christians that hast plotted a revolt against Jesus Christ thy Master ; as in former times , the Scythian Slaves rose up in Rebellion , and revolted against the Scythians that were their Masters . In my conceit , thou hadd'st done better , to have endevoured the discomposing , the overthrowing of our Union ; who , in relation to thy Laws and Ordinances , seem wicked , and perverse ; that thereby the remainder of thy Empire being at rest from such like fighting businesse , a man might see the Roman Republique ( as in it's first splendor ) delivered from all civill warrs , which are far worse than forrain : Even as we should rather prevent the destruction of our own bodies and flesh , than that of Strangers . Now , ( Howbeit all the Actions of this our Impostor towards Christians , in relation to what before spoken of , fall out to appear frauds , only cover'd over with courtesies , & consequently , far unworthy of Imperial Majesty , ) I shall yet produce some finer , and fuller of subtlety , that were acted by him . To which purpose , He perceiving after all this , that in confideration of the Precepts , Doctrines , and Divine Testimonies , aswell of the Old , as New Testament , ( of the Old , by Prophesies , and evident Inspirations of Gods Spirit : Likewise of the New , by the Revelations of the Son of God , and of Miracles , great , and remarkable to confirme us in those things , which , by the Fundamental Positions of our Religion , we make open profession of , ) we began to become most constant , and confident in the Truth , and Faith of Christ ; that we might not be quitted in these respects without his assaulting , and offending us for the same , as he did others , upon the like occasion . Behold he contrives and puts in execution his designes against us ! as Rabsheketh ( Leiuetenant to Senacherib King of the Assyrians ) sometime did against the Jews , who entered with an Army , into the Country of Judea , and having with great power , laid Seige before Jerusalem to take it , when he saw he could not carry it by force , and that the Traitors within could not deliver him nothing according to his expectation , he endevoured with fine words , and in the Jews own language , to make himself master thereof ; which the besieged taking notice of , demanded first that , addressing himself to them , he would speak in the Assyrian tongue , and not in the Hebrew , for fear , least under the sweetnesse of their own language , they might cunningly be brought into servitude : So this man [ the Emperour Julian ] after the same manner , desiring to bring us under his subjection , was upon the device of founding Colledges in all Towns , of erecting Pulpits to Preach in , and Chairs to read and expound his Pagan instructions , as well , those that concerned manners , as other pretended holy mysteries : likewise , of publishing a Form of Prayers sung by them , and answered one toanother : also , touching the Discipline of those who should happen to be faulty in the Preface of their Caball ; and , generally , imitated all good orders , and establishments that are observed in our Religion . For he had well-nigh brought to passe an Ordinance for building of Hospitals , and other Publique houses , also Recluses for Virgins , and other that for Devotion desire to retire themselves from worldly affairs : again , other Places , where care to be taken in making provision for sick folke , and other sort of Distributions to poor people : also , as we are wont to use letters of recommendation from one Countrey to an other in favour of the Necessitous , as occasion offered it self , so would he have ordained to be done on his party : with the like wholesome constitutions borrowed from us , and seemingly much approved , and liked by him , in like manner . Behold then , what this new Sophister , and Teacher of strange doctrines had resolved upon ! But , in that , touching these matters , the purpose and intention of this man was not accomplish'd and effected , I cannot say whether it was more advantagious to us , ( that were forthwith delivered from him , and his ) or to him , ( whose enterprises were vain as dreams : ) because , easie it had been presently to discern the difference betwixt the actions of men , and the imitations of Apes : Of whom , though it be said , they can counterfeit some subtleties which men use , and do b●fore them , to deceive them , yet herein they are to seek , in that not able through their imitation to discover the reason of our craft in so doing . Whereby it falls out , that neither the Thessalonicall Mare , nor the Woman of Lacedem●n , nor those who drink of the water of Arethusa , I mean the Sicilians do better carry away the price among them of their kind , then the Ceremonies and Customes of Christians : Which , though comely , significant , and grave , as also of laudable use , are such , not withstanding , as cannot be attained unto of any other sort of men , that go about to imitate them : their Original being taken , not so much from the Invention of Men , as from the assistance of God , in their making , and continuing the same still to his Church , and People . But , there 's nothing prettyer , then ( as on a Theater ) to observe , and heed well the admirable imitation of these men , and excellency wherewith they endeavour to counterfeit us . What then , I trow , is the manner of their teaching ? What the end of their assembling together ? Is it not , that ( as Plato saith ) we may see this City move and wag ? which is but a discourse in words . Whereas true Philosophy , in the generall , consisting of two Parts , viz. Theoreticall , and Practique : the former more hard and sublime , the latter , though lower , yet more profitable ; both of them , helping each the other , are in perfection in our Religion . Because , as we make use of the Theory for the knowledge of heavenly things , so we establish the Practique as the basis thereof : it not being possible to participate with , or to attain unto true knowledge in the Theory , without endeavouring to do thereafter in the Practique . As for their Manners , I know not whether therein they are , either more ridiculous , or vile , and abject , their Law-makers destitute of divine inspiration while compofing them , and the Laws themselves thereupon resembling roots of trees undermined and carried away with water , floating up and down , without having any firm foundation whereupon , for any long time , to repose them . To compare , neverthelesse , our our condition with theirs in this regard ; As they give unto themselves the liberty to sport and play in many Passages of their Fables : so we , in like manner , are not debar'd of all mirth , when commanded , in Scripture , to rejoyce with them that tejoyce : neither free , more then they from sadness , when advised to mourn with them that mourn &c. there being with us , as well as with them , A time ( as Solomon speaks ) to weep , and a time to laugh : a time to dance : — a time to keep silence , and a time to speak . A time to love , and a time to hate : a time of war , and a time of peace . Let their Theater then ( I know not what else to call their Temple ) be set up , and they of the better sort in the Common-wealth , o● that have attained unto gray hairs , be placed in the highest chairs , o● whoever else make themselves taken notice of for the honour of their race , or wisdome in things of this world , ( wherein there is more false and fading pleasure , then true piety ; ) for wee 'l agree to them in this point . What then ? As for their after rejoycing , let themselves , in what they have a mind , please themselves , be cloathed with Scarlet , honoured with Flags and Garlands : If this be true felicity , and above that which the common sort can attain unto , let them ( a Gods name ) enjoy the same , esteem the estate that is vulgar and low to bring with it neglect and contempt both : contratily , the other , that 's more magnificent and exquisite , to gain authority , and beleif : never will they abase themselves so much , I am sure , as to esteem it , as we do , a point of honour to be humbled ; and , not in the fashion of clothes , but in the manner of well living to make true estimation of what represented before our eyes , imploying our whole time , not about trifles , and curiosities , but in that which depends on the inward man , and consists , not in seeking after popular applause , but in well governing all manner of unruly passions , and affections incident unto our souls . On which point , for the present , wee 'l set up our rest . Now what followes after ? Thou , for thy part , wilt represent unto thine Auditory riddles , or dark , and hard matters to be interpreted [ Divine Oracles ] ( as thou callest them ) Thou wilt read , and expound unto them Books , that treat of the mystery of thy Religion , and of the World. But , tell us , what are those Books ? and who be the Authours thereof ? Will it not be a fine thing ( think ye ) to sing of the Generation of the Gods fained by Hesiod , and of their Wars set forth by him ? of the Rebellions of Tyrants and Giants , with their deaths ? and of other horrible accidents and disasters that befell Cottis , Giges , Briareus , Enceladus ? of your Gods , some described , by the same Author , to have Dragons feet , othe●s cloathed with Thunder ? of your Isles thrown down upon them , and serving for receptacles , and graves , to those that they are cast upon ? Again , to sing of the sundry foul Swarms , and diversity of imagined Hydraes , Chimera's , Gorgon's , and the like monstrous mass , and confused rabble of all manner of other wickednesse , and profannesse ? Are not these sweet things to gather out of Hesiod , and to feed the ears of the People withall ? Also , the bewitching story of Orpheus following thereupon , with his Harp , and Song drawing after him Wild-Beasts , and Birds ? To relate of Jupiter his magnificent Titles , and the many significations thereof ? with his being the most high Soveraign among the Gods , and yet covered with dung ( whether of Sheep , of Horses , or of Mules , I know not ) that thereby he might make the power of his God-head understood , by his producing from thence a great number of small insectile creatures , and giving life unto them upon their productions ? After all which , to make mention of that impure Goddesse of theirs , who more immodestly , than became her feminine Deity , shewed her self half naked ; to make her worshippers ( I think ) as well in love with Her , as with the Religion , wherein she was publickely adored , and represented after that fashion , by her Images , and other Pictures in her Temples , and else-where , to be look'd upon ? Neither doth herein the totall or whole sum of their foolish fopperies consist but unto these , ( as upon a Stage ) are made to appear Phanes , Euricapeu● , and he that swallowed the other Gods , and vomited them up again , or discharged his stomach of them afterwards , to make himself known the Father of Gods , and Men. Are not here , in these high Points of their Religion 's mystical matters , sound and subtle Doctrines of Edification for the Common People to gather out , and to make use of for their Souls health . Besides these , and a number of the like ridiculous toys , Certain Allegoryes are invented , by their Doctors imaginations therein , transcending humane capacity by which they precipitate as weltheir own , as their auditorsunderstanding unto confusion . Again , touching Homer , and those many fond stories fabled by him , where wilt thou affixe the same ? For it 's he , who of old , composed Comedyes , or rather Tragedyes concerning your fained Gods. You 'l finde ( I beleeve ) both the one , and the other in those redoubted Poesies of his , whereof some cannot chuse but move and stir up their laughter , as well as other , tears . The truth is , 't was not a matter of small consequence for Oceanus to be reconciled to Thetis : and therefore , well might she run about , and rave like a mad woman , upon the thought only , that through the abstinence , for a time , of conjugall duties ; viz. in not commixing dry things with moist ; there might eminent danger follow after , to the prejudice of the whole world . Be it so . But what tolerable reason may be given ? what the least sober interpretation can be made of that meeting of Jupiter and Juno , the same time , when at mid-noon , not at mid-night , Juno so shamelessely entreated , and entised him also , mostlasciviously to accompany with her ? Your Poets endevour , indeed to dissemble it in their verses , strewing for them a bed of fresh hearbs , and renewing the same with flowers of Safron , and Hiacynths . But where ? and from whom had they these things ? To what end further ? and what reason is there yet among you , that the same Juno , Sister , and Wise of the aforesaid Jupiter , should sometimes hang in the Air , and in the cloudes counter-ballanced with chaines of i●on , together with manacles of gold ? She , I say , who had her arms so white , and her fingers so rosie ? Had any of the other Gods demanded a reason of Jupiter , wherefore that his fair Goddesse was put into such a posture by him , without first asking pardon of him , for that his presumption , he had cast himself in danger of Jupiter's displeasure , for that his good Office shewed towards Juno . At another time , the said Juno , neverthelesse , sportingly encompassing her slender waste in the loose girdle of sweet love , put on , together with it , such blandishments of enticing affections , such winingly bewitching charmes of wanton expressions , that with his own lips thereupon , he could no longer refrain , from giving sentence on her behalf ; protesting she so irresistibly surprized him , in those her amorous allurements , that , of all his other Mistrisses , there was none to be compar'd to her . What means also that divine mystery of the brown eye-brows , and the shaking of those locks that made all the heavens tremble ? What the wounding of Mars , that dull lover ? and of that indiscreet Adultresse Venus the fair , shut up in a brazen nett , bound , and manacled by lame Vulcan , who , to his own shame and confusion , assembling the Gods together , to see this spectacle , for a little money let them depart again ? If able to render a reason of such like toyishness , tell us further , I pray , what was meant by that fright , and stir among the Gods , touching that unchast Helena , that by reason thereof , the Heavens fell on such a thundring , the Earth on such a cracking , that it wanted little , but both had been removed out of their places : the Sea likewise turned upside-down ; the gates of Hell opened , and thereupon , what before , so long time lay hid , made known and discovered . All which , and more , a great many the like strange things , having been as strangely and diversly delivered unto Posterity ; who is he among you , so subtle and profound , yea , though he had the understanding of Jupiter , that with what ever discurring imaginations higher than the cloudes , can reduce them to common sense , or in any kind of mediocrity , make them as much as tolerable to be understood ? Which if true , & they are not ashamed to confess as much ; in like manner acknowledge them to be base and dishonest things ; then the proof thereof , ( without having recourse to a Mythologie to serve them for a covering , with respect unto what they suppose so finely to have found out and invented , ) will be apparent and manifest enough . What shall we say further ? Is it not a handsome thing , think ye , for those men , that hold so firmly & constantly unto what in the Ceremonial circumstances of their profound Religion , they make profession of , to abuse and fool themselves after this sort with obstruse and non-sense Fables ? Thus , neverthelesse , they are accustomed to do , for the most part , who thereby would endeavour in what ever , though never so weakly said , or done by them , to escape from being reprehended . But they 'le reply , perhaps , the businesses before spoken of are but meer conceptions , matters , which they so greatly stand not upon , but invented on set purpose onely to take up the Peoples thoughts , and delight their fancies withall . If so , then let them produce , and shew us other things of their Theology , that are more solid , and naturall , that we may further confer with them about the same , and , in the interim , tell us , whether it be not great sottishnesse to boast , and make a more then ordinary account of matters that are onely fabulous , and to be blushed at ? Again , whether it be not a foul shame , to publish to all the world hidden things , and unknown to many ( sor every one is not learned ) with pictures , and figures , and ( which is worse ) with great losse of money in Temples , Altars , Statues ? also by Sacrifices , which put men to the cost of so many crowns ? When a man may be pious enough in the true Religion without much cost , is it not a folly to desire rather to follow error , and falsehood with infinite charges ? But , let them say , they are Fictions and Jeasts , wherewith Poets abound in their measures , and in Fables , to delight , and tickle their ears therewith that hear them , mixing , after that sort , hidden and covered senses , that few but learned and discerning men know how to make use of : I ask the question , how can others make account of , or have those deites in any great estimation , when those Poets of theirs , themselves abuse after that grosse manner , the Gods they would have honoured , that it's reward enough for them , that they are not punished for their so doing ? For seeing , by their Law , under pain of death , they are prohibited , in any manner , to use whatever Blasphemy , or reproach towards the Gods , what punishment , ( suppose ye ) are they worthy of , that frequently , and in publique mock , and jest at them , in their Poesies , after the foulest manner , with the filthyest , and most injurious taunts can be thought on ; yea , and leave the same after , as in a Comedy , unto Posterity , for , a long time , to be laughed at ? Touching their having some things more covered , other more manifest in their Religious Worshipping of their Gods , I acknowledge that in our Religion it is so also , but with this difference : In our Books concerning the same , the common and litteral sense hath nothing foul , or dishonest in it : and that which is hid to the vulgar , to the learned therein it 's very admirable and clear : even as if a body perfect in beauty were in some secret place , covered with a vestment fit , and correspondent thereunto . Moreover , Representations and Resemblances of Divine things , ought , methinks , to have nothing therein dishonest , or , unworthy of what they signifie : or , be such as men would take ill , if the same should be done unto them . Yea rather , they ought to be things exquisite in beauty , or , at least , not vile and base : that , either discreet men may justly take exception at , or , the vulgar be thereby scandalized . On the contrary , what you practise , there 's no credit to be given unto , and what outwardly represented by you , is as detestable . For , what sense is there , to make a man's self be led in the streets through the dirt , and drawn to the Port among rocks and shells ? What is the end ? And to what purpose are such like things recorded by you ? As for thine own part , thou wilt forge us Jests , and Allegories , of thy Travels and imaginations , but no body will give credit unto , o● beleeve the same . And why ? because what already in sight , and above-board , is plain eno●gh , and intelligible . Whereby , as thou gainest none that will give eare unto thee , so thou losest lookers on , to behold and see what thou wouldest have taken notice of : men , aswell stopping their ears , as with-holding their eyes , the while , from the apprehension of such unlikely , and impertinent matters . Again , the reason of your Theory , and Allegories is such , and so far from the purpose intended by you , that it is easier too bring together things far apart and seperated asunder , than to make agree , and reconcile in one and the same person , your fictions and figures . It being thus with them touching their religious Mysteries fought and derived from Naturall Philosophy , what may , or will be said by them with respect unto their Morality ? What Principles and Maxims have they in use therein to forme men unto vertue ? What remonstrances to better by degrees and make them more perfect ? They 'l reply , perhaps , and say , for example , first , that Concord is a fine thing , viz. to see Cities united , People , and Families agree well together , and Every one , for his own particular , to govern himself according to the right Rules of uncorrupted Nature ; which separating , and yet reuniting all things , hath composed , though of Many Parts , yet but One onely Frame , or fabrick of the Whole world . And this they 'l not stick ( it may be ) to shew , and set forth by diverse examples . But in relating to the Wars of the Gods , their Seditions and revolts one with another , and an infinite number of mischiefs , and evils which they suffered , and procured thereby , and whereof the most part of their Poesies are full : Instead of peaceable , they make their Auditory mutinous ; in stead of wise , vain ; rather than thereby render the Proud , Humble ; or the Audacious , Modest , and well mannered by such examples . For if , without having such ( as it were ) Pictures before their eyes , it be an hard peice of business , to bring them from evill to good , from vice , to vertue ; who naturally are inclined , and given over , in a manner , to all filthinesse . How may we imagine it a thing possible , to perswade such unto a more orderly life , unto more peaceably behaving themselves : when in prosecution of such their other evilly inclined affections , they seem but only to conform themseves , in so doing , unto the examples of their false Gods ? which profain Deities of theirs , being diversly set forth unto them by Poets , their only Preachers , ( as I may so say ) some as Patterns of one vice , some of another : What are they , the People , otherwise thereby , then as it were , encouraged unto the same ? What their Gods , but their Guides ( I mean the Peoples Conductors ) in whatever manner of evill Concupi●cence ? Neither are those foul Feinds Patterns only , but also Pat●rons of all kind of abomination : and in consideration thereof , are as severally honoured , and served by their several Worshippers and Servants , with severall Altars , and Sacrifices , dedicated , and sacred unto such , and such foul enormities , &c. With respect whereunto , your Party , having their full swing , and liberty to wallow in as licenciously as their hearts can wish ; would it not be a hainous matter to punish by Law , things established by Law ? For their Gods to take vengeance on those men , for acting those things , in regard whereof , themselves are especially acknowledged to be Divine , and more particularly , adored as the only Patrons of such affairs , and in whose behalf , it 's rather an honourable , than reproachfull matter , to be Vicious ; ( if vicious in such a case , it be lawfull to cal● any ? ) Would any man beleeve this ? or , can there be any such in justice ? any supposed wrong o● offence taken so oppressive , an● not to be tolerated among you as this ? Secondly , If we prefer , and extoll the honour and respect due to Fathers , and Mothers , and for that they are the first mediate cause of our entrance by Birth into the world , give them Honour with the first : Doth not Theology , and Reason both teach that we should do so ? To which purpose , doth not their God Saturne do well ? hath he not left them a fine example ? He , who gelt Vranias , that he should beget no more gods , and then threw his genitals into the Sea , whereof a God was after engendred ? And Jupiter , that , in imitation thereof , rebelled against Saturne his own Father ? Such examples of cruell Paricides among the Gods , and the like , do they not well to insert in their Books to be imitated of Children , in honouring their Fathers and Mothers , after the same fashion . The third point , shall be Neglect of Riches ; as who can say , the not procuring of them at all hands , is no matter how , though never so wickedly . To which end , in what matter shall their Mercury be represented ? What shall we say to that sharke ? what honour ? and after what scene , are we to atribute the same to his budget ? to the vertue and gift of grace that this filching God had to steal , and carry away , with a trick of nimble conveyance , whatsoever he once laid his prolling fingers upon ? What to Phoebus also , who is said to give nothing without gold ? unto whom , nothing is so welcome as ready coin ? Behold ! are not these rare encouragements and examples , to put men , though by nature otherwise never so covetously affected , into an utter detestation of the muck of this world , money , so perniciously sought after . Moreover , with what face can Jove's Preists exhort his worshipers unto Continency , when Jupiter , sometimes , wholly applyes himself to the love of Women ? at other , to Phrygian boys ? for whose sake ( if Poets say true ) he turn'd himself into an Eagle . &c. Also , wherefore is it , that at a Drinking match , wherein , meeting with other of your inferiour Gods , to the end those profane Deities might be more voluptuously attended upon , you feign him to cause them to be served , and waited upon by those boys , he so much delighted withall , in stead of Butlers , and other Servitours ? Let Hercules , ( if you please ) be there also , who deflowered fifty of the daughters of Thyestes in one night : And then I know no reason , wherefore having put an end to this thirteenth labour of his , he may not be put likewise into the number of those other Gods. Their furious , as well as fighting God Mars , will he not be a fine fomenter of Peace ? A ready resolver upon all occasions , to cut of ●holler ? Bacchus their God of Wine , a sober Deity to encourage his worshipers unto a due moderation in quaffing and drinking ? And that crafty Companion of theirs Cost●er , to withhold men from deceipt and cozenage ? Again , when others are sad , that move from place to place , upon seeble and weak legs ; will not that limping God of theirs , that halts both on the one side , and on the other , be a notable bar , and obstacle to keep light and unseasonable Jesters from scurrill mockery , and unbridled laughter ? Jupiter , who together with a foul company of other devouring Devils , ran so fast to that pompous , and magnificent Feast of the Aethiopians , without reproach ; a jolly means to remove and take away Gluttony ? In like manner Hercules [ Kill-Cowe ] ( as he is sometimes styled ) who , tormenting upon a time , a poor Labourer , devoured one of the Oxen of his Team : And for that rare act of his , got himself a Name , or Title of renown ? and generally all those other Gods , that make so much hast to be fed with the fumings , and incensings , and pourings out of all manner of Offerings made unto them , in their Sacrifices . These heathenish customes , hatefull doings , horrible abominations usually put in practice by those of your Party , approach they any thing near ( think ye ) to that innocency , that excellency , that integrity of sound faith , and good life , whereunto we are exhorted , and which we [ all that unfainedly desire , not only to be thought , but also to be indeed Christians ] are commanded in our Religion , and Doctrine ? No such matter . Besides , we have other manner of light to lead us , other Teachers , ( namely Christ , and his Apostles , and Prophets , &c. ) to instruct us otherwise , and to instill into our hearts obedience , and reverence unto what enjoyned we are , or , upon whatever terms , councelled and advised by them . From whom we , upon every occasion ( whatsoever too many of us , God knowes , either through weaknesse , or , at least , willfulnesse , have not the power , or goodnesse to perform as becommeth their Disciples ) are nevertheless at all times lovingly invited in the words of our Saviour , [ — Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you , do ye even so to them : for this is the Law and the Prophets . ] Again , it is , with us a sin , not only to commit an evil actually either in word , or deed , but also to do the same in thought , as being liable thereby unto punishment before God ( who discerneth the secrets of the heart ) thought not so easie to be taken notice of by men , who cannot see the same , and consequently punish the offenders by that means . Yea , so exactly are we bound to carry our selves in point of Continency ( according to the Rules of Christ our Master ) that even the eye is by him forbidden us , thereby onely to lust after any unlawfull thing . In Point of Anger not only the bloody hand , but also the bloody heart is restrained . In case of swearing , not onely that we swear not falsly , but also that not lightly in like manner , or , not at all : not at all , that is , in our common and ordinary discourse and talke , or , when as not legally called before a Magistrate , thereby to attest the truth . As for our [ goods ( of fortune ] as we usually call the wealth of this world ) to possesse them , as if we possessed them not , by not valuing them in comparison of our chief good reposed in heaven . With respect whereunto , some , among us , have taken little thought for possessing any ; some , instead thereof have imbraced poverty : and , not a few , having first renounced the voluptuousnesse of the belly , and vice of gluttony ( a dangerous Mistrisse , and Mother of many sins ) have after that so consumed the part Mortall , by means of the immortal , ( it may be said of a truth ) a man could not discern almost any flesh on them , having acquired a law of vertuous living to themselves by not being carried away so much as unto smaller sins , and whereof there is no account made that they are so . Is it not an excellent thing , thus , whereas others punish onely acts outwardly committed against God , or Man , we , the evil intentions of our hearts likewise ? and thereby endeavour , at least to cut away not onely the branches , but the root also , to stay not onely the streams , but to stop up also the head of that impure fountain from casting forth that noysomness which would quite poison us after , through its more violent , and dangerous defluxions ? Tell me , in what place among you , and what People they are , that wish well to these that injure them ? Where is it ( I beseech you ) that your men do good to those that hurt them ? as if reproaches offended nothing , but the truth ? Who are they on your Party , that take it patiently when persecuted ? that upon with-holding from you your Cloak , will render unto them your Coat also ? pray for those that curse you ? and ( in a word ) by a singular sweetnesse , overcome evil with goodnesse , endeavouring , by innocently suffering wrong , to make those that afflict you therewith better , if it be possible ? But admit we should grant you , that by your manner of endoctrinating your Disciples , in time , you might cause them thereby to cut off somewhat from their former excesse , and superfluity of naughtinesse : how could you , for all that , by your never so much instructing them in your Precepts , make them , or your selves attain unto that perfection , whereunto our Religion aspireth ? Seeing we are not content with well doing only for the present , but think ill of our selves , if not make a dayly progresse further and further in godliness so long as we live in this world , and also cause the same to appear evidently unto all that are acquainted with us . If not endeavour , with all our power , to do thereafter , we should be very sorry , and fitly enough might be thought only to resemble Moles , who are said to move continually , and yet not to stir far from the same place : or otherwise to appear unto those that look upon us , like Horses in a Mill , who , by the force of a whip , turn all day incessantly in the same room , without advancing from where they began at the time , when they were first set about their work in the morning . For whatever mediocrity you suppose sufficient for those of your Party , by the Laws of your heathenish Religion , to consist in : we hold it our duty to strive still , and labour more and more to add vertue to vertue , grace to grace , one good work still to another : as never thinking our selves perfect enough , or to have done all that is commanded us , while living in this world : till , at length , our race being run out here , we are brought unto the end of our journey , unto that glory which is above , and after shall be revealed unto us , for which we were created at first , and whether , through Gods mercy , we doubt not but we shall attain at last , if , by the operation of the Holy Ghost , we fail not to set our mind , and thoughts for recovering the same , on the love of God the Father , through a lively faith in his onely Son , and our alone Saviour Jesus Christ : who , by the mighty working of his power , whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself , will , without all peradventure , change these vile bodies of ours , and make them like unto his glorious body , take off from us the corruption of our flesh , and put on upon us the incorruption of his Spirit , give us in exchange for this Bochin , or vail of tears here , the endlesse comfort , and everlasting joyes of that heavenly Jerusalem which is above : or that secure Haven , after all our storms in this life , of never failing happinesse in the life to come : where we shall hunger no more , neither thirst any more , neither shall the Sun light on us , nor any heat : where there shall be no more death , nor sorrow , nor crying , neither any more pain : Where the Lamb of God , that taketh away the sins of the world , shall feed us , and cloth us , and cherish us , and lead us continually unto flowing waters of the Fountain of all felicity , and content for evermore . To whom , with the Father , and Holy Ghost , three Persons , and one ever living , and wise God , be all Glory , and Honour , and Dominion , and Might , and Majesty , and Thanks-giving , now at present , and world without end , Amen . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A42036-e190 Esa . 1. 2. In Orations and Speeches , the Antients heretofore made to set forth , sometimes the goodness of famous men by way of ●postrophe , they spake unto them as if they had ●●en present , and had sense and apprehension of ●●at they spake ( whereof they were yet doubtful , ●appeareth here by our Author Gregory Nazian●●n ) and not contented thus to commune with ●●em , they intreated them , That if they had any 〈◊〉 ( as here ) or knowledge of things in this ●●rld to do so and so . This was a kind of doubtful ●mpellation and solliciting of them , if their state 〈◊〉 such as that they could take notice of these 〈◊〉 , that then they would , &c. and no otherwise 〈◊〉 Dr. Fie●d of the Church . lib. 3. cap. 20. Ps . 50. 14. In the beginning was the Word , and the Word was with God , and the Word was God , Joh. 1. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 9. Ps . 66. 12. Ps . 73. 3. Ex. 15. 1. Amos 5. 8 , 9. Luk. 1. 52. Ps . 37. 17. Isa . 49. 13. Rom. 8. 20,21,22 . Isa . 54. 1. Of the 10. Commandements . Isa . 1. 13. Pro. 29. 23. Psal . 119. 67. Admit we grant this History to be true , and that Satans flight at the sign of the Cross made by Iulian , was inforced , might not God , for the confusion of the Apostate and for the glory of the cross , which Iulian , out of spight , 〈◊〉 hate of Christ despised , put that terrour into Satan , 〈◊〉 the sign of the Crosse , that he was affrighted there●ith ; I think the●es no Orthodox Christian , who will 〈◊〉 , but that God might do it for such an end : and so , 〈◊〉 suppose , G. Nazianzen here , with respect to this mira●●e of the Crosse , may be understood . 1 Kin. 19. 18. D●n . 3. 18. Num. 21. 8. Janu● The Persians worshiped the Sun under the name of Mythra , by offring up men as a sacrifice unto it . Phil. 2. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Cor. 4 , 12. 1 Cor. 2 , 2. Mar. 5. 39. 40. 5. 44. Ps . 73. 37. 2 King. 18. 17. Ecles . 3. 4 , 7 , 8. Mat. 7. 12. Rev. 7. 16.