Eusebius of Caesarea

“ Should any one, beginning from Abraham, and going back to the first man, pronounce those who have had the testimony of righteousness. Christians in fact, though not in name, he would not be far from the truth. For as the name Christians is intended to indicate this very idea, that a man, by the knowledge and doctrine of Christ, is distinguished by modesty and justice, by patience and a virtuous fortitude, and by a profession of piety towards the one and only true and supreme God ”

“ This name, as an honourable distinction, far superior to any royal diadem, was conferred on Joshua, because Joshua the son of Nun bore a resemblance to our Saviour, as the only one after Moses, and the completion of that symbolical worship given through him, that should succeed him in a government of pure and undefiled religion. Thus Moses attaches the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ, as the greatest honour to two men, who, according to him, excelled all the rest in virtue and glory ; the one to the high priest, the other to him that should have the government after him. ”

“ That the nation of the Hebrews is not new, but honoured among all for its antiquity, is well known. The writings and literature of this nation concern ancient men, rare and few in number, but yet excelling in piety, righteousness, and every virtue. And indeed, even before the flood, there were some who were distinguished for their virtue; and after this others, both of the sons and posterity of Noah, among whom we would mention Abraham, celebrated by the Hebrews as the founder and progenitor of their nation. ”

“ The undersigned is firmly persuaded that its extensive circulation will, as it furnishes the means in a good degree of comparing modern with primitive times, and of viewing them in contrast with each other, tend to increase useful knowledge, promote soundness and unity in the faith, advance the cause of the Church, and maintain peace and quietness among all Christian people. ”

“ But the disease of Herod became daily more virulent, God inflicting punishment for his crimes. For it was a slow fire, not only exhibiting to those who touched him a heat in proportion to the internal wasting of his body, but there was also an excessive desire and craving after food, whilst no one dared to refuse. ”

“ Should the patronage of Christian denominations, generally, warrant the undertaking, a regular series of the entire works, and parts of works, of primitive Christianity, as nearly in their chronological order as may be, adapted to the use of parish, congregational, and other public libraries, will, as soon as the important arrangements necessary to its being executed in good faith can be made, be commenced. ”

“ As it is my purpose to record the successions of the holy apostles, together with the times since our Saviour, down to the present, to recount how many and important transactions are said to have occurred in ecclesiastical history, what individuals in the most noted places eminently governed and presided over the church, what men also in their respective generations, whether with or without their writings, proclaimed the divine word ”

“ The religion announced by Christ among all nations, was neither unexpected nor strange.
These matters have thus been necessarily premised before our history, that no one may suppose our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was merely a new comer, on account of the date at which he appeared among men, in the flesh. And now, that no one may suppose his doctrine is new or strange, as if springing from one of recent origin, and in no respect differing from the rest of men, let us also briefly examine this point. ”

“ In the confident opinion, that a general acquaintance with primitive Christianity would effect much for its cause, he has frequently wished to see the more important works of that period accessible to the community at large. ”

“ To him, then, being such, it was declared that all the tribes and all the nations of the earth should be blessed in him. But the course of piety which was pursued by Abraham, has appeared thus far cultivated only by Christians, and that too by works more efficacious than words. What, then, should prevent us henceforth from acknowledging that there is one and the same principle of life and conduct, the same course of piety common to us, who have come after Christ, with those pious men who lived in times long before? ”

“ It was customary in Israel to calculate the names of the generations, either according to nature, or according to the law; according to nature, by the succession of legitimate offspring; according to the law, when another raised children to the name of a brother who had died childless. For as the hope of a resurrection was not yet clearly given, they imitated the promise which was to take place by a kind of mortal resurrection, with a view to perpetuate the name of the person who had died. ”

“ This, too, we are taught by the great Moses, that most ancient of all the prophets, when under the influence of the divine Spirit, he describes the creation and arrangement of all things, he also informs us that the Creator and maker of the universe yielded to Christ, and to none but to his divine and first begotten word, the formation of all subordinate things, and communed with him respecting the creation of man. ”

“ IV.—The illustrious martyrs of God, who filled every place with the celebrity of their name, and obtained various crowns of martyrdom for their piety, 321 Chap. V.—The affairs of Nicomedia, 322 Chap. VI.—Those that were in the palace, 323 Chap. VII.—The Egyptians that suffered in Phœnice, 325 Chap. VIII.—Those who suffered in Egypt, 327 Chap. IX.—Of those in Thebais, ib. Chap. X.—The writings of Phileas, which give an account of the martyrs of Alexandria, 329 Chap. XI.—The events in Phrygia, 332 Chap. XII.—Of many others, both men and women, who suffered in different ways, 333 Chap. ”

“ But here, acknowledging that it is beyond my power to present the work perfect and unexceptionable, I freely confess it will crave indulgence, especially since, as the first of those that have entered upon the subject, we are attempting a kind of trackless and unbeaten path. Looking up with prayer to God as our guide, we, trust indeed, that we shall have the power of Christ as our aid, though we are totally unable to find even the bare vestiges of those who may have travelled the way before us ”

“ IV.—The bishops of Alexandria and Rome, under the same emperor, 130 Chap. V.—The bishops of Jerusalem, from the period of our Saviour until these times, ib. Chap. VI.—The last siege of the Jews under Adrian, 131 Chap. VII.—Those who were considered leaders in false doctrine at this time, 132 Chap. VIII.—The ecclesiastical writers then flourishing, 135 Chap. IX.—The epistle of Hadrian, forbidding the Christians to be punished without trial, 136 Chap. X.—The bishops of Rome and Alexandria, in the reign of Antonine, 137 Chap. XI.—The heresiarchs of these times, ib. Chap. ”

“ This Antipater, when a boy, having been taken prisoner by some Idumean robbers, lived with them, because his father being a poor man, was unable to pay his ransom. Thus growing up in their practices, he was afterwards befriended by Hyrcanus the high priest of the Jews. His son was that Herod that flourished in the times of our Saviour. The government of the Jews, therefore, having devolved on such a man, the expectation of the nations was now at hand, according to prophecy; because with him terminated the regular succession of governors and princes, from the time of Moses. ”

“ XXII.—Paul being sent prisoner from Judea to Rome, after his defence, was absolved from all crime, 74 Chap. XXIII.—The martyrdom of James, who was called the brother of the Lord, 75 Chap. XXIV.—Annianus was appointed the first bishop of Alexandria, after Mark, 79 Chap. XXV.—The persecution under Nero, in which Paul and Peter were honoured with martyrdom in the cause of religion at Rome, ib. Chap. XXVI.—The Jews were afflicted with innumerable evils, and finally commenced a war with the Romans, 81 BOOK III—Pages 82—127. ”

“ The reason, however, why this was not also proclaimed before in ancient times, to all men and all nations, as it is now, will appear from the following considerations. The life of men, in ancient times, was not in a situation to receive the doctrine of Christ, in the all-comprehensive fulness of its wisdom and its virtue. For immediately in the beginning, after that happy state, the first man, neglecting the Divine commands, fell into the present mortal and afflicted condition, and exchanged his former divine enjoyment for the present earth, subject to the curse. ”

“ IV.—The epistles that Dionysius wrote on this subject, ib. Chap. V.—The peace after the persecution, 273 Chap. VI.—The heresy of Sabellius, 274 Chap. VII.—The execrable error of the heretics, the divine vision of Dionysius, and the ecclesiastical canon given to him, ib. Chap. VIII.—The heterodoxy of Novatus, 276 Chap. IX.—The ungodly baptism of heretics, ib. Chap. X.—Valerian, and the persecution raised by him, 278 Chap. XI.—The sufferings of Dionysius, and those in Egypt, 280 Chap. XII.—The martyrs of Cesarea of Palestine, 285 Chap. XIII.—The peace after Gallienus, ib. Chap. ”

“ Thaddeus, therefore, began in the power of God to heal every kind of disease and infirmity; so that all were amazed. But when Agbarus heard the great deeds and miracles which he performed, and how he healed men in the name and power of Jesus Christ, he began to suspect that this was the very person concerning whom Jesus had written, saying, After I have been received up again, I will send to thee one of my disciples, who shall heal thy affliction. ”