The tragedies of tyrants Exercised upon the church of God, from the birth of…The tragedies of tyrantes Exercised vpon the church of God, from the birth of…

But not long after the death of Constantine, ¹the learned teachers, and ministers of the Churches, unthankfully abused their peace, mingling many contentions, and cavils with y• simple doctrine of their religion, and much disagreeing, and contending among themselves: they drew the simple people from the unity of the Church into sundry sects, and plucking them from the pureness and plainness of the true faith, with their doubtful doctrine: they filled their heads with sundry altercations. At which time sprang up the blasphemous ²doctrine of Arrius, who affirmed that our Lord Jesus Christ the sun of God was not of one essence or being with the father, nether very, and eternal God. With this poison at that time, Constantius one of Constantinus suns, was infected, for Coustantinus left behind him three suns, between whom he divided the empire: Constantinus ⟨p. 46⟩the second: Constantius, & Constans This Constantius was offended with the true & faithful ministers of y• Churches which withstood the doctrine of Arrius, and sent them into exile. But he persecuted most vehemently Blessed Athanasius and with him many m•, whereof some he ³threw into most strait prisons, grievously afflicting the faithful, as is declared at large in the ecclesiastical history. This persecution began about the year of Christ: 343. but because valens y• emperor, who was also defiled with the heresy of Arrius renewed this persecution: we will attribute them both to the Arians comprehending them under the name of Valens persecution.

But not longe after the death of Constantine, ¹the learned teachers, and ministers of the Churches, vnthankfully abused their peace, minglynge many contentions, and cauilles with y• simple doctrine of their religion, and mutch disagréeinge, and contendinge amonge themselues: they drew the simple people from the vnitie of the Church into sundry sectes, and pluckyng them from the purenesse and plainesse of the true faith, with their doubtfull doctrine: they filled their heades with sundrie altercatiōs. At which time sprange vp the blasphemous