bryng and establyshe, in firme peace and tranquilitie, and for that the publique vtillitie of all the inhabitaunts of the earth. MarginaliaThe clemēcie of a good emperour.Those which yet erre and are oute of the waye, enioye the benefite of peace & quietnes, with, and amongest, the number of the faythfull sorte: for I trust, the restitution of like societie and participation, may be a meanes to bryng them also that erre, into the perfecte way of veritie. Let no man therfore be grieuous one vnto an other: but what euery man thinketh beste, that let hym doe. For such as are wyse ought throughlye to be perswaded, that they onely meane to liue holilie and as they should do, whom the spirite of God moueth, to take their delight & recreation in reading hys holy will. MarginaliaA good iudgementAnd if others wilfullye will goe out of the waye, cleauing to the Sinagoges of false doctrine, they may at their own perell: as for vs, we haue the most worthy house or congregacion of Gods veritie, which he according to hys own goodnes and nature hath geuen vs. And this also we wishe vnto them, that with like participation and common consent, they may feele with vs the same delectacion of mynde. MarginaliaOne religion from the begynning of the world.For this our religion is neyther newe nor newly inuented, but is as old, as we beleue the creation of the world to be: and which God hath commaunded to be celebrated with such worship as both seemed & pleased him. But all lyuing men are lyars, and are dysceaued with diuers and sundry illusions. MarginaliaThe prayer of Con. was fulfylledThou O God for Christ thy sonnes sake, suffer not this wickednes agayne to take roote: thou hast set vp a cleare burning light, that thereby, as manye as thou hast chosen maye come vnto thee. These thy miracles approue the same. It is thy power that keepeth vs in innocency and fidelitie. MarginaliaEche thyng in their creatiō preach the very & true God.The Sunne and the Moone runne theyr appoynted course: neyther yet in ranging wyse wander the stars to what place of the world they list them selues. The daies yeares, monethes, & tymes, keepe their apointed turnes. The earth abideth firme & vnremoueable at thy woord, and the wynde at the tyme (by thee directed) stormeth & bloweth. The streaming watery flouds, ebbe in time according as they flowe. The raging sea abideth within her bounded lymits. And for that the Ocian sea stretcheth out her selfe in equal length and breadth with the whole earthe: MarginaliaThe earthe stayd vp by the power of God.this must needes be wrought wyth some marueilous workemanship of thine own hand: whyche thing vnles it were at thy wyl made and disposed, without al doubt, so great a difference & particion betwene, would or this time haue brought vtter ruine & destruction, bothe to the lyfe of man, as all that belongeth to man beside. Which for that they haue such great & huge conflictes amongest them selues, as also the inuisible spirites haue: we geue thee thākes, O Lord most mighty God of all Gods, that al mankinde hath not bene destroyed therby. Surely, euen as greatly as thy benignitie and gētlenes, is manifested by diuers and sundry benefites bestowed vpon vs: MarginaliaWho they be that Cō. accōpteth Wise in dede.so muche also is the same set forth and declared in the discipline of thy eternall word, to those that be heauenly wyse, and applye them selues to the attayanment of sincere and true vertue. But if any such therbe, that litle regarde or haue but small respect vnto the consideration therof: let them not blame or lay a fault in others that do the same. For that phisick wherby health is obtayned is manifestly offered vnto all mē: MarginaliaExperience a tryal of the truth.now therfore let no mā go about to subuert that, which experiēce it self doth shew (of necessity) to be pure & good. Let vs therfore altogether vse the participation of thys benefit bestowed vpon vs, that is to saye, the benefyt of peace and tranquilitie, setting a part all controuersie. And let no man hurt or be preiudicial to his fellowe for that thing, wherin he thinketh himself to haue done wel. If by that, which any man knoweth and hath experiēce of, he thinketh he may profit his neighbour, let him doo the same, if not, let him geue ouer, and remit it tyl an other time. For there is a great diuersitie betwyxt thewylling and voluntary embracing of religion, and that when a man is therunto inforced and coacted. Of these thinges haue I made a more larger discourse, then indede, the scope of mediocritie requireth: specially bicause I would not haue my fayth (touching the veritye) to be hyd. MarginaliaConstantinus neyther for feare dissēleth hys fayth, neyther through policy defaceth gods gloryFor that I heare there be some, whiche complaine the old accustomed haunting of their temples, and that the power of such darknes is cut of and taken awaye: which thing surely I would take in better part, were it not that the violent rebellion of flagicious errour, were so fixed in many mens hartes, wherby they thirst after the vtter subuertion of the cōmon weale and Empyre.

Such was the goodnes of this Emperour Constantinus, or rather such was the prouidence of almightye God toward his church, in styrring him vp: that all his care and study of minde was set vpon nothing els, but onely how to benefit and enlarge the cōmodities of the same. Neither was it to him inough to deliuer þ^e church and people of God, from outwarde vexation of forayne tyrantes and persecutors. MarginaliaConstantinus compared to Moses in delyueringthe people, & agreeing them together.No les beneficial was his godly care also in quieting the inward discentions and disturbance within the church among the Christian Byshops themselues, according as we reade of Moses the deliuerer of the Israelites, in agreing the brethren together, when he saw them at variance. Exod. 2. No lesse also did his vigilant study extend in erecting, restoring, & enriching the churches of God in al cities, and in prouiding for the Ministers of the same. MarginaliaThe letter of Constantinus to Anilinus hys captayne.And therfore writing to Anilinus his chiefe captayne, declareth his wyll to him and mynde in letters, concerning the goods whych did before appertayne to the churches of the Christiās: that he should procure vigilantlye for the same: that all such goods, houses, and gardens, belonging before to the right of Churches, shoulde agayne be restored in all spedy wyse: and that he ther in mighte be certified wyth speede. &c.

MarginaliaAn other letter of Constantine to Anilinus.Moreouer, writing to the sayd Anilinus in an other letter, signifieth vnto him in this effect: MarginaliaThe comtempt of Gods religion, the chiefest decay of commonweales.that for so muche as the contempt of God his reuerent religiō, is and hath bene euer the greatest to decay to the name and people of Rome, as contrary the mayntaining and reuerencing the same, hath euer brought prosperitie to all common weales: Therfore he in consideracion therof, hath taken that order, and geueth to him in charge, that throughe that prouince, where he hath to do, which was in Africk where Cecilianus was bishop, he shoulde there see and prouide, that al such Ministers and Clerkes, whose vocation was to serue in the church, shoulde bee freed and exempted from all publicke duties and burdens: wherby they being so priuileged, and al impedimentes remoued, which should hinder their diuine ministratiō: therby the common vtilitie of the people might the better floorish. &c.

MarginaliaAn other letter of Constātinus to Meltiades byshop of Rome.Futhermore, the sayd Constantinus in an other letter writing to Meltiades, bishop of Rome, and to Marcus, declareth in his letters to them, how Cecilianus bishop of Carthage, had ben accused vnto him by diuers of his colleags and fellowe bishops. Wherfore hys wyl is, that þ^e sayd Ceclianus, with. x. bishops his accusers, with. x. other his defendantes should repayre vp to hym at Rome, wher in the present assistance of the foresayde Militiades, Rheticus, Maternus, Marinus, and of other their fellow colleags, the cause of Cecilianus mighte be hard, and rightly examined, MarginaliaThe feruent desyre of Constantinus to pease & vnitie.so that al schisme and diuision might be cut of from among them: wherin the feruent desire of Constantinus to peace and vnitie, maye well appeare.

MarginaliaThe letter of Constant. to Chrestus B. of Syracusa.Vpon the like cause and argument also, he writeth to Chrestusbishop of Syracusa, so desirous to nourishe peace and concord in the church, that he offereth to him with his vnder ministers and three seruauntes, his free cariage to come vp to him vnto the councel of other bi-