him self what time was requisit to the learning of these sciences, and thinking not to defer any longer, thought it best to resorte to the secte of þ^e Plantonists for the great fame that ran of them: MarginaliaIustine a Platonist.wherfore he chose vnto him a singuler learned man of that secte, which latelie was come to those parties, & so remainyng with him semed to profite not a litle in contemplation of supernal things, and inuisible formes, insomuch that he thought shortly to aspire to such sharpnes of wit & wisdome, that out of hād he might atchiue to the comprehēsion and contemplation of God, which is the end of Platos philosophie. MarginaliaThe end of Platoes philosophy.And in this maner he bestowed his youth: But afterwarde he growing to a riper & more perfite age, howe and by what meanes the saide Iustine came to the knowledge and profession of christianitye, it foloweth likewise in his sayde first Apologie: where he affirmeth of him selfe (as witnesseth Eusebius in his. 4. booke) MarginaliaEx Euseb lib. 4. ca. 8that when he did behold the christians in their tormēts and suffrings to be so constāt in their profession, was therwith maruelously moued: after this maner reasoning w^t himself, that it was impossible for that kinde of people to be subiect to any vice or carnalitie, which vices of their owne nature are not able to sustayne any sharpe aduersitye, much lesse the bitternes of death. The sighte wherof helped him not a litle (being of his own nature inclined to the searching of true knowledge and vertue) to begyn thereby to loue and imbrace Christian religion, MarginaliaIustine beginneth to fauor christiā religiō.for so he doth witnes of him selfe in the end of the first Apology: signifieng ther, how it was his seeking and indeuour, to attayne to christianity: Vnderstanding how the christians by malice of wicked persons were compelled to suffer wrong and tormēts, and to be euyl spoken of. By sight wherof, as he saith himselfe, he became a christian through this occasiō: MarginaliaIustine goeth into desert.for being thus aflicted in his mind as is aforsaid, it cam in his head for his more quietnes, to go a side to some desert and solitarye place voyde of concourse of people, vnto a village or graunge neare to the sea syde: whether as he approched, thinking there to be al alone, MarginaliaIustinus miraculouslye conuerted by an olde man.ther meeteth w^t him an old auncient father of a comely visage & gentle behauiour, who folowing him a litle of, began to reasō with him: wher after long disputation, when the old man had declared vnto hym that ther was no knowledge of truth amongst the Philosophers, which neither knew god, neither were ayded by the holi ghost: & further had reasoned with him of the immortality of soule, of the reward of the godly, & punishment of the wicked: then Iustine being confirmed with his reasons and arguments, yelded to him of his owne accord, and demaunded of him by what meanes he might attayne to that true knowledge of god, wherof he had spoken. Who than counsayled hym to reade and searche the prophets, adioyninge therwith prayer: MarginaliaThe vanity of the olde Philosophers reproued.but what master, quoth Iustine, should I vse for the instruction therof? and who shalbe able to helpe vs if these Philosophers (as you say) lacke the truth, and are voide of the same? To whō thold father answering, ther haue bene (sayd he) many yeres before these Philosophers, other more aūcient thē al these, which being accōpted for Philosophers were iust & beloued of God: who spake by the spirit of God, foreseing & prophecieng these thinges which we see nowe come to passe, and therfore they are called prophets. MarginaliaThe doctrine of the prophetes cōmended.These onely haue knowen the truth & reueled it to men, neither fearing nor passing for any: who were seduced with no opinions of mans inuentiō, but onely spake & taught those things which they them selues both herd and saw, being inspired with the holy sprite of god: whose wrytings & workes yet to this day remain. MarginaliaThe vtility of readyng the prophetes.Out of which, the reder may receiue great profit and knowledge of thinges, as concerninge the firste creatiō of the world and end of the same, with all other things necessary to be knowē of euery true philosopher which will geue credit vnto them. Neither in their tea-ching they do vse any demōstration, as being more certayn of them selues, then þ^t they nede any such demonstratiō to be made. Forasmuch as the accōplishing & the end of things both past, & now present, constrayneth vs of necessity to beleue the words and doctrine which thei taught: MarginaliaProphets to be creditied for. 2. causes.which mē not onli therfore ar to be beleued, but also for their miracles & wōders don are worthy of credite, for þ^t they both preached of God the maker & creator of al things: And also dyd prophesie before of Christ his sonne to be sēt of him. The which the false prophets being seduced with false & wicked sprites, neither haue done, nor do: but onely taketh vpon them to worke certayne prodigious wonders for men to gase at, settyng oute thereby to the worlde false and vncleane spirites: But then, afore all thinges make thy prayer, that the gate of light maye bee opened vnto thee, for otherwise these things cānot be attained vnto of euery man, but onelye of such, to whom God and his Christ geueth vnderstādyng. These things with much more (which now leasure serueth not to prosecute) after the foresaide old father had declared vnto him, he departed: exhortīg him well to folowe the thinges which hee had spoken. And after that, Iustine as he him selfe witnesseth, saw hym no more. Immediatly after this, Iustine being al inflamed as with fire kindled in his brest, began to conceaue a loue and zeale toward the prophets, & al such as were fauored of Christ. And thus he reuoluing in hys mynde more and more these woords, found onely this philosophye among all other professions, both sure and profitable, and so becam he a philosopher, and in time, MarginaliaIustinus baptysed.by these meanes afterward was he made a christian and baptised. But wher he receyued this holy sacrament of baptisme, it is not red of: nor yet by what occasion hee left his country and came to Rome. Thys onely we rede in Ierome, that he was in Rome, and there vsed MarginaliaDiatribæcertayne exercises which he called diatribas, disputing there with Crescens a cynicall Philosopher, as is before touched. But this is certayne how þ^t Iustine after he had receyued the profession of Christian religion, became an earnest defender of the same, traueling and disputinge against all thaduersaries therof, MarginaliaIustinus an earnest defender of Christ.fearing neither peril of lyfe nor daunger of death wherby he might maintaine the doctrin of Christ, against þ^e malicious blasphemers, and also to augment the number of christian beleuers. As maye appere by his vehement disputatiōs againste the Heathen Philosophers. Also moreouer aswell appereth in that long disputation, which he had with one Tripho at Ephesus: as also in his confutations of heretikes. Furthermore his conflicts and Apologies whiche with great courage and securitye hee had agaynst the persecutors of the christians, both the Emperours and the magistrates, yea & the whole Senate of Rome doo testifie the same. MarginaliaTwo Apologies of IustinusOf the which Apologyes the firste hee wrote to the Senate of Rome, and after to Antoninus Pius the Emperor as is before mentioned, wher, in the firste writing with great libertye to the Senate hee declared, that of necessitye he was compelled to wryte and vtter his mynde & conscience to them. MarginaliaThe summe of hys Apologies.For that in persecuting of the christians, they dyd neglect their duty, and highly offended god, & therfore nede they had to be admonished. And further writing to Vrbicius lieftenant of the Citye, sayde, that hee put men to death and tormēts for no offence cōmitted, but for the confession onely of the name of Christ: which procedings & iudgemēts neither became þ^e Emperor nor his sonne, nor the Senate: defending moreouer in the sayd Apology & purging the christians of such crimes as falsely wer laid & obiected agaynst them by the Ethnikes. And likewise in his second Apology writing to Antoninus the Emperor and his successors, with like grauity & free libertie, declareth vnto thē how they had the name, cōmonly being reputed and taken as vertuous philosophers, main-