WEBVTT 00:00.850 --> 00:06.840 The Story of Constantine the Great In the beginning of the tenth persecution, 00:07.800 --> 00:11.980 Dioclesian, being made emperor, took to him Maximian. 00:12.860 --> 00:17.080 These two, governing as emperors together, chose out two other Caesars under them, 00:17.800 --> 00:22.960 to wit Galerius and Constantius, the father of Constantine the Great. 00:24.640 --> 00:30.660 Thus then, Dioclesian, reigning with Maximian, in the nineteenth year of his 00:30.660 --> 00:34.620 reign, began his furious persecution against the Christians, whose reign after 00:34.620 --> 00:36.440 the same continued not long. 00:37.720 --> 00:42.400 For it pleased God to put such a snaffle in the tyrant's mouth, that within two 00:42.400 --> 00:47.780 years after, he caused both him and Maximian to give over their imperial 00:47.780 --> 00:52.740 function, and so remain not as emperors any more, but as private persons. 00:53.620 --> 00:58.660 They being now dispossessed, the imperial dominion remained with Constantius and 00:58.660 --> 01:04.020 Galerius, which too divided the whole monarchy between them, so that Galerius 01:04.020 --> 01:08.620 should govern the east countries, and Constantius the west parts. 01:10.060 --> 01:15.400 But Constantius, as a modest prince, refused Italy and Africa, contenting 01:15.400 --> 01:19.700 himself with France, Spain, and Britain, refusing the other kingdoms for the 01:19.700 --> 01:21.980 troublesome and difficult government of the same. 01:23.380 --> 01:28.240 Galerius chose to him Maximian and Severus as Caesars. 01:29.240 --> 01:34.640 Likewise, Constantius took Constantine, his son Caesar, under him. 01:35.900 --> 01:39.980 In the meantime, while Galerius with his two Caesars were in Asia, the Roman 01:39.980 --> 01:44.260 soldiers set up for their emperor Maxentius, the son of Maximian, 01:44.640 --> 01:49.320 who had before deposed himself, against whom Galerius, the emperor of the 01:49.320 --> 01:55.100 east, sent his son Severus, which Severus, in the same voyage, was slain of 01:55.100 --> 01:59.760 Maxentius, in whose place then Galerius took Licinius. 02:01.040 --> 02:05.780 And these were the emperors and Caesars, who, succeeding after Dioclesian and 02:05.780 --> 02:11.140 Maximian, prosecuted the rest of that persecution, which Dioclesian and Maximian 02:11.140 --> 02:16.520 before began, during the space of seven or eight years, which was to the year of our 02:16.520 --> 02:23.080 Lord 313, save only that Constantius, with his son Constantine, was no great 02:23.080 --> 02:27.280 doer therein, but rather a maintainer and a supporter of the Christians. 02:28.880 --> 02:33.540 Which Constantius was a prince very excellent, civil, meek, gentle, 02:33.780 --> 02:38.780 liberal, and desirous to do good unto those that had any private authority under 02:38.780 --> 02:39.060 him. 02:40.440 --> 02:45.000 And, as Cyrus once said, that he got treasure for himself when he made friends 02:45.000 --> 02:50.300 rich, even so it is said that Constantius would oftentimes say that it were better 02:50.300 --> 02:54.720 that his subjects had the public wealth than he to have hoarded it in his own 02:54.720 --> 02:55.400 treasure-house. 02:56.540 --> 03:01.540 Also he was by nature sufficed with a little, insomuch that he used to eat and 03:01.540 --> 03:06.720 drink in earthen vessels, which thing was counted in Agathocles, the Sicilian, 03:07.000 --> 03:08.100 a great commendation. 03:08.840 --> 03:13.900 And if at any time cause required to garnish his table, he would send for plate 03:13.900 --> 03:15.540 and other furniture to his friends. 03:16.600 --> 03:21.900 In consequence of which virtues ensued great peace and tranquility in all his 03:21.900 --> 03:22.400 provinces. 03:23.920 --> 03:28.060 To these virtues he added a yet more worthy ornament, that is, devotion, 03:28.380 --> 03:31.440 love, and affection towards the word of God. 03:32.540 --> 03:37.620 By which word being guided, he neither levied any wars contrary to piety in 03:37.620 --> 03:42.560 Christian religion, neither aided he any others that did the same, neither 03:42.560 --> 03:46.140 destroyed he the churches, but commanded that the Christians should be preserved 03:46.140 --> 03:50.300 and defended and kept safe from all contumilius injuries. 03:51.720 --> 03:55.560 And when, in the other jurisdictions of the empire, the churches were molested 03:55.560 --> 04:00.240 with persecution, he alone gave license unto the Christians to live after their 04:00.240 --> 04:01.420 accustomed manner. 04:02.800 --> 04:07.800 Constantius, minding at a certain time to try what sincere and good Christians he 04:07.800 --> 04:13.320 had yet in his court, called together all his officers and servants, feigning 04:13.320 --> 04:18.540 himself to choose out such as would do sacrifice to devils, and that those only 04:18.540 --> 04:23.120 should dwell there and keep their offices, and that those who would refuse to do the 04:23.120 --> 04:25.400 same should be thrust out and banished the court. 04:26.460 --> 04:30.640 At this appointment all the courtiers divided themselves into companies. 04:31.720 --> 04:35.360 The emperor marked who were the constantist and godliest from the rest. 04:36.380 --> 04:40.800 And when some said they would willingly do sacrifice, others openly and boldly 04:40.800 --> 04:41.960 refused to do the same. 04:43.220 --> 04:47.780 Then the emperor sharply rebuked those who were so ready to do sacrifice and judged 04:47.780 --> 04:51.740 them as false traitors unto God, accounting them unworthy to be in his 04:51.740 --> 04:56.720 court, who were such traitors to God, and forthwith commanded that they only 04:56.720 --> 04:58.080 should be banished the same. 04:59.240 --> 05:04.260 But greatly he commended those who refused to do sacrifice and confessed God, 05:05.120 --> 05:10.600 affirming that they only were worthy to be about a prince, forthwith commanding that 05:10.600 --> 05:15.100 thenceforth they should be the trusty counselors and defenders both of his 05:15.100 --> 05:21.700 person and kingdom, saying thus much more, that they only were worthy to be in office 05:21.700 --> 05:27.100 whom he might make account of as his assured friends, and that he meant to have 05:27.100 --> 05:30.720 them in more estimation than the substance he had in his treasury. 05:32.440 --> 05:37.080 Constantius died in the third year of the persecution, in the year of our Lord 306, 05:37.180 --> 05:42.980 and was buried at York, after whom succeeded Constantine as a second Moses 05:42.980 --> 05:49.080 sent and set up of God, to deliver his people out of their so miserable captivity 05:49.080 --> 05:51.080 into liberty most joyful. 05:51.780 --> 05:57.180 He, Constantine, was the good and virtuous child of a good and virtuous father. 05:58.220 --> 06:02.800 Born in Britain, his mother was named Helena, daughter of King Coilus. 06:03.560 --> 06:07.420 He was a most bountiful and gracious prince, having a desire to nourish 06:07.420 --> 06:12.840 learning and good arts, and did oftentimes used to read, write, and study himself. 06:13.780 --> 06:18.180 He had marvellous good success and prosperous achieving of all things he took 06:18.180 --> 06:23.920 in hand, which then was, and truly supposed to proceed of this, for that he 06:23.920 --> 06:28.820 was so great a favourer of the Christian faith, which faith when he had once 06:28.820 --> 06:33.380 embraced he did ever after most devoutly and religiously reverence. 06:34.720 --> 06:39.000 As touching his natural disposition and wit, he was very eloquent, a good 06:39.000 --> 06:42.320 philosopher, and in disputation sharp and ingenious. 06:42.900 --> 06:47.160 He was accustomed to say that an emperor ought to refuse no labour for the utility 06:47.160 --> 06:48.280 of the common wheel. 06:49.080 --> 06:53.180 An empire was given by the determinate purpose of God, and he to whom it was 06:53.180 --> 06:58.080 given should so employ his diligence as that he might be thought worthy of the 06:58.080 --> 06:59.700 same at the hands of the giver. 07:03.820 --> 07:06.580 This book is continued on Disc 2. 07:09.160 --> 07:19.120 Fox's Book of Martyrs by John Fox Disc 2 I showed before how Maxentius, the son of 07:19.120 --> 07:23.860 Maximian, was set up at Rome by the Praetorian soldiers to be emperor, 07:24.800 --> 07:29.480 whereunto the senate, although they were not consenting yet for fear, they were not 07:29.480 --> 07:29.940 resisting. 07:31.460 --> 07:36.440 Maximian, his father, who had before deprived himself, hearing of this, 07:36.800 --> 07:42.260 took heart again to resume his dignity, and laboured to persuade Diocletian to do 07:42.260 --> 07:42.800 the same. 07:43.640 --> 07:47.860 But when he could not move him thereunto, he repaireth to Rome, thinking to wrest 07:47.860 --> 07:49.800 the empire out of his son's hands. 07:50.360 --> 07:54.660 But when the soldiers would not suffer that, of a crafty purpose, he flyeth to 07:54.660 --> 07:59.240 Constantine in France, under pretense to complain of Maxentius his son, 07:59.580 --> 08:02.460 but in very deed to kill Constantine. 08:03.420 --> 08:09.060 That conspiracy, being detected by Fausta, the daughter of Maximian, whom Constantine 08:09.060 --> 08:13.960 had married, Constantine through the grace of God was preserved, and Maximian retired 08:13.960 --> 08:14.420 back. 08:15.100 --> 08:17.360 In his flight he was apprehended and put to death. 08:18.820 --> 08:23.440 Maxentius all this while reigned at Rome with tyranny and wickedness intolerable, 08:23.760 --> 08:25.660 much like to another pharaoh or nero. 08:26.680 --> 08:30.080 For he slew the most part of his noblemen, and took from them their goods, 08:30.540 --> 08:34.360 and sometimes in his rage he would destroy great multitudes of the people of Rome by 08:34.360 --> 08:35.000 his soldiers. 08:36.080 --> 08:40.040 Also he left no mischievous nor lascivious act unattempted. 08:41.440 --> 08:46.260 He was also much addicted to the art magical, which to execute he was more fit 08:46.260 --> 08:47.940 than for the imperial dignity. 08:48.980 --> 08:53.760 Often he would invocate devils in a secret manner, and by the answers of them he 08:53.760 --> 08:57.400 sought to repel the wars which he knew Constantine prepared against him. 08:58.180 --> 09:01.880 And to the end he might the better perpetrate his mischievous and wicked 09:01.880 --> 09:02.380 attempts. 09:02.840 --> 09:07.660 He feigned himself in the of his reign to be a favorer of the Christians. 09:08.600 --> 09:12.360 And thinking to make the people of Rome his friends, he commanded that they should 09:12.360 --> 09:14.100 cease from persecuting the Christians. 09:15.280 --> 09:20.620 He himself abstained from no contumelious vexation of them, till that he began at 09:20.620 --> 09:23.720 last to show himself an open persecutor of them. 09:24.840 --> 09:29.520 The citizens and senators of Rome, being much grieved and oppressed by the 09:29.520 --> 09:33.600 grievous tyranny and unspeakable wickedness of Maxentius, sent their 09:33.600 --> 09:36.180 complaints with letters unto Constantine. 09:36.880 --> 09:41.640 With much suit and most hearty petitions, desiring him to help and release their 09:41.640 --> 09:45.840 country and city of Rome, who, hearing and understanding their miserable 09:45.840 --> 09:51.500 and pitiful state, and grieved therewith not a little, first sendeth by letters to 09:51.500 --> 09:56.580 Maxentius, desiring and exhorting him to restrain his corrupt doings and great 09:56.580 --> 09:57.040 cruelty. 09:58.260 --> 10:03.400 But when no letters nor exhortations would prevail, at length, pitying the woeful 10:03.400 --> 10:07.360 case of the Romans, he gathered together his army in Britain and France, 10:07.620 --> 10:10.500 therewith to repress the violent rage of that tyrant. 10:11.580 --> 10:16.340 Thus Constantine, sufficiently appointed with strength of men, but especially with 10:16.340 --> 10:21.480 strength of God, entered his journey coming towards Italy, which was about the 10:21.480 --> 10:24.680 last year of the persecution, 313 A.D. 10:25.900 --> 10:29.500 Maxentius, understanding of the coming of Constantine, and trusting more to his 10:29.500 --> 10:33.900 devilish art of magic than to the goodwill of his subjects, which he little deserved, 10:34.380 --> 10:39.480 durst not show himself out of the city, nor encounter him in the open field, 10:40.080 --> 10:45.220 but with privy garrisons laid wait for him by the way in sundry straits as he should 10:45.220 --> 10:50.660 come, with whom Constantine had divers skirmishes, and by the power of the Lord 10:50.660 --> 10:53.100 did ever vanquish them and put them to flight. 10:54.660 --> 10:59.980 Notwithstanding, Constantine yet was in no great comfort, but in great care and dread 10:59.980 --> 11:05.500 in his mind, approaching now near unto Rome, for the magical charms and sorceries 11:05.500 --> 11:11.220 of Maxentius, wherewith he had vanquished before Severus, sent by Galerius against 11:11.220 --> 11:11.520 him. 11:12.320 --> 11:17.140 Wherefore, being in great doubt and perplexity in himself, and revolving many 11:17.140 --> 11:21.400 things in his mind, what help he might have against the operations of his 11:21.400 --> 11:26.820 charming Constantine in his journey drawing toward the city, and casting up 11:26.820 --> 11:31.140 his eyes many times to heaven, in the south part, about the going down of 11:31.140 --> 11:37.140 the sun, saw a great brightness in heaven, appearing in the similitude of a cross, 11:37.740 --> 11:41.480 giving this inscription, In this overcome. 11:43.100 --> 11:48.440 Eusebius Pamphilus doth witness that he had heard the said Constantine himself 11:48.440 --> 11:53.600 often times report, and also to swear this to be true and certain, which he did see 11:53.600 --> 11:57.120 with his own eyes in heaven, and also his soldiers about him. 11:58.080 --> 12:03.000 At the sight whereof when he was greatly astonied, and consulting with his men upon 12:03.000 --> 12:07.980 the meaning thereof, behold, in the night season in his sleep, Christ appeared to 12:07.980 --> 12:13.120 him with the sign of the same cross which he had seen before, bidding him to make 12:13.120 --> 12:18.580 the figuration thereof, and to carry it in his wars before him, and so should he have 12:18.580 --> 12:19.120 the victory. 12:20.820 --> 12:25.180 Wherein is to be noted, good reader, that this sign of the cross, and these 12:25.180 --> 12:27.540 letters added withal, in Hark! 12:27.720 --> 12:33.440 Vince, was given to him of God, not to induce any superstitious worship or 12:33.440 --> 12:37.440 opinion of the cross, as though the cross itself had any such power or strength in 12:37.440 --> 12:42.620 it to obtain victory, but only to bear the meaning of another thing, that is, 12:43.040 --> 12:48.080 to be an admonition to him to seek and inspire to the knowledge and faith of him 12:48.080 --> 12:53.280 who was crucified upon the cross, for the salvation of him and of all the 12:53.280 --> 12:56.440 world, and so to set forth the glory of his name. 12:57.560 --> 13:02.820 The day following this vision Constantine caused a cross after the same figuration 13:02.820 --> 13:07.620 to be made of gold and precious stone, and to be borne before him instead of his 13:07.620 --> 13:12.580 standard, and so with much hope of victory and great confidence, as one armed from 13:12.580 --> 13:15.340 heaven, he speedeth himself toward his enemy. 13:16.460 --> 13:21.060 Against whom Maxentius, being constrained perforce to issue out of the city, 13:21.440 --> 13:25.080 sendeth all his power to join with him in the field beyond the river Tiber, 13:25.740 --> 13:29.820 where Maxentius, craftily breaking down the bridge called Pons Milvius, 13:30.360 --> 13:34.700 caused another deceitful bridge to be made of boats and wherries, being joined 13:34.700 --> 13:39.180 together and covered over with boards and planks in manner of a bridge, thinking 13:39.180 --> 13:42.000 therewith to take Constantine as in a trap. 13:43.080 --> 13:46.780 But herein came to pass that which in the seventh psalm is written. 13:47.640 --> 13:51.360 He made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 13:51.920 --> 13:55.900 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come 13:55.900 --> 14:00.860 down upon his own pate, which here in this Maxentius was rightly verified, 14:01.040 --> 14:05.840 for after the two hosts did meet, he, being not able to sustain the force of 14:05.840 --> 14:10.100 Constantine, fighting under the cross of Christ against him, was put to such a 14:10.100 --> 14:15.420 flight, and driven to such an exigence, that in retiring back upon the same bridge 14:15.420 --> 14:19.960 which he did lay for Constantine, for haste thinking to get to the city, 14:20.540 --> 14:25.520 he was overturned by the fall of his horse into the bottom of the flood, and there 14:25.520 --> 14:30.300 with the weight of his armour he was drowned, and his host drowned in the Red 14:30.300 --> 14:30.660 Sea. 14:31.640 --> 14:37.620 Pharaoh, not unaptly, seemeth to bear a prophetical figuration of this Maxentius. 14:39.720 --> 14:45.880 For as the children of Israel were in long thralldom and persecution in Egypt till 14:45.880 --> 14:50.920 the drowning of their last persecutor, so was this Maxentius the last persecutor 14:50.920 --> 14:55.520 in the Roman monarchy of the Christians whom this Constantine, fighting under the 14:55.520 --> 14:59.120 cross of Christ, did vanquish, setting the Christians at liberty, 14:59.500 --> 15:03.700 who before had been persecuted, now three hundred years in Rome. 15:04.780 --> 15:09.100 In histories we read of many victories and great conquests gotten, yet we never read, 15:09.400 --> 15:14.020 nor ever shall, of any victory so wholesome, so commodious, so opportune to 15:14.020 --> 15:18.680 mankind as this was, which made an end of so much bloodshed, and obtained so much 15:18.680 --> 15:22.200 liberty and life to the posterity of so many generations. 15:23.760 --> 15:27.520 Constantine so established the peace of the church, that for the space of a 15:27.520 --> 15:32.180 thousand years we read of no set persecution against the Christians unto 15:32.180 --> 15:33.600 the time of John Wycliffe. 15:34.520 --> 15:38.840 So happy, so glorious was this victory of Constantine, so named the great. 15:39.720 --> 15:43.520 For the joy and gladness whereof the citizens who had sent for him before, 15:43.860 --> 15:47.760 with exceeding triumph, brought him into the city of Rome, where he was most 15:47.760 --> 15:52.380 honorably received, and celebrated the space of seven days together, having, 15:52.620 --> 15:57.020 moreover, in the marketplace his image set up, holding in his right hand the sign of 15:57.020 --> 16:02.560 the cross, with this inscription, With this wholesome sign, the true token 16:02.560 --> 16:07.980 of fortitude, I have rescued and delivered our city from the yoke of the tyrant. 16:10.060 --> 16:14.740 Constantine with his fellow Licinius, Ephsuns, set forth their general 16:14.740 --> 16:20.120 proclamation, not constraining any man to any religion, but giving liberty to all 16:20.120 --> 16:24.020 men, both for the Christians to persist in their profession without any danger, 16:24.020 --> 16:28.520 and for other men freely to adjoin with them whosoever pleased. 16:29.260 --> 16:33.280 Which thing was very well taken, and highly allowed of the Romans and all 16:33.280 --> 16:34.000 wise men. 16:35.060 --> 16:41.420 I doubt not, good reader, but thou dost right well consider with thyself the 16:41.420 --> 16:43.460 marvellous working of God's mighty power. 16:44.280 --> 16:48.260 To see so many emperors confederate together against the Lord and Christ His 16:48.260 --> 16:52.320 Anointed, who, having the subjection of the world under their dominion, 16:52.460 --> 16:57.260 did bend their whole might and devices to extirpate the name of Christ and of all 16:57.260 --> 16:57.660 Christians. 16:58.920 --> 17:03.200 Wherein, if the power of man could have prevailed, what could they not do? 17:03.940 --> 17:06.460 Or what could they do more than they did? 17:07.220 --> 17:11.000 If policy or devices could have served, what policy was there lacking? 17:11.820 --> 17:16.440 If torments or pains of death could have helped, what cruelty of torment by man 17:16.440 --> 17:18.740 could be invented which was not attempted? 17:19.630 --> 17:25.220 If laws, edicts, proclamations, written not only in tables but engraven in 17:25.220 --> 17:29.520 brass, could have stood, all this was practised against the weak Christians. 17:30.120 --> 17:34.960 And yet, notwithstanding, to see how no council can stand against the Lord, 17:35.480 --> 17:37.120 note how all these be gone. 17:37.880 --> 17:40.860 And yet Christ and His church doth stand.