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Werke Eusebius von Caesarea (260-339) Vita Constantini The Life of the blessed Emperor Constantine
Book IV.

Chapter LXI.--His Sickness at Helenopolis, and Prayers respecting his Baptism.

At first he experienced some slight bodily indisposition, which was soon followed by positive disease. In consequence of this he visited the hot baths of his own city; and thence proceeded to that which bore the name of his mother. Here he passed some time in the church of the martyrs, and offered up supplications and prayers to God. Being at length convinced that his life was drawing to a close, he felt the time was come at which he should seek purification from sins of his past career, firmly believing that whatever errors he had committed as a mortal man, his soul would be purified from them through the efficacy of the mystical words and the salutary waters of baptism. 1 Impressed with these thoughts, he poured forth his supplications and confessions to God, kneeling on the pavement in the church itself, in which he also now for the first time received the imposition of hands with prayer. 2 After this he proceeded as far as the suburbs of Nicomedia, and there, having summoned the bishops to meet him, addressed them in the following words.


  1. Literally "salutary word of cleansing," but the paraphrase of Bag. will stand well whichever of the readings, "salutary cleansing," or "salutary word of cleansing," is adopted. ↩

  2. [These words seem to prove that the emperor now first became a catechumen. His postponement of baptism until his last illness (after having stood forward so long as the public advocate and protector of the Christian religion), and the superstitious reliance which he was encouraged to place on the late performance of this "mysterious" rite, afford an evidence of the melancholy obscuration of Christian truth at the very time when Christianity was ostensibly becoming the religion of the Roman Empire. There is probably too much truth in the following remarks of Gibbon: "The pride of Constantine, who refused the privileges of a catechumen, cannot easily be explained or excused: but the delay of his baptism maybe justified by the maxims and practice of ecclesiastical antiquity. The sacrament of baptism was supposed to contain a full and absolute expiation of sin; and the soul was instantly restored to its original purity, and entitled to the promise of eternal salvation. Among the proselytes of Christianity, there were many who judged it imprudent to precipitate a salutary rite, which could not be repeated; to throw away an inestimable privilege, which could never be recovered," &c. (Decline and Fall, ch. 20).--Bag.] On the forms of admission to the catechumenate, compare Marriott, Baptism, in Smith and Cheetham, Dict. ↩

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The Life of the blessed Emperor Constantine
Kommentare zu diesem Werk
Introduction to the Life of Constantine

Inhaltsangabe
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  • The Life of the blessed Emperor Constantine
    • Book I.
    • Book II.
    • Book III.
    • Book IV.
      • Chapter I.--How he honored Many by Presents and Promotions.
      • Chapter II.--Remission of a Fourth Part of the Taxes.
      • Chapter III.--Equalization of the More Oppressive Taxes.
      • Chapter IV.--His Liberality, from His Private Resources, to the Losers in Suits of a Pecuniary Nature.
      • Chapter V.--Conquest of the Scythians defeated through the Sign of Our Saviour.
      • Chapter VI.--Conquest of the Sarmatians, consequent on the Rebellion of their Slaves.
      • Chapter VII.--Ambassadors from Different Barbarous Nations receive Presents from the Emperor.
      • Chapter VIII.--That he wrote also to the King of Persia, who had sent him an Embassy, on Behalf of the Christians in his Realm.
      • Chapter IX.--Letter of Constantine Augustus to Sapor, King of the Persians, containing a truly Pious Confession of God and Christ.
      • Chapter X.--The Writer denounces Idols, and glorifies God.
      • Chapter XI.--Against the Tyrants and Persecutors; and on the Captivity of Valerian.
      • Chapter XII.--He declares that, having witnessed the Fall of the Persecutors, he now rejoices at the Peace enjoyed by the Christians.
      • Chapter XIII.--He bespeaks his Affectionate Interest for the Christians in his Country.
      • Chapter XIV.--How the Zealous Prayers of Constantine procured Peace to the Christians.
      • Chapter XV.--He causes himself to be represented on his Coins, and in his Portraits, in the Attitude of Prayer.
      • Chapter XVI.--He forbids by Law the Placing his Likeness in Idol Temples.
      • Chapter XVII.--Of his Prayers in the Palace, and his Reading the Holy Scriptures.
      • Chapter XVIII.--He enjoins the General Observance of the Lord's Day, and the Day of Preparation.
      • Chapter XIX.--That he directed even his Pagan Soldiers to pray on the Lord's Day.
      • Chapter XX.--The Form of Prayer given by Constantine to his Soldiers.
      • Chapter XXI.--He orders the Sign of the Saviour's Cross to be engraven on his Soldiers' Shields.
      • Chapter XXII.--Of his Zeal in Prayer, and the Honor he paid to the Feast of Easter.
      • Chapter XXIII.--How he forbade Idolatrous Worship, but honored Martyrs and the Church Festivals.
      • Chapter XXIV.--That he described himself to be a Bishop, in Charge of Affairs External to the Church.
      • Chapter XXV.--Prohibition of Sacrifices, of Mystic Rites, Combats of Gladiators, also the Licentious Worship of the Nile.
      • Chapter XXVI.--Amendment of the Law in Force respecting Childless Persons, and of the Law of Wills.
      • Chapter XXVII.--Among Other Enactments, he decrees that no Christian shall slave to a Jew, and affirms the Validity of the Decisions of Councils.
      • Chapter XXVIII.--His Gifts to the Churches, and Bounties to Virgins and to the Poor.
      • Chapter XXIX.--Of Constantine's Discourses and Declamations.
      • Chapter XXX.--That he marked out before a Covetous Man the Measure of a Grave, and so put him to Shame.
      • Chapter XXXI.--That he was derided because of his Excessive Clemency.
      • Chapter XXXII.--Of Constantine's Oration which he wrote to the Assembly of the Saints.
      • Chapter XXXIII.--How he listened standing to Eusebius' Declamation in Honor of our Saviour's Sepulchre.
      • Chapter XXXIV.--That he wrote to Eusebius respecting Easter, and respecting Copies of the Holy Scriptures.
      • Chapter XXXV.--Constantine's Letter to Eusebius, in praise of his Discourse concerning Easter.
      • Chapter XXXVI.--Constantine's Letter to Eusebius on the Preparation of Copies of the Holy Scriptures.
      • Chapter XXXVII.--How the Copies were provided.
      • Chapter XXXVIII.--How the Market-Town of Gaza was made a City for its Profession of Christianity, and received the Name of Constantia.
      • Chapter XXXIX.--That a Place in Phoenicia also was made a City, and in Other Cities Idolatry was abolished, and Churches built.
      • Chapter XL.--That having conferred the Dignity of Caesars on his Three Sons at the Three Decennial Periods of his Reign, he dedicated the Church at Jerusalem.
      • Chapter XLI.--That in the meantime he ordered a Council to be convened at Tyre, because of Controversies raised in Egypt.
      • Chapter XLII.--Constantine's Letter to the Council at Tyre.
      • Chapter XLIII.--Bishops from all the Provinces attended the Dedication of the Church at Jerusalem.
      • Chapter XLIV.--Of their Reception by the Notary Marianus; the Distribution of Money to the Poor; and Offerings to the Church.
      • Chapter XLV.--Various Discourses by the Assembled Bishops; also by Eusebius, the Writer of this History.
      • Chapter XLVI.--That Eusebius afterwards delivered his Description of the Church of the Saviour, and a Tricennial Oration before Constantine himself.
      • Chapter XLVII.--That the Council at Nicaea was held in the Twentieth, the Dedication of the Church at Jerusalem in the Thirtieth, Year of Constantine's Reign.
      • Chapter XLVIII.--That Constantine was displeased with one who praised him excessively.
      • Chapter XLIX.--Marriage of his Son Constantius Caesar.
      • Chapter L.--Embassy and Presents from the Indians.
      • Chapter LI.--That Constantine divided the Empire between his Three Sons, whom he had instructed in Politics and Religion.
      • Chapter LII.--That after they had reached Man's Estate he was their Guide in Piety.
      • Chapter LIII.--Having reigned about Thirty-Two Years, and lived above Sixty, he still had a Sound Body.
      • Chapter LIV.--Of those who abused His Extreme Benevolence for Avarice and Hypocrisy.
      • Chapter LV.--Constantine employed himself in Composition of Various Kinds to the Close of his Life.
      • Chapter LVI.--How he took Bishops with him on an Expedition against the Persians, and took with him a Tent in the Form of a Church.
      • Chapter LVII.--How he received an Embassy from the Persians and kept the Night Vigil with others at the Feast of Easter.
      • Chapter LVIII.--Concerning the Building of a Church in Honor of the Apostles at Constantinople.
      • Chapter LIX.--Farther Description of the same Church.
      • Chapter LX.--He also erected his own Sepulchral Monument in this Church.
      • Chapter LXI.--His Sickness at Helenopolis, and Prayers respecting his Baptism.
      • Chapter LXII.--Constantine's Appeal to the Bishops, requesting them to confer upon him the Rite of Baptism.
      • Chapter LXIII.--How after his Baptism he rendered Thanks to God.
      • Chapter LXIV.--Constantine's Death at Noon on the Feast of Pentecost.
      • Chapter LXV.--Lamentations of the Soldiery and their Officers.
      • Chapter LXVI.--Removal of the Body from Nicomedia to the Palace at Constantinople.
      • Chapter LXVII.--He received the same Honors from the Counts and other Officers as before his Death.
      • Chapter LXVIII.--Resolution of the Army to confer thence-forward the Title of Augustus on his Sons.
      • Chapter LXIX.--Mourning for Constantine at Rome; and the Honor paid him there through Paintings after his Death.
      • Chapter LXX.--His Burial by his Son Constantius at Constantinople.
      • Chapter LXXI.--Sacred Service in the Church of the Apostles on the Occasion of Constantine's Funeral.
      • Chapter LXXII.--Of the Phoenix.
      • Chapter LXXIII.--How Constantine is represented on Coins in the Act of ascending to Heaven.
      • Chapter LXXIV.--The God whom he had honored deservedly honored him in Return.
      • Chapter LXXV.--He surpassed all Preceding Emperors in Devotion to God.

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