still so disgusting to him that he immediately determined on his ruin, which he managed to effect. The second epistle of Justin, was occasioned by the following circumstances. A certain man and his wife living at Rome, the latter became a convert to Christianity, and attempted to bring her husband over to the faith Not succeeding, she then sued for a divorce, which so exasperated him, that he immediately accused her of being a Christian. On her petitioning him, he discontinued his suit against her, and levelled his enmity at Ptolemias, who was the means of converting her. He was consequently condemned to death, and met his fate with fortitude. Justin's remarks on these severities, gave Cresens the advantage he had so ardently desired, and complaining to the Emperor he was immediately apprehended with six of his companions. They were all first severely scourged, and then put to death by beheading.

Among the numerous and valuable productions of this eminent saint and martyr, only seven are now extant.

About this time many others were put to death for refusing to sacrifice to Jupiter, among whom was Concordus, a deacon of the city, who being carried before the image, he not only refused to sacrifice, but spit in its face, upon which he was immediately put to death.

Miraculous interference of the Divine Being.

About this time several of the northe n nations having conspired against Rome, the Emperor marched against them with 975,000 men. Having arrived within the country of Germany, they fell unconsciously into an ambuscade of the enemy, where they were in imminent danger of being defeated, and to add still more to their difficulty, they were almost entirely cut off from water. The Emperor in this emergency, commanded his soldiers to call upon their gods for aid, which was accordingly done, but to no purpose. He next called upon that division of his army which was composed of Christians, and commanded them to pray to their God, which was immediately complied with. They prostrated themselves before Heaven and implored relief, when suddenly a heavy shower descended, and the whole army was thus saved, and while it

rained upon the Roman army, the hail descended in torrents upon their enemies, which induced a great portion of them to disperse, while many others came over to the Romans. Thus was a great victory gained, and the empire probably saved through the interposition of Heaven.

The Emperor wrote immediately to the Senate on the subject, in which he fully acknowledges the services of the Christians, and gave immediate orders for stopping the persecution against them.

Persecutions in France.

Notwithstanding the above edict of the Emperor tended to stop the persecutions for a time in the immediate vicinity of Rome, in other parts of the empire, particularly in France, it was carried on to an extent which exceeded in cruelty all former examples. In the city of Lyons, all manner of torments were invented, such as banishment, hanging, burning, &c. and many of the servants of opulent Christians, were put upon the rack, to compel them to accuse their masters. The following were the principal of these martyrs, Vetius Agathus, a young man who having professed Christianity being accused before a magistrate, boldly acknowledged himself to be such, and was immediately condemned to death.

Blaudinia, a Christian lady of a weak constitution, when put to the torture, received such aid from Heaven, that her formentors several times became weary in their work of cruelty, and declared that she must have been supported by some invisible power. Sanctus also, a deacon in the city of Vienne, bore his sufferings with equal fortitude, and only exclaimed "I am a Christian." Red hot plates of brass were repeatedly placed upon the most sensitive parts of the body, till the sinews were contracted, still remaining inflexible, he was again consigned to prison. He was brought out again a few days afterward, when his secutors were greatly astonished to find his wounds healed, and his body perfect. Again they put him to the torture, but being unable to take his life, he was remanded to prison, where he was soon after beheaded.

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Attalus a distinguished citizen of Pergamus, suffered about this time, and Pethinus, the venerable bishop of

Lyons, now ninety years of age, being assaulted in the street by an infuriated mob, received such injury that he expired a few days after.

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At Lyons, exclusive of those already mentioned, the martyrs were compelled to set upon red hot chains of iron, till their flesh was broiled. This was inflicted with culiar severity upon Sanctus, already mentioned, and several others. Indeed, so far did the malice of the Pagars proceed that they sat guards over the bodies, while the dogs were devouring them, lest their friends should take them away and bury them.

The whole number of martyrs, at Lyons, was 48, who suffered in the year of Christ 177, and all of them behaved with the greatest fortitude. Besides these, many others suffered soon after, not only in that city, but in various other parts of the Roman empire.

Of these the most celebrated, were Epipodius, aud Alexander, the latter a Greek, and the former a citizen of Lyons, distinguished for their friendship and love for each other. Being concealed by a Christian lady, they remained undiscovered for several days. Their hiding place, however, being at length found out, they were apprehended and thrown into prison. When brought out for trial, they avowed themselves Christians, at which the governor was so much enraged, that he exclaimed, “what signify all the former executions, if some yet remain who dare avow themselves Christians."

Through pretended compassion however, the governor attempted to dissuade Epipodius from his belief, by contrasting the sensual enjoyments tolerated by the Pagan religion, with what he was pleased to term, a gloomy life of Christianity." Do not, said he, ruin yourself, with your obstinacy, our Deities are worshipped by the greater part of the people in the Universe, we adore them with feasting and mirth, while you adore a crucified man. to honour our Gods, launch into pleasures, you, by your faith We are debarred from all enjoyments of a sensual nature. Ours are the joys of licentious blandishments, yours the barren virtue of chastity; can you expect protection from ` one who could not secure himself from the persecution of a contemptible people. Then quit a profession of such austerity, and enjoy the gratifications which the world affords,

and which your youth demands. Epipodius in his reply, contemned his pretended compassion. "Your kindness said he, is actual cruelty, and the happy life you describe, is replete with everlasting death. Christ suffered for us, that our joys should be immortal, and hath prepared for his followers an eternity of bliss. The frame of man being composed of two parts, a body and soul, the first being mean and perishable, should be brought into subjection to the latter. Your idolatrous feasts may gratify the mortal, but they injure the immortal part. That cannot therefore be called pleasure, which wroks the destruction of the nobler part. Your pleasures lead to eternal death, our pains to eternal pleasure. For this speech, he was first severely beaten, then put upon the rack, and his flesh torn with iron hooks, after which, he was beheaded. Alexander, his companion, was brought before the same judge two days after, and on refusing to abjure Christianity, was first severely scourged, and then belieaded. This was in a. D. 179.

About this time, the following persons also suffered martyrdom, viz.: Valerian, and Marcellus, of Lyons; Benignus, of Dijon; Speusippus, and others, at Langres; Thyr seus, and Felix, at Salieu; Sympoviam and Florella, at Autun; Severinus, Felician, and Exuperus, at Vienne; Cecilia, a virgin, of Sicily; and Thraseus, bishop of Smyrna.

In the year of Christ 180, the Emperor Antoninus died, and was succeeded by his son Commodus, who did not in'itate his father in any respect. He had neither his virtues nor his vices, he was without learning or morality; neither did he possess his prejudice against the Christians. His greatest weakness was a vain and foolish pride, which led him to consider himself as Hercules, and as such be commanded his subjects to worship him. Several of the

Christians on refusing to comply with so extravagant a request, were put to death, among whom was Apollonius, a Roman Senator. This eminent man was skilled in all the branches of polite literature, as well as in the sublime truths of the Gospel. He was accused by his slave Severus, and refusing to recant was put to death, by being beheaded on the 18th of April, 186.

About this time also was put to death for the same cause, Anicetus, Soter, and Eleutherius, the latter of whom was

sent to Britain by the request of Lucius, the king, who was by him converted to Christianity, and on the following year, Eusebius Vincentius, Potentius, Peregrinus, and the Senator Julius, also suffered martyrdom, for refusing to sacrifice to Commodus.

CHAPTER II.

The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth Persecutions, under the Roman Emperor.

The Emperor Commodus dying in the year of Christ. 191, was succeeded by Pertinax, and he by Julianius, both of whom reigned but a short time. On the death of the last, Severus became Emperor in a. d. 172. Being cured of a dangerous disease by a Christian physician, he be came so friendly toward them, that he even suffered his son to be nursed by a Christian female. The Christians therefore for several years of his reign, enjoyed a respite from persecutions. But increasing in numbers very rapidly, the fears of the heathens were excited, lest their religion should become entirely supplanted, and imputing the various misfortunes which befel the empire to their impiety, a furious persecution was suddenly raised against them. Fire, sword, wild beasts, and imprisonments, were resorted to, and even the dead bodies of Christians were torn from their graves and subjected to the vilest insults. The Gospel, notwithstanding, withstood these attacks, and continued to spread to such a degree, that had its votaries withdrawn themselves to other countries, the Roman empire would have been greatly depopulated. Victor, bishop of Rome, suffered martyrdom a. D. 201; Leonidas, father of the celebrated Origen, was beheaded about the same time. Previous to his death, his son, in order to encourage him, wrote to him in the following words: “Beware sir, that your care for us does not make you change vour resolution."