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rave William, 1637-i/i«3. j
LWes of the most eminent
'flthe^s of the church that
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LIVES
OF THE MOST EMINENT
FATHERS OF THE CHURCH
THAT FLOURISHED IN THE
FIRST FOUR CENTURIES
AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE STATE OF PAGANISM UNDER
THE. FIRST CHRISTIAN EMPERORS.
WILLIAM *^ A V E, D. D.
A NEW EDITION, CAREFDLLY REVISED,
BY
HENRY GARY, M.A.
WORCESTER COLLEGE, AND PERPETUAL CURATE OF ST. PAUL'S, O.xrORD.
VOL. I.
OXFORD,
PRINTED BY .1. VINCENT,
F O R T II O M A S T E Ti G, 7.", C II E A P S I D K, L ( ) N D 0 X.
1840.
ADVEETISEMENT TO THE PRESENT EDITION.
The writings of Cave, especially his Lives of the Fathers, are
so well known and appreciated, that the Editor is persuaded a
lengthened preface of his own would not add at all to their
value. He need therefore only state what his task has been
in preparing the present edition for the press. The text has
been carefully revised throughout, and the authorities quoted
and referred to have been collated and examined.
But the most laborious part of the editor's undertaking has
been in correcting his author''s references. Cave had, in great
measure from necessity, made use of inferior editions of the
Fathers ; of some of them, there were not at the time of his
writing accurate imprints. In the present work, therefore, later
and improved editions of the authors quoted or referred to, have
been in many cases consulted throughout. The following table
of editions used, will enable the studious reader to verify Cave's
statements : many, however, are not here particularized, either
because they are only once or twice referred to, or because,
being quoted by chapter or section, or both, they may readily
be found in the various editions.
a 2
TABLE OF EDITIONS REFERRED TO.
Ambrosius, At;-. 1686-90.
Ammianus Marcellinus, Luc/d. Bat. 1693.
Apostolorum Canonos, inter Patres Apo-
stolicos.
Apostolorum Constitutiones, inter Patres
Apostolicos.
Aristides, O.vun. ]7-'2.
Arnobius, Lwjd. Bit. 1651.
Athanasius, Par. 1698.
Athenaeus, Ludcj. 1657.
Athenagoras, cum JasTiNO Mart.
Augustinus, Par. 1683.
Ausonius, inter Panegyricos.
Earonius Annal. Moyunt. 1601-8.
■'■ Martyrol. Antv. 1589.
Basilius Magnus, Par. 1721.
Beda, Basil. 1563.
Benjamin. Itin. Antt\ 1575.
Bertesius, Pithan. Tolosce. 1608.
Brocardus, Descript. terr. sanct. Colon. 1624.
Burton, comm. on Antoninus's Itinerary,
Land. 1658.
Busbequius, Epistt. Hano%\ 1605.
Buxtorfius,Recens. opp. Talmud. 5ast7. 1640.
Cedrenus, Compond. Hist. Pur. 1647.
Chemnitius, Exam. Getic.v. 1634.
Chronicon Aluxandrin. spu Pascliale, per du
Fresne, Par. 1688.
Chrysostomus, Par. 1718.
C'lcmens Alexandrinus, Oxon. 1715.
Clemens Romanus, inter Patres Apostoli-
cos.
Codex Theodosianus per Gotliofredum,
Lu-nd. 16(i5.
Codinus, orig. Constant. ciiiH Const. Ma-
iiasse. Par. 165."j.
Combefis, Demonstr. Chronol. cum Leone
Allatio, 1664.
Concilia. Harduin. Par. 1710.
ed. reg. Par. 1644.
Cyprianus, Oxon. 1682.
Cyril, Alexandrinus, Lidet. 1638.
Cyril, Hierosol. Oxon. 1703.
Dexter, Chronicon. Lugd. 1627.
Diodorus Siculus, Hanov. 1 604.
Diogenes Laertius, Amst. 1692.
Dionis Excerpta, (cum Polybio,) Par. 1634.
Oratt. Lutet. 1623.
Dionysius. Areopag. Antv. 1634.
Dorotheus, Synops, in vol. ii. bibl. patruni,
ed. 1575.
Epiphanius, Colon. 1682.
Evagrius, Hist. Eccl. cum Eusebii Hist.
Eccl.
Eunopius de vit. philos. Heidelb. 1596.
et Coll. AUobr. 1616.
Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. Cantab. 1720.
De vita Constantini, Ibid.
Chromcon, Amst. 1658.
De locis Hebraicis. Par. 1631.
Demonstr. Evang. Par. 1628.
Praepar. Evang. Par. 1628.
Eutropius, Oxon. 1703.
Eutychius, Annal. Oxon. 1656.
Eccles. suaj orig. per Seldenum.
Lond. 1642.
Firmicus, Matern. de error prof, relig. cum
Minuc. Folic, per J. a Wower, Oxon.
1662.
(iodign. do rebus Abyssin, Lui]d. 161.).
(iothofrediis, \'ot. orb. descript. Cfuev.
1628.
■JABl-E UF KDITIOXS KKFEHKIlU TO.
Grcgorius Nazianzen, Lut. Par. 160 J).
Gregorius Nyssen, Par. 1615.
et Par. 16-23.
Gregorius Presbyter, cum. Gregorio, Naz.
Gregorius Thaumaturgus, Par. 1621.
Herodian, Oawi. 1678.
Hieronymus, Par. 1706.
Hilarius, Pictav. Par. 1693.
Idatius, Fasti consulares, inter opera Sir-
mondi. Par. 1696.
Ignatius, inter Patres Apostolicos.
Josephus, Oxon. 1720.
Irenseus, Par. 1710.
Isidorus Peleus. Par. 163f).
Julianus, Lips. 1696.
Julius Firmicus, Par. 1668.
Justinus Martyr, Par. 1742.
Lactantius, Lid. Par. 1748.
Leontius, in bibl. Patrum, Gr. Lat. Par.
1624.
Libanius, Lips, et Lutet. 1616-27.
Orat. de templis, inter J. Gotlio-
fredi, opusc. Genev. 1634.
Lucianus, S.imosat. Salmant. 1618.
Mamertinus Paneg. inter Panegyricos.
Minucius Felix, Cantab. 1712.
Nazarius, Paneg. Const, inter Paneuy-
RICOS.
Nicephorus, Hist. Eccl. Par. 1630.
Oecumenius, Par. 1631.
Optatus, Par. 1679.
Origen, Par. 1733.
Orosius, Liigd. Bat. 1738.
Panegyrici, ad calc. C. Plinii Cascilii Epistt.
Par. 1600.
Patres Apostolici, per Cotelerium. 1724.
Philo Judaeus, Lid. Par. 1640.
Philostorgius cum Eusebii Hist. Eccl.
Photius, Myriabiblion sive Bibliotheca,
16II.
Epistt. Land. 16.51.
Polybius, Par. 1609.
Polycarpus, inter Patres Apostolicos.
Pontius Diac. vit. Cj^sriani, cum Cypriano.
Procopius, Par. 1662.
Sandius, Hist. Eccl. Cosmop. 1669.
Sixtus Senens. Col. Agr. 1626.
Socrates, Hist. Eccl. cum Eusebii Hist.
Eccl.
Sozomen, Hist. Eccl. cum Eusebii Hist.
Eccl.
Strabo, Geograpli. Amst. 1707.
Suidas, Genev. 1618.
Sulpicius Severus, Verona. 17o4.
Surius, Col. Agr. 1576.
Symmachus, Epistt. Par. 1604.
Syncellus, Antv. 1634.
Synesius, cum Cyril. Hieros. Lut. Par. 1 63 1.
Tatianus, cum Justing Mart.
Tertullian, Lut. Par. 1664.
Theodor. Lect. cum Eusebii Hist. Eccl.
Theodoretus, Opera. HalcB. 1770.
Hist. Eccl. cum Eusebii Hist.
Eccl.
Theophilus Antioclienus cum Justino Mart.
Trebonius Pollio inter Rom. Hist.
Victor Utic. Hist. Pcrsec. \'andal. ap Pa-
tres orthodox. Grymsei, Par. 1694.
Vincentius Lirinensis, Cantab. 1687.
Voisius, de leg. divin. Par. 1650.
Volaterranus, Lugd. 1599.
Zonaras, Par. 1687.
Zosimus, Lips. 1784.
PREFACE.
It is not the least argument for the spiritual and incorporeal
nature of human souls, and that they are acted by a higher
principle than mere matter and motion, their boundless and
inquisitive researches after knowledge. Our minds naturally
grasp at a kind of omnisciency, and not content with the specula-
tions of this or that particular science, hunt over the whole
course of nature ; nor are they satisfied with the present state
of things, but pursue the notices of former ages, and are desirous
to comprehend whatever transactions have been since time itself
had a being. We endeavour to make up the shortness of our
lives by the extent of our knowledge ; and because we cannot
see forwards and spy what lies concealed in the womb of fu-
turity, we look back, and eagerly trace the footsteps of those
times that went before us. Indeed, to be ignorant of what hap-
pened before we ourselves came into the world, is (as Cicero
truly observes^) to be always children, and to deprive ourselves
of what would at once entertain our minds with the highest
pleasure, and add the greatest authority and advantage to us.
The knowledge of antiquity, besides that it gratifies one of our
noblest curiosities, improves our minds by the wisdom of pre-
ceding ages, acquaints us with the most remarkable occurrences
of the Divine Providence, and presents us with the most apt
• In Oratore.
viii PREFACE.
and proper rules and instances that may form us to a life of true
philosophy and virtue ; history (says Tliucydides'') being nothing
else but (f)c\oao(j>La eV TrapaBeiyfjidTOiv, "philosophy drawn from
examples :" the one is a more gross and popular philosophy, the
other a more subtle and refined history.
These considerations, together with a desire to perpetuate the
memory of brave and great actions, gave birth to history, and
obliged mankind to transmit the more observable passages, both
of their own and foregoing times, to the notice of posterity. The
first in this kind was Moses, the great prince and legislator of
the Jewish nation, who from the creation of the world conveyed
down the records of above two thousand five hundred and fifty
years ; the same course being more or less continued through
all the periods of the Jewish state. Among the Babylonians
they had their public archives, which were transcribed by Be-
rosus, the priest of Belus, who composed the Chaldean history.
The Egyptians were wont to record their memorable acts upon
pillars in hieroglyphic notes and sacred characters, first begun
(as they pretend) by Thouth, or the first of their Mei'curies;
out of which Manethos, their chief priest, collected his three
books of Egyptian Dynasties, which he dedicated to Ptolemy
Philadelphus, second of that line. The Phoenician history was
first attempted by Sanchoniathon ; digested partly out of the
annals of cities, partly out of the books kept in the temple, and
communicated to him by Jerombaal, priest of the god Jao : this
he dedicated to Abibalus king of Berytus ; which Philo-Byblius,
about the time of the emperor Adrian, translated into Greek.
'• Ap. Dion. Il.ilic. Tlipl Koywv e^cr.
PREFACE. ix
Tlie Greeks boast of the antiquity of Cadmus, Archiloclius, and
numy others ; though the most ancient of their historians now
extant are Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon. Among the
Romans, the foundations of history were laid in Annals; the
public acts of every year being made up by the Pontifex
Maximus, who kept them at his own house, that the people
upon any emergency might resort to them for satisfaction.
These were the Annates Maximi, and afforded excellent ma-
terials to those who afterwards wrote the history of that great
and powerful commonwealth.
But that which of all others challenges the greatest regard,
both as it more immediately concerns the present inquiry, and
as it contains accounts of things relating to our biggest interests,
is the history of the church. For herein, as in a glass, we have
the true face of the church in its several ages represented to us.
Here we find with what infinite care those divine records, which
are the great instruments of our eternal happiness, have through
the several periods of time been conveyed down to us ; with
what a mighty success religion has triumphed over the greatest
oppositions, and spread its banners in the remotest corners of
the world. With how incomparable a zeal good men have " con-
tended earnestly for that faith Avhich was once delivered to the
saints ;" with what a bitter and implacable fury the enemies of
religion have set upon it, and how signally the Divine Provi-
dence has appeared in its preservation, and returned the mis-
chief upon their own heads. Here we see the constant succession
of bishops and the ministers of religion in their several stations,
" the glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of
the prophets, the noble army of nuirtyrs ;■" who with the most
X PREFACE.
cheerful and composed minds have gone to heaven through the
acutest torments/ In short, we have here the most admirable
examples of a divine and religious life, of a real and unfeigned
piety, a sincere and universal charity, a strict temperance and
sobriety, an unconquerable patience and submission clearly
represented to us. And the higher we go, the more illustrious
are the instances of piety and virtue. For however later ages
may have improved in knowledge, experience daily making new
additions to arts and sciences, yet former times were most
eminent for the practice and virtues of a holy life. The divine
laws, while newly published, had a stronger influence upon the
minds of men, and the spirit of religion was more active and
vigorous, till men by degrees began to be debauched into that
impiety and profaneness, that in these last times has overrun
the world.
It were altogether needless and improper for me to consider
M'hat records there are of the state of the church before our
Saviour"'s incarnation : it is sufficient to my purpose to inquire
by what hands the first affairs of the Christian church have been
transmitted to us. As for the life and death, the actions and
miracles of our Saviour, and some of the first acts of his apostles,
they are fully represented by the evangelical historians. Indeed,
immediately after them we meet with nothing of this nature,
the apostles and their immediate successors (as Eusebius Ob-
serves'*) not being at leisure to write many books, as being em-
ployed in ministeries greater and more immediately serviceable
to the world. The first that engaged in this way was Hegesippus,
« Hist. Atigl. •" Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 24,
PREFACE. xi
" an ancient and apostolic man," (as he in Photius styles him,")
an Hebrew by descent, and born (as is probable) in Palestine.
He flourished principally in the reign of M. Aurelius, and came
to Rome in the time of Anicetus, where he resided till the time
of Eleutherius. He wrote five books of ecclesiastical history,
which he styled " Commentaries of the Acts of the Church ;"
wherein, in a plain and familiar style, he described the apostles'
travels and preachings, the remarkable passages of the church,
the several schisms, heresies, and persecutions that infested it,
from our Lord's death till his own time. But these, alas ! are
long since lost. The next that succeeded in this province, though
the first that reduced it to any exactness and perfection, was
Eusebiiis. He was born in Palestine, about the later times of
the emperor Gallienus, ordained presbyter by Agapius bishop of
Csesarea, who suffering about the end of the Dioclesian persecu-
tion, Eusebius succeeded in his see : a man of incomparable parts
and learning, and of no less industry and diligence in searching
out the records and antiquities of the church. After several
other vokimes in defence of the Christian cause against the
assaults both of Jews and Gentiles, he set himself to write an
ecclesiastical history; wherein he designed (as himself tells us*^)
to recount, from the birth of our Lord till his time, the most
memorable transactions of the church, the apostolical successions,
the first preachers and planters of the gospel, the bishops that
presided in the most eminent sees, the most noted errors and
heresies, the calamities that befell the Jewish state, the attempts
and persecutions made against the Christians by the powers of
the world, the torments and suiferings of the martyrs, and the
* Cod. CCXXXll. ' Lib. i. c. 1.
xii PREFACE.
blessed and happy period that was put to them by the conversion
of Constantine the Great. All this accordingly he digested in
ten books, which he composed in the declining part of his life,
and (as Valesius conjectures^) some years after the council of
Nice, though when not long before he expressly affirms that
history to have been written before the Nicene synod : how he
can herein be excused from a palpable contradiction I cannot
imagine. It is true Eusebius takes no notice of that council,
but that might be partly because he designed to end in that
joyful and prosperous scene of things which Constantine re-
stored to the church, (as he himself plainly intimates in the
beginning of his history,) which he was not willing to discompose
Avitli the controversies and contentions of that synod, according
to the humour of all historians, who delight to shut up their
histories with some happy and successful period ; and partly
because he intended to give some account of the affairs of that
council in his book of the Life of Constantine the Great.
The materials wherewith he was furnished for this great
undertaking, (which he complains were very small and incon-
siderable,) were, besides Hegesippus's Commentaries, then extant,
Africanus"'s Chronology, the books and writings of several fathers,
the records of particular cities, ecclesiastical epistles written by
the bishops of those times, and kept in the archives of their
several churches, especially that famous library at Jerusalem,
erected by Alexander bishop of that place, but chiefly the Acts
of the Martyrs, which in those times were taken at large with
great care and accuracy. These, at least a great many of them,
s rnl'l'iit. lie \'it. ot Stiiiit. Lu»e^.
PREFACE. xiil
Eusebius collected into one volume, lURler tlic title of ^Ap'^alcdv
MaprvpLCov Swaywyrj, "A Collection of the Ancient Martyr-
doms,'" which he refers to at every turn ; besides a particular
narrative which he wrote (still extant as an appendage to the
eighth book of his Ecclesiastical History) " concerning the Mar-
tyrs that suffered in Palestine." A great part of these acts, by
the negligence and unfaithfuhiess of succeeding times, were
interpolated and corrupted ; especially in the darker and more
undiscerning ages, when sujjerstition had overspread the church,
and when ignorance and interest conspired to fill the world with
idle and improbable stories, and men took what liberty they
pleased in venting the issue of their own brains, insomuch that
some of the more wise and moderate even of the Roman commu-
nion have complained, not without a just resentment and indigna-
tion, that Laertius has written the lives of philosophers with more
truth and chasteness than many have done the lives of the saints.
Upon this account, a great and general outcry has been made
against Simeon Metaphrastes, as the father of incredible legends,
and one that has notoriously imposed upon the world by the
most fabulous reports. Nay, some, to reflect the more disgrace
upon him, have represented him as a petty schoolmaster : a
charge, in my mind, rash and inconsiderate, and in a great
measure groundless and uncharitable. He was a person of very
considerable birth and fortunes, advanced to the highest honours
and offices, one of the premier ministers of state, and, as is
probable, great chancellor to the emperor of Constantinople ;
learned and eloquent above the common standard, and who, by
the persuasions not only of some great ones of that time, (he
flourished under Leo the Wise about the year 900, but principally
wrote under the reign of his successor,) but of the emperor hiui-
xiv PREFACE.
self, was pi-evailed with to reduce the lives of the saints into
order : to whicli end, by his own infinite labour, and the no less
expenses of the emperor, he ransacked the libraries of the em-
pire, till he had amassed a vast heap of volumes. The more
ancient acts he passed without any considerable alteration, more
than the correcting them by a collation of several copies, and
the enlarging some circumstances to render them more plain and
easy, as appears by comparing some that are extant at this day.
Where lives were confused and immethodical, or written in a
style rude and barbarous, he digested the history into order, and
clothed it in more polite and elegant language : others, that
were defective in neither, he left as they were, and gave them
place amongst his own. So that I see no reason for so severe
a censure, unless it were evident, that he took his accounts of
things not from the writings of those that had gone before him,
but forged them of his own head. Not to say, that things have
been made much worse by translations, seldom appearing in any
but the dress of the Latin church, and that many lives are laid
at his door, of which he never was the father, it being usual with
some, when they met with the Itfe of a saint, the author whereof
they knew not, presently to fasten it upon Metaphrastes. But
to return to Eusebius, from whom we have digressed.
His ecclesiastical history, the almost only remaining records
of the ancient church, deserves a just esteem and veneration,
without which those very fragments of antiquity had been lost,
which by this means have escaped the common shipwreck.
And indeed St. Hierom, Nicephorus, and the rest, do not only
build upon his foundation, but almost entirely derive their ma-
terials from him. As for Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret, and the
PREFACE. XV
later historians, they relate to times without the limits of my
present business, generally conveying clown little more than the
history of their own times, the church history of those more
early ages being either quite neglected, or very negligently
managed. The first that to any purpose broke the ice after the
Reformation, were the centuriators of Magdeburg, a combination
of learned and industrious men, the chief of whom were John
Wigandus, Matth. Judex, Basilius Faber, Andreas Corvinus,
but especially Matth. Flaccius Illyricus, who was the very soul
of the undertaking. They set themselves to traverse the writings
of the fathers, and all the ancient monuments of the church, col-
lecting whatever made to their purpose, which with indefatigable
pains they digested into an ecclesiastic history. This they di-
vided into centuries, and each century into fifteen chapters, into
each of which, as into its proper classes and repository, they re-
duced whatever concerned the propagation of religion, the peace
or persecutions of the Christians, the doctrines of the church,
and the heresies that arose in it ; the rites and ceremonies, the
government, schisms, councils, bishops, and persons noted either
for religion or learning ; heretics, martyrs, miracles, the state of
the Jews, the religion of "them that were without," and the
political revolutions of that age : a method accurate and useful,
and which administers to a very distinct and particular under-
standing the affairs of the church. The four first centuries were
finished in the city of Magdeburg, the rest elsewhere : a work
of prodigiovis diligence and singular use. True it is, that it
labours under some faults and imperfections, and is chargeable
with considerable errors and mistakes. And no wonder : for
besides that the persons themselves may be supposed to have
been sometimes betrayed into an a^erpia rrj^ avOoXKrj^, by
xvi IMIEFAOE.
the heats and conleutious of those thnes, it Avas the first at-
tempt in this kind, and which never passed the emendations of
a second review ; an undertaking- vast and diffusive, and en-
gaged in whih^ books were yet more scarce and less correct.
Accordingly they modestly enough confess,'' that they rather
attempted a delineation of church-history, than one that was
complete and absolute, desiring only to minister opportunity to
those Avho were able and willing to furnish out one more entire
and perfect. And yet take it with all the faults and disad-
vantages that can be charged upon it, and they bear no propor-
tion to the usefulness and excellency of the thing itself.
No sooner did this work come abroad, but it made a loud
noise and bustle at Rome, as wherein the corruptions and in-
novations of that church were sufficiently exposed and laid open
to the world. Accordingly it was necessary that an antidote
should be provided against it. For which purpose, Philip Nereus
(who had lately founded the oratorian order at Rome) com-
mands Baronius, then a very young man, and newly entered
into the congregation, to undertake it ; and in order thereunto
daily to read nothing but ecclesiastical lectures in the oratory.
This course he held for thirty years together, seven several times
going over the history of the church. Thus trained up, and
abundantly furnished with fit materials, he sets upon the work
itself, which he disposed by way of Annals, comprising the affairs
of the whole Christian world in the orderly series and succession
of every year : a method much more natural and historical than
that of the Centuries: a noble design, and which it were injustice
'' Piwfut. ill Hist. E<t1o>. piiotix. t'fiit. i.
prf:face. xvii
to defraud of its due praise and commendation, as wherein, be-
sides whatever occurrences that concern the state of the church,
reduced (as far as his skill in chronology could enable him)
under their proper periods, he has brought to light many pas-
sages of the ancients not known before, peculiarly advantaged
herein by the many noble libraries that are at Rome : a monu-
ment of incredible pains and labour, as which, besides the diffi-
culties of the thing itself, was entirely carried on by his single
endeavours, and written all with his own hand, and that too in
the midst of infinite avocations, the distractions of a parish-cure,
the private affairs of his own oratory, preaching, hearing con-
fessions, writing other books, not to mention the very trouble-
some though honourable offices and employments which in the
course of the work were heaped upon him. In short, a work it
was by which he had infinitely more obliged the world than can
be well expressed, had he managed it with as much faithfulness
and impartiality as he has done with learning and industry. But,
alas, too evident it is, that he designed not so much the advance-
ment of truth, as the honour and interest of a cause, and there-
fore drew the face of the ancient church, not as antiquity truly
represents it, but according to the present form and complexion
of the church of Rome, forcing every thing to look that way, to
justify the traditions and practices, and to exalt the supereminent
power and grandeur of that church, making both the sceptre
and the crosier stoop to the triple-crown. This is that that
runs almost through every page ; and indeed both he himself,'
and the Avriter of his Life,*^ more than once expressly affirm, that
' Epist. Ded. ad. Sixt. V. vol. i. Annal. praefix.
* Hior. Rarnab. de vit. Baron. 1. i. c, ]R, IP.
VOL. 1. I
xviii PREFACE.
liis design was to defend the traditions, and to preserve the
dignity of that church against the late innovators, and the la-
bours of the Magdeburgensian centuriators, and that the op-
posing of them was the occasion of that work. So fatally does
partiality and the interest of a cause spoil the most brave and
generous undertakings.
What has been hithei'to prefaced, the reader, I ho2:)e, will not
censure as an unprofitable digression, nor think it altogether
unsuitable to the present work, whereof it is like he will expect
some short account. Being some time since engaged, I know
not how, in searching after the antiquities of the apostolic age,
1 was then strongly importuned to have carried on the design
for some of the succeeding ages. This I then wholly laid aside,
without any further thoughts of reassuming it. For experience
had made me suificiently sensible of the difficulty of the thing,
and I weW foresaw how almost impossible it was to be managed
to auA- tolerable satisfaction ; so small and inconsiderable, so
broken and imperfect are the accounts that are left us of those
early times. Notwithstanding which, I have once more suffered
myself to be engaged in it, and have endeavoured to hunt out
and gather together those ruins of primitive story that yet re-
main, that I might do what honour I was able to the memory
of those brave and worthy men, who were so instrumental to
plant Christianity in the world, to seal it with their blood, and
to oblige posterity by those excellent monuments of learning and
piety which they left behind them. I have bounded my account
within the first three hundred years, notwithstanding the barren-
ness and obscurity of those ages of the church. Had I consulted
my oMn ease or credit, I should have commenced mv design
PREFACE. xix
from that time which is the period of my present undertaking,
viz. the foUoAving sceculum, when Christianity became the reH-
gion of the empire, and the records of the church furnish us with
large and plentiful materials for such a work. But I confess
tny humour and inclination led me to the first and best ages of
religion, the memoirs whereof I have picked up, and thereby
enabled myself to draw the lineaments of as many of those
apostolical persons, as concerning whom 1 could retrieve any
considerable notices and accounts of things. With what success,
the reader must judge : with whom, what entertainment it will
find, I know not, nor am I much solicitous. T have done what
1 could, and am not conscious to myself that I have been
wanting in any point either of fidelity or care. If there be
fewer persons here described than the space of almost three
hundred years may seem to promise, and less said concerning
some of them than the reader does expect, he will, I presume,
be more just and charitable than to charge it upon me, but
rather impute it to the unhappy fate of so many ancient records
as have been lost through the carelessness and unfaithfulness of
succeeding times. As far as my mean abilities do reach, and
the nature of the thing will admit, I have endeavoured the
reader's satisfaction ; and though I pretend not to present him
an exact church-history of those times, yet I think I may with-
out vanity assure him, that there is scarce any material passage
of church-antiquity of which, in some of these Lives, he will not
find a competent and reasonable account. Nor is the history of
those ages maimed and lame only in its main limbs and parts,
but (what is greatly to be bewailed) purblind and defective in
its eyes ; I mean, confused and uncertain in point of chronology.
The greatest part of Avhat we have is from Eusebius, in Avliose
XX PREFACE.
account of times some things are false, more uncertain, and the
whole the worse for passing through other hands after his. In-
deed, next to the recovering the lost portions of antiquity, I
know nothing would be more acceptable than the setting right
the disjointed frame of those times : a cure which we hope for
shortly from a very able hand. In the mean time, for my own
part, and so far as may be useful to the purposes of the following
papers, I have, by the best measures I could take in some haste,
drawn up a chronology of these three ages, which though it pre-
tends not to the utmost exactness and accuracy that is due to a
matter of this nature, yet it will serve however to give a quick
and present prosjDect of things, and to shew the connexure and
concurrence of ecclesiastic affairs with the times of the Roman
empire. So far as I follow Eusebius, I principally rely upon
the accounts given in his history, which being written after his
Chronicon, may be supposed the issue of his more exact re-
searches, and to have passed the judgment of his riper and more
considering thoughts. And perhaps the reader will say, (and
I confess I am somewhat of his mind,) had I observed the same
rule towards these papers, he had never been troubled with
them. But that is too late now to be recalled ; and it is folly
to bewail what is impossible to be remedied.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
The Introduction -------- -...j
The Life of St. Stephen the Protoinartyr 47
The Life of St. Philip the Deacon and Evangelist ...... 77
The Life of St. Barnabas the Apostle .---....90
The Life of St. Timothy the Apostle and Evangelist 106
The Life of St. Titus, Bishop of Crete 118
The Life of St. Dionysius the Areopagite - - - - - - - -130
The Life of St. Clemens, Bishop of Rome ----.--. 147
The Life of St. Simeon, Bishop of Jerusalem ---.... 164
The Life of St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch 176
The Life of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna ---... . 192
The Life of St. Quadratus, Bishop of Athens ---.... 219
The Life of St. Justin the Martyr 228
The Life of St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons 258
The Life of St. Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch 273
The Life of St. Melito, Bishop of Sardis 280
The Life of St. Pantsenus, Catechist of Alexandria ----.. 287
The Life of St. Clemens of Alexandria 296
The Life of Tertullian, Presbyter of Carthage 305
The Life of Origen, Presbyter, Catechist of Alexandria - - - . . 321
The Life of St. Babylas, Bishop of Antioch 362
The Life of St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage 374
The Life of St. Gregory, Bishop of Neocsesarea - 396
The Life of St. Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria --..... 417
Chronological Table of the first three Ages of the Christian Church ... 438
LIVES
OF TEIE MOST EMINENT
FATHERS OF THE CHURCH
THAT FLOURISHED IN THE
PIRST FOUR CENTURIES.
INTRODUCTION.
The several periods of the three first ages. Our Lord's coming, and the seasonablencss
of it for the propagation of the gospel. His entrance upon his prophetic office, and
the sum of his ministry. The success of his doctrine, and the several places where
he preached. The story of Agbarus not altogether improbable. Our Lord's death.
What attestation given to the passages concerning Christ by heathen writers. The
testimony of Tacitus. Pilate's relation sent to Tiberius. The Acts of Pilate what.
Pilate's letter now extant, spurious. The apostles entering upon their commission,
and first acts after our Lord's ascension. How long they continued in Judea. Their
dispersion to preach in the Gentile provinces, and the success of it. The state of the
church after the apostolic age. The mighty progress of Christianity. The numbers
and quality of its converts. Its speedy and incredible success in all countries, noted
out of the writers of those times. The early conversion of Britain to Christianity.
The general declension of Paganism. The silence and ceasing of their oracles. This
acknowledged by Porphyry to be the effect of the Christian religion appearing in the
world. A great argument of its truth and divinity. The means contributing to the
success of Christianity. The miraculous powers then resident in the church. This
proved at large out of the primitive writers. The great learning and abilities of many
of the church's champions. The most eminent of the Christian apologists. The prin-
cipal of them that engaged against the heresies of those times. Others renowned for
other parts of learning. The indefatigable zeal and industry used in the propagation
of Christiiinity. Listructing and catechizing new converts. Schools erected. Travel-
ling to preach in all parts of the world. The admirable lives of the ancient Christians.
The singular efficacy of the Christian doctrine upon the minds of men. A holy life
the most acceptable sacrifice. Their incomparable patience and constancy under suf-
ferings. A brief survey of the ten Persecutions. The first begun by Nero. His
brutish extravagances, and inhuman cruelties. His burning Rome, and the dreadful-
ness of that conflagration. This charged upon the Christians, and their several kinds
of punishment noted out of Tacitus. The chief of them that suffered. The Persecu-
tion under Domitian. The vices of that prince. The cruel usage of St. John. The
third begun by Trajan. His character. His proceeding against the Christians as
illegal societies. Pliny's letter to Trajan concerning the Christians, with the emperor's
answer. Adrian, Trajan's successor ; a mixture in him of vice and virtue. His per-
secuting the Christians. This the fourth Persecution. The mitigation of it, and its
breaking out again under Antoninus Pius. The excellent temper and learning of
M. Aurelius. The fifth Persecution raised by him. Its fierceness in the East, at
Rome, especially in France ; the most eminent that suffered there. The emperor's
victory in his German wars g lined by the Christians' prayers. Severus's temper : his
cruelty towards the Christians. The chief of the martyrs under the sixth Persecution.
Maximinus's immoderate ambition and barbarous cruelty. The author of the seventh
Persecution. This not universal. The common evils and calamities charged upon
the Christians. Decius the eighth persecutor ; otherwise an excellent prince. The
VOL. I. H
INTRODUCTION.
violence of this Persecution, and the most noted Bufferers. The foundations of nio-
nachism when laid. The ninth Persecution, and its rage under Valerian. The most
eminent martyrs. The severe punishment of Valerian : his miserable usage by the
Persian king. The tenth Persecution begun under Dioclesian, and when. The fierce-
ness and cruelty of that time. The admirable carriage and resolution of the Chris-
tians under all these sufferings. The proper influence of this argument to convince
the world. The whole concluded with Lactantius's excellent reasonings to this
purpose.
I. The state of the Christian church in the three first ages of it
may be considered under a threefold period : as it was first
planted and established by our Lord himself during his residence
in the world ; as it was enlarged and propagated by the apo-
stles and first missionaries of the Christian faith ; and as it grew
up and prospered from the apostolic age till the times of Con-
stantine, when the empire submitted itself to Christianity. God,
who in former times was pleased by various methods of revela-
tion to convey his will to mankind, " hath in these last days
spoken to us by his Son."*"' For the great blessing of the pro-
mised seed after a long succession of several ages being come to
its just maturity and perfection, God was resolved " to perform
the mercy promised to the fathers, and to remember his liolv
covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham."
Accordingly, " In the fulness of time God sent his Son." It was
in the declining part of Augustus's reign, when this great Am-
bassador arrived from heaven, to publish to the world the glad
tidings of salvation. A period of time (as ''Orig-en ob.serves)
wisely ordered by the divine providence. For the Roman em-
pire being now in the highest pitch of its grandeur, all its parts
united under a monarchical government, and an universal peace
spread over all the provinces of the empire, that had opened a
way to a free and uninterrupted commerce with all nations, a
smoother and speedier passage was hereby prepared for the pub-
lishing the doctrine of the gospel, which the apostles and first
preachers of religion might with the greater ease and security
carry up and down to all quarters of the world. As for the
Jews, their minds were awakened about this time Avith busy
expectations of their Messiah's coming : and no sooner was the
birth of the hoi v Jesus i)roelainied by the arrival of the eastern
magi, who came to pay homage to him, but Jerusalem was filled
=> Contr. Cols. !. ii. c. 30. vol. i. p. iU.
INTRODUCTION. 3
with noise and tumult, the Sanhedrin was convened, and con-
sulted by Herod, who, jealous of his late gotten sovereignty, was
resolved to dispatch this new competitor out of the way. De-
luded in his hopes of discovery by the magi, he betakes himself
to acts of open force and cruelty, commanding all infants under
two years old to be put to death, and among them it seems his
own son, which made ''Augustus pleasantly say, (alluding to the
Jewish custom of abstaining from swine's flesh,) " It is better to
be Herod's hog than his son." But the providence of God se-
cured the holy infant, by timely admonishing his parents to re-
tire into Egypt, where they remained till the death of Herod,
which happening not long after, they returned.
II. Near thirty years our Lord remained obscure under the
retirements of a private life, applying himself (as the ancients
tell us, and the evangelical history plainly intimates) to Joseph's
employment, the trade of a carpenter. So little patronage did
he give to an idle unaccountable course of life. But now he
was called out of his shades and solitudes, and publicly owned
to be that person, whom God had sent to be the great prophet
of his church. This was done at his baptism, when the Holy
Ghost in a visible shape descended upon him, and God by an
audible voice testified of him, " This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased." Accordingly he set himself to declare the
counsels of God, "going about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom." He
particularly explained the moral law, and restored it to its just
authority and dominion over the minds of men, redeeming it
from those corrupt and perverse interpretations which the
masters of the Jewish church had put upon it. He next in-
sinuated the abrogation of the Mosaic economy, to which he
was sent to put a period, to enlarge the bounds of salvation,
and admit both Jew and Gentile to terms of mercy : that he
came as a mediator between God and man, to reconcile the
world to the favour of heaven by his death and sufferings, and
to propound pardon of sin and eternal life to all that by an
hearty belief, a sincere repentance, and an holy life, were willing
to embrace and entertain it. This was the sum of the doctrine
which he preached every where, as opportunity and occasion led
him, and which he did not impose upon the world merely upon
*■ Macrol). Satuinal. 1. ii. c. 4.
i: 2
4 INTRODUCTION.
the account of his own authority and power, or beg a precarious
entertainment of it ; he did not tell men they must believe him,
because he said he came from God, and had his warrant and
commission to instruct and reform the world, but gave them the
most satisfactory and convictive evidence, by doing such miracles
as were beyond all powers and contrivances either of art or
nature, whereby he unanswerably demonstrated, that "he was a
teacher come from God, in that no man could do those miracles
which he did, except God were with him." And because he
himself was in a little time to return back to heaven, he or-
dained twelve, whom he called apostles, as his immediate
delegates and vicegerents, to whom he deputed his authority
and power, furnished them with miraculous gifts, and>left them
to carry on that excellent religion which he himself had begun,
to whose assistance he joined seventy disciples, as ordinary
coadjutors and companions to them. Their commission for the
present was limited to Palestine, and they sent out only " to
seek and to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel.""
III. How great the success of our Saviour's ministry was,
may be guessed from that complaint of the Pharisees, " Behold
the world is gone after him;"'^ people from all parts in such vast
multitudes flocking after him, that they gave him not time for
necessary solitude and retirement. Indeed he " went about
doing good, preaching the word throughout all Judea, and
healing all that were possessed of the devil." The seat of his
oi'dinary abode was Galilee, residing for tbe most part (says one
of the ancients '') in Galilee of the Gentiles, that he might there
sow and reap the first fruits of the calling of the Gentiles. We
usually find him preaching at Nazareth, at Cana, at Corazin and
Bethsaida, and the cities about thfj sea of Tiberias, but especially
at Capernaum, the metropolis of the province, a place of great
commerce and traffic. He often visited Judea and the parts
about Jerusalem, whither he was wont to go up at the paschal
solemnities, and some of tbe greater festivals, that so the ge-
neral concourse of people at those times might minister the fitter
opportunity to spread the net, and to communicate and impart
his doctrine to them. Nor did he, who was to be a common
Saviour, and came to break down the partition-wall, disdain to
conver.ie with the Samaritans, so contemptible and hateful to
' John xii. \9. '' Eiiseb. Demniistr. Kvaiig. 1. ix. p. 43.0.
INTRODLTCTTON. 5
the Jews. In Sychar, not far from Samaria, he freely preached,
and gained most of the inhabitants of that city to he proselvtes
to his doctrine. He travelled up and down the towns and
villages of Cesarea Philippi, and went into the borders of Tj-re
and Sidon, and through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis,
and where he could not come, the renown of him spread itself,
bringing him disciples, and followers from all quarters. Indeed
"his fame went throughout all Syria, and there followed him
great multitudes of people from Galilee, Judea, Decapolis,
Idumsea, from beyond Jordan, and from Tyre and Sidon."''
Nay, might we believe the story so solemnly reported by
Eusebius" and the ancients, (and excepting the silence of the
evangelical historians, who recorded only some of the actions
and passages concerning our Saviour, I know no wise argument
against it,) Agbarus, prince of Edessa beyond Euphrates, having
heard of the fame of our Saviour's miracles, by letters humbly
besought him to come over to him ; whose letter, together with
our Lord's answer, are extant in Eusebius, there being nothing
in the letters themselves that may justly shake their credit and
authority, with much more to this purpose, transcribed (as he
tells us) out of the recoi-ds of that city, and by him translated
out of Syria c into Greek, which may give us some account why
none of the ancients before him make any mention of this affair,
being generally strangers to the language, the customs, and
antiquities of those eastern countries.
IV. Our Lord having spent somewhat more than three years
in the piiblic exercise of his ministry, kept his last passover with
his apostles ; which done, he instituted the sacramental supper,
consigning it to his church as the standing memorial of his death,
and the seal of the evangelical covenant, as he appointed baptism
to be the federal rite of initiation, and the public tessera or
badge of those that should profess his religion. And now the
fatal hour was at hand : being betrayed by the treachery of one
of his own apostles, he was apprehended by the officers and
brought before the public tribunals. Heavy were the crimes
charged upon him, but as false as spiteful ; the two main ar-
ticles of the charge were blasphemy against God, and treason
against the emperor : and though they were not able to make
them good by any tolerable pretence of proof, yet did they con-
« Hist. Eccl. 1. i. c. 1 3.
6 INTRODUCTION.
demn and execute him upon the cross, several of themselves
vindicating his innocency, that he was a " righteous man," and
" the Son of God." The third day after his interment he rose
again, appeared to and conversed with his disciples and followers,
and having taken care of the affairs of his church, given a larger
commission, and fuller instructions to his apostles, he took his
leave of them, and visibly ascended into heaven, and " sat down
on the right hand of God, as head over all things to the church,
angels, authorities, and powers being made subject unto him."
V. The faith of these passages concerning our Saviour, are not
only secured to us by the report of the evangelical historians,
and that justified by eye-witnesses, the evidence of miracles, and
the successive and uncontrolled consent of all ages of the church,
but (as to the substance of them) by the plain confession of
heathen writers, and the enemies of Christianity. * Tacitus tells
us, that the author of this religion was Christ, who under the
reign of Tiberius was put to death by Pontiiis Pilate^ the pro-
curator of Judea : whereby though this detestable superstition
was suppressed for the present, yet did it break out again,
spreading itself not only through Judea, the fountain of the
mischief, but in the very city of Rome itself, where whatever is
wicked and shameful meets together, and is greedily advanced
into reputation. ^Eusebius assures us, that after our Lord's
ascension, Pilate, according to custom, sent an account of him to
the emperor: which Tiberius brought before the senate, but
they rejected it under pretence that cognizance had been taken
of it before it came to them ; it being a fundamental law of the
Roman state, that no new god could be taken in without the
decree of the senate ; but that however Tiberius continued his
good thoughts of Christ, and kindness to the Christians. For
this he cites the testimony of Tertullian, who in his ''Apology
presented to the Roman powers affirms, that Tiberius, in whose
time the Christian religion entered into the world, having re-
ceived an account from Pilate out of Palestine in Syria con-
cerning the truth of that divinity that was there, brought it to
the senate with the prerogative of his own vote : but that the
senate, because they had not before approved of it, Avould not
admit it ; however the emperor continued of the same mind, and
f Annal. 1. xv. c. 44. s Hist. Eccl. 1, ii. c. 2. vid. Oros. adv. Pag. 1. vii. c. 4.
'• Apol. c. .5. et c. 21.
INTRODUCTION. 7
threatened punishment to them that accused the Christians.
And before Tertullian, Justin Martyr,' speaking concerning the
death and sufferings of our Saviour, tells the emperors, that they
might satisfy themselves in the truth of these things from the
Acts wi'itten under Pontius Pilate ; it being customarj^ not only
at Rome to keep the Acts of the senate and the people, but for
the governors of provinces to keep account of what memorable
things happened in their government, the Acts whereof they
transmitted to the emperor. And thus did Pilate during the
procuratorship of his province. How long these Acts remained
in being, I know not : but in the controversy about Easter, we
find the Quartodecimans "^ justifying the day on which they ob-
served it from the Acts of Pilate, wherein they gloried that they
had found the truth. Whether these were the Acts of Pilate
to which Justin appealed, or rather those Acts of Pilate drawn
up and published by the command of ' Maximinus, Dioclesian's
successor, in disparagement of our Lord and his religion, is
uncertain, but the latter of the two far more probable. How-
ever Pilate's letter to Tiberius, (or as he is there called Claudius,)
at this day extant in the Anacephalseosis'" of the younger
Egesippus, is of no great credit, though that author challenges
greater antiquity than some allow him, being probably con-
temporary with St. Ambrose, and by many, from the great con-
formity of style and phrase, thought to be St. Ambrose himself,
who with some few additions compiled it out of Josephus. But
then it is to be considered, whether that Anacephalseosis be
done by the same, or (which is most probable) by a much later
hand. Some other particular passages concerning our Saviour
are taken notice of by Gentile writers, the appearance of the
star by Calcidius, the murder of the infants by Macrobius, the
eclipse at our Saviour's passion by Phlegon Trallianus, (not to
speak of his miracles frequently acknowledged by Celsus, Julian^
and Porphyry,) which I shall not insist upon.
VI. Immediately after our Lord's ascension (from whence
we date the next period of the church) the apostles began to
execute the powers intrusted with them. They presently filled
up Judas's vacancy by the election of a new apostle, " the lot
falling upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven
• Apol. i. c. 35. '' Epiph. Haeres. xxx. sive L. vol. i. p. 419.
' Euseb. Hist. Ectl. 1. ix. c. 5. "' Ad calcem lib. de Excid. urb. Hieros.
cS INTRODUCTION.
apostles." Being next endued witli power from on high, (as our
Lord had promised them,) furnished with the miraculous gifts of
the Holy Ghost, they set themselves to preach in places of the
greatest concoui-se, and to the faces of their greatest enemies.
They who but a while before fled at the first approach of danger,
now boldly plead the cause of their crucified Master, with the
immediate hazard of their lives. And that nothing might inter-
rupt them in this employment, they instituted the office of
deacons, who might attend the inferior services of the church
while they devoted themselves to what was more immediately
necessary to the good of souls. By which prudent course religion
got ground apace, and innumerable converts were daily added
to the faith : till a persecution arising upon St. Stephen's mar-
tyrdom, banished the church out of Jerusalem, though this also
proved its advantage in the event and issue, Christianity being
by this means the sooner spread up and down the neighbour
countries. The apostles, notwithstanding the rage of the perse-
cution, remained still at Jerusalem, only now and then dis-
patching some few of their number to confirm and settle the
plantations, and to propagate the faith, as the necessities of the
church required. And thus they continued for near twelve years
together, our Lord himself having commanded them not to de-
part Jerusalem and the parts thereabouts, till twelve years after
his ascension, as the ancient tradition mentioned both by Apol-
lonius" and Clemens Alexandrinus" informs us. And now they
thought it high time to apply themselves to the full execution of
that commission w^hich Christ had given them, " to go teach and
baptize all nations." Accordingly having settled the general
affairs and concernments of the church, they betook themselves
to the several provinces of the Gentile world, preaching the
gospel to every nation under heaven, so that even in a literal
sense " their sound went into all the earth, and their words
unto the ends of the world." " Infinite multitudes of people iu
all cities and countries, (says Eusebius,'') like corn into a well-
filled granary, being brought in by that grace of God that brings
salvation. And they whose minds were heretofore distempered
and overrun with the error and idolatry of their ancestors, were
cured by the sermons and miracles of our Lord's disciples, and
n Euspb. Hist. Eccl. l.v. c. 18. " Stromat. 1. vi. c. 5. vid. Life of St. Peter, s. 11. n. 5.
P Reel. Hist. 1. ii. c. :?.
INTRODUCTION. d
shaking oft' those chains of darkness and slavery which the mer-
ciless demons had put upon them, freely embraced and enter-
tained the knowledge and service of the only true God, the great
Creator of the world, whom they worshipped according to the
holy rites and rules of that divine and wisely-contrived religion
which our Saviour had introduced into the world." But con-
cerning the apostles' travels, the success of their ministry, the
places and countries to which they went, the churches they
planted, their acts and martyrdoms for the faith, we have given
an account in a worli. peculiar to that subject, so far as the
records of those times have conveyed an}' material notices of
things to us. It may suffice to observe, that Cod was pleased
to continue St. John to a very great age beyond any of the rest,
that he might superintend and cultivate, confirm and establish
what they had planted, and be as a standing and lively oracle,
to which the}^ might from all parts have recourse in any consi-
derable doubts and exigences of the church, and that he might
seal and attest the truth of those things, which men of corruj)t
and perverse minds even then began to call in question.
VII. Hence then we pass on to survey the state of the churcli
from the apostolic age till the times of Constantine, for the space
of at least two hundred years. And under this period we shall
principally remark two things. What progress the Christian
religion made in the world. Secondly, what it was that con-
tributed to so vast a growth and increase of it. That Christianity,
from the nature of its precepts, the sublimeness of its principles,
its contrariety to the established rites and religions of the world,
was likely to find bad entertainment, and the fiercest opposition,
could not but be obvious to every impartial considerer of things;
which accordingly came to pass. For it met with all the dis-
couragement, the secret undermining, and open assaults which
malice and prejudice, wit and parts, learning and power were
able to make upon it. Notwithstanding all which, it lift up its
head, and prospered under the greatest oppositions. And the
triumph of the Christian faith will appear the more considerable,
whether we regard the number and quality of its converts, or
the vast circumference to which it did extend and diff'use itself.
Though it appeared under all manner of disadvantages to recom-
mend itself, yet no sooner did it set up its standard, but pei'sons
from all parts, and of all kinds of principles and educations.
10 INTRODUCTION.
began to flock to it, so admirably afl'eeting very many, both of
the Greeks and Barbarians, (as Origen'' tells Celsus,) and they
both wise and unwise, that they contended for the truth of their
religion even to the laying down their lives, a thing not known
in any other profession in the world. And ^ elsewhere he chal-
lenges him to shew such an unspeakable multitude of Greeks
and Barbarians reposing such a confidence in ^sculapius, as he
could of those that had embraced the faith of the holy Jesus.
And when Celsus^ objected that Christianity was a clandestine
religion, that sculked and crept up and down in corners; Origen
answers, that the religion of the Christians was better known
throughout the whole world, than the dictates of their best phi-
losophers. Nor were they only mean and ignorant persons that
thus came over, but (as Arnobius ' observes) men of the acutest
parts and learning; orators, grammarians, rhetoricians, law-
yers, physicians, philosophers, despising their formerly-beloved
sentiments, sat down here. Tertullian," addressing himself to
the Roman governors in behalf of the Christians, assures them,
that although they were of no long standing, yet that they had
filled all places of their dominions, their cities, islands, castles,
corporations, councils, armies, tribes, companies, the palace,
senate, and courts of judicature : that if they had a mind to
revenge themselves, they need not betake themselves to clancular
and sculking arts, their numbers were great enough to appear
in open arms, having a party not in this or that province, but iu
all quarters of the world : nay, that naked as they were, they
could be sufficiently revenged upon them ; for should they but all
agree to retire out of the Roman empire, the world would stand
amazed at that solitude and desolation that would ensue upon it,
and they would have more enemies than friends or citizens left
among them. And he " bids president Scapula consider, that if
he went on with the persecution, what he would do with those
many thousands both of men and women, of all ranks and ages,
that would readily offer themselves, what fires and swords he
must have to dispatch them. Nor is this any more than what
Plinyy himself confesses to the emperor, that the case of the
1 Contr. Ccls. 1. i. c. 27. vol. i. p. 345. ' Ibid. 1. iii. c. 24. vol. i. p. 461.
' Ibid. 1, i. c. 7. vol. i. p. 32,5. • Adv. Gent. 1. ii. p. 21.
" Apol. c. 37. '' Ad Scapul. c. 5.
y Ad Traj. 1. x. cpist. 97.
INTRODUCTION. 11
Christians was a matter worthy of deliberation, especially by
reason of the multitudes that M'ere concerned, for that many of
each sex, of every age and quality, were and must be called in
question, this superstition having infected and overrun not the
city only, but towns and countries, the temples and sacrifices
being generally desolate and forsaken.
VIII. Nor was it thus only in some parts and provinces of
the Roman empire, but in most nations and countries. Justin
Martyr ^ tells the Jews, that whatever they might boast of the
universality of their religion, there were many places of the
world whither neither they nor it ever came : whereas there was
no part of mankind, whether Greeks or Barbarians, or by what
name soever they were called, even the most rude and unpo-
lished nations, where prayers and thanksgivings were not made
to the great Creator of the world through the name of the cruci-
fied Jesus. The same Bardesanes," the Syrian, Justin's contem-
porary, afiirms, that the followers of the Christian institution,
though living in dift'erent parts of the world, and being very
numerous in every climate and country, were yet all called by
the name of Christians. So Lactantius ;^ the Christian law (says
he) is entertained from the rising of the sun to the going down
thereof, where every sex, and age, and nation, and country does
with one heart and soul worship Cod. If from generals we de-
scend to particular places and countries, Irenaeus,*" who entered
upon the see of Lyons, A. D. 179, affirms, that though
there were different languages in the world, yet that the force
of tradition (or that doctrine that had been delivered to the
church) was but one and the same ; that there were churches
settled in Germany, Spain, France, in the East, in Egypt and
Lybia, as well as in the middle of the world. Tertullian,*^ who
probably wrote not above twenty years after Irenseus, gives
us in a larger account. " Their sound," says he, " went through
all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. For in
whom but Christ did all nations believe ? Parthians, Medes,
Elamites, the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Armenia, Phrygia,
and Cappadocia, of Pontus, Asia, and Pamphylia, those who
dwell in Egypt, Africa, and beyond Cyrene, strangers at Rome,
'■ Dial, cum Tryph. p. 345. ^ Lib. de Fat. ap. Euseb. praep. Evang. l.vi. c. 10. p.279.
•• De Justit. 1. V. c. 13. p. 494. ^- Adv. H»res. 1. i. c. 3. p. 52.
'' Adv. Judrros, c. 7. p. 18.0.
12 INTRODUCTION.
Jews at Jerusalem, and other Jiatious; as also now the Getnii
and the Mauri, the Spaniards and the Gauls, yea, and those
j)laces of Britain, which were unapproachable by the Roman
armies, are yet subdued to Christ ; the Sarmatte also and the
Daci, the Germans and the Scythians, together with many undis-
covered countries, many islands and provinces unknown to us,
which he professes himself unable to reckon up. In all which
places (says he) the name of Christ reigns, as before whom the
gates of all cities are set open, and to whom none are shut;
before whom gates of brass fly open, and bars of iron are snapt
asunder." To which Arnobius* adds the Indians, the Persians,
the Serse, and all the islands and provinces which are visited by
the rising or setting sun, yea, and Rome itself, the empress of all.
IX. From Tertullian's account we have a most authentic tes-
timony how early Christianity stretched itself over this other
world, having before his time conquered the most rough and in-
accessible parts of Britain to the banner of the cross, which may
probably refer to the conversion of king Lucius, (the first Chris-
tian king that ever was,) a potent and considerable prince in this
island, who embraced the Christian religion about the year
186, and sent a solemn embassy to Eleutherius, bishop of
Rome, for some who might further instruct him and his people
in the faith ; who accordingly dispatched Faganus and Derwia-
nus hither upon that errand. Not that this was the first time
that the gospel made its way through the co/ceavo? airipavTOf;,
(as Clemens ^ calls the British ocean, and so the ancients con-
stanth' style it,) " the unpassable ocean, and those worlds which
are beyond it;" that is, the Britannic islands: it had been here
many years before, though probably stifled and overgrown with
the ancient paganism and idolatry. St. Clemens « tells us of
St. Paul, that he preached both in the East and West ; and
having instructed the whole world in righteousness, made his
way to the utmost bounds of the West : by which he must either
mean Spain, or more probably Britain, and it may be both.
Accordingly Theodoret,'' speaking of his coming into Spain, says,
that besides that, he brought great advantage to the isles of the
sea ; and he reckons ' the Cimbri and the Britains among the
*■ ^'^*- "• P- 2-^- ' Epist. ad Corinth, p. 28.
* ""*^- P- ^- " Comment, in Psal. U6
' De curand. Ciractor. alTpct. Scnn. ix. p. I2r>.
INTRODUCTION. U
nations which the apostles (and he particularly mentions the
tent-maker) converted to the Christian faith. If after all this
it were necessary to enter into a more minute and particular
disquisition, I might inquire, not only in what countries, but in
what towns and cities in those countries, Christianity fixed itself,
in what places episcopal sees were erected, and what succession
of bishops are mentioned in the records of the church ; but that
this would not well consist with the designed shortness of this
Introduction, and would be more perhaps than the reader's
patience would allow.
X. The shadows of the night do not more naturally vanish at
the rising of the sun, than the darkness of pagan idolatry and
superstition fled before the light of the gospel ; which the more
it prevailed, the clearer it discovered the folly and impiety of
their M^orship : their solemn rites appeared more trifling and
ridiculous, their sacrifices more barbarous and inhuman, their
demons were expelled by the meanest Christian, their oracles
became mute and silent, and their very pi-iests began to be
ashamed of their magic charms and conjurations ; and the more
prudent and subtle heads among them, Avho stood up for the
rites and solemnities of their religion, were forced to turn them
into mystical and allegorical meanings, far enough either from
the apprehension or intention of the vulgar. The truth is, the
devil, who for so many ages had usurped an empire and tyranny
over the souls of men, became more sensible every day that his
kingdom shaked ; and therefore sought, though in vain, by all
ways to support and prop it np. Indeed, some time before our
Saviour"'s incarnation, the most celebrated oracle at Delphos had
lost its credit and reputation, as after his appearance in the
world they sunk and declined every day ; whereof their best
writers universally complain, that their gods had forsaken their
temples and oracular recesses, and had left the world in dark-
ness and obscurity ; and that their votaries did in vain solicit
their counsels and answers. Plutarch, who lived under Trajan,
wrote a particular tract (still extant) Concerning the Ceasing of
Oracles, Avhich he endeavours to resolve partly into natural,
partly into moral, partly into political causes, though all his
philosophy was too short to give a just and satisfactory account
of it. One cause he assigns of it is, the death and departure
of those demons, that heretofore presided over these oracles.
U INTllODUCTION.
To which purpose he relates a memorable passage, concerning
a voice that called three times aloud to one Thamus, an Egyptian
ship-master, and his company, as they sailed by the Echinadse
islands, commanding him when they came near to Palodes to
make proclamation, that " the great Pan was dead," which he
did ; and the news was entertained not with the resentment of
one or two, but of many, who received it with great mourning
and consternation. The circumstances of this story he there
reports more at large, and adds, that the thing being published
at Rome, Thamus was sent for by Tiberius, to whom he gave
an account, and satisfied him in the truth of it. Which cir-
cumstance of time, Eusebius^ observes, corresponds with our
Lord's conversing in the world, when he began openly to dis-
possess demons of that power and tyranny which they had
gained over mankind. And (if the calculation which some
make, hit right) it fell in about the time of our Saviour's
passion, who " led captivity captive, spoiled principalities and
powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them
in his cross, and by his death destroyed him that had the power
of death, that is, the devil."
XI. However that the silence of oracles, and the enervating
the power of demons, was the effect of the Christian religion in
the world, we need no more than the plain confession of
Porphyry himself, (truth will sometimes extort a confession out
of the mouth of its greatest enemy,) who says, that " now it is no
wonder if the city for so many years has been overrun with
sickness, vEsculapius and the rest of the gods having with-
drawn their converse with men : for that since Jesus began to
be worshipped, no man hath received any public help or benefit
by the gods."'' A great argument, as Eusebius well urges,
of our Saviour's divine authority, and the truth of his doctrine.
For when (says he a little before) such numbers of fictitious
deities fled at our Lord's appearance, who would not with ad-
miration behold it as an uncontrolable demonstration of his truly
saving and excellent religion, whereby so many churches and
oratories through all the world, both in cities and villages, and
even in the deserts and solitudes of the most barbarous nations,
have been erected and consecrated to the great Creator, and the
only Sovereign of the world : when such multitudes of books
J I'nrpar. Kvaiio. 1. v. »■. 17. j,. COT. l^ R„seli. ubi sv.pr. c. 1. p. 17!'.
INTRODUCTION. 15
have been written, containing the most incomparable rules and
institutions to form mankind to a life of the most perfect virtue
and religion, precepts accommodate not to men only, but to
women and children : when he shall see that the oracles and
divinations of the demons are ceased and gone ; and that the
divine and evangelical virtue of our Saviour no sooner visited
mankind, but they began to leave off their wild and frantic ways
of worship, and to abhor those human sacrifices (many times
of their dearest relations) wherewith they had been wont to
propitiate and atone their bloody and merciless demons, and
into which their wisest and greatest men had been bewitched
and seduced. I add no more but St. Chrysostom's' challenge,
"Judge now with me, O thou incredulous Jew, and learn the
excellency of the truth ; what impostor ever gathered to himself
so many churches throughout the world, and propagated his
worship from one end of it to the other, and svibdued so many
subjects to his crown, even when thousands of impediments lay
in the way to hinder him ? certainly no man : a plain evidence
that Christ was no impostor, but a Saviour and Benefactor, and
the Author of our life and happiness.
XII. We have seen with what a mighty success Christianity
displayed its banners over the world ; let us next consider what
it was that contributed to so vast an increase and propagation of
it. And here not to insist upon the blessing of the divine pro-
vidence, which did immediately superintend its prosperity and
welfare, nor upon the intrinsic excellency of the religion itself,
which carried essential characters of divinity upon it, sufficient to
recommend it to every wise and good man, there were five things
among others that did especially conduce to make way for it ; the
miraculous powers then resident in the church, the great learning
and abilities of its champions and defenders, the indefatigable
industry used in propagating of it, the incomparable lives of its
professors, and their patience and constancy under sufferings. It
was not the least means that procured the Christian religion a
just veneration from the world, the miraculous attestations that
were given to it. I shall not here concern myself to shew, that
miracles truly and publicly wrought are the highest external
evidence that can be given to the truth of that religion, which
they are brought to confirm ; the force of the argument is suf-
' Onit. iii. adv. Jiidaeos, p. 420. torn. i.
IG INTRODUCTIOxX.
ricieiitly pleaded by the ('liristlan apologists. That such mi-
laciilous powers were then ordinary in the church, we have the
concurrent testimonies of all the first writers of it. Justin
Martyr' tells the emperor and the senate, that our Lord was
born for the subversion of the demons, which they might know
from the very things done in their sight ; for that very many
who had been vexed and possessed by demons, throughout the
world, and in this very city of theirs, whom all their exorcists
and conjurers Avere not able to relieve, had been cured by several
Christians through the name of Jesus that was crucified under
Pontius Pilate ; and that at this very time they still cured
them, disarming and expelling the demons out of those whom
they had possessed. The same he affirms in his discourse with
Trypho'" the Jew, more than once, that the devils trembled and
stood in awe of the power of Christ ; and to this day, being ad-
jured b}' the name of Jesus Christ crucified under Pontius Pilate
the procurator of Judea, they were obedient to Christians. Ire-
nseus" assures us, that in his time the Christians, enabled by the
grace of Christ, raised the dead, ejected demons and unclean
spirits ; the persons so dispossessed coming over to the church :
others had visions and the gift of prophecy ; others by imposi-
tion of hands healed the sick, and restored them to perfect
health. But I am not able (says he) to reckon up the number
of those gifts, which the church throughout the world, receiving
from God, does every day freely exercise in the name of Jesus
Christ crucified under Pontius Pilate, to the benefit of the world.
TertuUian" challenges the Roman governors to let any pos-
sessed person be brought before their own tribunals, and they
should see, that the spirit being commanded to speak by any
Christian, should as truly confess himself to be a devil, as at
other times he falsely boasted himself to be a god. And he
tells Scapula, P that they rejected, disgraced, and expelled
demons every day, as most could bear them witness. Origen''
])ids Celsus take notice, that whatever he might think of the
reports which the gospel makes concerning our Saviour ; yet
that it was the great and magnificent work of Jesus, by his
name to heal even to this day, whom God pleased ; that he
' Apol. i. p. 4"). n- Dial, cum Tryph. p. 247, &c. p. 302.
" Adv. llreros. 1. ii. c. hG. p. 21 o ; c. .'57. p. 218. " Apol. c. 23. p. 22.
P .\(1 Sciip. c. 2. p. 09. q Contr. Cols. ]. ii. c. 48. vol. i. p. 422. 3.
INTRODUCTION. 17
"^himself had seen many, who by having the name of God and
Christ called over them, had been delivered from the greatest
evils, frenzy and madness, and infinite other distempers, which
neither men nor devils had been able to cure. What influence
these miraculous effects had upon the world, he lets us know
elsewhere. "The apostles of our Lord (says he^) without these
miraculous powers would never have been able to have moved
their auditors, nor persuaded them to desert the institutions of
their country, and to embrace their new doctrine ; and having
once embraced it, to defend it even to death, in defiance of the
greatest dangers. Yea, even to this day, the footsteps of that
Holy Spirit, which appeared in the shape of a dove, are preserved
among the Christians ; they exorcise demons, perform many
cures, and according to the will of God foresee and foretell things
to come. At which though Celsus and his personated Jew may
laugh, yet I affirm further, that many even against their inclina-
tions have been brought over to the Christian religion, their
former opposition of it being suddenly changed into a resolute
maintaining of it unto death, after they have had visions com-
municated to them ; several of which nature we ourselves have
seen. And should we only reckon up those at which we our-
selves have been present and beheld, it may be it would only
make the infidels merry ; supposing that we like themselves did
forge and feign them. But God bears witness with my con-
science, that I do not endeavour by falsely-contrived stories, but
by various powerful instances to recommend the divine religion
of the holy Jesus. More testimonies of this kind I could easily
produce from Minucius Felix, Cyprian, Arnobius, and Lactan-
tius, but that these are enough to my purpose.
XIII. Another advantage that exceedingly contributed to the
triumph of Christianity, was the singular learning of many, who
became champions to defend it : for it could not but be a mighty
satisfaction, especially to men of ordinary capacities and mean
employments, (which are the far greatest part of mankind,) to
see persons of the most smart and subtile reasonings, of the most
acute and refined understandings, and consequently not easily
capable of being imposed upon by arts of sophistry and plausible
stories, trampling upon their former sentiments and opinions,
and not only entertaining the Christian faith, but defending it
■ Contr. Cels. 1. iii. c. 24. vol. i. p. 461. ' Ibid. 1. i. c. AG. vol. i. p. 361.
VOL. I. t^
18 INTRODUCTION.
against its most virulent opposers. It is true indeed the gospel
at its first setting out was left to its own naked strength, and
men of the most unpolished breeding made choice of to convey
it to the world, that it might not seem to be au human artifice,
or the success of it be ascribed to the parts and powers of
man. But after that for an hundred years together it had ap-
proved itself to the world, and a sharper edge was set upon the
malice and keenness of its adversaries, it was but proper to take
in external helps to assist it. And herein the care of the divine
providence was very remarkable, that as miracles became less
common and frequent in the church, God was pleased to raise
up, even from among the Gentiles themselves, men of profound
abilities, and excellent learning, who might roU otVetoi? TrTepol<i
fiaXXeiv, (as Julian' said of the Christians of his time,) beat
them at their own weapons, and wound them with arrows drawn
out of their own quiver ; and it was high time to do so : for the
Gentiles did not only attack the Christians and their religion by
methods of cruelty, and by arts of insinuation, not only object
what wit and subtilty could invent, to bear any shadow and
pretence of reason, but load them with the blackest crimes,
which nothing but the utmost malice and prejudice could ever
suspect to be true. This gave occasion to the Christian apolo-
gists, and the first writers against the Gentiles, who by their
learned and rational discourses assoiled the Christians from the
things charged against them, justified the reasonableness, ex-
cellency, and divinity of their religion ; and exposed the folly
and falsehood, the brutishness and impiety, the absurd and
trifling rites of the pagan worship ; by which means prejudices
were removed, and thousands brought over to the faith. In
this way they that rendei-ed themselves most renowned, and did
greatest service to the Christian cause, were especially these :
Quadratus bishop of Athens, and Aristides, formerly a famous
philosopher of that city, a man wise and eloquent, dedicated
each an Apologetic to the emperor Adrian : Justin the Martyr,
besides several tracts against the Gentiles, wrote two Apologies;
the first presented to Antoninus Pius, the second to M. Aure-
lius and the senate : about which time also Athenagoras pre-
sented his Apology to M. Aurelius and Aurelius Commodus;
' Theod. H. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 8. p. 131.
J
INTRODUCTION. 19
not to mention his excellent discourse concerning the resurrec-
tion. To the same M. Aurelius, Melito bishop of Sardis exhi-
bited his apologetic oration for the Christians : under this em-
peror also flourished Apollinaris, bishop of Hierapolis in Asia,
and dedicated to him an incomparable discourse in defence of
the Christian faith ; besides five books which he wrote against
the Gentiles, and two concerning the Truth. Not long after,
Theophilus bishop of Antioch composed his three excellent
books for the conviction of Autolycus : and Miltiades presented
an Apology (probably) to the emperor Commodus. Tatian the
Syrian, scholar to Justin Martyr, a man learned and eloquent,
among other things wrote a book against the Gentiles, which
sufficiently evidences his great abilities. Tertullian, a man of
admirable learning, and the first of the Latins that appeared in
this cause, under the reign of Severus, published his Apologetic,
directed to the magistrates of the Roman empire ; besides his
books, " Ad Nutiones," " De Idololatria," " Ad Scapulam," and
many more. After him succeeded Origen, whose Eight Books
against Celsus did not greater service to the Christian cause,
than they did honour to himself. Minucius Felix, an eminent
advocate at Rome, wrote a short, but most elegant Dialogue be-
tween Octavius and Csecilius, which (as Lactantius long since
observed) shews, how fit and able an advocate he would have
been to assert the truth, had he wholly applied himself to it.
About the time of Gallus and Volusian, Cyprian addresed him-
self in a discourse to Demetrian the proconsul of Africa, in be-
half of the Christians and their religion, and published his tract
" De Idolorum vanitate," which is nothing but an epitome of
Minucius"'s Dialogue. Towards the close of that age, under Dio-
clesian, Arnobius taught rhetoric with great applause at Sicca
in Africa ; and being convinced of the truth of Christianity,
could hardly make the Christians at first believe that he was
real. In evidence therefore of his sincerity, he wrote seven
books against the Gentiles, wherein he smartly and rationally
pleads the Christian cause : as not long after his scholar Lac-
tantius, who under Dioclesian professed rhetoric at Nicomedia,
set himself to the composing several discourses in defence of the
Christian, and subversion of the Gentile religion. A man witty
and eloquent, but more happy in attacking his adversaries than
in establishing the principles of his own religion, many whereof
c: 2
20 INTRODUCTION.
he seems not very distinctly to have understood. To all these
I may add ApoUonius, a man versed in all kind of learning and
philosophy ; and (if St. Hierom say right) a senator of Rome,
who in a set oration with so brave and generous a confidence
eloquently pleaded his own, and the cause of Christianity before
the senate itself; for which he suffered as a martyr in the reign
of Commodus.
XIV. And as they thus defend Christianity on the one hand
from the open assaults and calumnies of the Gentiles, so were
they no less careful on the other to clear it from the errors and
heresies wherewith men of perverse and evil minds sought to
corrupt and poison it. And the chief of those that engaged in
this way were these : Agrippa Castor, a man of great learning
in the time of Adrian, wrote an accurate Refutation of Basilides
and his Principles in twenty-four books. Theophilus of Antioch
against Hermogenes and Marcion ; Apollinaris, Philip bishop
of Gortyna in Crete, Musanus, Modestus, Rhodon, Tatian's
scholar, Miltiades, ApoUonius, Serapion bishop of Antioch, and
hundreds more, who engaged against the Marcionites, Mon-
tanists, and other heretics of those times. But the principal of
all was Irenseus, who took to task the most noted heresies of
those ages, and with incomparable industry and quickness of
reasoning unravelled their principles, exposed their practices, re-
futed their errors, whereby (as he frequently intimates) many
were reduced and recovered to the church. I might also men-
tion several others, who though not known to have particularly
adventured in either of these ways, are yet renowned for their
excellent skill in all arts and sciences, whereby they became
eminently useful to the church. Such (besides those whereof an
account is given in the following work) were Dionysius bishop
of Corinth, Bardesanes the Syrian, whose learning and eloquence
were above the common standard, though he also wrote against
almost all the heresies of the age he lived in. Ammonius the
celebrated philosopher of Alexandria ; Julius Africanus, a man
peculiarly eminent for history and chronology ; Dorotheus pres-
byter of Antioch, famous for his skill in Hebrew, as well as
other parts of learning ; Anatolius the Alexandrian, whom Eu-
sebius magnifies so much as the most learned man and acute
philosopher of his age, exquisitely skilled in arithmetic, geometry,
astronomy, logic, physic, rhetoric, and indeed what not ? Pierius
INTRODUCTION. 21
presbyter of Alexandria, an eloquent preacher, and so great
a scholar, that he was commonly styled Origen Junior. But
this is a field too large to proceed any further in, and therefore
I sto[) here. By all which it is evident, what St. Hierom" re-
marks, how little reason Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian had to
clamour against the Christians, as a rude and illiterate genera-
tion, who had no learning, no eloquence, or philosophy to recom-
mend them.
XV. A third advantage that helped on the progress of Chris-
tianity, was the indefatigable zeal and industry used in the pro-
pagation of it. No stone was left unturned, no method unat-
tempted, whereby they might reclaim men from error, and bring
them over to the acknowledgment of the truth. Hence in an
ancient inscription''' said to be set up in Spain, to the honour of
Nero, they are described under this character, qui novam generi
HUM. SUPERSTITION. iNcuLCAB. " Tliosc who iuculcatcd and ob-
truded a new superstition upon mankind." Indeed they were
infinitely zealous to gain proselytes to the best religion in the
world. They jireached it boldly, and prayed heartily for the
conversion and reformation of mankind, solicited their neigh-
bours that were yet strangers to the faith, instructed and in-
formed new converts, and built them up on the most holy faith.
Those that were of greater parts and eminency erected and in-
stituted schools, where they publicly taught those that resorted
to them, grounding them in the rudiments of the faith, and an-
tidoting them both against heathens on the one side, and here-
tics on the other. Among us, (says Tatian,") not only the rich
and the wealthy learn our philosophy, but the poor are freely
disciplined and instructed : we admit all that are willing to
learn, whether they be old or young. And what the success
was, he tells us a little after,^ that all their virgins were sober
and modest, and were wont to discourse concerning divine
things, even while they were sitting at their distaffs. Nor did
they content themselves only to do thus at home, many of them
freely exposing themselves to all manner of hazards and hard-
ships : no pains were thought great, no dangers considerable, no
diflficulties insuperable, that they might enlarge the bounds of
the gospel, travelling into the most barbarous nations, and to
^ S. Hieron. praef. ad Catalog, de script. Eccles. ™ Ap. Gruter. Inscript. p. 238. N. ix.
" Orat. contr. Gra>c. p. 1 07. > Ibid. p. 1 68.
22 INTRODUCTION.
the remotest corners of the workl, " The divine and admirable
disciples of the apostles (says ^Eusebius) built up the superstruc-
tures of those churches, the foundations whereof the apostles had
laid in all places where the}' came : they every where promoted
the publication of the gospel, sowing the seeds of that heavenly
doctrine throughout the whole world. For their minds being
inflamed \\ith the love of a more divine philosophy, according to
our Lord's counsel, they distributed their estates to the poor ;
and leaving their own countries, took upon them the office of
evangelists ; preaching Christ, and delivering the evangelical
writings to those who had not yet so much as heard of the
Christian faith. And no sooner had they founded the faith in
any foreign countries, and ordained guides and pastors, to whom
they committed the care of those new plantations, but they pre-
sently betook themselves to other nations, ratifying their doc-
trine with the miraculous powers of that Divine Spirit that at-
tended them : so that as soon as ever they began to preach, the
people universally flocked to them, and cheerfully and heartily
embraced the worship of the true God, the great Creator of the
world." In the number of these evangelical missionaries, that
were of the first apostolical succession, were Silas, Sylvanus,
Crescens, Andronicus, Trophimus, Marcus, Aristarchus, &c. as
afterwards Pantsenus who went into India, Pothinus and Ire-
nseus from Smyrna into France, each successively becoming
bishop of Lyons, and infinite others mentioned in the histories
and martyrologies of the church, who " counted not their lives
to be dear unto them, so that they might finish their course
with joy," and make known the mysteries of the gospel to the
ends of the earth.
XVI. Fourthly, Christianity recommended itself to the world
by the admirable lives of its professors, which were so truly con-
sonant to all the laws of virtue and goodness, as could not but
reconcile the wiser and more unprejudiced part of the Gentile
world to a better opinion of it, and vindicate it from those
absurd and senseless cavils that were made against it. For
when they saw Christians every where so seriously devout and
pious, so incomparably chaste and sober, of such humble and
mortified tempers, so strictly just and righteous, so kind and
charitable, not to themselves only, but to all mankind, they
' H. Eccles. 1. iii. c. 37. p. 109.
INTRODUCTION. 23
conchuled there must be something more than human in it : as
indeed no argument is so convictive, as a demonstration from
experience. Their singular piety, and the discipline of their
manners, weighed down all the disadvantages they were under.
The divine and most admirable apostles of Christ, (says Eusebius,'')
how rude soever they were in speech, were yet rbv /3iov ciKpco'i
KeKaOap/jiCVOi, Kal dperfj Trdarj Ta^ -y^rvya^ KeKoa/xrj/xevoi, " of
the most pure and holy lives, and had their minds adorned with
all sorts of virtue." And such generally were the Christians of
the succeeding ages ; they did not entertain the world with a
parcel of good words and a plausible story, but shewed their
faith by their works, and proved the divinity of their religion by
the heavenliness of their lives. We (says the Christian in
Minucius Felix ^) despise the pride and superciliousness of
philosophers, whom we know to be debauched persons, and
always eloquent against those vices of which themselves are
most guilty. For we measure not wisdom by men's garbs and
habits, but by their mind r.nd manners ; nor do we speak great
things so much as live them, glorying that we have attained
Avhat they earnestly sought, but could never find. Christians
were then the only persons that really were what they pretended
to, men heartily reformed from vice to virtue : " Being persuaded
(as Justin Martyr"^ tells the emperors) by the word, we have
renounced the demons, and through the Son worship the only
and unbegotten Deity : and we who heretefore took pleasure in
adulteries, do now embrace the strictest chastity ; and who were
addicted to magic arts, have devoted ourselves to the benign and
immortal God : we who valued estate and riches before all things
in the world, do now cast Avhat we have in common, distribut-
ing to every one according to his need : we who by hatred and
slaughters mutually raged against each other, and refused to sit
at the same fire with those who were not of our own tribe,
since Chrises appearing in the world, familiarly converse to-
gether, pray for our enemies, and for the conversion of those
that unjustly hate us, endeavouring to persuade them to live
according to the excellent precepts of Christ, that so they may
have just ground to hope for the same rewards with us from the
great judge of the world."'' Indeed strange was the efficacy of
a Ubi supr. c. 24. p. 94. ^ M. Fsel. Dial, non longe a fin. p. 31. <= Apol. ii. p. 61.
'' Tertul. Apol. c. 3. p. 4. ad Nation, c. 1. p. 41. Orig. contr. Cels. 1. i. p. 9, 15, 21,
24 INTRODUCTION.
the Christian doctrine over the minds of men, which the Chx-is-
tian apologists at every turn plead as uncontrolable evidence of
their religion ; that it made all sorts of persons that complied
with it chaste and temperate, quiet and peaceable, meek and
modest, and afraid of the least appearance and colour of what
was evil.'' When the heathens derided them for the mean and
unpompous solemnities of their religion, they universally de-
clared, that God respected no man for any external excellencies
or advantages, it was the pure and the holy soul he delighted in;
that he stood in no need of blood or smoke, perfumes and in-
cense ; that the greatest and best sacrifice was to offer up a mind
truly devoted to him : that meekness and kindness, an humble
hear% and an innocent life, was the sacrifice with which God
was well pleased, and infinitely beyond all holocausts and
oblations ; that a pious and devout mind was the fittest temple
for God to dwell in, and that to do one's duty, to abstain from
sin, to be intent upon the offices and ministrations of prayer and
praise, is the truest festival ; yea, that the whole life of a good
man is nothing else but a holy and festival solemnity. This
was the religion of Christians then, and it rendered their pro-
fession amiable and venerable to the world ; and forced many
times its most violent opposers to fall down, and say, " that God
was in them of a truth." But the less of this argument is said
here, a full account having been given of it in a work peculiar
to this subject.
XVII. Fifthly, the disciples of this holy and excellent re-
ligion gained innumerable proselytes to their party by their
patience and constancy under sufferings. They were immutably
resolved to maintain their station, notwithstanding all the at-
tempts made to beat them from it. They entertained the
fiercest threatenings with an unshaken mind, and fearlessly
beheld the racks and engines prepared for them; they laughed
at torments, and courted flames, and went out to meet death in
its blackest dress: they died rejoicing, and triumphed in the
36, 50, 53. 1. ii. p. 61, 85, 88, 110. 1. iii. p. 128, 147, 152, 157. 1. iv. p. 167. 1. vi. p. 306.
1. vii. p. 364. 1. viii. p. 409, et alibi passim. Lactant. 1. iii. c. 26. p. 328. 1. iv. c. 3. p.
351.
e J, Mort. Orat. ad Grac. p. 40. Athenag. Legat. p. 13. Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. \\i. p.
706, 709, 714, 719, 728. Minuc. FkI. p. 26, 30. Amob. adv. Gent. 1. vii. p. 104.
Orig. contr. Ccls. 1. viii. p. 385, 389, 392. Lactant. 1. i. c. 20. p. 108. 1. vi. c. 1. p. 540.
c. 21. p. 63«. Epitom. c. 2. p. 736.
INTRODUCTION. 25
midst of the greatest tortures ; which happening for some ages
ahnost every day, could not but convince their enemies that
they were in good earnest, that tliey heartily believed their
religion to be true, and that there must be a divine and super-
natural power going along with it, that could support them
under it ; which Justin Martyr confesses, was one main in-
ducement of his conversion to Christianity. What particular
methods of cruelty were used towards the primitive Christians,
and with how brave and generous a patience, with what even-
ness and tranquillity of mind they bore up under the heaviest
and acutest torments, we have sufficiently declared in another
place ; ' and therefore shall here only take a short survey of
those ten famous Persecutions, that so eminently exercised the
faith and patience of the primitive saints, and then collect the
force o^ the argument resulting from it. And this the rather,
because it will present us with the best prospect of the state
of the church in those early ages of it. As to the particular
dates and periods of some of these persecutions, different ac-
counts are assigned by Sulpitius Severus, Eusebius, Orosius,
Hierom, and others ; we shall follow that which shall appear to
be most likely and probable.
XVIII. The first that raised a general persecution against
the Christians, was Nero, as Tertullian = tells the Gentiles ; and
for the truth of it, refers them to their own public archives and
records : a prince of that wild and ungovernable temper, of such
brutish and extravagant manners, that their own writers scruple
not to style him, a beast in human shape, and the very monster
of mankind. He was guilty of the most unbounded pride and
ambition, drunkenness, luxury and all manner of debauchery,
sodomy and incest, which he attempted to commit with his own
mother. But cruelty seemed to predominate among his other
vices ; besides infinite others, he dispatched the greatest part of
the senate, put to death his tutor Seneca and his wife, Lucan
the poet ; nay, violated all the laws of nature, in falling upon
his own near relations : he was privy to, if not guilty of the
death of his father Claudius ; killed his two wives, Octavia and
Poppsea, and murdered Antonia, because refusing to succeed in
their bed ; he poisoned his brother Britannicus : and to complete
all his villanies, fell next upon his own mother Agrippina, whom
f Prim. Christ, part ii. ch. 7. ^ Apol. c. .->. p. 6.
26 INTRODUCTION.
he hated for her free reproving his looseness and extravagancy;
and having first spoiled her of all public honors, and caused her
to be openly disgraced and derided, then thrice attempted her
life by poison, he at last sent an assassin to stab her. And the
tradition then went, that not content to do this, he himself came
and beheld her naked corpse, contemplating and handling its
several parts ; commending some and dispraising others. And
if thus barbarous and inhuman towards his own kindred and
subjects, we cannot think he was over-favourable to Christians ;
wanting this title (says Eusebius '') to be added to all the rest,
to be styled the first emperor that became an enemy to the
Christian religion, publishing laws and edicts for the suppressing
of it; and prosecuting those that possessed it, with the utmost
rigour in every place ; and that upon this occasion. Among
infinite other instances of this madness and folly, he took up a
resolution to burn Rome, either as being offended with the
narrowness of the streets, and the deformity of the buildings, or
ambitious to become the author of a more stately and magui
ficent city, and to call it after his own name. But however it
was, he caused it to be set on fire, about the 19th of July, A. D.
(J4. The conquering flames quickly prevailed over that city,
that had so often triumphed over the rest of the world, in six or
seven days spoiling and reducing the far greatest part of it (ten
regions of fourteen) into ashes ; laying waste houses and temples,
and all the venerable antiquities and monuments of that place,
which had been preserved with so much care and reverence for
many ages ; himself in the mean while from Mec8enas''s tower
beholding the sad spectacle with pleasure and delight, and in
the habit of a player, singing the destruction of Troy. And
when the people would but have searched the ruins of their own
houses, he forbade them, not suffering them to reap what the
mercy of the flames had spared. This act (as well it might)
exposed him to all the hatred and detestation wherewith an
injured and abused people could resent it, which he endeavoured
to remove by large promises and great rewards, by consulting the
Sibylline books, and by public supplications and sacrifices to the
gods. Notwithstanding all which, Tacitus' tells us, the people still
believed him to be the author of the mischief. This not suc-
ceeding, he sought to clear himself by deriving the odium upon
h H. Eccles. 1. ii. c. 25. p. f.7. ' Annal. 1. xv. c. 44. p. 31 f».
INTRODUCTION. 27
the Christians, whom he knew to be sufficiently hateful to the
people, charging them to have been the incendiaries, and pro-
ceeding against them with the most exquisite torments. Having
apprehended some, whom they either forced or persuaded to
confess themselves guilty, by their means great numbers of
others were betrayed; whom Tacitus confesses, that not the
burning of the city, but the common hatred made criminal.
They were treated with all the instances of scorn and cruelty;
some of them were wrapt up in skins of wild beasts, and worried
by dogs ; others crucified ; others burnt alive, being clad in
paper coats, dipped in pitch, wax, and such combustible matter,
that when day-light failed, they might serve for torches in the
night. These spectacles Nero exhibited in his own gardens,
which yet the people entertained with more pity than pleasure ;
knowing they were done not for the public benefit, but merely
to gratify his own private rage and malice. Little better usage
did the Christians meet with in other parts of the empire, as
appears from the inscription '' found at Clunia in Spain, dedicated
to Nero in memory of his having cleared the province of those
that had introduced a new superstition amongst mankind.
Under this persecution suffered Tecla, Torques, Torquatus,
Marcellus, and several others mentioned in the ancient mar-
tyrologies, especially the apostles Peter and Paul ; the one upon
the cross, the other by the sword.
XIX. The troublesome vicissitudes and revolutions of affairs
that happened under the succeeding emperors, Galba, Otho, and
Vitellius ; and the mild and merciful disposition of Vespasian
and Titus, gave some rest to the Christians : till Domitian suc-
ceeding, began a second Persecution. A man of a temper vastly
different from that of his father and his brother ; for though at
first he put on a plausible carriage, yet he soon left off the vizor,
and appeared like himself; lazy and inactive, ill-natured and
suspicious, griping and covetous, proud and insolent : yea, so
vainly ambitious as to affect divinity, in all public edicts assum-
ing to himself, and in all petitions and addresses requiring from
others, the titles of Lord and God. He never truly loved any
man ; and when he most pretended it, it was a sure sign of that
man's ruin. His cruelty he exercised first upon flies, thousands
whereof he dispatched every day ; next upon men, and those
'' A p. Gniter. loc. siipr. citat.
28 INTRODUCTION.
of all ranks and states: putting to death the most illustrious
senators, and persons of the greatest honour and nobility, upon
the most trifling pretences ; and many times for no cause at all.
In the fierceness and brutality of his temper he equalled Nero,
Poi'tlo Neronis de crudelitate,^ as Tertullian styles him ; nay, in
this exceeded him : that Nero was content to command execu-
tion to be done at a distance, while Domitian took pleasure in
beliolding his cruelties exercised before his eyes ; an argument
of a temper deeper dyed in blood. But the Christians, alas,
bore the heaviest load of his rage and malice, whom he every
where persecuted either by death or banishment. Under him,
St. John the evangelist was sent for to Rome, and by his com-
mand thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil : in the midst whereof,
when the divine providence had miraculously preserved him, he
immediately banished him into Patmos. He put to death his
cousin-german Fl. Clemens (at that time consul) for being a
Christian, and banished his wife Fl. Domitilla, (his own kins-
woman also,) upon the same account, into the island Pandataria.
At length his brutish and bloody practices rendered him into-
lerable to his own friends and servants, who conspired against
him (his own wife Domitia being of th6 confederacy) and slew
him. His successor Nerva abrogated his acts, and recalled
those whom he had proscribed and banished ; among whom St.
John, taking the benefit of that act of revocation, quitted Pat-
mos, and returned to Ephesus.
XX. The third Persecution commenced under Trajan, whom
Nerva had adopted to be his successor. A prince he was of
excellent and incomparable virtues, whose justice and impar-
tiality, gentleness and modesty, munificence and liberality, kind-
ness and affability, rendered him infinitely dear and acceptable
to the people ; the extravagancies of his predecessors not a little
contributing to sweeten his government to them. He was mild
and dispassionate, familiar and courteous ; he shewed a great
reverence to the senate, by whose advice he usually acted ;
and they to requite him, gave him the title of Optimus, as whom
thoy judged the best of all their princes. He conversed freely
and innocently with all men, being desirous rather to be beloved
than either feared or honoured by the people. The glory of all
which is exceedingly stained in the records of the church by his
' Loc. siipr. litat. c. 5. p. 6".
INTRODUCTION. 29
severe proceedings against the Christians. He looked upon the
rehgion of the empire as daily undermined by this new way of
worship, that the numbers of Christians grew formidable, and
might possibly endanger the peace and tranquillity of the Roman
state ; and that there was no better way to secure to himself
the favour of the gods, especially in his wars, than to vindicate
their cause against the Christians. Accordingly therefore he
issued out orders to proceed against them, as illegal societies,
erected and acting contrary to the laws ; in which number all
colleges and corporations were accounted, that were not™ settled
either by the emperor"'s constitution, or the decree of the senate ;
and the persons " frequenting them adjudged guilty of high trea-
son. Indeed the emperors (as we have elsewhere observed)
were infinitely suspicious of such meetings, as which might
easily conspire into faction and treason : and therefore when
Pliny ° interceded with Trajan in behalf of the city of Nicomedia,
that being so subject to fires, he would constitute a corporation
of smiths, though but a small number, which might be easily
kept in order, and which he promised to keep a particular eye
upon ; the emperor answered. By no means, for we ought to
remember (says he) that that province, and especially those
cities, are greatly disturbed by such kind of factions ; and what-
ever the title or the occasion be, if they meet together, they will
be heteriw^ though less numerous than the rest. That they
looked upon the Christian assemblies as in the number of these
unlawful corporations ; and that under this pretence, Trajan
endeavoured to suppress them, will appear from Pliny's letter to
him. In the mean time he commanded them either to offer
sacrifice to the gods, or to be punished as contemners of them.
The people also in several places by popular tumults falling foul
upon them. The chief of those who obtained the crown of mar-
tyrdom under him, were St. Clemens bishop of Rome, St. Simeon
bishop of Jerusalem, and St. Ignatius bishop of Antioch, whom
Trajan himself condemned and sent to Rome, there to be thrown
to wild beasts.
XXI. The persecution raged, as in the other parts of the
empire, so especially in the provinces of Pontus and Bithynia,
where Pliny the younger (who had some time since been consul)
"' Lib. i. et iii. ff. de Colleg. et corp. 1. xlvii. tit. 2"2.
" Lib. X. epist. 42, 43. " Ulpian de off. procons. 1. vi. ib. 1. ii.
30 INTRODUCTION.
then governed as pro-prsetor, with consular power and dignity.
Who seeing vast multitudes of Christians indicted hy others, and
pressing on of themselves to execution, and that to proceed
severely against all that came, would be in a manner to lay
waste those provinces, he thought good to write to the emperor
about this matter, to know his pleasure in the case. His letter,
because acquainting us so exactly with the state of the Chris-
tians, and the manner of proceeding against them, and giving so
eminent a testimony to their innocency and integrity, we shall
here insert.
G. Plinius to the Emperor Trajan.
" It is my custom. Sir, in all affairs wherein I doubt, to have re-
course to you. For who can better either sway my irresolution, or
instruct my ignorance ? I have never been heretofore present at
the exainination and trial of Christians ; and therefore know not
what the crime is, and how far it is wont to be punished, or how to
proceed in these enquiries. Nor was I a little at a loss, whether
regard be to be had to difference of age, whether the young
and the weak be to be distinguished from the more strong and
aged I whether place may be allowed to repentance, and it may
be of any advantage to him, who once was a Christian, to cease
to be so? Whether the name alone without other offences, or
the offences that go along with the name, ought to be punished ?
In the mean time, towards those who as Christians have been
brought before me, I have taken this course : I asked them
whether they were Christians? if they confessed it, I asked
them once and again, threatening punishment ; if they per-
sisted, I commanded them to be executed. For I did not at
all doubt but that, whatever their confession was, their stub-
bornness and inflexible obstinacy ought to be punished. Others
there were guilty of the like madness, whom because they were
Roman citizens, I adjudged to be transmitted to Rome. While
things thus proceeded, the error, as is usual, spreading farther,
more cases did ensue. A nameless libel was presented, contain-
ing the names of many who denied themselves to be, or to have
been Christians. These, when after my example they invocated
the gods, and offered wine and incense to your statue, (which
for that purpose T had commanded to be brought together with the
images of the gods,) and had moreover blasphemed Christ, (which
INTRODUCTION. 31
it is said none that are true Christians can be compelled to do,)
I dismissed ; others mentioned in the libel confessed themselves
Christians, but presently denied it, that they had indeed been
such, but had renounced it ; some by the space of three years,
others many years since, and one five and twenty years ago.
All which paid their reverence and veneration to your statue,
and the images of the gods, and blasphemed Christ. They af-
firmed that the whole sum of that sect or error lay in this, that
they were wont upon a set solemn day to meet together before
sun-rise, and to sing among themselves a hymn to Christ, as the
God whom they worshipped ; and oblige themselves by an oath,
not to commit any wickedness, but to abstain from theft, robbery,
adultery, to keep faith, and, when required, to restore any pledge
intrusted with them. Which done, then to depart for that time,
and to meet again at a common meal, to partake of a pro-
miscuous and harmless food ; which yet they laid aside, after I
had published an edict, forbidding, according to your order, the
heteriw (or unlawful assemblies) to be kept. To satisfy myself
in the truth hereof, I commanded two maidens called deacon-
esses to be examined upon the rack. But I perceived nothing
but a lewd and immoderate superstition, and therefore surceasing
any farther process, I have sent to pray your advice : for the
case seemed to me very worthy to be consulted about, especially
considering the great numbers that are in danger : for very
many of all ages and ranks, both men and women, are and will
be called in question ; the contagion of this superstition having
over-spread not only cities, but towns and country villages,
M'hich yet seems possible to be stopped and cured. It is very
evident that the temples, which were almost quite forsaken,
begin to be frequented, that the holy rites and solemnities of a
long time neglected are set on foot again, and that sacrifices are
from all parts brought to be sold, which hitherto found very
few to buy them. Whence it is easy to conjecture, what multi-
tudes of persons might be reclaimed, if place be given to re-
pentance.""
This letter was written, as is probable, about the year of our
Lord 107. Traj. 9.; Trajan lying then at Antioch, in order to
his wars in the East, and where the persecution was very hot.
By which it is evident, what unreasonable and inveterate
:^2 INTRODUCTION.
prejudices even the more moderate and ingenuous part of the
Gentile world had entertained against the Christian religion :
that though so innocent and unblamable, as to extort an honour-
able character from its greatest enemies and most malicious
apostates, though racks and tortures could force out nothing to
its disadvantage ; yet rather than not express their resentments,
(what was unbecoming men of parts and breeding,) they loaded
it with ill names and hard words. Pliny we see here scruples
not to style it not only an error, but madness, and a wicked and
immoderate superstition, charging the constant profession of it,
for stubbornness, and an incurable obstinacy, what in itself was
the effect of the most brave and generous resolution. And the
A'^ery same civility it found from his two intimate friends, Tacitus
and Suetonius, the one whereof calls it sir " detestable,""^ the other
a "novel and mischievous superstition."* By this account also
we see, that though the severity of the persecution might tempt
some to turn renegades, yet that so vast was the spread which
Christianity had made in those parts, that this great man knew
not how to deal with them. To direct him therefore in this
affair, the emperor returned this following rescript.
Trajan to Pliny, greeting.
"As to the manner of your procedure, my Secundus, in ex-
amining the causes of those who have been brought before you
for being Christians, you have taken the course which you ought
to take : for no certain and general law can be so framed, as
shall provide for all particular cases. Let them not be sought
for ; but if they be accused and convicted, let them be punished :
yet so, that if any denies himself to be a Christian, and shall
give evidence of it by doing sacrifice to our gods, although here-
tofore he has been suspected, let liim be pardoned upon his re-
pentance. But as for libels, published without the name of the
authors, let them not be valid as to the crimes they charge ; for
that were an ill precedent, and is not the usage of our reign."
Tertullian," speaking of this imperial edict, calls it "A sentence
confounded by a strange necessity : it allows them not to be
sought for, as if they were innocent, and yet commands them
• Tacit. Annal 1. xv. c. 44. p. 319. « Sueton. in Neron. c. IC. p. 571.
" Apol. c. 2. c. 3.
INTRODUCTION. 33
to be punished, as if they M^ere guilty : it spares and rages, dis-
sembles and yet punishes. Why does he entangle himself in
his own censure? if he condemns them, why does he not hunt
them out ? if he thinks them not to be searched out, why does
he not acquit them V Where Tertullian seems to ai'gue more
like an orator than logician. For Trajan might be unwilling
the Christians should be nicely hunted out, and yet not think
them innocent: he could not find them guilty of any enormons
crime, but only of a strange and novel superstition : and there-
fore, while they concealed themselves, did not think it reason-
able that they should be left to the malice and rapine of busy
under officers, who acted under the presidents and governors of
provinces, mere sycophants and calumniators, avatBelf avKocpdv-
rat Kol TO)v aXXorplcov epacrral, as "Melito styles them in his
Apology to M. Antoninus, impudent accusers, and ravenous de-
vourers of other men''s estates ; of whom he complains, that under
a pretence of the imperial edicts, they day and night openly
spoil and plunder the harmless and the innocent. These Trajan
might think fit to restrain ; but where there was notoriety of
fact, where Christians were duly cited before the public tribunals,
and the charge substantially made good, there they were to be
left to the sentence of the law. But however it was, by this
means the edge of their enemies*' fury was taken off; and
though the popular rage might in some particular places still
continue, yet the general force and rigour of the persecution did
abate and cease.
XXII. Trajan dying at Selinus in Cilicia, Adrian (whom he
had adopted) succeeded in the empire. A prince of excellent
parts, and no inconsiderable learning, fMovacKcoTaTo<i /SacriXev'?,
as Athenseus ^ calls him, a prince greatly devoted to the muses,
and yet one in whom it is hard to say, whether vice or virtue had
the upper hand ; and, which is more, who seemed to reconcile
most vices with their contrary virtues. He highly honoured the
senate, without whose authority he would never transact any
affairs of moment ; and upon solemn days would condescend to
wait upon the consuls to their own houses ; and yet was proud
and vain-glorious, and ambitious of honour, which he greedily
caught at upon every little occasion. He was magnificent in his
works, and liberal in his gifts ; but withal envious, detracting
" Ap. Euseb. H. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 26. y Deipnos. 1. viii. c. 16.
VOL. I. D
84 INTRODUCTION.
from the glory of hiy predecessor, censuring cand discommending
the most eminent artists in all kind of faculties. He ftimiliarly
conversed with his friends, visited them in their sickness many
times twice or thrice a day, treated them with the freedom and
kindness of companions ; and yet he was fierce and cruel : as is
evident by the many persons of nobility and renown whom he
put to deatli. But we have noted enough of his character else-
where, in the Life of St. Quadratus. He was addicted to magic,
and a great zealot for religion, especially the rites of Greece,
but despised and hated all other religions ; upon which account
he was no good friend to Christians. In his time, a fourth Per-
secution was raised against them, and so Sulpitius Severus*
positively calls it. I know Eusebius, followed by Orosius and
some others, assigns the fourth Persecution to the reign of M.
Aurelius ; but whoever impartially considers the state of things,
will see that it ought to be fixed here. It is true, we do not find
any new laws which this emperor made against the Christians,
but the laws of his predecessors were still in force, and the people
in most places were ready enough to run upon this errand of
their own accord, and to sacrifice the poor innocent Christians
to their own spite and malice. Whence Eusebius, speaking of
the Apologies presented to this emperor, says,* it was because
wicked and ill-minded men began to vex and disturb the Chris-
tians. And St. Hierom ^ more particularly tells us, that the zeal
which the emperor shewed in being initiated into the holy mys-
teries and the rites of Greece, gave opportunity and encourage-
ment to the people (though without any particular warrant) to
fall upon them: and this he elsewhere'' calls a "most grievous
persecution." And so indeed it was, as is evident, not only from
the Apologies which both Quadratus and Aristides presented to
the emperor in behalf of the Christians, but that when Arrius
Antoninus'^ (whom most suppose to have been the same with
him that succeeded Adrian) was proconsul of Asia, and severely
prosecuted the Christians there, all the Christians of the city
where he resided as one man beset his tribunal, openly confessing
themselves to be Christians. He, amazed at the multitude,
caused some few of them to be executed, telling the rest, that if
» H. Sacr. 1. ii. p. 142. a h. Eccles. 1. iv. c. 3.
" De script, in Quadrat. c Epist. ad Magn. Orat
<• Tertull. ad Pcapul. c. 4.
J
INTRODUCTION. 35
they had a mind to end their lives, they had precipices and
halters enough at home, and need not crowd thither for an exe-
cution. Nay, so high did it arise, that Serenius Granianus, one
of the following proconsuls, was forced to write to Adrian for
its mitigation ; which the emperor accordingly commanded by
a rescript, directed to Minucius Fundanus, Granianus''s suc-
cessor in that province, as he did also to several others ; as
Melito particularly tells us in his Apology. But though the fire
seemed to be pretty well quenched at present, yet did it break
out again in the succeeding reign of Antoninus Pius, devouring
many, whose sufferings are recorded in the martyrologies of the
church ; and for the stopping whereof, Justin Martyr exhibited
an Apology to this emperor, which produced that excellent letter
of his to the common council of Asia, in favour of the Christians,
which we have exemplified in the Life of Justin Martyr.
XXIII. To Antoninus Pius succeeded M. Aurelius Antoninus
and his brother L. Verus. M. Aurelius was a person of whom
the writers of his life deservedly speak great things. He was a
good man, and a great philosopher, and whom the historian *
says, it is easier to admire than to commend. But he was infi-
nitely superstitious in his religion, and therefore easily blown up
by the priests and philosophers that were about him into a preju-
dice against Christianity, and persuaded to set on foot the fifth
Persecution against the Christians, whom he endeavoured to curb
and suppress by new laws and edicts, exposing them to all the
malice and fierceness of their enemies. The persecution began
in the Eastern parts about the seventh year of his reign, where
it continued almost all his time ; and not content to stay there,
spread itself into the West, especially France, where it raged
with great severity. That the conflict was very sharp and fierce,
may be guessed at by the crowd of Apologies that were presented
to him by Justin Martyr, Melito, Athenagoras, and Apollinaris.
In Asia, St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was first condemned to
the fire, and then run through with a sword, with twelve more
from Philadelphia, who suffered with him, and Germanicus, who
a little before was devoured by wild beasts. At Rome, besides
Ptolemy and Lucius, Justin the Martyr with his six compa-
nions, Charito, Charitina, Euelpibtus, Hierax, Peon, and Valeria-
nus, were beheaded. In the French persecution suffered Vettius
f Eutrop. H. Rom. lib. viii. p. 191.f».
D 2
3(; INTRODUCTION.
Epagathus, a young man of incomparable piety and magnani-
mity ; Blandina, a lady of singular virtue, who, after infinite and
inexpressible torments, was tied to a beam in fashion of a cross, and
thrown to wild beasts; Biblis, who though at first through frailty
she denied the faith, yet recovered her courage, and expired in
the midst of the acutest tortures ; Pothinus, bishop of Lyons,
above ninety years old, beaten and stoned to death ; Sanctus, a
deacon of Vieune, together with Maturus, exposed in the amphi-
theatre, tormented and imprisoned several days together, pre-
sented to wild beasts, placed in an iron chair red hot, and at
last run through with a spear ; Attalus, a Roman citizen, dis-
gracefully led up and down in triumph, roasted in an iron chair,
and then beheaded; as was also Alexander the physician, a
Phrygian, who readily professed himself a Christian ; and Pon-
ticus, a youth of fifteen years of age, who through all the
methods of cruelty and torment, which might have shaken a
maturer age, entered into the kingdom of heaven. A larger and
more particular account of all whose martyrdoms is recorded in
the letter written by the churches of Lyons and Vienne in France
to those of Asia and Phrygia, yet extant in Eusebius. At length
the emperor seems to have relaxed the persecution, inclined to
it, as is thought, by the remarkable victory which he gained in
his German wars by the prayers of the Christian legion, when
the fortunes of the Roman empire lay at stake, and the Chris-
tians so signally, so immediately engaged heaven in its rescue
and deliverance, by supplying them with rain, and fighting
against the enemy with lightning and thunder. Whereupon
the emperor is said to have written to the senate, acknow-
ledging the greatness of the blessing, and commanding all just
favour and indulgence to be shewed to the Christians. The
substance of the story is universally owned by the Gentile
writers, though, out of spite to the Christians, they either ascribe
it to the power of magic, or the pre valency of the emperor's own
prayers. That there were such letters written, is plain, in that
Tertullian,*^ who lived but a little after, cites them, and appeals
to them; though I confess little stress can be laid upon the
epistle that is extant at this day. There is still extant" a law
of M. Aurelius and his brother Verus, permitting those who
' Apol. c. fi. vide lib. ad Scap. c. 4.
Ap. IJlpiaii. 1. iii. ff. §. .",. lib. 50. tit. 'J.
INTRODUCTION. 37
follow the Jewish superstition to obtain honours, and granting
them guards to defend them from wrong and injury. By this,
very learned men'' understand Christians, at least equally with
the Jews ; these two being commonly confounded by the writers
of those times, and superstition the word by which they usually
denote Christianity. But however it was, this law was made
before that German victory, M. Aurelius not being engaged in
that war till after the death of his brother Verus.
XXIV. The Christian affairs were tolerably quiet and peace-
able during the reigns of Commodus, ^1. Pertinax, and Julian,
till Severus got into the throne ; a prince witty and learned,
prudent and politic, hardy and valiant, but withal crafty and
subtle, treacherous and unfaithful, bloodj^ and passionate, and, as
the historian ' observes, of a nature truly answering to his name,
Vere Pertinax^ vere Severus. Under him began the sixth Per-
secution : for though at first he shewed himself favourable to the
Christians, yet afterwards he changed his mind, and gave ear to
those who traduced them as an impious and infamous generation ;
a people that designed nothing but treason and rebellion against
the state. Whereupon he not only suffered his ministers and
governors of provinces to treat them with all imaginable cruelty,
but he himself gave out edicts, forbidding any, under the most
terrible penalties, to profess either the Jewish or Christian reli-
gion ; which were executed with that rigour and inhumanity,
that the Christians of those days verily believed that the times
of Antichrist did then take place. Martyrs of note whom this
persecution sent to heaven, were Victor bishop of Rome ; Leo-
nidas, Origen's father, beheaded at Alexandria ; Serenus, Hera-
clides. Heron, another Serenus, and Herais a catechumen, all
Origen's scholars ; Potamisena, an illustrious virgin, and her
mother Marcella, after various torments, committed to the flames;
and Basilides, one of the officers that had led them to execution.
Felicitas and Perpetua, two noble ladies, at Tuburbis in Mau-
ritania, the one brought to bed but the day before, the other
at that time a nurse. Speratus and his companions beheaded
at Carthage, by the command of Saturninus, the proconsul.
Irenseus, bishop of Lyons, and many thousands of his people
'• Alciat. dispunct. 1. iii. c. 8. A. August, ad Modest, p 336. Petit, dcjur. Princip. c. 6.
vide Selden de Synedr. 1. i. c. 8. Raynaud. Indie. SS. Lugd. proleg. 3. p. 52.
' Spartian. in vit. Sever, c. 1 4.
38 INTRODUCTION.
martyred with him ; whose names and sufferings, though un-
known to us, are honourably written in the book of life.
XXV. The next that created any disturbance to the Chris-
tians, was Maximinus, by birth a Thracian ; a man of base and
obscure originals, of a mean and sordid education : he had been
first a shepherd, then a highwayman, and last of all a soldier: ^
he Mas of strength and stature beyond the ordinary size and
standard ; and his manners were as robust and boisterous as his
constitution, and savoured wholly of the rudeness of his educa-
tion. Never did a more cruel beast, (says the historian,') tread
upon the earth, relying altogether upon his strength, and upon
that account reckoning himself almost immortal. He seized upon
whatever came in his way, plundering and destroying without
any difference, without any process or form of law : his strength
was the law of justice, and his will the measure of his actions. He
spared none, but especially killed all that knew any thing of his
mean descent, that none might reproach him with the obscurity of
his birth. Having slain his master Alexander Mammseus, that
excellent and incomparable prince, he usurped the government,
and managed it suitably to his own maxim, that "the empire could
not be maintained but by cruelty." The seventh Persecution was
raised by him. Indeed Sulpitius Severus admits not this into
the numl)er, and therefore makes no more than nine Pagan Per-
secutions, reserving the tenth for the times of Antichrist. But
Eusebius '" expressly affirms, that Maximinus stirred up a perse-
cution against the Christians, and that out of hatred to his
predecessor, in whose family many Christians had found shelter
and patronage, but that it was almost wholly levelled against
the bishops and ministers of religion, as the prime authors and
propagators of Christianity. Whence Firmilian, bishop of Cap-
padocia, in his letter to St. Cyprian," says of it, that it was not
a general, but a local persecution, and raged in some particular
places, and especially in that province Avhere he lived, Serenianus
the president driving the Christians out of all those countries.
He adds, that many dreadful earthquakes happening in those
parts, whereby towns and cities were overturned and swallowed
up, added life and vigour to the persecution, it being usual with
the Gentiles, if a famine or pestilence, an earthquake or inunda-
^ Horod. lib. vii. in Miixim. p. 253. i Capitol, in vit. Maxim, c. 9.
"" H- •'•^■cl- I- '^•i- <••• -^'i- " Inter. Epist. Cypr.
INTRODUCTION. 39
tioii happened, presently to fall foul upon the Christians, and
conclude them the causes of all those evils and mischiefs that
came upon the world. And this Origen" meant when he tells
us, that he knew some places overturned with earthquakes, the
cause whereof the heathens cast upon the Christians ; for which
their churches were persecuted and burnt to the ground: and that
not only the common people, but the wiser sort among them did
not stick openly to affirm, that these things came for the sake of
the Christians. Hereupon he wrote his book " De Martyrio,"
for the comfort and support of those that suifered in this evil
time.
XXVI. After Maximinus reigned Pupienus and Balbinus, to
them succeeded Gordian, and to him Philip : all which time, for
at least ten years together, the church enjoyed a competent
calmness and tranquillity ; when Decius was in a manner forced
iu his own defence to take the empire upon him. A man of
great activity and resolution, a stout commander, a wise and
prudent governor, so universally acceptable for his modest and
excellent carriage, that by the sentence of the senate he was
voted not inferior to Trajan, and had the title of Optimus
adjudged to him. But he was a bitter and implacable enemy to
Christians, against whom he raised the eighth Persecution,
which proved, though the shortest, the hottest of all the per-
secutions that had hitherto afflicted and oppressed the church.
The ecclesiastic ^ historians generally put it upon the account of
Decius's hatred to his predecessor Philip, for beiiig a Christian;
whereas it is more truly to be ascribed to his zeal for the cause
of declining paganism, which he saw fatally undermined by
Christianity, and that therefore there was no way to support the
one, but by the ruin of the other. We have more than once
taken notice of it in some of the following Lives, and therefore
shall say the less here. Decius reigned somewhat above two
years, during which time the storm was very black and violent,
and no place but felt the dreadful effects of it. They were
every where driven from their houses, spoiled in their estates,
tormented in their bodies ; whips and prisons, fires and wild
beasts, scalding pitch and melted wax, sharp stakes and burning
" Horn, xxviii. in Matth.
P Euseb. H. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 39. Chron. ad Ann. 252. Oros. 1. vii. c. 21. Niceph. 1. v.
c. 27.
40 liNTllODUCTION.
pincers, were but some of the methods of their treatment ; and
when the old ones were run over, new were daily invented and
contrived. The laws of nature and humanity were broken down,
friend betrayed his friend, and the nearest relative his own
father or brother. Every one was ambitious to promote the
imperial edicts, and thought it meritorious to bring a Christian
to the stake. This persecution swept away at Alexandria,
Julian, Chronion, Epimachus, Alexander, Ammon, Zeno, Pto-
lemy, Ammonaria, Mercuria, Isidore, and many others men-
tioned by Dionysius bishop of that church ; at Carthage,
Mappalicus, Bassus, Fortunio, Paulus, Donatus, Martialis, &c. ;
it crowned Babylas bishop of Antioch, Alexander of Jerusalem,
Fabian bishop of Eome, Victoria, Anatolia, Parthenius, Mar-
cellianus, and thousands more: Nicephorus p affirming it to be
easier to count the sands of the shore, than to reckon up all the
martyrs that suffered under this persecution. Not to say any
thing of those incredible numbers of confessors that were beaten,
imprisoned, tormented ; nor of the far greater number of those
who betook themselves to a voluntary exile ; choosing rather to
commit themselves to the barrenness of rocks and mountains,
and the mercy of wild beasts, than to those that had put off all
reason and humanity. Among whom was Paul of Thebais, a
youth of fifteen years of age, who withdrew himself into the
Egyptian deserts, where finding a large and convenient cavern
in a rock, (which heretofore had been a private mint-house in
the time of Antony and Cleopatra,) he took up his abode and
residence, led a solitary and anchoretic course of life, and be-
came the father of hermits, and those who afterwards were
desirous to retire from the Avorld, and to resign up themselves to
solitude, and a more strict mortified life. In this pious and
devout retirement he continued till he was one hundred and
thirteen years of age ; and in the last period of his life Avas visited
by Antonius, who had spent the greatest part of ninety years in
those desert places, and who now performed the last offices to
him in committing his dead body to the earth.
XXVII. Gallus succeeded Decius as in his government so in
his enmity to Christians, carrying on what the other had begun.
But the cloud soon blew over ; for he being cut oft', was suc-
ceeded by Valerian, who entered upon the empire with an
I" Lib. V. c. 29.
INTRODUCTION. 41
universal applause and expectation. In the beginning of his
reign he was a great patron of Christians, whom he treated
with all offices of kindness and humanity, entertaining them in
his own family ; so that his court seemed to be a little church
for piety, and a sanctuary for refuge to good men. But, alas,
this pleasant scene was quickly over; seduced by a chief
magician of Egypt, who persuaded him that the only way to
prosper his affairs was to restore the Gentile rites, and to
suppress Christianity, so hateful to the gods, he commenced a
ninth Persecution, wherein he prosecuted the Christians with
all imaginable fury in all parts of the empii-e. With Avhat
fierceness it raged in Egypt, is largely related by Dionysius of
Alexandi-ia, and we have in a great part noted in his Life. It is
needless (says he 'i) particularly to reckon up the Christians that
suffered in this persecution : only this you may observe, that
both men and women, young and old, soldiers and country
people, persons of all ranks and ages, were some of them
scourged and whipped, others beheaded, others overcoming the
violence of flames, received the crown of martyrdom. Cyprian
elegantly and passionately bewails the miseries and sufferings
which the martyrs underwent, in his letter to Neniesian, and
the rest that were condemned to the mines. Nor did he himself
escape, being beheaded at Carthage, asXistus and Quartus had
been before him, and the three hundred martyrs De Massa
Candida^ who, rather than do sacrifice, cheerfully leaped into a
mighty pit of burning lime, kindled for that purpose, and were
immediately stifled in the smoke and flames. In Spain suffered
Fructuosus bishop of Tarragon, together with his two deacons,
Augurius and Eulogius ; at Rome, Xistus the bishop, and St.
Laurence his deacon and treasurer of that church ; at Csesarea,
Priscus, Malchus, and Alexander, who, ashamed to think that
they lay idle and secure while so many others were contending
fur the crown, unanimously went to the judge, confessed they
were Christians, received their sentence, and underwent their
martyrdom. But the divine providence, which sometimes in
this world pleads the cause of oppressed innocence, was resolved
to punish the emperor for his causeless cruelty towards those,
whose interest with heaven (while he continued favourable to
them) liad secured his happiness ; and therefore did not only
'I Epist. ad Domit. et Did. ap. Euseb. 1. vii. c. 11.
42 INTRODUCTION.
sufler the northern nations to break in upon him, but he himself
was taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, who treated him
below the rate of the meanest slave, used him as his footstool to
get on horse-baek, and after several years"" captivity caused him
to be flayed alive, and rubbed with salt, and so put a period to
his miserable life. A fair warning to his son Gallienus, who
growing wiser by the mischiefs and miscarriages of his father,
stoj)ped the persecution, and restored peace and security to
Christians/
XXVIII. A long peace and prosperity (for except a little
disturbance in the time of Aurelian, they met with no opposition
through the reigns of Gallienus, Claudius, Tacitus, Florianus,
Probus, Carus, and Numerian) had somewhat corrupted the
manners of Christians, and therefore God was pleased to permit
a tenth Persecution to come upon them, to purge and winnow I
the rubbish and the chaff: the ulcer began to putrefy, and it
was time to call for the knife and the caustic. It began under
Dioclesian and his colleague Maximian. Dioclesian was a prince
active and diligent, crafty and subtle, fierce in his nature, but I
which he knew how cunningly to dissemble. His zeal for the '
pagan religion engaged him with all possible earnestness to
oppose Christianity, which he carried on with a high hand ; it
being as the last, so the fiercest persecution, like the last efforts
of a dying enemy, that summons all his strength to give the
parting blow. Dioclesian, then residing at Nicomedia, published
his edicts about the very solemnity of our Saviour\s passion,
commanding the Christian churches to be pulled down, their
bibles to be burnt, the better sort of them to be branded with
infamy, the vulgar to be made slaves ; as by subsequent orders
he commanded the bishops to be every where imprisoned, and
forced to sacrifice. But these were but a prseludium to what
followed after ; other proclamations being put forth, commanding
those that refused to offer sacrifice to be exposed to all manner
of torments. It were endless to reckon up particular persons
that suffered in this evil time. Eusebius, who lived under this
very persecution, has recorded a vast number of them, with the
acts of their martyrdom ; too many to account for in this place.
It may suffice to note from him, that they were scourged to
death, had their flesh torn off with pincers, or raked oft' M'ith
"■ Constant. M. Orat. nd SS. Crelum, cap. 24. p. 600.
INTRODUCTION. 43
pieces of broken pots; were cast to lions and tigers, to wild boars
and bears, provoked and enraged with fire to set upon them ;
burnt, beheaded, crucified, thrown into the sea ; torn in pieces by
the distorted boughs of trees, or their legs miserably distended
in the stocks ; roasted at a gentle fire, or by holes made on
purpose had melted lead poured into their bowels. But im-
possible it is to conceive, much more to express the cruelties of
that time. Eusebius himself, who saw them, tells us,^ that they
were innumerable, and exceeded all relation. All which, he
assures us, they endured with the most admirable and undaunted
patience ; they thronged to the tribunals of their judges, and
freely told them what they were ; despised the threatenings
and barbarity of their enemies, and received the fatal and
decretory sentence v/ith a smile ; when persuaded to be tender
of their lives, and to compassionate the case of their wives and
children, they bore up against the temptation with a manly and
philosophic mind, fiaXXov Se evcre^el koI (fnXodew '^v')(rj^ as he
adds, "yea rather with a soul truly pious and devoted unto God ;"
so that neither fears nor charms could take hold upon them, at
once giving imdeniable evidences both of their own courage and
fortitude, and of that divine and unconceivable power of our
Lord that went along with them. The acutest torments did
not shake the firmness and stability of their minds, but they
could with as much unconcernedness lay down their lives (as
Origen' tells Celsus) as the best philosopher could put off his
coat. They valued their innocency above their ease, or life
itself; and sufficiently shewed they believed another state, by an
argument beyond what any institution of philosophy could afford.
"The great philosophers of the Gentiles, (as Eusebius" reasons
in this matter,) as much as they talk of immortality, and the
happiness of the future state, did yet shew that they looked
upon it only as a childish and a trifling report : whereas amongst
us, even boys and girls, and as to outward appearance the
meanest and rudest persons, being assisted by the power and
aid of our blessed Saviour, do by their actions, rather than their
words, demonstrate the truth of this great princijile, the im-
mortality of the soul. Ten years this persecution lasted in its
strength and vigour, under Dioclesian in the East, and Maximian
in the West; and they thought, it seems, they had done their
' Lib. viii. c. 12. • Contr. Cels. I. vii. p. 357. " Frajpar. ICvang. 1. i. c. 4.
44 INTRODUCTION.
work, and accordingly tell the world in some ancient inscriptions,"
tliat they had utterly defaced the name and superstition of the
Christians, and had restored and propagated the worship of the
gods ; but were miserably mistaken in the case ; and, as if weary
of the work, laid down their purple, and retired to the solitudes
of a private life. And though Galerius, Maximianus, Jovius
Maximinus, Maxentius, and Licinius did what they could to set
the persecution on foot again, yet all in vain ; both they and it in
a very few years expiring and dwindling into nothing.
XXIX. Thus we have seen the hardships and miseries, the
torments and sufferings which the Christians were exposed to
for several ages, and with how invincible a patience they went
through with them. Let us now a little review the argument,
and see what force and influence it had to convince the world of
the truth of their religion, and bring in converts to the faith.
Tertullian*' tells the Gentiles, "That all their cruelty was to no
purpose, that it was but a stronger invitation to bring over others
to the party ; that the oftener they mowed them down, the
faster they sprang up again ; and that the blood of Christians
was a seed that grew up into a more plentiful harvest ; that
several among the Gentiles had exhorted their auditors to
patience under suffering, but could never make so many pro-
selytes with all their fine discourses, as the Christians did by
their actions : that that very obstinacy which was so much
charged upon them was a tutor to instruct others. For who,
when they beheld such things, could not but be powerfully
moved to enquire what really was within ? who when he had
once found it, would not embrace it ? and having once embraced
it, not be desirous to suffer for it ; that so he may obtain the
full grace of God, and the pardon of his sins assured by the
shedding of his blood? Lactantius^ manages this argument with
incomparable eloquence and strength of reason : his discourse is
somewhat long, but not unworthy the readers consideration.
" Since our number (says he) is always increased from amongst
the votaries of the heathen deities, and is never lessened, no not
ill the hottest persecution, who is so blind and stupid as not to
sec in which party true wisdom does reside ? But they, alas, are
blinded with rage and malice, and think all to be fools, who
" Ap. Grutpr. p. 280. rmm. .S, 4. > Apol. c. ult. p. 40.
• De .lustit. 1. V. t. 1,3.
INTRODUCTION. 45
when it is in their power to escape pnnishment, choose rather to
be tortured and to die ; whenas they might perceive by this,
that that can be no such folly, wherein so many thousands
throughout the whole world do so unanimously conspire. Sup-
pose that women through the weakness of their sex may mis-
carry, (and they are pleased sometimes to style this religion an
effeminate and old-wives' superstition,) yet certainly men are
wiser. If children and young men may be rash, yet at least
those of a mature age and old men have a more stable judgment.
If one city might play the fool, yet innumerable others cannot
be supposed to be guilty of the same folly. If one province, or
one nation, should want care and providence, yet all the rest
cannot lack understanding to judge what is right. But now,
when the divine law is entertained from the rising of the sun to
the going down thereof, and every sex, age, nation, and country
serves God with one heart and soul ; when there is every where
the same patience, and contempt of death, they ought to consider
that there is some reason for it, and that it is not without cause,
that it is maintained even unto death : that there is some fixed
foundation when a religion is not only not shattered by injuries
and persecutions, but always increased and rendered more firm
and stable. When the very common people see men torn in
pieces by various engines of torment, and yet maintain a
patience unconquerable in the midst of their tired tormentors ;
they cannot but think what the truth is, that the consent of so
many, and their perseverance unto death, cannot be in vain, nor
that patience itself, without the divine assistance, should be able
to overcome such exquisite tortures. Highwaymen and persons
of the most robust constitutions are not able to bear such pulling
asunder; they roar, and groan, and sink under pain, because
not furnished with a divine patience. But our very children (to
say nothing of our men) and our tender women, do by silence
conquer their tormentors ; nor can the flames extort one sigh
from them. Let the Romans go now, and boast of their Mutius
and their Regulus, one of which delivered up himself to be put
to death by his enemies, because he was ashamed to live a
prisoner ; the other thrust his hand into the fire when he saw he
could not escape death. Behold, with us the weaker sex, and
the more delicate age, suffers the whole body to be torn and
burnt ; not because they could not avoid it if they would, but
40 INTRODUCTION.
voluntarily, because they trust in God. This is true virtue,
which philosophers in vain only talk of, when they tell us, that
nothing is so suitable to the gravity and constancy of a wise
man, as not by any terrors to be driven from his sentiments and
opinions ; but that it is virtuous, and great indeed, to be tor-
tured and die, rather than betray one's faith, or be wanting in
his duty, or do any thing that is unjust or dishonest, though for
fear of death, or the acutest torment, unless they thought their
own poet raved, when he said,^
' Justum ac tenacem propositi virum,
Non civium ardor prava jubentium,
Non vultus instantis tyranni
Mente quatit solida.'
The just man that resolved stands,
Not tyrants' frowns, nor fierce commands,
Nor all the people's rage combined.
Can shake the firmness of his mind.
Than which nothing can be more truly said, if meant of those
who refuse no tortures, nor death itself, that they may preserve
fidelity and justice ; who regard not the command of tyrants,
nor the swords of the governors, that they may with a constant
mind preserve real and solid liberty, wherein true wisdom alone
is to be maintained." Thus far that elegant apologist. And
certainly the truth of his reasonings was abundantly verified by
the experience of the world ; Christians getting ground, and
conquering opposition by nothing more than their patience and
their constancy, till they had subdued the empire itself to the
acknowledgment of the truth. And when once the great Con-
stantino had entertained Christianity, it went along with wind
and tide, and bore down all before it. And surely it might be
no unpleasant survey, to consider what was the true state of
paganism under the first Christian emperors, and how and by
what degrees that religion, which for so many ages had governed
the world, slunk away into obscurity and silence. But this is a
business Avithout the bounds of my present enquiry to search
into.
* Ilorat. Carm. 1. iii. od. 3.
THE LIFE OF SAINT STEPHEN
THE PROTOMARTYR.
The violent opposition that Christianity at its first appearance met with both from Jews
and Gentiles. St. Stephen's kindred unknown. One of the Seventy. The great
charity of the primitive believers. Dissension between the Hebrews and Grecians.
Hellenists, who. The original of deacons in the Christian church. The nature of
their office : the number and qualification of the persons. Stephen's eminent accom-
plishments for the place. The envy and opposition of the Jews against him. The
synagogue of the Libertines, what. Of the Cyrenians, Alexandrians, &c. Their
disputation vnth St. Stephen, and the success of it. False witnesses suborned to de-
pose against him. The several parts of their charge considered. The mighty venera-
tion of the Jews for their temple and the Mosaic institutions. Its destruction by
Titus ; and their attempts to rebuild it under Julian frustrated by a miracle. Stephen's
apology before the Sanhedrin. The Jews rage against him. He is encouraged by a
vision. Stoning to death, what kind of punishment ; the manner of it among the Jews.
St. Stephen's martyrdom. His character, and excellent virtues. The time and place
of his suffering. The place and manner of his burial. His body first discovered, when
and how. The story of its translation to Constantinople. The miracles said to be
done by his relics, and at his memorice. Several reported by St. Augustine. What
credit to be given to them. Miracles, how long and why continued in the church.
The vain pretences of the church of Rome.
I. The Christian religion being designed by God for the re-
formation of mankind, and the rooting out that barbarism and
idolatry wherewith the world was so over-grown, could not but
meet with opposition, all corrupt interests conspiring to give it
no very welcome entertainment. Vice and error had too long
usurped the throne to part with it by a tame and easy resigna-
tion, but would rather summon all their forces against a doctrine
that openly proclaimed the subversion and ruin of their empire.
Hence this sect was every where spoken against, equally op-
posed both by Jew and Gentile. The Gentiles despised it for
its lateness and novelty, as having no antiquity to recommend it,
nor could they endure that their philosophy, which then every
where ruled the chair, should be controlled by a plain simple
48 THE LIFE OF
doctrine, that pretended to no elaborate schemes, no insinuative
strains of eloquence, no nice and subtle arts of reasoning-, no
abstruse and sublime speculations. The Jews were vexed to
see their expectations of a mighty prince, who should greatly
exalt their state, and redeem it from that oppression and slavery
under which it groaned, frustrated by the coming of a Messiah,
mIio appeared under all the circumstances of meanness and dis-
grace ; and who was so far from rescuing them from the power
of the Roman yoke, that for their obstinacy and unbelief he
threatened the final and irrevocable ruin of their country; and
by the doctrine he published plainly told them he intended
to abolish those ancient Mosaic institutions, for which they had
such dear regards, and so solemn a veneration. Accordingly,
when he came amongst them, they entertained him with all the
instances of cruelty and contempt, and whatever might expose
him to the scorn and odium of the people ; they vilified and re-
proached his person, as but the son of a carpenter, a glutton and
a drunkard, a traitor and an enemy unto Caesar ; they slighted
his doctrine as the talk only of a rude and illiterate person,
traduced his miracles as tricks of imposture, and the efl^ects of a
black confederacy with the infernal powers. And when all this
would not do, they violently laid hands upon him, and took
away his life. And now one would have thought their spite
and fury should have cooled and died : but malice and revenge
are too fierce and hot to stop at the first attempt. On they re-
solve to go in these bloody methods ; and to let the world see
that the disciples and followers must expect no better than their
Master, it was not many mouths before they took occasion to
refresh their rage in St, Stephen's martyrdom : the history of
whose life and death we now come to relate, and to make some
brief remarks upon it.
II. The sacred story gives us no particular account either of
the country or kindred of this holy man. That he was a Jew
is unquestionable, himself sufficiently owns the relation in his
apology to the people, but whether originally descended of the
stock of Abraham, or of parents incorporated and brought in by
the gate of proselytisra, whether born at Jerusalem, or among
the dispersed in the Gentile provinces, is impossible to determine.
Baronius" (grounding his conjecture upon an epistle of Lucian,
» Ad Ann. XXXIV. n. 275, 298.
SAINT STEPHEN. 49
of which more afterwards) makes him to have been one of
Gamaliers disciples, and fellow-pupil with St. Paul, who proved
afterwards his mortal enemy : but I must confess, I find not in
all that epistle the least shadow of probability to countenance
that conjecture. Antiquity'' makes him, probably enough, to
have been one of the seventy disciples, chosen by our Lord as
coadjutors to the apostles in the ministry of the gospel : and in-
deed his admirable knowledge in the Christian doctrine, his
singular ability to defend the cause of Christ's Messiahship against
its most acute opposers, plainly argue him to have been some
considerable time trained up under our Saviour's immediate in-
stitutions. Certain it is, that he was a man of great zeal and
piety, endowed with extraordinary measures of that divine Spirit
that was lately shed upon the church, and incomparably furnished
with miraculous powers, which peculiarly qualified him for a place
of honour and usefulness in the church, whereto he was advanced
upon this occasion.
III. The primitive church, among the many instances of reli-
gion for which it was famous and venerable, was for none more
remarkable than their charity; they lived and loved as brethren,
" were of one heart and one soul, and continued together with one
accord." Love and charity were the common soul that animated
the whole body of believers, and conveyed heat and vital spirits
to every part. They prayed and worshipped God in the same
place, and fed together at the same table. None could want,
for " they had all in common." The rich sold their estates to mi-
nister to the necessities of the poor, and deposited the money
into one common treasury, the care whereof was committed to
the apostles, to see distribution made as every one's case and
exigency did require. But in the exactest harmony there will
be some jars and discord, heaven only is free from quarrels, and
the occasions of offence. The church increasing every day by
vast numbers of converts to the faith, the apostles could not
exactly superintend the disposure of the church's stock, and the
making provision for every part, and were therefore probably
forced to take in the help of others, sometimes more and some-
times less, to assist in this affair. By which means a due equality
and proportion was not observed, but either through favour and
^ Epiph. Haeres. XX. Dorotli. Synops. de Vit, Apostt. in Bibl. PP. vol. ii. p. 182. ed,
de la Eigne, 1575.
VOL. I. E
50 THE LIFE OF
partiality, or the oversight of those that managed the matter,
some had larger portions, others less i-elief than their just neces-
sities called for. This begat some present heats and animosities
in the first and purest church that ever was, " the Grecians
murmuring against the Hebrews, because their widows were
neglected in the daily ministration."''
IV. Who these Grecians or Hellenists were, opposed here to
the Hebrews, however a matter of some difficulty and dispute,
it may not be unuseful to enquire. The opinion that has most
generally obtained, is that they were originally Jews, born and
bred in Grecian or heathen countries, of "the dispersed among the
Gentiles,"'* (the hiaairopa rcov ' EWr]V(bv, the wovd'' EWrjve^ in
the style of the New Testament, as also in the writings of the
fathers, being commonly used for the Gentile world,) who ac-
commodated themselves to their manner of living, spake the
Greek language, but altogether mixed with Hebraisms and
Jewish forms of speech, (and this called Unpua Hellenistica^)
and used no other Bible but the Greek translation of the Sep-
tuagint. A notion Avhich Salmasius^ has taken a g-reat deal of
pains to confute, by shewing, that never any people went under
that notion and character ; that the Jews, in what parts of the
world soever they were, were not a distinct nation from those
that lived in Palestine ; that there never was any such peculiar
distinct Hellenistic dialect, nor any such ever mentioned by any
ancient writer ; that the phrase is very improper to express such
a mixed language, yea rather that ' EXXrjvta-rrj'i iniplies one that
expresseth himself in better Greek than ordinary, as ^ATTiKicrTr]<i
denotes one that studies to speak pure Attic Greek. Probable
therefore it is, that they were not of the Hebrew race, but Greek
or Gentile proselytes, who had either themselves, or in their
ancestors, deserted the pagan superstitions, and embodied them-
selves into the Jewish church, taking upon them circumcision
and the observation of the rites of the Mosaic laws, (which kind
the Jews call D"*"):) plJiH, "proselytes of justice,") and were now
converted to Christianity. That there were at this time great
numbers of these proselytes at Jerusalem, is evident; and
strange it were, if when at other times they were desirous to
•■ Acts vi. 1. u John vii. 35.
• Comment, dc Ilellonict. Qu. 1, 2, 3. 4, 5. pracipuo, p. '232, &c. vide etinm inter nlios
Bez. et C'iiuior. in lor.
SAINT STEPHEN. 51
have the gospel preached to them, none of them should have
been brought over to the faith. Even among the seven made
choice of to be deacons, (most, if not all, of whom we may reason-
ably conclude to have been taken out of these Grecians,) we find
one expressly said to have been " a proselyte of Antioch,*"^ as in all
likelihood some if not all the other might be proselytes of Jeru-
salem. And thus wherever we meet with the word 'EWtj-
viaral or Grecians in the history of the Apostolic Acts, (as it is
to be met with in two places more,^) we may, and in reason are to
understand it. So that these Hellenists (who spake Greek, and
used the translation of the seventy) were Jews by religion, and
Gentiles by descent ; with the "EWr]ve<; or Gentiles they had
the same common original, with the Jews the same common
profession ; and therefore are not here opposed to Jews, (which
all those might be styled who embrace Judaism and the rites
of Moses, though they were not born of Jewish ancestors,) but
to the Hebi-ews, who were Jews both by their religion and their
nation. And this may give us some probable account, why the
widows of these Hellenists had not so much care taken of them
as those of the HebreAvs ; the persons with whom the apostles in
a great measure intrusted the ministration being kinder to those
of their own nation, their neighbours, and it may be kindred,
than to those who only agreed with them in the profession of
the same religion, and who indeed were not generally so capable
of contributino- to the church's stock as the native Jews, who had
lands and possessions, which they " sold and laid at the apostles'
feet."
V. The peace and quiet of the church being by this means a
little ruffled and discomposed, the apostles, who well understood
how much order and unity conduced to the ends of religion, pre-
sently called the church together, and told them, that the dis-
posing of the common stock, and the daily providing for the
necessities of the poor, however convenient and necessary, was
yet a matter of too much trouble and distraction to consist with
a faithful discharge of the other parts and duties of their office,
and that they did not judge it fit and reasonable to neglect the
one, that they might attend the other ; that therefore they should
choose out among themselves some that were duly qualified, and
present them to them, that they might set them apart peculiarly
f Acts vi. 5. s Acts ix. 29. xi. 20.
K 2
52 THE LIFE OF
to superintend this affair, that so themselves, being freed from
these incumbrances, might the more freely and uninterruptedly
devote themselves to prayer and preaching of the gospel. Not
that the apostles thought the care of the poor an office too much
below them, but that this might be discharged by other hands,
and they, as they were obliged, the better attend upon things of
higher importance, ministeries more immediately serviceable to
the souls of men. This was the first original of deacons in tlie
Christian church : they were to " serve tables," that is, to wait
upon the necessities of the poor, to make daily provisions for
their public feasts, to keep the churcirs treasure, and to distri-
bute to every one according to their need. And this admirably
agrees to one ordinary notion of the word SLdKovo<i in foreign
writers,^ where it is used for that j^eculiar servant who Avaited
at feasts, whose office it was to distribute the portions to every
guest, either according to the command of the ap^j^trpt/cXtj/o?,
the orderer of the feast, or according to the rule of equality, to
give every one alike. But though it is true this was a main part
of the deacon's office, yet was it not the whole. For had this
been all, the apostles needed not to have been so exaci^ and
curious in their choice of persons, seeing men of an ordinary
rank and of a very mean capacity might have served the turn,
nor have used such solemn rites of consecration to ordain them
to it. No question therefore but their " serving tables" implied
also their attendance at the table of the Lord''s Supper.' For
in those days their agapce., or common love-feasts, (whereat both
rich and poor sat down together,) were at the same time with
the holy eucharist, and both administered every day, so that
their ministration respected both the one and the other. And
thus we find it was in the practice of the church : for so Justin
Mart3^rJ tells us it was in his time, that when the president of
the assembly had consecrated the eucharist, the deacons dis-
tributed the bread and the wine to all that were present, and
after carried them to those who were necessarily absent from
the congregation. Nor were they restrained to this one particu-
lar service, but were in some cases allowed to preach, baptize,
and absolve penitents, especially where they had the peculiar
warrant and authority of the bishop to bear them out : nor need
'■ Lucian Cliroiiosol. sou tie Legg. Saturnal. vol. ii. p. 618. ed. 1687.
' Ignat. Epist. ad Trail. Append. Usser. p. 17. J Apol. i. c. 6.').
SAINT STEPHEN. 53
we look far beyond the present story to find St. Philip, one of
the deacons here elected, both preaching the gospel and baptizing
converts with great success.
YI. That this excellent office might be duly managed, the
apostles directed and enjoined the church to nominate such per-
sons as were fitted for it, pious and good men, men of known
honesty and integrity, of approved and untainted reputations,
furnished and endowed with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy
Ghost, wise and prudent men, who would discreetly discharge
the trust committed to them. The number of these persons
was limited to seven, probably for no other reason but because
the apostles thought these sufficient for the business ; unless we
will also suppose the whole body of believers to have been dis-
posed into seven several divisions, for the more orderly and con-
venient managery of their common feasts and distributions to
the poor, and that to each of these a deacon was appointed to
superintend and direct them ; without further designing any
peculiar mystery, which "^some would fain pick out of it. How-
ever the church thought good for a long time to conform to this
primitive institution, insomuch that the fathers of the ' Neo-
Csesarean council ordained, that in no city, how great soever,
there should be more than seven deacons, a canon which they
found upon this place : and "^ Sozomen tells us, that in his time,
though many other churches kept to no certain number, yet that
the church of Rome, in compliance with this apostolical example,
admitted no more than seven deacons in it. The people were
infinitely pleased with the order and determination which the
apostles had made in this matter, and accordingly made choice
of seven, whom they presented to the apostles, who (as the
solemnity of the thing required) fii'st made their address to
heaven by prayer for the divine blessing upon the undertaking,
and then laid their hands upon them ; an ancient symbolic rite
of investiture and consecration to any extraordinary office. The
issue of all was, that the Christian religion got ground and
prospered, converts came flocking over to the faith, yea, very
many of the priests themselves, and of their tribe and family,
of aU others the most zealous and pertinacious asserters of the
Mosaic constitutions, the bitterest adversaries of the Christian
^ Vid. Baron, ad Ann. 112. n. 7. ' Cone. Neo-Caes. can. xv.
"' Hist. Eccl. lib. vii. c. 10.
54 THE LIFE OF
rloctrine, the subtlest defenders of their religion, laid aside their
prejudices, and embraced the gospel. So uncontrolable is the
efficacy of divine truth, as very often to lead its greatest enemies
in triumph after it.
VII. The first and chief of the persons here elected, (who
were all chosen out of the seventy disciples, as ° Epiphanius in-
forms us,) and whom the ancients frequently style archdeacon,
as having the ra TrpcoTela (as °Ohrysostom speaks) the primacy
and precedence among these new-elected officers, was our St.
Stephen, whom the author of the Epistle to Hero,P under the
name of Ignatius, as also the interpolator of that to the Tral-
lians,^ makes in a more peculiar manner to have been deacon to
St. James, as bishop of Jerusalem. He is not only placed first in
the catalogue, but particularly recommended under this cha-
racter, " a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost ;'" he was
exquisitely skilled in all parts of the Christian doctrine, and
fitted with great eloquence and elocution to declare and publish
it ; enriched with many miraculous gifts and powers, and a
spirit of courage and resolution to encounter the most potent
opposition. He preached and pleaded the cause of Christianity
with a firm and undaunted mind; and that nothing might be
wanting to render it effectual, he confirmed his doctrine by many
public and unquestionable miracles, plain evidences and demon-
strations of the truth and divinity of that religion that he taught.
But truth and innocency, and a better cause, is the usual object
of bad men's spite and hatred. The zeal and diligence of his
ministry, and the extraordinary success that did attend it,
quickly awakened the malice of the Jews, and there wanted not
those that were ready to oppose and contradict him. So natural
is it for error to rise up against the truth, as light and darkness
mutually resist and expel each other.
VIII. There were at Jerusalem besides the temple, where
sacrifices and the more solemn parts of their religion were per-
formed, vast numbers of synagogues for prayer and expounding
of the law, whereof the Jews themselves tell us there were not
less than four hundred and eighty in that city. In these, or at
least some apartments adjoining to them, there were schools or
" Haeres. xx. o Homil. xv. in Act. s. 1. vol. ix. p. 119.
P Epist. ad Heron, c. .3. in Cotelerii Paties Apostt. vol. ii. p. 109.
1 Kp. ad Trail, c. 7. p. 6.3. ibid.
SAINT STEPHEN. 55
colleges for the instruction and education of scholars in their
laws : many whereof were erected at the charges of the Jews
who lived in foreign countries, and thence denominated after
their names ; and hither they were wont to send their youth to
be trained up in the knowledge of the law, and the mysterious
rites of their religion. Of these, five combined together to send
some of their societies to encounter and oppose St. Stephen. An
unequal match ! dvhpwv aaejSeaTarwv IIevrd7ro\t<i (as Chrysos-*
torn'' calls it), a whole army of wicked adversaries, the chief of
five several synagogues, are brought out against one, and him
but a stripling too, as if they intended to oppress him rather
with the number of assailants, than to overcome him by strength
of argument.
IX. The first of them were those of the synagogue of the
Libertines; but who these Libertines were, is variously conjec-
tured. Passing by Junius's^ conceit of Labra signifying in the
Egyptian language the whole precinct that was under one
synagogue, ^A'hence Lahraienu^ or corruptly (says he) Libertini,
must denote them that belonged to the synagogue of the Egypt-
ians, omitting this as altogether absurd and fantastical, besides
that the synagogue of the Alexandrians is mentioned afterwards ;
Suidas' tells us it was the name of a nation, but in what part of
the world this people or country were, he leaves us wholly in
the dark. Most probably therefore it relates to the Jews that
were emancipated and set at liberty. For the understanding
Avhereof we must know that when Pompey had subdued Judasa,
and reduced it under the Roman government, he carried great
mimbers of Jews captive to Rome, as also did those generals
that succeeded him, and that in such multitudes, that when the
Jewish state sent an embassy to Aiigustus, Josephus" tells us,
that there Avere about eight thousand of the Jews who then
lived at Rome, that joined themselves to the ambassadors at
their arrival thither. Here they continued in the condition of
slaves, till by degrees they were manumitted and set at liberty,
which was generally done in the time of Tiberius, who (as Philo"
informs) suftered the Jews to inhabit the Transtiberine region,
most whereof were Libertines, such who having been made cap-
"■ Orat. in S.Steph. s. 1. vol. viii. p. 18. inter spuria. • Jun. in loc. et in Gen. viii. 4.
' Suid. in voc. At^eprTvos. " Antiq. Jud. lib. xvii. c. 12.
" De leg.at. ad Gaium. vol. ii. p. 568.
56 THE LIFE OF
lives by the fortune of war, had been set free by their masters,
and permitted to live after the manner of their ancestors. They
had their proseuchas or oratories, where they assembled, and
performed their devotions according to the religion of their
country : every year they sent a contribution instead of first-
fruits to Jerusalem, and deputed certain persons to oiFer sacri-
fices for them at the temple. Indeed afterwards, (as we find in
'Tacitus'' and Suetonius ^) by an order of senate, he caused four
thousand Libertini generis, of those Libertine Jews, so many as
were young and lusty, to be transported into Sardinia to clear
that island of robbers, (the occasion whereof is related by Jose-
phus/) and the rest, both Jews and proselytes, to be banished
the city, Tacitus adds, Italy itself. This occasion, I doubt not,
many of these Libertine Jews took to return home into their
own country, and at Jerusalem to erect this synagogue for
themselves and the use of their countrymen who from Rome re-
sorted thither, styling it, from themselves, the synagogue of the
Libertines ; and such questionless St. Luke means, when among
the several nations that were at Jerusalem at the day of Pente-
cost, he mentions " strangers of Rome," and they " both Jews
and proselytes."
X. The next antagonists were of the synagogue of the Cy-
renians, that is, Jews who inhabited Cyrene, a noted city of
Libya, where (as appears from a rescript of Augustus'') great
numbers of them did reside, and who were annually wont to send
their holy treasure or accustomed oft'erings to Jerusalem, where
also (as we see) they had their peculiar sjaiagogue. Accordingly
we find among the several nations at Jerusalem, those who "dwelt
in the parts of Libya about Cyrene."'^ Thus we read of Simon
of Cyrene,'' whom the Jews compelled to bear our Saviours
cross ; of Lucius of Cyrene,'' a famous doctor in the church of
Antioch ; of men of Cyrene, who upon the persecution that fol-
lowed St. Stephen's death, " were scattered abroad from Je-
rusalem, and preached as far as Phoenice, Cyprus, and Antioch." '^
The third were those of the synagogue of the Alexandrians,
there being a mighty intercourse between the Jews at Jerusalem
and Alexandria, where what vast multitudes of them dwelt, and
V Annal. lib. ii. c. 85. '• Sucton. in vit. Tib. c. 36. » Antiq. 1. xviii. c. 5.
^ Apud .loseph. Antiq. .lud. 1. xvi. c. 10. <■ Acts ii. 10. ^ Matt, xxvii. 32.
• Acts xiii. 1. f Acts xi. 19, 20.
SAINT STEPHEN. 57
what great privileges they enjoyed, is too well known to need
insisting on. The fourth were them of Cilicia, a known province
of the Lesser Asia, the metropolis whereof was Tarsus, well stored
Avith Jews ; it was St. PauFs birth-place, whom we cannot doubt
to have borne a principal part among these assailants, finding him
afterwards so active and busy in St. Stephen's death. The last
were those of the synagogue of Asia : where by Asia we are j
probably to understand no more than part of Asia propei'ly so :
called, (as that was but part of Asia Minor,) viz. that part that I
lay near to Ephesus, in which sense it is plain Asia is to be \
taken in the New Testament. And what infinite numbers of I
Jews were in these parts, and especially at Ephesus, the history
of the Apostles'" Acts does sufficiently inform us.
XI. These were the several parties that were to take the
field, persons of very different countries, men skilled in the
subtleties of their religion, " who all at once rose up to dispute
with Stephen." What the particular subject of the disputation
was, we find not, but may with St. Chrysostom^ conceive them
to have accosted him after this manner. " Tell us, young man,
what comes into thy mind thus rashly to reproach the Deity?
Why dost thou study with such cunningly-contrived discourses
to inveigle and persuade the people ? and with deceitful miracles
to undo the nation 1 Here lies the crisis of the controversy. Is it
like that he should be God, who was born of Mary; that the
Maker of the Avorld should be ' the son of a carpenter V was not
Bethlehem the place of his nativity, and Nazareth of his educa-
tion i canst thou imagine him to be God, that was born upon
earth? who was so poor that he was wrapt up in swaddling
clothes and thrown into a manger ? who was forced to fly from the
rage of Herod, and to wash away his pollution by being baptized
in Jordan ? who was subject to hunger and thirst, to sleep and
weariness? who being bound, was not able to escape, nor being
buffeted, to rescue or revenge himself? who, when he was hanged,
could not come down from the cross, but underwent a cursed and
a shameful death ? wilt thou make us believe that he is in heaven,
whom we know to have been buried in his grave ? that he should
be the life of the dead, who is so near akin to mortality him-
self? Is it likely that God should suffer such things as these ?
would he not rather with an angry breath have struck his ad-
s Oral, in S. Steph. s. i. vol. viii. p. 13. inter spuiia.
58 THE LIFE OF
versaries decad at the first approach, and set them beyond the
reach of making attempts upon his own person i either cease
therefore to deUide the 2)eople with these impostures, or prepare
thyself to undergo the same fate."
XII. In answer to which we may imagine St. Stephen thus
to have replied upon them. " And why, sirs, should these
things seem so incredible i have you not by you the writings of
the prophets i do you not read the books of Moses, and profess
yourselves to be his disciples ? did not Moses say, ' a prophet
shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,
like unto me, him shall ye hearf^ Have not the prophets long
since foretold that he should be born at Bethlehem, and con-
ceived in the womb of a virgin ? that he should fly into Egypt i
that he should 'bear our griefs and carry our sorrows?" that
they should 'pierce his hands and his feet,'"' and hang him on a
tree? that he should be buried, rise again, and ascend up to
heaven with a shout ? Either now shew me some other in whom
all these prophecies were accomplished, or learn with me to adore
as God our crucified Saviour. Blind and ignorant that you are
of the predictions of Moses, you thought you crucified a mere
man ; but had you known him, you would not haA^e crucified the
Lord of Glory : a-ou denied the Holy One, and the Just, and
desired a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the
Prince of Life."
XIII. This is the sum of what that ingenious and eloquent
father conceives St. Stephen did, or might have returned to their
enquiries. Which, whatcA^er it Avas, was delivered Avith that life
and zeal, that evidence and strength of reason, that freedom and
majesty of elocution, that his antagonists had not one Avord to
say against it ; " they were not able to resist the Avisdom and
the spirit by which he spake."' So particularly did our Lord
make good Avhat he had promised to his disciples, " Settle it in
A'our hearts, not to meditate before Avhat you shall ansAver, for
I will give you a mouth and Avisdom, Avhich all your adversaries
shall not be able to gainsay nor resist."'" Hereupon the men
presently began to retreat, and departed the lists, equally divided
between shame and grief. Ashamed they Avere to be so openly
bafiled by one single adversary; vexed and troubled that they
*• Deut. xviii. 15. i Isai. liii. 4. ^ Ps. xxii. Ifi.
' Acts vi. 10. m Lukexxi. 14. lo.
SAINT STEPHEN. 59
had not carried the day, and that the rehgion which they op-
posed had hereby received such signal credit and confirmation.
And now being no longer able avroc^daXixelv rfj aX-rjOeta" (as the
addition in some very ancient manuscript copies does elegantly
express it) "with open face to resist the truth," they betake them-
selves to clancular arts, to sly and sinister designs, hoping to
accomplish by craft and subtlety what they could not carry by
fairness and force of reason.
XIV. To this purpose they tamper with men of debauched
profligate consciences, to undermine him by false accusations,
that so he might foil as a sacrifice to their spite and malice, and
that by the hand of public justice. St. Chrysostom brings them
ill with sujooth and plausible insinuations encouraging the men
to this mischievous attempt. " Come on, worthy and honourable
friends, lend your assistance to our declining cause, and let your
tongues minister to our counsels and contrivances. Behold a new
patron and advocate of the Galilean is started up : one that
worships a God that was buried, and preaches a Creator shut up
in a tomb ; who thinks that he whom the soldiers despised and
mocked upon earth, is now conversing with the host of angels in
heaven, and promises that he shall come to judge the world,
who was not able to vindicate and right himself: his disciples
denied him, as if they thought him an impostor, and yet this
man affirms, that every tongue shall confess and do homage to
him : himself was not able to come down from the cross, and yet
he talks of his second coming from heaven ; the vilest miscreants
reproached him at his death, that he could not save either
himself or them, and yet this man peremptorily proclaims him
to be the Saviour of the world. Did you ever behold such
boldness and impudence? or have you ever heard words of so
much madness and blasphemy i Do you therefore undertake the
cause, and find out some specious colour and pretence, and
thereby purchase to yourselves glory and renown from the
present generation.""
XV. The Avretches were easily persuaded to the undertaking,
and to swear whatever their tutors should direct them. And
now the cause is ripe for action, the case is divulged, the elders
and the scribes are dealt with, (and a little rhetoric would serve
" Cod. Bezpc MS. et 2 Codcl. H. Steph.
" r)rat. in S. Steph. s. "2. vol, viii. p. 1. inter spuria.
60 THE LIFE OF
to persuade them,) the people possessed with the horror of the
fact, the Sanhedrim is summoned, the malefactor haled to the
bar, the witnesses produced, and the charge given in. '"They
suborned men which said, we have heard him speak blasphemous
words against Moses and against God ; the false witnesses said,
this man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this
holy place and the law : for we have heard him say, that this
Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the
customs which Moses delivered usff that is,"" (that we may still
proceed with that excellent man in opening the several parts of
the charge) " he has dared to speak against our wise and great
lawgiver, and blasphemed that Moses, for whom our whole
nation has so just a veneration ; that Moses who had the whole
creation at his beck, who freed our ancestors from the house of
bondage, and with his rod turned the waters into walls, and by
his prayer drowned the Egyptian army in the bottom of the sea;
who kindled a fiery pillar for a light by night, and without
ploughing or sowing fed them with manna and bread from heaven,
and with his rod pierced the rock and gave them drink. But
what do we speak of Moses, when he has whetted his tongue,
and stretched it out against God himself, and set up one that is
dead as an anti-god to the great Creator of the world 2 He has
not blushed to reproach the temple, that holy place, where the
divine oracles are read, and the writings of the prophets set
forth, the repository of the shew-bread and the heavenly manna,
of the ark of the covenant, and the rod of Aaron ; where the
hoary and venerable heads of the high-priests, the dignity of the
elders, and the honour of the scribes is seen : this is the place
which he has reviled and set at naught ; and not this only, but
the law itself; which he boldly declares to be but a shadow, and
the ancient rites but types and figures : he aflfirms the Galilean
to be greater than Moses, and the Son of Mary stronger than
our lawgiver; he has not honoured the dignity of the elders,
nor had any reverence to the society of the scribes. He
threatens us with a dead master ; the young man dreams, sure,
when he talks of Jesus of Nazareth rising again, and destrojnng
this holy place : he little considers with how much wisdom it was
contrived, with what infinite charges it was erected, and how long
before it was brought to its perfection. And yet, forsooth, this
1' Acts vi. 11—14.
SAINT STEPHEN. 61
Jesus of Nazareth must destroy it, and 'change the customs which
Moses delivered to us : ' our most holy sabbath must be tui-ned
out of doors, circumcision abolished, the new-moons rejected,
and the feast of tabernacles laid aside ; our sacrifices must no
longer be accepted with God, our sprinklings and solemn purga-
tions must be done away: as if we knew not this Nazarene's end,
and as if one that is dead could revenge himself upon them that
are living. How many of the ancient prophets and holy men
have been cruelly murdered, whose death none ever yet under-
took to revenge ? and yet this man must needs appear in the
cause of this crucified Nazarene, and tell us of a dead man that
shall judge us : silly impostor ! to fright us with a judge who is
himself imprisoned in his own grave."
XVI. This then is the sum of the charge, that he should
threaten the ruin of the temple, and the abolition of the Mosaic
rites, and blasphemously affirm that Jesus of Nazareth should
take away that religion which had been established by Moses,
and by God himself. Indeed the Jews had an unmeasurable
reverence and veneration for the Mosaic institutions, and could
not with any patience endure to hear of their being laid aside,
but accounted it a kind of blasphemy so much as to mention
their dissolution ; little thinking in how short a time these
things which they now so highly valued should be taken away,
and their temple itself laid level with the ground ; which a
few years after came to pass by the Roman army under the
conduct of Titus Vespasian the Roman general, when the city
was sacked, and the temple burnt to the ground. And so final
and irrevocable was the sentence by which it was doomed to
ruin, that it could never afterwards be repaired, heaven itself
immediately declaring against it. Insomuch that when Julian
the emperor, out of spite and opposition to the Christians, was
resolved to give all possible encouragement to the Jews, and
not only permitted but commanded them to rebuild the temple,
furnishing them with all charges and materials necessary for the
work, (hoping that hereby he should prove our Saviour a false
prophet,) no sooner had they begun to clear the rubbish, and lay
the foundation, but a teri'ible earthquake shattered the foundation,
killed the undertakers, and shaked down all the buildings that
were round about it. And when they again attempted it the
next day, great balls of fire suddenly breaking out from under the
(52 THE LIFP] OF
foundations consumed the workmen and those that were near it,
and forced them to give over the attempt. A strange instance
of the displeasure of heaven towards a place which God had
fatally devoted to destruction. And this related not only by
Christian writers, 'i but, as to the substance of it, by the heathen
historian himself.' And the same curse has ever since pursued
and followed them, they haA'ing been destitute of temple and
sacrifice for sixteen hundred years together. " Were that bloody
Sanhedrim now in being, and here present, (says one of the
^ancients, speaking of this accusation,) I would ask them about
those things for which they were here so much concerned, what
is now become of your once famous and renowned temple?
where are those vast stones, and incredible piles of building?
where is that gold that once equalled all the other materials of
the temple ? what are become of your legal sacrifices? your rams
and calves, your lambs and heifers, pigeons, turtles, and scape-
goats ? if they therefore condemned Stephen to die, that none of
these miseries might befall them, let them shew which of them
they avoided by putting him to death ; but if they escaped
none of them, why then did they imbrue their hands in his in-
nocent blood?
XVII. " The court being thus set, and the charge brought in
and opened, that nothing might be wanting to carry on their
mock scene of justice, they gave him liberty to defend himself.
In order whereunto, Avhile the judges of the Sanhedrim earnestly
looked upon him, they discovered the appearances of an extra-
ordinary splendour and brightness upon his face, the innocency
of his cause and the clearness of his conscience manifesting
themselves in the brightness and cheerfulness of his countenance.
The high-priest having asked him whether guilty or not, he in a
large discourse pleaded his own cause to this effect : That what
apprehensions soever they might have of the stateliness and mag-
nificence of their temple, of the glory and grandeur of its services
and ministrations, of those venerable customs and usages that
were amongst them, as if they looked upon them as indispensably
necessary, and that it was blasphemy to think God might be
1 Socrat. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 20. Sozom. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 22.
"■ A. Marcell. 1. xxiii. non longe ab init.
■' (irog. Nj'ss. Oral, in S. Stcph. vol. ill. p. ?,r,9.
SAINT STEPHEN. 63
acceptably served without them ; yet that if they looked back
to the first originals of their nation, they would find, that God
chose Abraham to be the father and founder of it, not when he
lived in a Jerusalem, and worshipped God with the pompous
services of a temple, but when he dwelt among the idolatrous
nations : that then it was that God called him from the im-
pieties of his father's house, and admitted him to a familiar ac-
quaintance and intercourse with himself; wherein he continued
for many 5^ears without any of those external and visible rites
which they laid so much stress upon ; and that when at last
God entered into covenant with him, to give his posterity the
land of Canaan, and that in ' his seed all the nations of the earth
should be blessed,' he bound it upon him with no other cere-
mony, but only that of circumcision, as the badge and seal of
that federal compact that was between them : that without any
other fixed rite but this, the succeeding patriarchs worshipped
God for several ages, till the times of Moses, a wise, learned,
and prudent person, to whom God particularly revealed himself,
and appointed him ruler over his people, to conduct them out of
the house of bondage ; a great and famous prophet, and who was
continually inculcating this lesson to their ancestors, 'A prophet
shall the Loi'd your God raise up unto you of your brethren
like unto nie, him shall ye hear ;' that is, that God in the latter
days would send amongst them a mighty prophet, who should
do as Moses had done, introduce new rites, and set up more ex-
cellent institutions and ways of worship, to whom they should
yield all diligent attention and ready obedience : that when
their forefathers had frequently lapsed into idolatry, God com-
manded Moses to set up a tabernacle, as a place of public and
solemn worship, where he would manifest himself, and receive
the addresses and adorations of his people ; which yet however
was but a transient and temporary ministration, and though
erected by the immediate order of God himself, was yet after
some years to give place to a standing temple designed by David,
but built by Solomon ; stately indeed and majestic, but not ab-
solutely necessary, seeing that infinite Being that made the
world, who ' had the heaven for his throne and the earth for
his footstool,' could not be confined within a material temple,
nor tied to any particular way of worship ; and that therefore
there could be no such absolute and indispensable necessity for
64 THE LIFE OF
those Mosaical rites and ceremonies, as they pretended ; especially
when God was resolved to introduce a new and better scene and
state of things. But it was the humour of this loose and unruly,
this refractory and undisciplinable generation, (as it ever had been
of their ancestors,) to 'resist the Holy Ghost,^ and oppose him in
all those methods, whereby he sought to reform and reclaim
them ; that there were few of the prophets whom their fore-
fathers had not persecuted, and slain them that had foretold the
Messiah's coming, the 'just and the holy Jesus,' as they their
unhappy posterity had actually betrayed and murdered him,
without any due reverence and regard to that law, which had
been solemnly delivered to them by the ministry of angels, and
which he came to fulfil and perfect.
XVIII. " The holy man was going on in the application, when
the patience of his auditors, which had hitherto holden out, at
this began to fail ; that fire which gently warms at a distance,
scorches when it comes too near ; their consciences being sensibly
stung by the too near approach of the truths he delivered, they
began to fume and fret, and express all the signs of rage and
fury. But he, regardless of what was done below, had his eyes
and thoughts directed to a higher and a nobler object, and look-
ing up ' saw the heavens opened,' and some bright and sensible
appearances of the divine majesty, and the holy Jesus clothed in
the robes of our glorified nature, not sitting (in which sense he
is usually described in Scripture) but 'standing' (as ready to pro-
tect and help, to crown and reward his suifering servant) 'at the
right hand of God.' So easily can heaven delight and entertain
us in the want of all earthly comforts ; and divine consolations
are then nearest to us, when human assistances are farthest from
us. The good man was infinitely ravished with the vision, and
it inspired his soul with a fresh zeal and courage, and made him
long to arrive at that happ}^ place, and little concerned what
use they would make of it, he could not but communicate and
impart his happiness ; the cup was full, and it easily overflowed ;
he tells his adversaries what himself beheld, ' Behold, I see the
heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the i-ight hand
of God.'"
XIX. The heavenly vision had very different effects, it en-
couraged Stephen, but enraged the Jews ; who now taking it pro
coTtfesso that he was a blasphemer, resolved upon his death, with-
I
SAINT STEPHEN. 65
out any further process. How furious and impatient is mis-
guided zeal ! they did not stand to procure a warrant from the
Roman governor, (without whose leave they had not power to
put any man to death,) nay, they had not the patience to stay
for the judicial sentence of the Sanhedrini, but acted the part of
zealots, (who were wont to execute vengeance upon capital
offenders without staying for the ordinary formalities of justice,)
and raising a great noise and clamour, and " stopping their ears,"
that they might hear no further blasphemies, and be deaf to all
cries for mercy, they unanimously rushed upon him. But zeal is
superstitious in its maddest fury : they would not execute him
within the walls, lest they should pollute the holy city with his
blood, but hurried him " without the city," and there fell upon
him with a shower of stones. Stoning was one of the four capital
punishments among the Jews, inflicted upon greater and more
enormous crimes, especially blasphemy, idolatry, and strange
worship : and the Jews tell us of many particular circumstances
used in this sort of punishment.' The malefactor was to be led
out of the consistory, at the door whereof a person was to stand
with a napkin in his hand, and a man on horseback at some
distance from him, that if any one came and said, he had some-
thing to offer for the deliverance of the malefactor, upon the
moving of the napkin the horseman might give notice, and bring
the offender back. He had two grave persons to go along with
him to exhort him to confession by the way ; a crier went before
him, proclaiming who he was, what his crime, and who the wit-
nesses ; being come near the place of execution (which was two
cubits from the ground) he was first stripped, and then stoned, and
afterwards hanged, where he was to continue till sunset, and then
being taken down, he and his gibbet were both buried together.
XX. Such were their customs in ordinary cases, but, alas !
their greediness of St. Stephen's blood would not admit these
tedious proceedings ; only one formality we find them using,
which the law required, which was, that " the hands of the wit-
nesses should be first xxpon him, to put him to death, and after-
ward the hands of all the people :" " a law surely contrived with
great wisdom and prudence, that so the witness, if forsworn,
might derive the guilt of the blood upon himself, and the rest be
free ; " so thou shalt put the evil away from among you." Ac-
' Vid. P. Fag. in Exod. xxi. 16. " Dcut. xvii. 7.
VOL. I. i'
66 THE LIFE OF
cordingly here the witnesses putting off their upper garments,
(which rendered them less nimble and expedite, being loose and
long, according to the mode of those Eastern countries,) laid
them down at SauFs feet, a zealous youth, at that time student
under Gamaliel, the fiery zeal and activity of whose temper made
him busy, no doubt, in this, as we find he was in the following
persecution ; an action which afterwards cost him tears and
penitent reflections, himself preferring the indictment against
himself : " When the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I
also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept
the raiment of them that slew him.""' Thus prepared they began
the tragedy, whose example was soon followed by the multitude.
All which time the innocent and holy man was upon his knees,
sending up his prayers faster to heaven than they could rain
down stones upon him, piously recommending his own soul to
God, and charitably interceding for his murderers, that God
would not charge this guilt upon them, nor severely reckon with
them for it ; and then gave up the ghost, or, as the sacred
historian elegantly expresses it, " fell asleep." So soft a pillow
is death to a good man, so willingly, so quietly does he leave the
world, as a weary laboiirer goes to bed at night. What storms
or tempests soever may follow him while he lives, his sun, in
spite of all the malice and ci'uelty of his enemies, sets serene and
calm : " Mark the perfect and behold the upright, for the end of
that man is peace.""
XII. Thus died St. Stephen, the protomartyr of the Christian
faith, obtaining rov avrS (fjepcovvfMov STe(j)avov (says Eusebius),^
a reward truly answering to his name, a " crown." He was a
man in whom the virtues of a divine life were very eminent and
illustrious ; " a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost." Ad-
mirable his zeal for God and for religion, for the propagating
whereof he refused no pains, declined no troubles or diflSculties :
his courage was not baffled either with the angry frowns, or the
fierce threatenings of his enemies, nor did his spirit sink, though
he stood alone, and had neither friend nor kinsman to assist and
comfort him ; his constancy firm and unshaken, notwithstanding
temptations on the one hand, and the dangers that assaulted him
on the other : in all the oppositions that he met with, under all
'■" Acts xxii. 20. " Ps. xxxvii. ^7. > Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 1.
i
SAINT STEPHEN. 67
the torments and sufferings that he underwent, he discovered
nothing but the meek and innocent temper of a lamb, never be-
traying one passionate and revengeful word, but calmly resigned
up his soul to God. He had a charity large enough to cover the
highest affronts, and the greatest wrongs and injuries that were
put upon him ; and accordingly, after the example of his Master,
he prayed for the pardon of his murderers, even while they were
raking in his blood. And " the effectual fervent prayer of the
righteous man availed much ;"^ heaven was not deaf to his peti-
tion, as appeared in the speedy conversion of St. Paul,^ whose
admirable change we may reasonably suppose to have been the
birth of the good man's dying groans, the fruit of his prayer and
interest in heaven. And what set off all these excellencies, he
was not elated with lofty and arrogant conceits, nor " thought
more highly of himself than he ought to think," ^ esteeming
meanly of, and preferring others before himself. And therefore
the author of the " Apostolic Constitutions"^ brings in the apo-
stles commending St. Stephen for his humility, that though he
was so great a person, and honoured with such singular and ex-
traordinary visions and revelations, yet never attempted any
thing above his place, did not consecrate the eucharist, nor con-
fer orders upon any ; but (as became a martyr of Christ rrjv
evra^lav dwoaco^etv, to preserve order and decency) he contented
himself with the station of a deacon, wherein he persevered to
the last minute of his life.
XXII. His martyrdom happened (say some) three years after
our Saviour's passion, which Euodius, bishop of Antioch, (if that
epistle were his cited by Nicephorus,'* which it is probable
enough was not,) extends to no less than seven years. Doubtless
a very wide mistake. Sure I am, Eusebius affirms,^ that it was
not long after his ordination to his deacon's office ; and the author
of the Excerpta Ghronologica, published by Scaliger,* more par-
ticularly, that it was some few days less than eight months after
our Lord's ascension. He is generally supposed to have been
young at the time of his martyrdom ; and Chrysostom = makes
no scruple of styling him " young man" at every turn, though
^ James v. 16. ^ See August. Serm. CCCLXXXII. de S. Steph. vol. v. p. 148.S.
'' Rom. xii. 3. ' Lib. viii. c. 4G. ^ Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 3.
« Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 1. f Ad calc. Chron. Euseb. p. 82.
s Orat. in S. Steph. vol. viii. p. 17. inter spuria.
f2
68 THE LIFE OF
for what reason, I confess I am yet to learn. He was martyred
without the walls, near the gate on the north side that leads to
Cedar, (as Lucian tells us,'') and which was afterwards called
St. Stephen's Gate ; ' anciently (say some) styled the Gate of
Ephraim ; ^ or, as others, the Valley Gate, or the Fish Gate ; '
which stood on the east side of the city, where the place, we are
told, is still shewed, where St. Paul sat when he kept the clothes
of them that slew him. Over this place (wherever it was) the
empress Eudocia,"' wife of Theodosius, when she repaired the
walls of Jerusalem, erected a beautiful and stately church to the
honour of St. Stephen, wherein she herself was buried afterwards.
The great stone upon which he stood while he suffered martyr-
dom, is said to have been afterwards removed into the church
built to the honour of the apostles upon Mount Sion,° and there
kept with great care and reverence : yea, one of the stones
wherewith he was killed, being preserved by some Christian, was
afterwards (as we are told") carried into Italy, and laid up as a
choice treasure at Ancona, and a church there built to the me-
mory of the martyr.
XXIII. The church received a great wound by the death of
this pious and good man, and could not but express a very deep
resentment of it : " Devout men" (probably proselytes) " carried
Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation for him."?
They carried, or, as the word crvveKOfjiiaav properly signifies,
they dressed him up, and prepared the dead body for the burial.
For we cannot reasonably suppose, that the Jews being at this
time so mightily enraged against him, the apostles would think
it prudent further to provoke the exasperated humour by making
a solemn and pompous funeral. His burial (if we might believe
one of the ancients,'' who pretends it was revealed to him in a
vision by Gamaliel, whom many of the ancients make to have
been a Christian convert) was on this manner. The Jewish
Sanhedrim having given order that his carcase should remain in
'' Ep. de Invent. S. Steph. ap. Sur. ad Aug. III.
' Bed. de locis Sanctis, c. 1. vol. iii. p. 487.
'' Brocardus, descript. terrae sanctae, c. viii. p. 35. ' Cotovic. Itin. 1. ii. c. 11.
"' Evagr. Hist. Eccl. 1. i. c. 22. " Bed. de locis Sanctis, c. 3. vol. iii. p. 489.
° Bar. not. in Martyr. Rom. ad Aug. 111. p. 341. ex Martyrol. S. Cyriac.
r Acts viii. 2.
1 Lucian. Ep. de invent. S. Steph. in ap. Aug. opp. vol. vii. ct apud Bar. ad ann. 415.
vid. Nicepli. 1. xiv. c. .0.
SAINT STEPHEN. 69
the place of its martyrdom to be consumed by wild beasts, here
it lay for some time night and day, untouched either by beast or
bird of prey. Till Gamaliel, compassionating the case of the
holy martyr, persuaded some religious Christian proselytes, who
dwelt at Jerusalem, and furnished them with all things necessary
for it, to go with all possible secrecy and fetch off his body.
They brought it away in his own carriage, and conveyed it to a
place called Caphargamala, (corruptly, as is probable, for Oaphar-
gamaliel, otherwise i^bt2^ I^D, properly signifies the Toio7i of
Camels), that is, the village of Gamaliel, twenty miles distant
from Jerusalem ; where a solemn mourning was kept for him
seventy days at Gamaliel's charge, who also caused him to be
buried in the east side of his own monument, where afterwards
he was interred himself. The Greek Men^eon"" adds, that his
body was put into a coffin made of the wood of the tree called
persea, (this was a large beautiful Egyptian tree, as Theophrastus
tells us,^ of which they were wont to make statues, beds, tables,
&c.) though how they came by such very particular intelligence
(there being nothing of it in GamaliePs revelation) I am not
able to imagine. Johannes Phocas, * a Greek writer of the
middle age of the church, agrees in the relation of his interment
by Gamaliel ; but adds, that he was first buried in Mount Sion,
in the house where the apostles were assembled when our Lord
came in to them, " the doors being shut," after his resurrection,
and afterwards removed by Gamaliel to another place, which
(says he") was on the left side the city, as it looks towards Sa-
maria, where a famous monastery was built afterwards.
XXIV. But wherever his body was interred, it rested quietly
for several ages, till we hear of its being found out in the reign
of Honorius ; for then, as Sozomen informs us," it was discovered
at the same time with the bones of the prophet Zachary, an ac-
count of both which he promises to give ; and having spoken of
that of the prophet, there abruptly ends his history. But what
is wanting in him is fully supplied by other hands, especially the
forementioned Lucian,^ presbyter of the town of Caphargamala
"■ Menseon Gracor, t^ /cctt' tov A^Keix^p. sub. lit. 2. 111.
» Histor. Plant. 1. iv. c. 2.
' '''EK<ppa<T. ruv 07. tcJtt&jv, &c. c. xiv. p. 19. edit. AUat.
" Ibid. e. XV. p. 2.5. " Hist. Eccl. 1. ix. c. 16, 17.
y Lucian. Ep. dc invent. S. Stcph. in ap. Aug. opp. vol. vii. ct Phot. Cod. CLXXI.
70 THE LIFE OF
in the diocese of Jerusalem, vA'ho is very large and punctual in
his account, the sum whereof (so far as concerns the present case,
and is material to relate) is this. Sleeping one night in the
hajytisterium of his church, (this was anno 415. Honor. Imper.
21.) there appeared to him a grave venerable old man, who
told him he was Gamaliel, bade him go to John bishop of Jeru-
salem, and will him to remove his remains and some others
(whereof St. Stephen was the principal) that were with him
from the place where they lay. Three several times the vision
appeared to him before he would be fully satisfied in the thing,
and then he acquainted the bishop with it, who commanded him
to search after the place. After some attempts, he found the
place of their repository, and then gave the bishop notice, who
came and brought two other bishops, Eleutherius of Sebaste and
Eleutherius of Hiericho, along with him. The monument being
opened, they found an inscription upon St. Stephen''s tomb-stone
in deep letters, " CELIEL,'"' signifying (says mine author) the
" Servant of God ;" at the opening of the coiRn there was an
earthquake, and a very pleasant and delightful fragrancy came
from it, and several miraculous cures were done by it. The re-
mains being closed up again, (only some few bones, and a little
of the dust that was taken out, and bestowed upon Lucian,)
were with great triumph and rejoicing conveyed to the church
that stood upon Mount Sion, the place where he himself while
alive had discharged the office of a deacon. I add no more of this,
but that this story is not only mentioned by Photius,"^ and before
him by Marcellinus Comes,'' sometime chancellor or secretary to
Justinian, afterwards emperor, (who sets it down as done in the
very same year, and umler the same consuls wherein Lucian's
Epistle reports it) ; but before, both by Gennadius,'' presbyter of
Marseilles, who lived anno 490, and many years before, and con-
sequently not long after the time of Lucian himself; who also
adds, that Lucian wrote a relation of it in Greek to all the
churches, which Avitus, a Spanish presbyter, translated into
Latin, whose epistle is prefixed to it, wherein he gives an ac-
count of it to Balchouius bishop of Braga, and sent it by Orosius
into Spain.
XXV. These remains (whether before or after, the reader
'• Phot. Cod. CLXXI. a Maixel. t'hroii. Indict, xiii. p. m. 17.
•> Dc Script. Eccl. c. 4C, 47.
SAINT STEPHEN. 71
must judge by the sequel of the story, though I question whether
he will have faith enough to believe all the circumstances
of it) were translated to Constantinople upon this occasion.
Alexander,'^ a nobleman of the Senatorian order, having a par-
ticular veneration for the protomartyr, had erected an oratory
to him in Palestine, commanding that himself when dead, being-
put into a coffin like that of St. Stephen, should be buried by
him. Eight years after, his lady, (whose name, say some, was
Juliana,) removing to Constantinople, resolved to take her
husband's body along with her : but in a hurry she chanced to
mistake St. Stephen's coffin for that of her husband, and so set
forward on her journey. But it soon betrayed itself by an extra-
ordinary odour, and some miraculous effects : the fame whereof
flying before to Constantinople, had prepared the people to
conduct it with great joy and solemnity into the imj^erial palace.
Which yet could not be effected: for the sturdy mules that
carried the treasure being come as far as Constantine's baths,
would not advance one step further. And when unreasonably
whijjped and pricked, they spake aloud, and told those that
conducted them, that the martyr was to be reposed and interred
in that place : which was accordingly done, and a beautiful
church built there. But certainly they that first added this
passage to the story had been at a great loss for invention, had
not the story of Balaam's ass been upon record in Scripture, I
confess Baronius'' seems not over-forward to believe this rela-
tion, not for the trifling and ridiculous improbabilities of it, but
only because he could not well reconcile it with the time of its
being first found out by Lucian, Indeed my authors tell us,
that this was done in the time of Constantine, Metrophanes
being then bishop of Constantinople, and that it was only some
part of his remains, buried again by some devout Christians, that
was discovered in a vision to Lucian ; and that the empress
Pulcheria, by the help of her brother Theodosius, procured from
the bishop of Jerusalem the martyr's right hand, which, being-
arrived at Constantinople, was with singular reverence and re-
joicing brought into the palace, and there laid up, and a stately
and magnificent church erected for it, set oft' with all rich and
costly ornaments and advantages,
'■ Niceph. Hist. Eccl. lib. xiv. c. 9. Eadem habet Menseon Grffic. hvyovar. rrj /3'.
sub. lit. 13'. 11. '' Bar. ad Ann. 439.
72 THE LIFE OF
XXVI. '^Authors mention another remove, anno 439, (and
let the curious and inquisitive after these matters reconcile the
different accounts,) of his remains to Constantinople by the
empress Eudocia, wife to Theodosius, who having been at
Jerusalem upon some pious and charitable designs, carried back
with her to the imperial city the remains of St. Stephen, which
she carefully laid up in the church of St. Laurence. The
Roman Martyrology says,^ that in the time of pope Pelagius
they were removed from Constantinople to Rome, and lodged in
the sepulchre of St. Laurence the Martyr in agro Verano, where
they are honoured with great piety and devotion. But I find
not any author near those times mentioning their translation
into any of these western parts, except the little parcel which
Orosius^ brought from Jerusalem, (whither he had been sent by
St. Augustine to know St. Hierom's sense in the question about
the original of the soul,) which he received from Avitus, who
had procured it of Lucian, and brought it along with him into
the West, that is, into Africa, for whether it went any further I
find not.
XXVII. As for the miracles reported to have been done by
the remains of this martyr, '' Gregory bishop of Tours, and the
writers of the following ages, have furnished the world with
abundant instances, which I insist not upon, superstition having
been the peculiar genius and humour of those middle ages of the
church, and the Christian world miserably overrun with an
excessive and immoderate veneration of the relics of departed
saints. However I can venture the reader's displeasure for
relating one, and the rather because it is so solemnly averred by
Baronius' himself. St. Gaudiosus, an African bishop, flying
from the Vandalic persecution, brought with him a glass vial of
St. Stephen's blood to Naples in Italy, where it was famous
especially for one miraculous effect — that being set upon the
altar, at the time of mass it was annually wont, upon the third
of August, (the day whereon St. Stephen's body was first dis-
covered,) to melt and bubble, as if it were but newly shed. But
the miracle of the miracle lay in this, that when pope Gregory
<= Marcell. Chron. Indict, vii. p. 24. Theodor. Lect. 1. ii. ' Ad 7 Maii, p. 203.
e Vid. Avit. Ep. Pr;vf. Ep. Lucian. Gennad. de script. Eccl. in Oros. cxxxix. Marcell.
Chron. p. 17.
h Dp glor. Martj-r. 1. i. c. 33. ' Annot. in Martyr. Rom. ad Aug. 111. p. 340.
SAINT STEPHEN. 73
the Xlllth reformed the Roman calendar, and made no less than
ten days difference from the former, the blood in the vial ceased
to bubble upon the third of August, according to the old compu-
tation, and bubbled upon that that fell according to the new
reformation. A great justification, I confess, (as Baronius well
observes,) of the divine authority of the Gregorian calendar
and the pope"'s constitutions : but yet it was ill done to set the
calendars at variance, when both had been equally justified by
the miracle. But how easy it was to abuse the world with such
tricks, especially in these later ages, wherein the artifice of the
priests was arrived to a kind of perfection in these affairs, is no
difficult matter to imagine.
XXVIII. Let us then look to the more early ages, when
covetousness and secular interests had not so generally put men
upon arts of craft and subtlety ; and we are told both by Lucian
and Photius,'' that at the first discovery of the martyr's body
many strange miraculous cures were effected, seventy-three
healed only by smelling the odour and fragrance of the body ; in
some demons were cast out, others cured of issues of blood,
tumours, agues, fevers, and infinite other distempers that were
upon them. But that which most sways with me, is what
St. Augustine' reports of these matters ; who seems to have been
inquisitive about matters of fact, as the argument he managed
did require. For being to demonstrate against the Gentiles
that miracles were not altogether ceased in the Christian church,
among several others he produces many instances of cures mira-
culously done at the remains of St. Stephen, brought thither (as
before we noted) by Orosius from Jerusalem ; all done there-
abouts, and some of them in the place where himself lived, and
of which (as he tells us) they made books, which were solemnly
published, and read to the people ; whereof (at the time of his
writing) there were no less than seventy written of the cures
done at Hippo, (the place where he lived,) though it was not full
two years since the memorial of St. Stephen's martyrdom had
begun to be celebrated in that place, besides many whereof no
account had been given in writing. To set down all were to
tire the readers patience beyond all recovery ; a few only for a
specimen shall suffice. At the Aqua? Tihilitanw Projectus, the
'' Lucian. Ep. de invent. S. Steph. in ap. Aug. opp. vol. vii. ct Photius cod. CLXXl.
' De Civ. Dei. 1. xxii. c. 8.
74 thp: life of
bishop bringing the remains of the martyr, in a vast multitude
of people, a blind woman desiring to be brought to the bishop,
and some flowers which she brought being laid upon them, and
after applied to her eyes, to the wonder of all she instantly re-
ceived her sight. Lucillus bishop of Synica near Hij)po, carry-
ing the same remains, accompanied with all the peoj)le, was
suddenly freed from a desperate disease, under which he had a
long time laboured, and for which he even then expected the
surgeon's knife. Eucharius, a Spanish presbyter, then dwelling
at Calama, (whereof Possidius who wrote St. Augustine's Life
was bishop,) was by the same means cured of the stone, which
he had a long time been afflicted with, and afterwards recovered
of another distemper, when he had been given over for dead.
Martialis, an ancient gentleman in that place, of great note and
rank, but a pagan, and highly prejudiced against the Christian
faith, had been often in vain solicited by his daughter and her
husband (both Christians) to turn Christian, especially in his
sickness, but still resented the motion with indignation. His
son-in-law went to the place dedicated to St. Stephen's martyr-
dom, and there with prayers and tears passionately begged of
God his conversion. Departing, he took some flowers thence
with him, which at night he put under his father's head ; who
slept well, and in the morning called for the bishop, in whose
absence (for he was at that time with St. Augustine at Hippo)
the presbyters were sent for ; at whose coming he acknowledged
himself a Christian, and, to the joy and admiration of all, was
immediately baptized. As long as he lived he often had these
words in his mouth, and they were the last words that he spake,
(for he died not long after,) " 0 Christ, receive ni}^ spirit," though
utterly ignorant that it was the protomartyr's dying speech.
XXIX. Many passages of like nature he relates done at his
own see at Hippo, and this among the rest. Ten children of
eminency at Coesarea ia Cappadocia, (all the children of one
man,) had for some notorious misdemeanor, after their father's
death, been cursed by their mother, whereupon they were all
seized with a continual trembling and shaking in all parts of
their body. Two of these, Paulus and Palladia, came over into
Africa, and dwelt at Hippo, notoriously known to the whole
city. They arrived fifteen days before Easter, where they fre-
quented the church, especially the ]>lacc dedicated to the mar-
I
SAINT STEPHEN. 75
tyrdom of St. Stephen, every day praying that God would for-
give them, and restore them to their health. Upon Easter-day,
the young man praying as he was wont at the accustomed place,
suddenly dropped down, and lay like one asleep, but without
any trembling, and awaking found himself perfectly restored to
health, who was thereupon with the joyful acclamations of the
people brought to St. Augustine, who kindly received him, and
after the public devotions were over, treated him at dinner,
where he had the whole account of the misery that befell him.
The day after, when the narrative of his cure was to be recited
to the people, his sister also was healed in the same manner and
at the same place, the pai'ticular circumstances of both which
St. Augustine relates more at large.
XXX. What the judicious and unprejudiced reader will
think of these and more the like instances there reported by
this good father, I know not, or whether he will not think it
reasonable to believe,™ that God might suffer these strange and
miraculous cures to be wrought in a place where multitudes yet
persisted in their gentilism and infidelity, and who made this
one great objection against the Christian faith, that whatever
miracles might be heretofore pretended for the confirmation of
Christian religion, yet that now they were ceased, when yet they
were still necessary to induce the world to the belief of Chris-
tianity. Certain it is, that nothing Avas done herein, but what
did very well consist with the wisdom and the goodness of God,
who, as he is never wont to be prodigal in multiplying the
effects of his omnipotent power beyond a just necessity, so is
never wanting to afford all necessary evidences and methods of
conviction. That therefore the unbelieving world (who made
this the great refuge of their infidelity) might see that his arm
was not grown effete and weak, that he had not left the Chris-
tian religion wholly destitute of immediate and miraculous at-
testations, he was pleased to exert these extraordinary powers,
that he might baffle their unbelief, and silence their objections
against the divinity of the Christian faith. And for this reason
God never totally v/ithdrew the power of working miracles from
the church, till the world was in a manner wholly subdued to
the faith of Christ. And then he left it to be conducted by more
Juiman and regular ways, and to preserve its authority over the
'" Vid. Aug. loc. supra citato.
76 THE LIFE OF SAINT STEPHEN.
minds of men, by those standing and innate characters of di-
vinity which he has impressed upon it. It is true that the
church of Rome still pretends to this power, which it endeavours
to justify by appealing to these and such like instances. But in
vain, and to no purpose ; the pretended miracles of that church
being generally trifling and ridiculous, far beneath that gravity
and seriousness that should work upon a wise and considering
mind, the manner of their operation obscure and ambiguous,
their numbers excessive and immoderate, the occasions of them
light and frivolous, and, after all, the things themselves for the
most part false, and the reports very often so monstrous and
extravagant, as would choke any sober and rational belief, so
that a man must himself become the greatest miracle that be-
lieves them, I shall observe no more, than that in all these
cases related by St. Augustine we never find that they invocated
or prayed to the martyr, nor begged to be healed by his merits
or intercession, but immediately directed their addresses to God
himself.
THE LIFE OF SAINT PHILIP
THE DEACON AND EVANGELIST.
His tirth-place. The confounding him with St, Philip the Apostle. His election to the
office of a deacon. The dispersion of the church at Jerusalem. Philip's preaching at
Samaria. Inveterate prejudices between the Samaritans and the Jews. The great
success of St. Philip's ministry. The impostures of Simon Magus, and his embracing
Christianity. The Christians at Samaria confirmed by Peter and John. Philip sent
to Gaza. His meeting with the Ethiopian eunuch. What Ethiopia here meant.
Candace, who. The custom of retaining eunuchs in the courts of the eastern princes.
This eunuch, who. His office. His religion, and great piety. His conversion and
baptism by St. Philip. The place where he was baptized. The eunuch's return, and
propagating Christianity in his own country. Philip's journey to Caesarea, and fixing
his abode there. His four daughters virgin-prophetesses. His death.
I. St. Philip was born (as Isidore'' the Peleusiot plainly intimates)
at Caesarea, a famous port-town between Joppa and Ptolemais,
in the province of Samaria; but whether he had any other
warrant for it than his own conjecture, I know not, there being
some circumstances however that make it probable. He has
been by some both formerly and of later times, for want of a due
regard to things and persons, carelessly confounded with St.
Philip the apostle : a mistake of very ancient date, and which
seems to have been embraced by some of the most early writers
of the church. But whoever considers that the one was an
apostle, and one of the twelve, the other a deacon only, and one
of the seven, chosen out of the people, and set apart by the
apostles, that they themselves might attend the more immediate
ministeries of their office ; that the one was dispersed up and
down the country, while the other remained with the apostolical
college at Jerusalem ; that the one, though commissionated to
preach and to baptize, could not impart the Holy Ghost, (the
peculiar prerogative of the apostolical office,) will see just reason
to force him to acknowledge a vast difference between them.
» Epist. 1. i. ep. 449.
78 THE LIFE OF
Our St. Philip was one of the seventy disciples, and St. Stephen's
next coUeao'ue in the deacon's office, erected for the convenienc>
of the poor, and assisting the apostles in some inferior services
and ministrations : mIiicIi shews him to have heen a person of
great esteem and reputation in the church, endoAved with mira-
culous powers, " full of wisdom, and of the Holy Ghost ; ^ which
were the qualifications required by the apostles in those who
were to be constituted to this place. In the discharge of this
ministry he continued at Jerusalem for some months after his
election, till the church being scattered up and down, he was
forced to quit his station : as what wonder if the stewards be
dismissed, when the household is broken up ?
II. The protomartyr had been lately sacrificed to the rage
and fury of his enemies : but the bloody cloud did not so blow
over, but increased into a blacker tempest. Cruelty and revenge
never say it is enough, like the temper of the Devil, whose
malice is insatiable and eternal. Stephen\s death would not
suffice, the whole church is now shot at, and they resolve (if
possible) to extirpate the religion itself. The great engineer in
this persecution was Saul, whose active and fiery genius, and
passionate concern for the traditions of the fathers, made him
pursue the design with the spirit of a zealot and the rage of a
madman. Having furnished himself with a commission from
the Sanhedrim, he quickly put it in execution, broke open houses,
seized whoever he met with, that looked but like a disciple of the
crucified Jesus, and without any regard to sex or age, beat, and
haled them unto prison, plucking the husband from the bosom
of his wife, and the mother from the embraces of her children,
blaspheming God, prosecuting and being injurious unto men,
breathing out nothing but slaughter and threatenings wherever
he came : whence Eusebius ^ calls it the first and most grievous
persecution of the church. The church by this means was forced
to retire, the apostles only remaining privately at Jerusalem,
that they might the better superintend and steer the affairs of
the church, while the rest were dispersed up and down the
neighbouring countries, publishing the glad tidings of the gospel,
and declaring the nature and design of it in all places where
they came ; so that what their enemies intended as the way to
ruin them, by breaking the knot of their fellowship and society,
•> Acts vi. 3. e Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 1.
SAINT PHILIP. 79
proved an effectual means to enlarge the bounds of Christianity.
Thus excellent perfumes, while kept close in a box, few are the
better for them, whereas being- once, whether casually or mali-
ciously, spilt upon the ground, the fragrant scent presently fills all
corners of the house.
III. Among them that were thus dispersed was our evangelist,
so styled not from his writing but preaching of the gospel. He
directed his journey towards the province of Samaria, " and
came into a city of Samaria,""'' (as those words may be read,)
probably Gitton, the birth-place of Simon Magus ; though it is
safest to understand it of Samaria itself. This was the me-
tropolis of the province, had been for some ages the royal seat of
the kings of Israel, but being utterly destroyed by Hyrcanus,
had been lately re-edified by Herod the Great, and in honour of
Augustus (5'ey3ao-To<f) by him styled Sebaste. The Samaritans
were a mixture of Jews and Gentiles, made up of the remains
that were left of the ten tribes which were carried away captive,
and those heathen colonies which the king of Babylon brought
into their room ; and their religion accordingly was nothing but
Judaism blended with Pagan rites, though so highly prized and
valued by them, that they made no scruple to dispute place, and
to vie with the worship of the temple at .Jerusalem. Upon this
account there had been an ancient and inveterate pique and
quarrel between the Jews and them, so as utterly to refuse all
mutual intercourse with each other. Hence the Samaritan
woman wondered, that our Lord, " being a Jew, should ask
drink of her, who was a woman of Samaria ; for the Jews have
no dealings with the Samaritans."" They despised them at the
rate of heathens, devoted them under the most solemn execra-
tions, allowed them not to become proselytes, nor to have any
portion in the resurrection of the just, suffered not an Israelite
to eat with them, no, nor to say Amen to their blessing ; nor did
they think they could fasten upon our Saviour a greater character
of reproach, than to say that he was " a Samaritan, and had a
devil."" But God regards not the prejudices of men, nor always
withholds his kindness from them, whom we are ready to banish
the lines of love and friendship. It is true the apostles at their
first mission were charged "not to go in the way of the Gentiles,
nor to enter into any city of the Samaritans.""*^ But when Christ
•^ Acts viii. 5. « John iv. 9. ' Matt x. 5.
80 THE LIFE OF
by his death had " broken down the partition wall, and abolished
in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained
in ordinances,'*'^ then the gospel came "and preached peace as
well to them that were afar off, as to them that were nigh.'"'
Philip therefore freely preached the gospel to these Samaritans,
so odious, so distasteful to the Jews: to which he eifectually
prepared his way by many great and uncontrollable miracles,
which being arguments fitted to the capacities, and accommodate
to the senses of the meanest, do easiliest convey the truth into
the minds of men. And the success here was accordingly, the
people generally embracing the Christian doctrine, while they
beheld him curing all manner of diseases, and powerfully dis-
possessing demons, who with great horror and regret were forced
to quit their residence, to the equal joy and wonder of that
place.
IV. In this city was one Simon, born at a town not far off,
who by sorcery and magic arts had strangely insinuated himself
into the reverence and veneration of the people. A man crafty
and ambitious, daring and insolent, whose diabolical sophistries
and devices had for a long time so amazed the eyes of the
vulgar, that they really thought him (and for such no doubt he
gave out himself) to be the supreme divinity, probably magnify-
ing himself as that divine power that was to visit the Jews as
the Messiah, or the Son of God ; among the Samaritans, giving
out himself to be the Father, (as Irenseus assures us,*") tov irpoi-
Tov Oeov, as his countryman Justin Martyr tells us,' the people
worshipped him, as the first and chiefest deity ; as afterwards
among the Gentiles he styled himself the Holy Ghost. And
what wonder if by this train of artifices the people were tempted
and seduced to admire and adore him. And .in this case things
stood at St. Philip's arrival, whose greater and more unquestion-
able miracles quickly turned the scale. Imposture cannot bear
the too near approach of truth, but flies before it, as darkness
vanishes at the presence of the sun. The people, sensible of
their error, universally flocked to St. Philip's sermons, and con-
vinced by the efiicacy of his doctrine, and the power of his
miracles, gave up themselves his converts, and were by baptism
initiated into the Christian faith : yea, the magician himself,
K Eph. ii. 14, 15, &c. '• Adv. Hseres. 1. i. c. 23. (al 20.)
' Apol. i. c. 20". vide Tcrtull. de Pra^scr. Ilajret. c. 46.
SAINT PHILIP. SI
astonished at those mighty things which he saw clone by Philip,
professed himself his proselyte and disciple, and was baptized
by him ; being either really persuaded by the convictive evidence
of truth, or else for some sinister designs craftily dissembling
his belief and profession of Christianity : a piece of artifice
which Eusebius*" tells us, his disciples and followers still observed
in his time, who in imitation of their father, like a pest or a
leprosy, were wont to creep in among the Christian societies,
that so they might with the more advantage poison and infect
the rest, many of whom having been discovered, had with shame
been ejected and cast out of the church.
V. The fame of St. Philip's success at Samaria quickly flew to
Jerusalem, where the apostles immediately took care to dispatch
some of their own number to confirm these new converts in the
faith. Peter and John were sent upon this errand, who being
come, prayed for them, and laid their hands upon them, ordain-
ing probably some to be governors of the church, and ministers
of religion ; which was no sooner done, but the miraculous gifts
of the Holy Ghost fell upon them ; a plain evidence of the apo-
stolic power. Philip had converted and baptized them, but being
only a deacon (as Epiphanius" and Chrysostom"* truly observe)
could not confer the Holy Ghost, this being a faculty bestowed
only upon the apostles. Simon the Magician observing this,
that a power of working miracles was conveyed by the imposition
of the apostles' hands, hoped by obtaining it to recover his credit
and reputation with the people ; to which end he sought by such
methods as were most apt to prevail upon himself, to corrupt
the apostles by a sum of money, to confer this power upon him,
Peter resented the motion with that sharpness and severity that
became him ; told the wretch of the iniquity of his offer, and the
evil state and condition he was in ; advised him by repentance to
make his peace with heaven, that, if possible, he might prevent
the miserable fate that otherwise did attend him. But what
passed between Peter and this magician, both here and in their
memorable encounter at Rome, (so much spoken of by the an-
cients,) we have related more at large in another place."
VI. Whether St. Philip returned with the apostles to Jeru-
'' Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 1. ' Epiph. Heeres. xxi.
'" Chrysost. Horn, xviii. in Act. Apostt. s. 3. vol. ix. p. 146.
" Antiq. App. Life of St. Peter, sect. 8. n. 1. sect. 9. n. 4.
82 THE LIFE OF
salem, or (as Chrysostom" thinks) stayed at Samaria, and the
parts thereabouts, we have no intimations left upon record. But
wherever he was, an angel was sent to him with a message from
God, to go and instruct a stranger in the faith. The angel, one
would have thought, had been most likely himself to have
managed this business with success. But the wise God keeps
method and order, and will not suffer an angel to take that work
which he has put into the hands of his ministers.P The sum of
his commission was to go towards the " south, unto the way
that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert:"'' a
circumstance which, whether it relate to the way or the city,
is not easy to decide, it being probably true of both. Gaza was
a city anciently famous for the strange efforts of Samson's
strength, for his captivity, his death, and the burial of himself
and his enemies in the same ruin. It was afterwards sacked
and laid waste by Alexander the Great, and, as Strabo notes, "■
remained waste and desert in his time ; the prophetical curse
being truly accomplished in it, "Gaza shall be forsaken;""^ a
fate which the prophet Jeremy had foretold to be as certain, as
if he had seen it alread}- done, "baldness is come upon Gaza."*
So certainly do the divine threatenings arrest and take hold of a
proud and impenitent people ; so easily do they set open the
gates for ruin to enter into the strongest and best fortified cities,
where sin has once undermined, and stripped them naked of the
divine protection.
VII. No sooner had St. Philip received his orders, though he
knew not as yet the intent of his journey, but he addressed him-
self to it, "he arose and went:"" he did not reason with himself
whether he might not be mistaken, and that be a false and de-
luding vision that sent him upon such an unaccountable errand,
and into a desert and a Avilderness, where he was more likely to
meet with trees and rocks and wild beasts, than men to preach
to ; but went however, well knoAving God never sends any upon
a vain or a foolish errand. An excellent instance of obedience ;
as it is also recorded to Abraham's eternal honour and com-
mendation, that when God sent his warrant, " he obeyed and
went out, not knowing whither he went."" As he was on his
" Horn. xix. in Act. Apostt. s. 1. vol. ix. p. 152. p Vide Chrysost. ibid. p. 153.
1 Acts viii. 2(). ■" Geograph. 1. xvi. p. 1102. (al. 759.) » Zeph. ii. 4.
« Jer. xlvii. 5. " Acts viii. 27. " Heb. xi. «.
SAINT PHILIP. 83
journey, he espied coming towards him "a man of Ethiopia,
an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the
Ethiopians ; who had the charge of all her treasure, and had
come to Jerusalem to worship;"^ though in what part of the
world the country here spoken of was situate (the word heing
variously used in scripture) has heen some dispute. Dorotheus''
and Sophronius" of old, and some later writers, place it in Arahia
the Happy, not far from the Persian Gulf: but it is most gene-
rally conceived to be meant of the African Ethiopia, lying
under or near the torrid zone, the people whereof are described
by Homer, to be ea-yaToi dvSpcov, the remotest part of mankind ;
and accordingly St. Hierora'' says of this eunuch, that he came
from Ethiopia, that is, ab extremis mundi finihus, from the
farthest corners of the world. The country is sometimes styled
Cush, probably from a mixture of the Arabians, who inhabiting
on the other side of the Red Sea, might send over colonies
hither, who settling in these parts, communicated the names of
Cush and Sahara to them. The manners of the people were very
rude and barbarous, and the people themselves, especially to
the Jews, contemptible even to a proverb ; " Are ye not as the
children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel, saith
the Lordf^'^ i^ay, the very meeting an Ethiopian was accounted
an ill omen, and an unlucky prognostication. But no country is
a bar to heaven; "the grace of God that brings salvation""^
plucks up the enclosures, and "appears to all;" so that "in
every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him."*"
VIII. But we cannot reasonably suppose that it should be
meant of Ethiopia at large, especially as parallel at this day
with the Abyssine empire, but rather of that part of the country
whose metropolis was called Meroe, and Saba, (as it is called
both by Josephus,' and the Abyssines themselves at this day,)
situate in a large island, encompassed by the Nile, and the rivers
of Astapus and Astoborra, as Josephus informs us : for about
these parts it was (as Pliny tells us^) that queens had a long
time governed under the title of Candace ; a custom (as we find
1 Acts viii. 27. ^ Doroth. Synops. vol. ii. bibl. patrum. p. 1 8G.
" Sophr. ap. Hier. de Scriptt. Eccl. in Crescent.
^ Hier. ad Panlinum, Ep. L. vol. iv. part ii. p. 570. <^ Amos ix. 7. ^ Tit. ii. 11.
« Acts X. 35. f Antiq. Jud. 1. ii. c. 5. S Hist. Nat. 1. vi. c. 29.
G 2
84 THE LIFE OF
in Strabo) first commencing in the time of Angustvis, when a
queen of that name having for her incomparable virtues been
dear to the people, her successors, in honour of her, took the title
of Candace, in the same sense that Ptolemy was the common
name of the kings of Egypt, Artaxerxes of the kings of Persia,
and Osesar of the Roman emperors. Indeed Oecumenius'' was
of opinion that Candace was only the common name of the
queen-mothers of Ethiopia, that nation not giving the name of
fathers to their kings, as acknowledging the sun only for their
common father, and their princes the sons of that common
parent. But in this I think he stands alone, and contradicts
the general vote and suffrage of the ancients, which affirms this
nation to have been subject to women ; sure I am Eusebius' ex-
pressly says, it was the custom of this country to be governed
by queens even in his time. The name of the present queen
(they say) was Lacasa, daughter of king Baazena, and that she
outlived the death of our Saviour four years.
IX. Among the great officers of her court she had one (if not
more) eunuch, probably to avoid suspicion, it being the fashion
of those Eastern countries (as it still is at this day) to employ
eunuchs in places of great trust and honour, ahd especially of
near access to, and attendance upon queens. For however
among us the very name sounds vile and contemptible, yet in
those countries it is otherwise : among the Barbarians, (says
Herodotus,^) that is, the Eastern people, eunuchs are persons of
the gi-eatest esteem and value,' Our eunuch's name (as we find
it in the Confession made by Zaga Zabo,"^ ambassador from the
Ethiopian emperor) was ludich ; Bwdarrji;, a potent courtier, an
officer of state of prime note and quality, being no less than high-
treasurer to the queen ; nor do we find that Philip, either at his
conversion or baptism, found fault with him for his place or
greatness. Certainly magistracy is no ways inconsistent with
Christianity ; the church and the state may well agree, and
Moses and Aaron go hand in hand. Peter baptized Cornelius,
and St, Paul Sergius the proconsul of Cyprus into the Christian
faith, and yet neither of them found any more fault with them
for their places of authority and power than Philip did here
with the lord treasurer of the Ethiopian queen. For his re-
•' Oecumen. Comm. in Act. viii. c. xii. p. «'2. ' H. Eccl. 1. ii. c. ] . ^ Herod. 1. viii. c. 1 05.
' Tacit. Ann. 1. vi. c. .31. ■" Kxtat ad Bznv. Annal. Eccl. ad Ann. 1.524. n. xxxii.
SAINT PHILIP. 85
Hgion, he was, if not a " proselyte of justice" (as some think) cir-
cumcised, and under an obh'gation to observe the rites and pre-
cepts of the Law of Moses, at least a " proselyte of the gate," (in
which respect it is that one of the ancients calls him a Jew,)
"entered already into the knowledge of the true God, and was
now come to Jerusalem (probably at the solemnity of the Pass-
over, or the feast of Pentecost) to give public and solemn evidences
of his devotion. Though an Ethiopian, and many thousand
miles distant from it, though a great statesman, and necessarily
swallowed up in a crowd of business, yet " he came to Jerusalem
for to worship."° No way so long, so rugged and difficult, no
charge or interest so dear and great, as to hinder a good man
from minding the concernments of religion. No slender and
trifling pretences, no little and ordinary occasions, should excuse
our attendance upon places of public worship ; behold here a
man that thought not much to take a journey of above four
thousand miles, that he might appear before God in the solemn
place of divine adoration, the place which God had chosen above
all other parts of the world, " to place his name there."
X. Having performed his homage and worship at the temple,
he was now upon his return for his own country ; nor had he left
his religion at church behind him, or thought it enough that he
had been there ; but improved himself while travelling by the
way : even while he sat in his chariot (as ChrysostomP observes)
he read the scriptures : a good man is not willing to lose even
common minutes, but to redeem what time is possible for holy
uses ; whether sitting, or walking, or journeying, our thoughts
should be at work, and our affections travelling towards heaven.
While the eunuch was thus employed, a messenger is sent to
him from God : the best way to meet with divine communica-
tions, is to be conversant in our duty. By a voice from heaven,
or some immediate inspiration, Philip is commanded to "go
near the chariot,"'' and address himself to him. He did so, and
found him reading a section or paragraph of the prophet Isaiah,
concerning the death and sufferings of the Messiah, his meek
and innocent carriage under the bloody and barbarous violences
of his enemies, who dealt with him with all cruelty and injustice.
" Pont. Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. 2. " Acts viii. 27.
P Horn. xix. in Act. Apostt. s. 1. vol. ix. p. 153. et vide Hier. ad Paulinum, Ep. L.
vol. iv. part ii. p. 57 1 . "J Acts viii. 29.
86 THE LIFE OF
This the eunuch not well understanding, nor knowing certainly
whether the pi'ophet meant it of himself or another, desired
St. Philip to explain it ; who being courteously taken up into his
chariot, shewed him that all this was meant of, and had been
accomplished in the holy Jesus ; taking occasion thence to dis-
course to him of his nativity, his actions and miracles, his
sufferings and resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into
heaven, declaring to him the whole system of the Christian faith.
His discourse wanted not its desired eftect ; the eunuch was
fully satisfied in the Messiahship and divine authority of our
Saviour, and wanted nothing but the solemn rite of initiation to
make him a Christian proselyte. Being come to a place Adhere
there was conveniency of water, he desired that he might be
baptized ; and having professed his faith in the Son of God, and
his hearty embracing the Christian religion, " they both went
down into the water," where Philip baptized him, and washed this
Ethiopian white.
XI. The place where this eunuch was baptized, Beza*" by a
very wide mistake makes to be the river Eleutherus, which ran
near the foot of Mount Lebanon in the most northern borders of
Palestine, quite at the other end of the country : Brocard** places
it near Nehel Escol, or the Torrent of the Grape, the place whence
the spies fetched the bunch of grapes ; on the left side of which
valley, about half a league, runs a brook not far from Sicelech,
in which this eunuch was baptized. But Eusebius' and St.
Hierom" (followed herein by Ado'' the martyrologist) more
probably place it near Bethsoron, (where we are told^ it is still
to be seen at this day,) a village twenty miles distant from Je-
rusalem, in the way between it and Hebron, near to which there
was a spring bubbling up at the foot of a hill. St. Hierom
adds, that it Avas again swallowed up in the same ground that
produced it, and that here it was that Philip baptized the Ethio-
pian ; which was no sooner done, but heaven set an extra-
ordinary seal to his conversion and admission into the Christian
faith, especially if it be true what some very ancient manuscripts
add to the passage, that being baptized, " the Holy Ghost fell
■■ Annot. in Act. viii. 36. s Dcscript. Terr. Sanct. c. ix. p. 48.
' Euseb. de loc. Hcbr. in voc. BeSaovp.
" Hicron. de loc. Ileb. in voc. Bethsur, vol. ii. p. 418.
' Ad. Martyr. VIII. Idus Jun. y Cotovic. Itin. I. ii. c. 9.
SAINT PHILIP. 87
upon him,"^ furnishing- him with miraculous gifts and powers,
and that PhiHp was immediately snatched away from him.
XII. Though the eunuch had lost his tutor, yet he rejoiced
that he had found so great a treasure, the knowledge of Christ,
and of the true way to heaven, and he went on his journey with
infinite peace and tranquillity of mind, satisfied with the happiness
that had befallen him. Being returned into his country, he
preached and propagated the Christian faith, and spread abroad
the glad tidings of a Saviour: in which respect St. Hierom''
styles him the apostle of the Ethiopians, and the ancients'"
generally make that prediction of David fulfilled in him, "Ethio-
pia shall stretch out her hands unto God ;""'^ and hence the Ethio-
pians are wont to glory, (as appears by the Confession'^ made by
the Abyssine ambassador,) that by means of this eunuch they re-
ceived baptism almost the first of any Christians in the world.
Indeed they have a constant tradition, that for many ages they
had the knowledge of the true God of Israel, from the time of
the queen of Sheba, (and Seba being the name of this country,
as we noted before, makes it probable she might govern here) ;
her name (they tell us) was Maqueda, who having learnt from
Solomon the knowledge of the Jewish law, and received the
books of their religion, taught them her subjects, and sent her
son Meilech to Solomon to be instructed and educated by him ;
the story whereof may be read in that Confession more at large.
I add no more concerning the eunuch than what Dorotheus®
and others relate, that he is reported to have suiFered martyixlom,
and to have been honourably buried, and that diseases were
cured, and other miracles done at his tomb even in his time.
The traditions of the country more particularly tell us,^ that the
eunuch being returned home, first converted his mistress Candace
to the Christian faith, and afterwards by her leave propagated it
throughout Ethiopia, till meeting with St. Matthew the apostle,
by their joint-endeavours they expelled idolatry out of all those
parts. Which done, he crossed the Red Sea, and preached the
^ V. 39. Cod. Alexand. in Bibl. Reg. Angl. aliique plures Codd. MSS.
'^ Com. in Esai. liii. vol. iii. p. 385.
>> Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 1, Cyril. Catech. xvii. s. 12. <= Ps. Ixviii. 31.
<* Apud Bzov. Annal. Eccl. ad. ann. 1524. n. xxxii. vid. Godign. de rebus Abyssin.
1. i. c. 18.
e Synops. vol. ii. bibl. patruin, p. 1 86. Vid. etiam Sophr. ap. Hier. in Cresc.
f Ap. Godign. 1. i. c. 18.
88 THE LIFE OF
Christian religion in Arabia, Persia, India, and many other of
those Eastern nations, till at length in the island Taprobana,
since called Ceylon, he sealed his doctrine with his blood.
XIII. God, who always affords what is sufficient, is not wont
to multiply means farther than is necessary. Philip having
done the errand upon which he was sent, was immediately
caught and carried away, no doubt by the ministry of an angel,
and landed at Azotus, anciently Ashdod, a Philistine city in the
borders of the tribe of Dan, famous of old for the temple and
residence in it of the idol Dagon, and the captivity of the ark
kept for some time in this place, and now enlightened with
St. Philip's preaching, who went up and down publishing the
gospel in all the parts hereabouts till he arrived at Csesarea.
This city was heretofore called Turris Stratonis, and afterwards
rebuilt and enlarged by Herod the Great, and in honour of
Augustus Caesar, to whom he was greatly obliged, by him called
Cwsarea ; for whose sake also he erected in it a stately palace of
marble, called Herod's Judgment Hall, wherein his nephew,
ambitious of greater honours and acclamations than became him,
had that fatal execution served upon him. It was a place re-
markable for many devout and pious men ; here dwelt Cornelius,
who together with his family being baptized by Peter, was in
that respect the first-fruits of the Gentile world : hither came
Agabus the prophet, who foretold St. Paul's imprisonment and
martyrdom : here St. Paul himself was kept prisoner, and made
those brave and generous apologies for himself, first before Felix,
as afterwards before Festus and Agrippa. Here also our St.
Philip had his house and family, to which probably he now re-
tired, and where he spent the remainder of his life : for here
many years after we find St. Paul and his company, coming from
Ptolemais in their journey to Jerusalem, " entering into the
house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven, and
abiding with him ; and the same man had four daughters, virgins,
which did prophesy."^ These virgin-prophetesses were endowed
with the gift of foretelling future events ; for though prophecy
in those times implied also a faculty of explaining the more ab-
struse and difficult parts of the Christian doctrine, and a peculiar
ability to demonstrate Christ's Messiahship from the predictions
of Moses and the prophets, and to express themselves on a sudden
« Acts xxi. 8, 9.
I
SAINT PHILIP. 89
upon any difficult and emergent occasion, yet can we not suppose
these virgins to have had this part of the prophetic faculty, or
at least that they did not publicly exercise it in the congrega-
tion. This therefore unquestionably respected things to come,
and was an instance of God's accomplishing an ancient promise,
that in the times of the Messiah he would " pour out of his
Spirit upon all flesh, on their sons and daughters, servants and
handmaidens, and they should prophesy."'*"' The names of two
of these daughters, the Greek Menseon tells us, were Hermione
and Eutychis, who came into Asia after St. John's death, and
the first of them died, and was buried at Ephesus.
XIV. How long St. Philip lived after his return to Csesarea,
and whether he made any more excursions for the propagation
of the faith, is not certainly known. Dorotheus,' I know not
upon what ground, will have him to have been bishop of Tra-
zellis, a city in Asia : others,"^ confounding him with St. Philip
the apostle, make him resident at Hierapolis in Phrygia, where
he suffered martyrdom, and was buried (say they) together with
his daughters. Most probable it is that he died a peaceable
death at Ca^sarea, where his daughters were also buried, as some
ancient martyrologies ' inform us ; where his house and the
apartments of his virgin-daughters were yet to be seen in St.
Hierom's time," visited and admired by the noble and religious
Roman lady Paula in her journey to the Holy Land.
^ Acts ii. 17, 18. ' Synops. de Vit. App. vol. ii. bibl. patram. p. 182.
'' Polycrat. ap. Euseb. 1. iii. c. 31. Procul. ibid.
' Martyr. Rom. ad VI. Jun. Martyr. AdoB. VIII. Id. Jun.
™ Hier. Epitaph. Paul, ad Eustoch. vol. iv. p. C73.
THE LIFE OF SAINT BARNABAS
THE APOSTLE.
His surname Joses. The title of Barnabas whence added to him. His country and
parents. His education, and conversion to Christianity. His generous charity. St.
Paul's address to him after his conversion. His commission to confirm the church of
Antioch. His taking St. Paul in to his assistance. Their being sent with contribu-
tions to the church at .Jerusalem. Their peculiar separation for the ministry of the
Gentiles. Imposition of hands the usual rite of ordination. Their travels through
several countries. Their success in Cyprus. Barnabas at Lrstra taken for Jupiter,
and why. Their return to Antioch. Their embassy to Jerusalem about the con-
troversy concerning the legal rites. Barnabas seduced by Peter's dissimulation at
Antioch. The dissension between him and St. Paul. Barnabas's joumej' to Cyprus.
His voyage to Rome, and preaching the Christian faith there. His martyrdom by the
Jews in Cj'prus. His burial. His bodj', when first discovered. St. Matthew's Hebrew
Gospel found with it. The great privileges hereupon conferred upon the see of Salamis.
A description of his person and temper. The epistle anciently published under his
name. The design of it. The practical part of it excellently managed under the two
ways of light and darkness.
I. The proper and (if I may so term it) original name of this
apostle (for with that title St. Luke, and after him the ancients,
constantly honour him) was Joses, by a softer termination familiar
with the Greeks for Joseph, and so the kingX and several other
mamiserij)t copies, read it. It was the name given him at his
circumcision, in honour, no doubt, of Joseph, one of the great
patriarchs of their nation, to which, after his embracing Chris-
tianity, the apostles added that of Barnabas; "Joses, who by
the apostles was surnamed Barnabas,"* either implying him a
" son of prophecy,*" eminent for his prophetic gifts and endow-
ments, or denoting him (what was a, peculiar part of the prophets'
office) " a son of consolation," '' for his admirable dexterity in
» Acts iv. 3G.
'' Chrysost. Honiil. xi. in Act. Aposlt. s. 1. vol. ix. p. 91.
THE LIFE OF SAINT BARNABAS. 91
erecting troubled minds, and leading them on by the most mild
and gentle methods of persuasion : though I rather conceive him
so styled for his generous charity in " refreshing the bowels of the
saints," ^ especially since the name seems to have been imposed
upon him upon that occasion.'^ He was born in Cyprus, a noted
island in the Mediterranean sea, lying between Cilicia, Syria, and
Egypt ; a large and fertile country, the theatre anciently of no
less than nine several kingdoms, so fruitful and richly furnished
with all things that can minister either to the necessity or
pleasure of man's life, that it was of old called Macaria, or " the
Happy ;"" and the historian reports,^ that Fortius Cato, having
conquered this island, brought hence greater treasures into the
exchequer at Rome, than had been done in any other triumph.
But in nothing was it more happy, or upon any account more
memorable in the records of the church, than that it was the
birth-place of our apostle ; whose ancestors in the troublesome
times of Antiochus Epiphanes, or in the conquest of Judaea by
Pompey and the Roman army, had fled over hither, (as a place
best secured from violence and invasion,) and settled here.
II. He was descended of the tribe of Levi, and the line of the
priesthood, which rendered his conversion to Christianity the
more remarkable, all interests concurring to leaven him with
mighty prejudices against the Christian faith. But the grace of
God delights many times to exert itself against the strongest
opposition, and loves to conquer, where there is least probability
to overcome. His parents were rich and pious, and finding him
a beautiful and hopeful youth, (says my author,* deriving his
intelligence concerning him, as he tells us, from Clemens of
Alexandria, and other ancient writers,) they sent or brought him
to Jerusalem, to be trained up in the knowledge of the law, and
to that end committed him to the tutorage of Gamaliel, the great
doctor of the law, and most famous master at that time in
Israel, at whose foot he was brought up together with St. Paul ;
which, if so, might lay an early foundation of that intimate
familiarity that was afterwards between them. Here he im-
proved in learning and piety, frequenting the temple, and de-
<= Philem. 7. ^ Vid. Notker. Martyr, ad III. Id. Jun. Canis. Antiq. Lect. vol. vi.
e L. Flor. 1. iii. c. 9.
^ Alexand. Monach. Encom. S. Barnab. inter vitas S. Metaph. extat. np Sur. ad Jun.
XI. vid. ib. n. 4, 5, 6.
92 THE LIFE OF
voiitly exercising himself in fasting and prayer. We are further
told/ that being a frequent spectator of our Saviour's miracles,
an(l among -the rest of his curing the paralytic at the pool of
Bethesda, he was soon convinced of his divinity, and persuaded
to deliver up himself to his discipline and institutions : and as
the nature of true goodness is ever communicative, he presently
went and acquainted his sister Mary with the notice of the
Messiah, who hastened to come to him, and importuned him to
come home to her house, where our Lord afterwards (as the
church continued to do after his decease) was wont to assemble
with his disciples ; and that her son Mark was that "■ young
man,""'' who bore the pitcher of water, whom our Lord com-
manded the two disciples to follow home, and there prepare for
the celebration of the Passover.
IIL But however that was, he doubtless continued Mitli our
Lord to the last, and after his ascension stood fair to be chosen
one of the twelve, if it be true, (what is generally taken for
granted, though I think without any reason, Chrysostom' I am
sure enters his dissent,) that he is the same with Joseph called
Barsabas, who was put candidate with Matthias for the apostd-
late in the room of Judas. However, that he was one of the
seventy, Clemens Alexandrinus expressly affirms,'' as others do
after him. And when the necessities of the Church daily in-
creasing, required more than ordinary supplies, he, according to
the free and noble spirit of those times, having lands of good
value, "sold them, and laid the money at the apostles' feet."'
If it be enquired how a Levite came by lands and possessions,
when the Mosaic law allowed them no particular portions, but
what were made by public provision ; it needs no other answer
than to suppose that this estate was his patrimonial inheritance
in Cyprus, where the Jewish constitutions did not take place :
and surely an estate it was of very considerable value, and the
parting with it a greater charity than ordinary, otherwise the
sacred historian would not have made such a particular remark
concerning it.
K Ibid. n. 7. h Mark xiv. 13.
' Horn. xi. in Act. Apostt. s. 1. vol. ix. p. 90.
^ Strom, lib. ii. c. 20. p. 489. Eusob. Hist. Eccl. lib. ii. c. 1. ex Clem. Hypot. 1. vii.
Chron. Alex. p. 530.
' Acts iv. 37.
i
SAINT BAKNABAS. 93
IV. The church being dispersed up and down after St. Ste-
phen's martyrdom, we have no certain account what became of
him ; in all probability he stayed with the apostles at Jerusalem,
where we find him not long after St. PauFs conversion. For
that fierce and active zealot being miraculously taken off in the
height of his rage and fury, and putting on now the innocent
and inoffensive temper of a lamb, came after some little time to
Jerusalem, and addressed himself to the church. But they, not
satisfied in the reality of his change, and fearing it might be
nothing but a subtle artifice to betray them, universally shunned
his company; and what wonder if the harmless sheep fled at
the sight of the wolf that had made such havoc of the flock : till
Barnabas, presuming probably upon his former acquaintance,
entered into a more familiar converse with him, introduced him
to the apostles, and declared to them the manner of his conver-
sion, and what signal evidences he had given of it at Damascus,
in his bold and resolute disputations with the Jews.
V. " There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth i"'" the dis-
persion of the church by SauPs persecution proved the means of
a more plentiful harvest, the Christian religion being hereby on
all hands conveyed both to Jews and Grentiles. Among the rest
some Cyprian and Cyrenean converts went to Antioch," where
they preached the Gospel with mighty success ; great numbers
both of Jews and proselytes (wherewith that city did abound)
heartily embracing the Christian faith. The news whereof
coming to the apostles at Jerusalem, they sent down Barnabas
to take an account of it, and to settle this new plantation. Being
come, he rejoiced to see that Christianity had made so fair a
progress in that great city, earnestly pressing them cordially and
constantly to persevere in that excellent religion which they had
entertained ; himself, like a pious and a good man, undergoing
any labours and difficulties; which God was pleased to crown
with answerable success, the addition of multitudes of new con-
verts to the faith. But the work was too great to be managed
by a single hand : to furnish himself, therefore, with suitable
assistance, he went to Tarsus, to enquire for St. Paul, lately
come thither. Him he brings back with him to Antioch, where
both of them continued industriously ministering to the increase
and establishment of the church for a whole year together ; and
"> Prov. xi. 24. " Acts xi. 20.
94 THE LIFE OF
then and there it was that the disciples of the holy Jesus had
the honourable name of Christians" first solemnly fixed upon
them.
VI. It happened about this time, or not long after, that a
severe famine (foretold by Agabus, a Christian prophet, that
came down to Antioch) pressed upon the provinces of the
Roman empire, and especially Judaea, whereby the Christians,
whose estates were exhausted by their continual contributions
for the maintenance of the jioor, were reduced to great ex-
tremities. The church of Antioch compassionating their mise-
rable case, agreed upon a liberal and charitable supply for their
relief, which they entrusted with Barnabas and Paul, Avhom they
sent along with it to the governors of the churches, that they
might dispose it as necessity did require. This charitable em-
bassy the Greek rituals no doubt respect, when in the office at
the promotion of the magnus ceconomus^^ or high steward of the
church, (whose place it was to manage and dispose the church's
revenues,) they make particular mention of " the holy and most
famous Barnabas the apostle, and generous martyr." Having
discharged their trust, they returned back from Jerusalem to
Antioch, bringing along with them " John, surnained Mark,"*! the
son of Mary, sister to Barnabas, whose house was the sanctuary,
where the church found both shelter for their persons, and con-
veniency for the solemnities of their worship.
VII. The church of Antioch being now sufficiently provided
of spiritual guides, our two apostles might be the better spared
for the conversion of the Gentile world. As they Avere therefore
engaged in the duties of fasting and prayer, and other public
exercises of their religion, the Spirit of God, by some prophetic
afflatus or revelation made to some of the prophets there present,
commanded that Barnabas and Saul should be set apart to that
peculiar ministry, to which God had designed them. Accord-
ingly, having fasted and prayed, hands were solemnly laid upon
them, to denote their particular designation to that service.
Imposition of hands had been a ceremony of ancient date.
Even among the Gentiles they were wont to design persons to
public functions and offices by lifting up, or stretching out the
hand, whereby they gave their votes and suffrages for those em-
ployments. But herein though they did x^iporovelv, " stretch
" Acts xi. 2f). P Pituril. Grrecor. in proinot. CEconom. i Acts xii. 2.">.
SAINT BARNABAS. 95
forth,'''' they did not " lay on their hands ;''' which was the
proper ceremony in use, and of far greater standing in the
Jewish church. When Moses made choice of the seventy elders
to be his coadjutors in the government, it was (say the Jews) by
laying his hands ujaon them : and when he constituted Joshua
to be his successor, " he laid his hands on him, and gave him the
charge before all the congregation."""" This custom they con-
stantly kept in appointing both civil and ecclesiastical officers,
and that not only while their temple and polity stood, but long
after the fall of their church and state. For so Benjamin the
Jew tells us,^ that in his time all the Israelites of the East,
when they wanted a rabbin or teacher in their synagogues,
were Avont to bring him to the nVl-lH '!Dik1'> as they call him the
al'x^fia\(OTdp')(7]<i, or " head of the captivity," residing at Babylon,
(at that time R. Daniel the son of Hasdai,) that he might re-
ceive /ilti^m nD''QDn power by " imposition of hands" to become
preacher to them. From the Jews it was together with some
other rites transferred into the Christian church, in ordaining
guides and ministers of religion, and has been so used through
all ages and periods to this day. Though the 'X^eipodecria and
the ')(^eiporovla are not of equal extent in the writings and prac-
tice of the church ; the one implying the bare rite of laying on
of hands, while the other denotes ordination itself, and the entire
solemnity of the action. Whence the apostolical constitutor,*
speaking of the presbyter''s interest in this affair, says x^ipoderec
ov '^etpoTovel, he lays on his hands, but he does not ordain ;
meaning it of the custom then, and ever since, of presbyters
laying on their hands together with the bishop in that solemn
action.
VIII. Barnabas and Paul, having thus received a divine com-
mission for the apostleship of the Gentiles, and taking Mark
along with them as their minister and attendant, immediately
entered upon the province. And first they betook themselves
to Seleucia, a neighbour city, seated upon the influx of the
river Orontes into the Mediterranean sea : hence they set sail
for Cyprus, Barnabas's native country, and arrived at Salamis,
a city heretofore of great account, the ruins whereof are two
miles distant from the present Famagusta, where they un-
dauntedly preached in the Jewish synagogues. From Salamis
"■ NuniV). xxvii. 22,2.S. » Itinerar. p. 73. « Lib. viii. c. 28.
96 THE LIFE OF
they travelled up the island to Paphos, a city remarkable of old
for the -worship of Venus, Diva potens C^jyri," the tutelar
goddess of the island, who was here worshipped with the most
wanton and immodest rites, and had a famous temple dedicated
to her for that purpose, concerning which the inhabitants have a
tradition '' that at St. Barnabas's prayers it fell flat to the
ground ; and the ruins of an ancient church are still shewed to
travellers, and under it an arch, where Paul and Barnabas were
shut up in prison. At this place was the court or residence of
the prsetor, or president of the island, (not properly avdv7raT0<;,
the proconsul, for Cyprus was not a proconsular but a praetorian
province,) who being altogether guided by the counsels and
sorceries of Bar-Jesus, an eminent magician, stood off from the
proposals of Christianity, till the magician being struck by
St. Paul with immediate blindness for his malicious opposition
of the gospel, this quickly determined the governor\s belief, and
brought him over a convert to that religion, which as it made
the best offers, so he could not but see had the strongest evi-
dences to attend it.
IX. Leaving Cyprus, they sailed over to Perga in Pamphilia,^
famous for a temple of Diana ; here Mark, weary it seems of this
itinerant course of life, and the unavoidable dangers that at-
tended it, took his leave and returned to Jerusalem ; which laid
the foundation of an unhappy difference, that broke out between
these two apostles afterwards. The next place they came to
was Antioch in Pisidia, where in the Jewish synagogue St. Paul
by an elegant oration converted great numbers both of Jews and
proselytes ; but a persecution being raised by others, they were
forced to desert the place. Thence they passed to Iconium, a
noted city of Lycaonia, where in the synagogues they preached
a long time with good success, till a conspiracy being made
against them, they withdrew to Lystra, the inhabitants whereof,
upon a miraculous cure done by St. Paul, treated them as gods
come down from heaven in human shape ; St. Paul, as being
principal speaker, they termed Mercury, the interpreter of the
gods; Barnabas they looked upon as Jupiter, their sovereign
deity, either because of his age, or (as Chrysostom thinks,^)
because he was airo rrj<; o-v/reeo? afi07rpe7r^9, for the gravity
" Horat. carm. i. od. iii. 1. " Cotovic. Itin. 1. i. c. 16.
* y Acts xiii. 1 .3. » Horn. xxx. in Act. Apostt. s. 3. vol. ix. p. 2.37.
■ SAINT BARNABAS. 97
and comeliness of his person, being (as antiquity represents him)
a very goodly man, and of a venerable aspect, wherein he had
infinitely the advantage of St. Paul, who was of a very mean
and contemptible presence. But the malice of the Jews pur-
sued them hither, and prevailed with the people to stone
St. Paul, who presently recovering, he and Barnabas went to
Derbe, where, when they had converted many to the faith, they
returned back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, and so through
Pisidia to Pamphylia, thence from Perga to Attalia, confirming
as they came back the churches which they had planted at their
first going out. At Attalia they took ship, and sailed to
Antioch in Syria, the place whence they had first set out,
where they gave the church an account of the whole success of
their travels, and what way was made for the projiagation of
Christianity in the Gentile world.
X. The restless enemy of all goodness was vexed to see so
fair and smooth a progress of the gospel, and therefore resolved
to attempt it by the old subtle arts of intestine divisions and
animosities : what the envious man could not stifle by open
violence, he sought to choke by sowing tares. Some zealous
converts coming down from Jerusalem to Antioch, started this
notion, which they asserted with all possible zeal and stiffness,
that unless together with the Christian religion they joined the
observance of the Mosaic rites,"* there could be no hopes of
salvation for them. Paul and Barnabas opposed themselves
against this heterodox opinion with all vigour and smartness,
but not able to beat it down, were despatched by the church to
advise with the apostles and brethren at Jerusalem about this
matter : whither they were no sooner come, but they were
kindly and courteously entertained, and the " right hand of
fellowship,""^ given them by the three great apostles, Peter,
James, and John ; and an agreement made between them, that
wherever they came, they should betake themselves to the Jews,
while Paul and Barnabas applied themselves unto the Gentiles.
And here probably it was that Mark reconciled himself to his
uncle Barnabas, which, one tells us,'^ he did with tears and great
importunity, earnestly bogging him to forgive his weakness and
cowardice, and promising for the future a firmer constancy and
'^ Acts XV. 1. "^ Gal. ii. 9.
" Alexand. Monacli. encom. S. Barnab. inter vitas S. Metaph. np. Siir. ud Jun. xi. ii. 15,
VOL. I. H
98 THE LIFE OF
more undaunted resolution. But they were especially careful to
mind the great affair they were sent about, and accordingly
opened the case in a public council convened for that purpose.
And Peter having first given his sentence, that the Gentile
converts were under no such obligation, Paul and Barnabas
.acquainted the synod what great things God by their ministry
had wrought for the conversion of the Gentiles ; a plain evidence
that they were accepted by God without the Mosaic rites and
ceremonies. The matter being decided by the council, the
determination was drawn up into the form of a synodical
epistle, which was delivered to Barnabas and Paul, to whom
the council gave this eulogium and character, that they were
. " men that had hazarded their lives for the name of the Lord
Jesus Chi-ist,"'' with whom they joined two of their own, that
they might carry it to the churches. Being come to Antioch
they delivered the decrees of the council, wherewith the church
was abundantly satisfied, and the controversy for the present
laid asleep.
XL It was not long after this that St. Peter came down to
Antioch,* who, loth to exasperate the zealous Jews, withdrew all
converse with the Gentile converts, contrary to his former
practice, and his late vote and suffrage in the synod at Jeru-
salem. The minds of the Gentiles were greatly disturbed at
this, and the convert Jews, tenipted by his example, abstain
from all communion with the Gentiles ; nay, so strong was the
temptation, that St. Barnabas himself was carried down the
stream, and began now to scruple, whether it was lawful to hold
communion with the Gentiles, with whom before he had so
familiarly conversed, and been so eminently instrumental in
their conversion to Christianity : so prevalent an influence
has the example of a great or a good man to determine others
to what is good or bad. How careful should we be what
course we take, lest we seduce and compel others to walk in our
crooked paths, and load ourselves with the guilt of those that
follow after us ! St. Paul shortly after propounded to Barnabas,
that they might again visit the churches wherein they had
lately planted the Christian faith : he liked the motion, but
desired his cousin Mark might again go along with them,
which St. Paul would by no means consent to, having found,
<* Acts XV. 2(5. e Gal. ii. 11.
SAINT BARNABAS. 99
by his cowardly deserting them at Pamjihylia, how unfit he was
for such a troublesome and dangerous service. This begat a sharp
contest, and ripened into almost an irreconcileable difference
between these two holy men : which, as at once it shews, that the
best are men of like passions and infirmities with others, subject
to be transported with partiality, and carried off" with the heats
of an irregular passion, so it lets us see " how great a matter a
little fire kindles," ' and how inconsiderable an occasion may
minister to strife and division, and hazard the breach of the
firmest charity and friendship. The issue was that the to
^€vyo<; TO lepbv, (as Theodoret^ styles these two apostles,) this
sacred pair, that had hitherto equally and unanimously drawn
the 3^oke of the gospel, now drew several ways, and in some dis-
content parted from each other: St. Paul, taking Silas, went to
the churches of Syria and Cilicia; while Barnabas, accompanied
with his cousin Mark, set sail for Cyprus, his own country.
XII. Thus far the sacred historian has for the main gone
before us, who here breaks off his accounts concerning him.
What became of him afterwards we are left under great uncer-
tainty. Dorotheus'' and the author of the Recognitions," and some
other writings attributed to St. Clemens, make him to have
been at Rome, and one of the first that preached the Christian
faith in that city ; for which Baronius*" falls foul upon them, not
being willing that any should be thought to have been there
before St. Peter, though after him (and it is but good manners to
let him go first) he is not imwilliug to grant his being there.
Leaving therefore the difference in point of time, let us see what
we find there concerning him. At his first arrival there, about
autumn, he is said thus publicly to have addressed himself to the
people, "^vSpe? 'PcofMaloi aKovauTe. " 0 ye Romans, give ear.
The Son of God has appeared in the country of Judea, promising
eternal life to all that are willing to embrace it, and to lead their
lives according to the will of the Father that sent him. Where-
fore change your course of life, and turn from a worse to a better
state, from things temporal to those that are eternal. Acknow-
ledge that there is one only God, who is in heaven, and whose
' James iii. 5. ^ Comm. in Esai. xi. vol. ii, p. 255.
i" Doroth. Synops. ap. Bibl. patrum, vol. ii. p. 1 82.
' Recogn. 1. i. c. 7. Clementin. Horn. i. c. 7. Epitom. de gest. B. Petr. c. 7.
'' Baron, ad Ann. 51. n. 52. 54. not. ad Martyr. Rom. Jan. xi. p. 257.
II 2
100 THE LIFE OF
world you unjustly possess before his righteous face. But if you
reform, and live according to his laws, you shall be translated
into another world, where you shall become immortal, and enjoy
the ineffable glories and happiness of that state. Whereas if you
persist in your infidelity, your souls, after the dissolution of these
bodies, shall be cast into a place of flames, where they shall be
eternally tormented under the anguish of an unprofitable and too
late repentance. For the present life is to every one the only
space and season of repentance."" This was spoken with great
plainness and simplicity, and without any artificial schemes of
speech, and accordingly took with the attentive popnlacy : while
the philosophers and more inquisitive heads entertained the dis-
course with scorn and laughter, (this indeed the author of the
KXrjfiivTtva^ and the Epitome Upafecov,'" somewhat differently
from the Recognitions, refers to his being at Alexandria,) setting
upon him with captious questions and syllogisms, and sophistical
arts of reasoning. But he, taking no notice of their impertinent
questions, went on in his plain discourse, concluding that he had
nakedly laid these things before them, and that it lay at their
door whether they Avould reject or entertain them ; that for his
part he could not without j)rejudice to himself not declare them,
nor they without infinite danger disbelieve them.
XIII. Departing from Rome, he is by different writers made
to steer different courses. The Greeks" tell us he went for
Alexandria, and thence for Judea : the writers" of the Roman
church (with whom agrees DorotheusP in this matter) that he
preached the gospel in Liguria, and founded a church at Milan,
whereof he became the first bishop, propagating Christianity in
all those parts. But however that was, probable it is that in the
last periods of his life he returned unto Cyprus, where my au-
thor tells us, '^ he converted many, till some Jews from Syria
coming to Salamis, where he then was, enraged with fury set
upon him as he was disputing in the synagogue, in a corner whereof
they shut him up till night, when they brought him forth, and
after infinite tortures stoned him to death. He adds (and the
' Clementin. Horn. i. 8,.<), 10. m Epitom. de gest. B. Petri, c. 8, &c.
" Clementin. et Epitom. ibid. Alexand. Monach. encom. S. Barnab. inter vitas S. Me-
taph. ap. Sur. ad Jun. xi. n. 1,3, 14.
° Baron, ad Ann. 51. n. 54. Sanct. dc pr.-ed. S. Jac. Tr. iii. c. 1. n. 9.
P Synops. in Bibl. patrum, vol. ii. p. 182. n Alexand. ib. n. 18. et f<eq.
SAINT BARNABAS. 101
faith of it must rest upon the credit of the relater, Avho, Baronius""
tells us, lived at the same time when his corpse was first found
out) that they threw his body into the fire with an intent to con-
sume it, but that the flames had not the least power upon it, and
that ]\Iark, his kinsman, privately buried it in a cave not far dis-
tant from the city, his friends resenting the loss with solemn
lamentation. I omit the miracles reported to have been done at
his tomb : the remains of his body were discovered in the reign
of Zeno,^ the emperor, (Nicephorus,' by a mistake, makes it the
twelfth year of Anastasius,) anno 485, dug up under a bean or
carob tree, and upon his breast was found St. Matthew's gosj)el
written with Barnabas's own hand, which Anthemius, the bishop,
took along with him to Constantinople, where it was received by
the emperor witlr a mighty reverence, and laid up with great
care and diligence. The emperor, as a testimony of his joy,
honouring the episcopal see of Salamis with this prerogative, that
it should be secies avroK€(pa\o<i, independent upon any -foreign
jurisdiction, a privilege ratified by Justinian the emperor, whose
wife Theodora was a Cypriot. The emperor also greatly enriched
the bishop at his return, commanding him to build a church to
St. Barnabas over the place of his interment, which was accord-
ingly erected with more than ordinary stateliness and magnifi-
cence. It is added in the story," that these remains were dis-
covered by the notice of St. Barnabas himself, who three several
times appeared to Anthemius; which I behold as a mere addition
to the story, designed only to serve a present turn. For Peter,
surnaraed the Fuller, then patriarch of Antioch, challenged at
this time a jurisdiction over the Cyprian churches as subject to
his see ; this Anthemius would not agree to, but stifily asserted
his own riglits; and how easy was it to take this occasion, of find-
ing St. Barnabas's-body, to add that of the appearances to him,
to gain credit to the cause, and advance it with the emperor ?
And accordingly it had its designed effect ; and whoever reads
the whole story, and the circumstances of the apparitions, as
related by my author, will see that they seem plainly calculated
for such a purpose.
XIV. For his outward form and shape, he is thus represented
by the ancients.'' He was a man of a comely countenance, a
■" Ad. Ann. 485. n. 4. ' Theod. Lect. 1. ii. art. 2. Alex. Mon. loc. cit. n. 31.
' Niceph. Hist. Eccl.l. xvi. c. 37. " Alex, ut supra, n. 29, 30. " Id. ibid. n. 18.
103 THE LIFE OF
grave and venerable aspect, his eye-brows short, his eye cheer-
ful and pleasant, darting- something of majesty, but nothing of
sourness and austerity, his speech sweet and obliging; his garb
was mean, and such as became a man of a mortified life, his gait
composed and unaffected, grave and decent. This elegant struc-
ture was but the lodging of a more noble tenant, a soul richly
furnished with divine graces and virtues, a profound humility,
diffusive charity, firm faith, an immoveable constancy, and an un-
conquerable patience, a mighty zeal, and an unwearied diligence
in the propagating of Christianity, and for the good of souls. So
entirely did he devote himself to an ambulatory course of life, so
continually was he employed in running up and down from place
to place, that he could find little or no time to leave any writings
behind him for the benefit of the church ; at least none that have
certainly arrived to us. Indeed anciently there were some, and
Tertullian^ particularly, who supposed him to be the author of
the Epistle to the Hebrews, an opinion generally rejected and
thrown out of doors : there is also an epistle still extant under
his name of great antiquity frequently cited by Clemens Alexan-
drinus, and his scholar Origen, (to pass by others,) the latter of
whom styles it the Catholic Epistle of Barnabas,^ but placed by
Eusebius" among the ra voOd, the writings that were not genuine.
The frame and contexture of it is intricate and obscure, made up
of uncouth allegories, forced and improbable interpretations of
Scripture, though the main design of it is to shew, that the
Christian religion has superseded the rites and usages of the
Mosaic law. The latter part of it contains an useful and excel-
lent exhortation, managed under the notion of two ways, the one
of ligJd, the other of darkness ; the one under the conduct of the
angels of God, {(fxaraywyol ayyeXoi, those illuminating ministers,
as he calls them,) the other under the guidance of the angels of
Satan, the prince of the iniquity of the age. Under the way of
light he presses to most of the particular duties and instances of
the Christian and the spiritual life, which are there with ad-
mirable accuracy and succinctness reckoned uj) ; under that of
darkness he represents those particular sins and vices which we
are to decline and shun : and I am confident the pious reader
will not think it time lost, nor repent his pains to peruse so
y De pudicit. c. 20. vid. Philastr. de Hseres. c. 60. » Contr. Cels, 1. i. c. 63,
» Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 25.
SAINT BARNABAS. 103
ancient and useful a discourse. Thus then he expresses him-
self:
XV. " The way of life is this. Whoever travels towards the
appointed place, will hasten by his works to attain to it. And
the knowledge that is given us how to walk in this way is this :
Thou shalt love thy Creator. Thou shalt glorify him who re-
deemed thee from death. Thou shalt be simple in heart, and
being rich in spirit shalt not join thyself to him that walks in the
way of death. Thou shalt hate to do that which is displeasing
unto God. Thou shalt hate all manner of hypocrisy. Thou
shalt not forsake the commandments of the Lord. Exalt not
thyself, but be of an humble mind. Thou shalt not assume
glory to thyself. Neither shalt thou take evil council against
thy neighbour. Thou shalt not add boldness to thy soul. Thou
shalt not commit fornication, nor be guilty of adultery or bug-
gery. Thou shalt not neglect God's command in correcting
other men's impurity, nor shalt thou have respect of persons,
when thou reprovest any man for his faults. Thou shalt be meek
and silent, and stand in awe of the words which thou hearest.
Thou shalt not remember evil against thy brother. Thou shalt
not be of a double and unstable mind, doubting whether thus or
thus. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.
Thou shalt love thy neighbour above thy life. Thou shalt not
destroy a child by abortion, nor make it away when it is born.
Thou shalt not withhold thy hand from thy son, or from thy
daughter, but from their youth shalt teach them the fear of the
Lord. Be not desirous of thy neighbour's goods, nor covet much.
Neither shalt thou heartily join with the proud, but shalt be
numbered with the just and the humble. Entertain trials and
temptations, when they happen to thee, as instruments of good.
Thou shalt not be double-minded, nor of a deceitful tongue, for
a double tongue Is the snare of death. Thou shalt be subject to
the Lord, and to masters as God's representatives, in reverence
and fear. Thou shalt not command thy maid or man-servant
with bitterness and severity, those especially that hope in God,
lest thou thyself prove one that fearest not him, who is over both :
for he came not to call men according to outward appearance,
but those whom his Spirit did prepare. Thou shalt communi-
cate to thy neighbour In all things, and shalt not call what thou
hast thine own : for if ye mutually partake In incorruptible
104 THE LIFE OF
things, how much more in things that are corruptible. Be not
rash with thy .tongue, for the mouth is the snare of death. Keep
thy soul as chaste as thou canst ; stretch not forth thy hands to
take, and shut them when thou shouldst give. Love all those
that speak to thee the word of the Lord, as the apple of thine
eye. Remember the day of judgment night and day. Seek out
daily the faces of holy men, and searching by the word, go forth
to exhort, and by it study to save a soul. And with thy hands
shalt thou labour for the redemption of thy sins. Delay not to
give, nor begrudge when thou art charitable. Give to every one
that asks thee ; and thou shalt know who is the good recom-
penser of the reward. Thou shalt keep the things which thou
hast received, neither adding to them, nor taking from them.
Thou shalt ever hate a wdcked person. Judge righteously.
Make no schism. Make peace between those that are at differ-
ence, reconciling them to each other. Confess thy sins, and come
not to prayer with an evil conscience. This is the way of
light.""
XVL " But now the vmy of darkness is crooked and full of
curses. For it is the way of eternal death attended with punish-
ment ; wherein are things destructive to their souls — idolatry,
audaciousness, height of domination, hypocrisy, double-hearted-
ness, adultery, murder, rapine, pride, transgression, deceit, ma-
lice, arrogance, witchcraft, magic, covetousness, w^ant of the fear
of God ; persecutors of good men, haters of the truth, men who
love but do not know the wages of righteousness ; persons that
adhere not to what is good, nor who by righteous judgment
regard the case of the widow and the orphan ; watchful not for
the fear of God, but for what is evil ; great strangers to meek-
ness and patience ; lovers of vanity, greedy of revenge, who
compassionate not the poor, nor endeavour to relieve the op-
pressed ; prone to detraction, not knowing their Maker ; mur-
derers of children, defacers of God's workmanship, such as turn
away themselves from the needy, add affliction to the afflicted,
plead for the rich, and unjustly judge the poor, sinners altoge-
ther."*^ And having thus described these two different ways, he
concludes his discourse with a hearty and passionate exhoi'tation,
that since the time of rewards and punishments was drawing on,
they wouhl mind these things, as those that w^ere taught of God,
•> Baniab. Ep. c. 19. « Ibid. c. 20.
SAINT BARNABAS. 105
searching after what God required of them, and setting them-
selves to the practice of it, that they might be saved at the day
of judgment. I have no more to remark concerning this excel-
lent person, than to add the character given of him by a pen that
could not err, " he was a good man, full of faith, and of the Holy
Ghost." '^
^ Acta xi. 24.
THE LIFE OF SAINT TIMOTHY
THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.
St. Timothy's country and kindred. His religious education. The great advantages of
an early piety. Converted to Christianity by St. Paul, and made choice of to be his
companion. Circumcised by St. Paul, and why. This no contradicting St. Paul's
doctrine concerning circumcision. His travels with St. Paul for the propagation of the
faith. His return from Thessalonica, and St. Paul's two epistles to that church. St.
Timothy consecrated bishop of Ephesus. The consent of antiquity herein. Ordina-
tion in those times usually done by prophetic designation, and the reason of it. Timo-
thy's age enquired into. The importance of veos and veSr-ris (let no man despise thy
youth) ; the words shewed to be used by the best writers for a considerable age. St.
Paul's first and second epistles to him, and the importance of them. The manners of
tlie Ephesians noted. Their festival called Karaydiywv. St. Timothy's martyrdom.
The time of his death, place of his burial, and translation of his body. His weak and
infirm constitution. His great abstinence, and admirable zeal. St. Paul's singular
affection for him. Different from Timotheus in St. Denys the Areopagite. Another
Timothy, St. Paul's disciple, martyred under Antoninus.
I. Saint Timothy was, as we may probably conceive, a Lycaonian,
born at Lystra, a noted city of that province. He was a person
in whom the Jew, the Gentile, and the Christian met altogether.
His father was by birth a Greek, by religion a Gentile, or if a
proselyte, at most but 2ti^in "IJ, " a proselyte of the gate," who
did not oblige themselves to circumcision, and the rites of Moses,
but only to the observance of the " seven precepts of the sons of
Noah:" his mother Eunice, daughter to the devout and pious
Lois, was a Jewess, who yet scrupled not to mai'ry with this
Greek ; an argument that the partition wall now tottered, and
was ready to fall, when Jew and Gentile began thus to match
together." His mother and grandmother Avere women very emi-
nently virtuous and holy, and seem to have been amongst the
first that were converted to the Christian faith. Nor was it the
least instance of their piety, the care they took of his education,
» Chrysost. Horn. i. in 2 Tim. s. 2. vol. xi. p. 660.
THE LIFE OF SAINT TIMOTHY. 107
instructing liim in the knowledge of divine things, and seasoning
his tender years with virtuous and soher principles, so that " from
a child he was acquainted with the holy Scriptures," ^ whereby
he was admirably prepared for the reception of Christianity, and
furnished for the conduct of a strict pious life. And indeed
religion never thrives more kindly, than when it is planted be-
times, and the foundations of it laid in an early piety. '^ For the.
mind, being then soft and tender, is easily capable of the best
impressions, which by degrees insinuate themselves into it, and
insensibly reconcile it to the difficulties of an holy life; so that
what must necessarily be harsh and severe to a man that endea-
vours to rescue himself from an habitual course of sin, the other
is unacquainted with, and goes on smoothly in a way that is be-
come pleasant and delightful. None start with greater advan-
tages, nor usually persevere with a more vigorous constancy,
than they who " remember their Creator in the days of their
youth," '^ and sacrifice the first-fruits of their time to God and to
religion, before corrupt affections have clapped a bias npon their
inclinations, and a train of vices depraved, and in great measure
laid asleep, the natural notions of good and evil.
11. Prepared by so excellent a culture in the JeAvish religion,
God was pleased to transplant him into a better soil. St. Paul,
in pursuance of his commission to preach the gospel to the Gen-
tiles, had come as far as Antioch in Pisidia, thence to Iconium,
and so to Lystra, where the miraculous cure of an impotent
cripple made way for the entertainment of the Christian doctrine.
Among others there converted, we are told'' were St. Timothy's
parents, who courteously treated and entertained the apostle at
their house, wholly resigning up their son to his care and conduct.
About two years after, in his review of those late plantations, he
came again to Lystra, where he made choice of Timothy,^ recom-
mended to him by the universal testimony of the Christians
thereabouts, as an evangelist, to be his assistant and the com-
panion of his travels, that he might have somebody always with
him, with whom he could entrust matters of importance, and
whom he might despatch upon any extraordinary affair and exi-
gence of the church. Indeed Timothy was not circumcised; for
this being a branch of the paternal authority, did not lie in his
'' 2 Tim. iii. 15. ^ pint, de liber, educ. vol. ii. p. 4. "^ Etcl. xii. 1.
^ S. Metaphr. de S. Timotli. ap. Sur. ad Juii. 22. f Acts xvi. 1, 2, 3.
108 THE LIFE OF
mother"'s power : this was notoriously known to all the Jews, and
this St. Paul knew would be a mighty prejudice to his ministry
wherever he came. For the Jews, being infinitely zealous for
circumcision, would not with any tolerable patience endure any
man to preach to them, or so much as to converse with them,
who was himself uncircumcised. That this obstacle therefore
- might be removed, he caused him to be circumcised, becoming in
lawful matters " all things to all men, that he might gain the
more."* Admirable (says Chrysostom^) the wisdom and pru-
dence of St. Paul, who had this design in it, ITepierefiev, iva irept-
TOfirjv fcaOeXrj : " he circumcised him, that he might take away
circumcision ;" that is, be the more acceptable to the Jews, and
by that means the more capable to undeceive them in their
opinion of the necessity of those legal rites. At other times we
find him smartly contending against circumcision as a justifica-
tion of the Mosaic institutions, and a virtual undermining the
great ends of Christianity. Nor did he in this instance contra-
dict his own doctrine, or unwarrantably symbolize with the Jews;
it being only (as Clemens ' of Alexandria observes concerning
this passage) a prudent condescension to the present humour of
the Jews, whom he was unwilling to disoblige, and make them
wholly fly off, by a too sudden and violent rending them from the
circumcision in, the flesh, to bring them over to the circumcision
of the heart. So that he who thus accommodates himself for the
salvation of another, can no ways be charged with dissimulation
and hypocrisy ; seeing he does that purely for the advantage of
others, which he would not do for any other reason, or upon
account of the things themselves : this being tov <f)cXav6p(t)7rov
Kol (piKoOeov iraihevTov, the part of a wise and kind instructor,
who is a true lover of God and the souls of men.
III. St. Paul thus fitted with a meet companion, forwards
they set in their evangelical progress, and having passed through
Phrygia and Galatia, came down to Troas, thence they set sail
for Samothracia, and so to Neapolis, whence they passed to Phi-
lippi, the metropolis of that pai't of Macedonia : where being evil
entreated by the magistrates and people, they departed to Thes-
salonica, whence the fury and malice of the Jews made them fly
to Beraea. Here they met with people of a more generous and
K 1 Cor. ix. 1.9, 22. '' Horn, xxxiv. in Act. Apost. s. 3. vol. ix. p. 263.
' Stronmt. 1. vii. t. 9.
1
SAINT TIMOTHY. 109
manly temper, ready to embrace the Christian doctrine, but yet
not tin they had first compared It with the predictions which
the prophets had made concerning the Messiah, But even here
they could not escape the Implacable spirit of the Jews, so that
the Christians were forced privately to conduct St. Paul to
Athens, while Silas and Timothy, not so much the Immediate
objects of their spite and cruelty, stayed behind, to Instruct and
confirm the converts of that place. Whether they came to him
during his stay at Athens, is uncertain : St. Luke takes no far-
ther notice of them till their coming to him at Corinth, his next
remove. Where at their first arrival, (If it was not at Athens,)
St. Paul despatched away Timothy to Thessalonica,'' to inquire
into the state of Christianity in that city, and to confirm them In
the belief and profession of the Gospel ; for he seems to have had
a more peculiar kindness for that church, having since his last
being there more than once resolved himself to go back to them,'
but that the great enemy of souls had still thrown some rub in
the way to hinder him.
IV. From Thessalonica Timothy returned"" with the welcome
news of their firmness and constancy, notwithstanding the perse-
cutions they endured, their mutual charity to each other, and
particular aifectlon to St. Paul ; news wherewith the good man
was Infinitely pleased : as certainly nothing can minister greater
joy and satisfaction to a faithful guide of souls, than to behold
the welfare and prosperity of his people. Nor did his care of
them end here, but he presently writes his first epistle to them,
to animate them under their sufterlngs, and not to desert the
Christian religion, because the cross did attend it, but rather to
adorn their Christian profession by a life answerable to the holy
designs and precepts of it. In the front of this epistle he In-
serted not only his own name, but also those of Silas and Timo-
thy, partly to reflect the greater honour upon his fellow- workers,
partly that their united authoi'Ity and consent might have the
stronger Influence and force upon them. The like he did In a
second epistle, which not long after he sent to them, to supply
the want of his personal presence, whereof in his former he had
given them some hopes, and which he himself seemed so passion-
ately to desire. Eighteen months, at least, they had continued
^ 1 Thoss. iii. 1, 2, 3. '1 Thess. ii. 17, 18, 19. "'I Thess. iii. 6, 7, &c.
110 THE LIFE OF
at Corinth, when St. Paul resolved upon a journey to Jerusalem,
where he stayed not long, but went for Antioch ; and having
travelled over the countries of Galatia and Phrygia to establish
Christianity, lately planted in those parts, came to Ephesus,
where though he met with great opposition, yet he preached
with greater success ; and was so wholly swallowed up with the
concerns of that city, that, though he had resolved himself to go
into Macedonia, he was forced to send Timothy and Erastus in
his stead, who having done their errand, returned to Ephesus,
to assist him in promoting the affairs of religion in that place.
V. St. Paul having for three years resided at Ephesus and
the parts about it, determined to take his leave, and depart for
Macedonia. And now it was (as himself plainly intimates," and
the ancients generally conceive) that he constituted Timothy
bishop and governor of that church ; he was the first bishop
(says Eusebius)° of the province or diocese of Ej)hesus; he did
7rp(t)ro<; 'E(f)eaov eTnaKOTrrjcrai, says the author in Photius,P
" first act as bishop of Ephesus " and in the council of Chalce-
don'' twenty-seven bishops are said successively to have sitten
in that chair, whereof St. Timothy was the first. In the Apo-
stolical Constitutions'" he is expressly said to have been ordained
bishop of it by St. Paul, or as he in Photius expresseth it, a
little more after the mode of his time, " he was ordained and
enthroned (or installed) bishop of the metropolis of the Ephe-
sians by the great St. Paul."' Ephesus was a great and popu-
lous city, and the civil government of the proconsul, who resided
there, reached over the whole Lydian or proconsular Asia. And
such in proportion the ancients make the ecclesiastical jurisdic-
tion of that church, St. Chrysostom* affirming it to be plain and
evident, that Timothy had the church, or rather the whole
nation of Asia committed to him ; to him (says Theodoret)"^
divine St. Paul committed tt}? ^Aaia'; rrjv i-mfxekecav, the care
and the charge of Asia; upon which account a little after he
calls him "the Apostle of the Asians.'""' As for the manner of
his ordination, or rather designation to the ministeries of religion,
n 1 Tim. i. 3. " Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 4.
P Martyr. Tim. ap. Phot. Bibl. CCLIV. i Cone. Chalced. Act. xi. vol. ii. p. 557.
■■ Lib. vii. c. 47. ' Martj-r. Tim. ap. Phot, ut supra.
' Horn. XV. in 1 Tim. s. 2. vol. xi. p. 6,37. " Argxim. in 1 ad Tim. vol. iii. p. 638.
" Com. in 1 Tim. iii. vol. iii. p. G5"2.
SAINT TIMOTHY. Ill
it was by particular and extraordinary designation, God imme-
diately testifying it to be bis will and pleasure ; tlience it is said
to have been done Kara ra? 7rpoayovcra<? 7rpo(f)r)T€ta<i, " according
to some preceding predictions concerning bim,"^ and tbat be re-
ceived it not only by tbe " laying on of bands,"" but " by pro-
pbecy,"^ tbat is, as Ohrysostom'' truly explains it, by the Holy
Ghost ; it being part of the prophetic office, (as he adds, and
especially it was so at that time,) not only to foretell future
events, but to declare things present, God extraordinarily mani-
festing whom he would have set apart for that weighty office.
Thus Paul and Barnabas were separated by the special dictate
of the Holy Ghost ; and of the governors of the Ephesine
churches that met at Miletus, it is said, that " the Holy Ghost
had made them bishops, or overseers of the church." And this
way of election by way of prophetic revelation continued in use
at least during the apostolic aga: Clemens,'' in his Epistle to the
Corinthians, tells us, that the apostles preaching up and down
cities and countries, constituted their first-fruits to be the bishops
and deacons of those who should believe, SoKt/jbdo-avTef rm
TTvev/juari,, " making trial of them by the Spirit :" and another
Clemens*^ reports of St. John, tbat visiting the neighbour
churches about Ephesus, he ordained bishops, and such as were
signified, or pointed out to him " by the Spirit."
VI. This extraordinary and miraculous way of choosing bishops
and ecclesiastic officers, besides other advantages, begat a mighty
reverence and veneration for the governors of the church, who
were looked upon as God's choice, and as having the more imme-
diate character of heaven upon them. And especially this way
seemed more necessary for St. Timothy than others, to secure
him from that contempt which his youth might otherwise have
exposed him to. For that he was but young at that time, is
evident from St. Paul's counsel to him, so to demean himself,
that "no man might despise his youth r"*^ tbe governors of the
church in those days were irpecr^vrepot, in respect of their age
as well as office, and indeed therefore styled elders, because they
usually were persons of a considerable age that were admitted
y 1 Tim. i. 18. M Tim. iv. 14.
* Homil. V. in 1 Tim. s. 1. vol. xi. p. 574. '' Epist. ad Corinth, c. 42.
" Clem. Alex. lib. TJs 6 ttKoxxtios (ra>^6iJ.evos, ap. Eiiseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 23.
■' 1 Tim. iv. 12.
112 THE LIFE OF
into the orders of the church : this Timothy had not attained
to. And yet the word veoTrjq, yoiitJi^ admits a greater latitude
than we in ordinary speech confine it to. Cicero tells us of him-
self,^ that he was adolescentuliis, but a very youth when he
pleaded Roscius's cause ; and yet A. Gellius*^ proves him to have
been at that time no less than twenty-seven years old. Alexander,
the son of Aristobulus, is called veav[aKo<;,^ a i/onth, at the time
of his death, when yet he was above thirty. Hiero, in Polybius,''
is styled KOfxiSr} veo<i, " a very young man," whom yet Oasaubon
proves to have been thirty-five years of age ; and the same
historian, speaking of T. Flaminius's making war upon Philip of
Macedon, says, he was veo? KOfiiZfj^ " a very young man,"" for
that he was not above thirty years old : it being (as Oasaubon
observes) the custom both of Greek and Latin writers to extend
the juventus, or youthful age, from the thirtieth till the fortieth
year of a man"'s life : to which, we may add what Grotius ob-
serves,' that veoTTTi, answering to the Hebrew rT)in^i denotes
the military/ age^ all that civil and manly part of a man''s life
that is opposed to old age ; so that Timothy's youth, without
any force or violence to the word, might very well consist with
his being at least thirty, or five and thirty years of age, and he
so styled only comparatively with respect to that weighty
function, which was wont to be conferred upon none but grave
and aged men. But of this enough.
Vn. St. Timothy, thus fixed at Ephesus, did yet accompany
St. Paul ^ some part of his journey into Greece, at least went to
him thither upon some urgent affairs of the church, and then
returned to his charge. Not long after which St. Paul wrote his
first epistle to him, to encourage him in his duty, and direct him
how to behave himself in that eminent station wherein he had
set him. And because the success of the ministry does in a
great measure depend upon the persons employed in it, he gives
him more particular rules how to proceed in this matter, and
how the persons ought to be qualified, whom he admitted to that
honourable and important office, 009 eV rvira rbv lepap'x^iKov /3iOV
Koi Xoyov ava<yKaLa)<i Bie^toDv, as Nicephorus speaks,' excellently
« In Orator, c. 30. ' Noct. Attic. 1. xv. c. 28. s Joseph. Antiq. 1. xiv. c. 13.
^ Hist. 1. i. p. 11. ubi vid. Casaiib. Coniin. p. 1'29. et ejusd, exercit. ad Baron. Appar.
n. 99.
' Aiinot. in loc. ^ Acts xx. 2, 3, &c. ' Hist. Eccl. lib, ii. c. 34.
SAINT TIMOTHY. ^ 113
representing in that epistle, as in a short draught, the life and
conversation of the sacred governors of the church, describing
the tempers and manners of those who are appointed to be the
guides and ministers of religion. Well he knew also that crafty
teachers and false apostles were creeping into the church, whose
principles and practices he remarks, warning him to beware of
them, and to stand continually upon his guard against them.
The holy man followed his instructions, and was no doubt faith-
ful to his trust, which he managed with all care and diligence.
About six years after, St. Paul, being then a prisoner at Rome,
wrote a second epistle to him, (for that this epistle was written
at his first coming to Rome, we have shewed elsewhere,"") to
excite him to a mighty care and fidelity in his business, and in
undermining the false and subtle insinuations of seducers. In it
he orders Timothy to come to him with all speed to Rome,"
who accordingly came, and joined with him in the several
epistles written thence to the Philippians, Oolossians, and to
Philemon, as his name in the front of those epistles does
abundantly declare. During his stay at Rome he was upon
■ some occasion cast into prison, and thence released and set at
liberty about the time of St. PauFs enlargement, as he clearly
intimates in the close of his epistle to the Hebrews ; ° after which
he came back to Ephesus, nor is it probable that he any more
removed from thence, till his translation into heaven. And here
. it was that he became acquainted with St. John, whose apostolical
province mainly lay in Asia, and the parts about Ephesus ; and
so the Acts,P under the name of Polycrates, one of his successors,
(doubtless of good antiquity, being those mentioned and made
use of by Photius,) report, that he conversed with and was an
auditor of St. John the Divine, who lay in the bosom of our
Lord.
VIII. The Ephesians were a people of great looseness and
impiety, their manners were wanton and effeminate, profane and
prodigal : they banished Hermodorus only because he was more
sober and thrifty than the rest, enacting a decree, " Let none of
ours be thrifty."'! They were strangely bewitched with the
study of magic, and the arts of sorcery and divination ; miserably
•n Antiq. Apost. Life of St. Paul, sect. 7. n. 5. " 2 Tim. iv. 9.
" Hebr. xiii. 23, 24. P Ap. Bolland. Januar. 24.
1 Strab. Geogr. 1. xiv. p. 950.
VOL. I. I
114 THE LIFE OF
overrun with idolatry, especially tlie temple and worship of
Diana, for which they were fjimous through the whole world.
Among their many idolatrous festivals they had one called
KATArnnON,' winch Avas celebrated after this manner:
habiting themselves in an antic dress, and covering their faces
with ugly vizors, that they might not be known, with clubs in
their hands, they carried idols in a wild and a frantic manner up
and down the more eminent places of the city, singing certain
songs and verses to them ; and without any compassion or
respect either to age or sex, setting upon all persons that they
met, they beat out their brains, glorying in it as a brave achieve-
ment, and a great honour to their gods. This cursed and exe-
crable custom gave just offence to all pious and good men,
especially St. Timothy, whose spirit was grieved to see God so
openly dishonoured, human nature sunk into such a deep dege-
neracy, and so arbitrarily transported to the most savage bar-
barities by the great murderer of souls. The good man oft
endeavoured to reclaim them by lenitive and mild entreaties;
but, alas ! gentle physic works little upon a stubborn constitu-
tion. When that would not do, out he comes to them into the
midst of the street upon one of these fatal solemnities, and re-
proves them Avith some necessary sharpness and severity. But
cruelty and licentiousness are too headstrong to brook opjiosition:
impatient of being controlled in their Avild extravagancies, they
fall upon him Avith their clubs, beat and drag him up and down,
and then leave him for dead ; Avhom some Christians finding yet
to breathe, took up, and lodged him Avithout the gate of the
city, AA'here the third day after he expired. He suffered martyr-
dom on the thirtieth day of the fourth month, according to the
Asian computation, or in the Roman account on the twenty-
second of January, as the Greek church celebrates his memory,
or the tAA^enty-fourth, according to the Latin. It happened (as
some Avould have it) in the time of Nerva, Avhile others more
probably refer it to the reign of Domitian, it being done before
St. John's return from his banishment in Patmos, which was
about the besfinninff of Nerva*'s reisfn. Being: dead, the Chris-
>■ Martyr. Timoth. Apost. ap. Phot. Bibl. 254. Com. de S. Timoth. S. Metaphr. apud
Sur. ad .Tan. 24. Fragment, vit. S. Timotli. Grrece ap. P. Halloix in vit. Polycarp. forsan
ex Act. S. Timoth. a Polycrat. (uti aiunt) scriptis, qute eadem habent, ap. Bolland. ad
.Januar. 24.
SAINT TIMOTHY. 115
tians of Epliesus took his body, and decently interred it in a
place called Pion, (Piron, says Isidore,^ who adds, that it was a
mountain,) where it securely rested for some ages, till Constantine
the Great,* or, as others, his son Constantius, caused it to be
translated to Constantinople, and laid up together with those of
St. Andrew and St. Luke, in the great church erected by Con-
stantine to the holy apostles.
IX. He was a man of no very firm and healthful constitution,
frequent distempers assaulting him, besides the constant infirmi-
ties that hung upon him : which St. Chrysostom" conceives were
in a great measure owing to his extraordinary temperance, and
too frequent fastings : an effectual course to subdue those
" youthful lusts" which St. Paul cautioned him to shun, there
being no such way to extinguish the fire, as to withdraw the
fuel : he allowed himself no delicious meats, and generous wines ;
bread and water was his usual bill of fare, till by excessive ab-
stinence, and the meanness and coarseness of his diet, he had
weakened his appetite, and rendered his stomach unfit to serve
the ends of nature ; insomuch that St. Paul was forced to impose
it as a kind of law upon him, that he should " no longer drink
water, but use a little wine for his stomach's sake, and his often
infirmities.'" "" And yet in the midst of this weak tottering
carcase there dwelt a vigorous and sprightly mind, a soul acted
by a mighty zeal, and inspired Avith a true love to God : he
thought no difficulties great, no dangers formidable, that he
might be serviceable to the purposes of religion, and the interest
of souls : he flew from place to place with a quicker speed, and
a more unwearied resolution, than could have been expected
from a stronger and a healthier person ; now to Ephesus, then to
Corinth, oft into Macedonia, then to Italy, crossing sea and land,
and surmounting a thousand hazards and oppositions : in all
which (as Chrysostom's words are^') the weakness of his body
did not prejudice the divine philosophy of his mind ; so strangely
active and powerful is zeal for God, so nimbly does it wing the
soul with the swiftest flight. And certainly (as he adds) as a
great and robust body is little better for its health, which has
s De Vit. et Obit. SS. c. 86.
* Hieron. adv. Vigil, vol. iv. par. ii. p. 283. Niceph. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 43. Me-
taphr. ubi supra.
" Chrysost. Horn. i. ad Pop. Antioch. b. 3. vol. ii. p. 4.
* 1 Tim. v. 23. » Loc. citat. s. 4. p. R.
1 2
116 THE LIFE OF
nothing but a dull and a heavy soul to inform it ; so bodily
weakness is no great impediment, where there is a quick and a
generous mind to animate and enliven it.
X. These excellent virtues infinitely endeared him to St. Paul,
who seems to have had a very passionate kindness for him, never
mentioning him without great tenderness, and titles of reverence
and respect : sometimes styling him his son, his brother, his
fellow-labourer, " Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God,
and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ ;" ^ sometimes
with additions of a particular affection and honourable regard,
"Timothy, my dearly beloved son;"** "Timotheus, who is my
beloved son, and faithful in the Lord:"'' and to the church of
Philippi more expressly, " I trust to send Timotheus shortly to
yoi;, for I have no man like-minded, (lao-yfrvxov, equally dear to
me as myself,) who will naturally care for your state : for all
seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's ; but ye
know the proof of him, that as a son with the father he hath
served with me in the gospel." '^ And because he knew that he
was a young man, and of a temper easily capable of harsh and
unkind impressions, he entered a particular caution on his behalf
with the church of Corinth, " If Timotheus come, see that he
may be Avith you without fear, for he worketh the work of the
Lord, as I also do : let no man therefore despise him, but con-
duct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me."'' Instances
of a great care and tenderness, and which plainly suppose
Timothy to have been an extraordinary person. His very calling
him his " dearly beloved son," Chrysostom'' thinks a sufficient
argument of his virtue. For such affection not being founded in
nature, can flow from nothing but virtue and goodness, the lovely
and essential ornaments of a divine and a holy soul. We love
our children not only because witty, or handsome, kind and
dutiful, but because they are ours, and very often for no other
reason ; nor can we do otherwise, so long as we are subject to
the impressions and the laws of nature. Whereas true goodness
and virtue have no other arts but their own naked worth and
beauty to recommend them, nor can by any other argument
challenge regard and veneration from us.
^ 1 Thcss. iii. 2. » 2 Tim. i. 2. ^ \ Cor. iv. 17.
<^ Phil. ii. 19, 20, &c. J 1 Cor. xvi. 10, 11.
^ Iloni. i. in 2 Tim. s. 1. toI. xi. p. C39.
SAINT TIMOTHY. 117
XI. Some dispute there has been among the writers of the
church of Rome, whether our St. Timothy was the samq with
him, to whom Dionysius the Areopagite dedicates the books said
to be written by him ; and troops of arguments are mustered on
either side. But the foundation of the controversy is quite taken
away with us, who are sufficiently assured, that those books
were written some hundreds of years after St. Denys's head was
laid in the dust. However it may not be improper to remark,
that besides ours, bishop of Ephesus, we are tokl of another
St. Timothy,*^ disciple also to St. Paul, the son of Pudens and
Priscilla, Avho is said to have lived unto a great age, till the
times of Antoninus the emperor, and Pius bishop of Rome ; and
that he came over into Britain, converted and baptized Lucius
kin Of of this island, the first king that ever embraced the Chris-
tian faith. Pius bishop of Rome, in a letter ^ to Justus bishop
of Vienne, (which though suspected by most, is yet owned by
Baronius,'') reckons him among the presbyters that had been
educated by the apostles, and had come to Rome, and tells us
that he had suffered martyrdom : accordingly, the Roman Mar-
tyrology informs us,' that he obtained the crown of martyrdom
under Antoninus the emperor : a story which, as I cannot con-
fute, so I am not over-forward to believe, nor is it of moment
enough to my purpose more particularly to inquire about it.
'' Pet. de Natal. Hist. SS. 1. i. c. 24. Naucler. Chron. vol. ii. gener, 6. confer. Adon.
Martyr, ad xii. Kal. Jul. vid. Usser. de primord. c. 3.
s Concill. ed. rag. vol, i. p. 230. •• Bar. ad Ann. 166. n. 1,2.
' Martyrol. Rom. ad Mar. 24.
THE LIFE OF SAINT TITUS
BISHOP OF CRETE.
His country enquired into. The report of his noble extraction. His education and conver-
sion to Christianity. His acquaintance with, and accompanpng St. Paul to the synod
at Jerusalem. St. Paul's refusing to circumcise him, and why. His attending St.
Paul in his travels. Their arrival in Crete. Titus constituted by him bishop of that
island. The testimonies of the ancients to that purpose. The intimations of it in St.
Paul's epistle to him. St. Paul's censure of the people of Crete, justified by the
account which Gentile writers give of their evil manners. A short view of the epistle
itself. The directions concerning ecclesiastic persons. His charge to exhort and con-
vince gainsayers. Crete abounding with heretical teachers. Jewish fables and
genealogies what, aud whence derived. The ^Eones and irvCvyiai of the ancient
Gnostics borrowed from the deoyoviai of the heathen poets. This shewn by particular
instances. Titus commanded to attend St. Paul at Nicopolis. His coming to him
into Macedonia. His following St. Paul to Rome, and departure into Dalmatia. The
story of Pliny the Younger's being converted by him in Crete, censured. His age and
death. The church erected to his memory.
I. The ancient writers of the church make little mention of this
holy man ; Avho, and whence he was, is not known, but by un-
certain probabilities. St. Chrysostom" conjectures him to have
been born at Corinth, for no other reason, but because in some
ancient copies (as still is in several manuscripts at this day)
mention is made of St. Paul's going at Corinth into the house of
one [Titus] named "Justus, one that worshipped."'' The
writers of later ages generally make him to be born in Crete,
better known by the modern name of Candia, a noble island, (as
the historian calls it,*^ who adds that the only cause of the
Romans making war there, was a desire to conquer so brave a
country,) in the ^gean sea, not more famous of old for being
the birth-place of Jupiter, the sovereign of the heathen gods,
and the Dsedalean labyrinth said to be in it, than of late for its
* Horn. i. in Tit. s. 1. vol. xi. p. 729. '' Acts xviii. 7.
<^ Flor. Hist. Rom. 1. iii. c. 7.
THE LIFE OF SAINT TITUS. 119
having- been so long the seat of war between the Turkish em-
peror and the state of Venice. Antiquity has not certainly
conveyed down to us any particular notice of his parents, though,
might we believe the account which some give, he was of no
common extract, but of the blood royal, his pedigree being-
derived from no less than Minos king of Orete,^ whom the poets
make the son of Jupiter, and for the equity of his laws, and the
impartial justice of his government, prefer him to be one of the
three great judges in the infernal regions, whose place it is to
determine men's future and eternal state ; while historians more
truly affirm him to have been the son of Xanthus king of that
island, and that he succeeded his father in the kingdom. But
I pass by that.
II. But whatever his parentage was, we are sure that he was
a Greek, probably both by nation and religion. The Greek
church in their public offices give us this account of his younger
years, and conversion to Christianity: that being sprung from
noble parents, his youth was consecrated to learning and a
generous education. At twenty years old he heard a voice,
which told him, he must depart thence, that he might save his
soul, for that all his learning else would be of little advantage
to him.* Not satisfied with the warning, he desired again to
hear the voice. A year after, he was again commangled in a
vision to peruse the volume of Jewish law. He opened the
book, and cast his eye upon that of the pi'ophet, " Keep silence
before me, 0 islands, and let the people renew their strength :
let them come near, let them speak : let us come near together
to judgment," &c. •" Whereupon his uncle, at that time pro-
consul of Crete, having heard the fame of our Lord's miracles in
Judea, sent him to Jerusalem, where he continued till Christ's
ascension, when he was converted by that famous sermon of
St. Peter's, whereby he gained at once three thousand souls. I
cannot secure the truth of this story, though pretended to be
derived out of the Acts, said to be written by Zenas the lawyer,
mentioned by St. Paul : an authority, I confess, which without
better evidence I dare not encourage the reader to lay too much
stress upon. Let us therefore come to somewhat more certain
and unquestionable.
III. Being arrived in Judea, or the parts thereabouts, and
"^ Menseon Grscc. AvyovtTT rrj Ke' sub. lit. /u. 1 11. "^ Id. ibid. ^ Isai. xli. 1.
120 THE LIFE OF
convinced of the truth and divinity of the Christian faith, he
became St. Paul's convert and disciple, though when or where
converted we find not. Likely it is, either that he followed St.
Paul in the nature of a companion and attendant, or that he
incorporated himself into the church of Antioch : where when
the famous controversy arose concerning circumcision and the
Mosaic institutions, as equally necessary to be observed with the
belief and practice of Christianity, they determined that " Paul
and Barnabas, and certain others of them should go up to Jeru-
salem unto the apostles and elders about this question;"^ nay,
a very ancient MS.*" adds, that when Paul earnestly persuaded
them to continue in the doctrine which they had been taught,
those very Jewish zealots who came down to Antioch, and had
first started the scruple, did " themselves desire Paul and
Barnabas and some others to go and consult with the apostles
and elders at Jerusalem, and stand to their sentence and de-
termination of the case." In the number of those who were
sent upon this evangelical embassy was our St. Titus, Avhom
St. Paul' (encouraged to this journey by a particular revela-
tion) w^as willing to take along Avith him. No sooner were
they come to Jerusalem, but spies were at hand ; some zealous
Jews, pretending themselves to be Christian converts, insinuated
themselves into St. PauFs company and acquaintance, narrowly
observing what liberty he took in point of legal rites, that
thence they might pick an accusation against him. They
charged him that he preached to, and conversed with the
Gentiles, and that at this very time Titus an uncircumcised
Greek was his intimate familiar : a scandal which there u'as no
way to avoid, but by circumcising him, that so it might appear
that he had no design to undermine the rites and customs of the
law. This, St. Paul (who kncAv when to give ground, and when
to maintain his station) would by no means consent to : he who
at another time was content to circumcise Timothy, a Jew by
by the mother''s side, that he might please the Jews to their
edification, and have the fairer advantage to win upon them,
refused here to circumcise Titus a Gentile, that he might not
seem to betray the liberties of the gospel, harden the Jews in
their unreasonable and inveterate prejudices against the hea-
thens, and give just ground of scandal and discouragement to
8 Acts XV. 1, 2. h Cod. Bcza? MS. ad Act. xv. 2. > Gal. ii. 1,2.
SAINT TITUS. 121
the Gentiles, and make them fly off to a greater distance from
Christianity. Accordingly he resisted their importunity with
an invincible resolution, and his practice herein was immediately
justified by the decretory sentence of the council, summoned to
determine this matter.
IV, The affair about which they were sent being despatched
in the synod, he returned no doubt with St. Paul to Antioch,
and thence accompanied him in his travels, till having gone over
the churches of Syria and Cilicia, they set sail for Crete. For
that period of time I conceive with Capellus'' most probable for
their going over to that island, rather than, with Baronius' and
others, to place it at St. Paul's coming out of Macedonia into
Greece, which he supposes to have been by a sea voyage, passing
by the Cycladse islands through the ^gean sea; or with Grotius"
to refer it till his voyage to Rome, founding his conjecture upon a
double mistake, that St. Paul and his company put in and stayed
at Crete, when it is only said, that " they sailed under it, and
passed by it," and that Titus was then in the company, Avhereof
no footsteps or intimations appear in the story. Sailing there-
fore from some port in Cilicia, they arrived at Crete," where
St. Paul industriously set himself to preach and propagate the
Christian faith, delighting (as much as might be) to be the first
messenger of the glad tidings of the gospel to all places where
he came, not planting " in another man's line," or building " of
things made ready to his hand." But because the care of other
churches called upon him, and Avould not permit him to stay
long enough here to see Christianity brought to a due maturity
and perfection, he constituted Titus bishop of that island, that
he might nourish that infant church, superintend its growth and
prosperity, and manage the government and administration of it.
This the ancients with one mouth declare : " He was the first
bishop (says Eusebius)° of the churches in Crete :" " the apostle
consecrated him bishop of it," so St. Ambrose ; so Dorotlieus,P
and Sophronius : '' "he was (says Chrysostom) ■" an approved
person, to whom 17 vf](To<; oXoKXrjpo';, the whole island was
'' Histor. Apost. ad Ann. Christ. 46. ' Ad Ann. 57. n. 212.
"' In Argum. Epist. ad Tit. Act. xxvii. 7.
" Praef. in Tit. vol. ii. p. 313. inter opp. suppos. " Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 4.
1^ Doroth. S_vnops. vol. ii. bibl. patrtim, p. 182. n Ap. llier. de Script, in Tit.
'' Chrysost. Horn. i. in Tit. s. 1. vol. xi. p. 729.
122 THE LIFE OF
entirely committed, that lie might exercise power and jurisdic-
tion over so many bishops:" "he was by St. Paul ordained
bishop of Crete, though a very large island, that he might or-
dain bishops under him," says Theodoret expressly." To which
might be added the testimonies of Theophylact, Oecumenius,
and others, and the subscription at the end of the epistle to
Titus, (which, though not dictated by the same hand, is ancient
however,) where he is said to have been " ordained the first
bishop of the church of the Cretans." And St. Chrysostom'
gives this as the reason, why of all his disciples and followers
St. Paul wrote epistles to Titus and Timothy, and not to Silas
or Luke, because he had committed to them the care and govern-
ment of churches, while he reserved the others as attendants and
ministers to go along with himself.
V. Nor is this merely the arbitrary sense of antiquity in the
case, but seems evidently founded in St. PauPs own intimation,
where he tells Titus, " For this cause left I thee in Crete, that
thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain
elders in every city, as I had appointed thee;"" that is, I con-
stituted thee governor of that church, that thou mightest dis-
pose and order the aifairs of it according to the rules and di-
rections which I then gave thee. " ' Ordain elders, ' he means
bishops, (says Chrysostom,'') as elsewhere I have oft explained it."
" Elders in every city," he was not willing (as he adds) that the
whole administration of so great an island should be managed
by one, but that eveiy city might have its proper governor to
inspect and take care of it, that so the burden might be lighter
by being laid upon many shoulders, and the people attended
with the greater diligence. Lideed Crete was famous for
number of cities above any other island in the world, thence
styled of old HecatompoUs^ the island of an hundred cities. In
short, plain it is, that Titus had power of jurisdiction, ordina-
tion, and ecclesiastical censures, above any other jiastors or mi-
nisters in that church, conferred and derived upon him,
VI. Several years St. Titus continued at his charge in Crete,
when he received a summons from St. Paul, then ready to de-
part from Ephesus. The apostle had desired ApoUos to ac-
company Timothy and some others whorh he had sent to
■' Argum. Epist. ad Tit. vol. iii. p. 698. ' Argum. in 1 ad Tim. vol. xl. p. 547.
" Tit. i. 5. " lloin. ii. in Tit. s. 1. vol. x\. p. 737. vid. etiani Theoph. et Oecimi. in loc.
SAINT TITUS. 123
Corinth, but he choosing rather to go for Crete, by him and
Zenas he wrote an epistle to Titus, to stir him up to be active
and vigilant, and to teach him how to behave himself in that
station wherein he had set him. And indeed he had need of
all the counsels which St. Paul could give him, who had so loose
and untoward a generation of men to deal with. For the
country itself was not more fruitful and plenteous than the
manners of the people were debauched and vicious. St. Paul^
puts Titus in mind what a bad character one of their own poets
(who certainly knew them best) had given of them :
KpTjTe^ del 'yjrevcTTai, KaKo, Brjpla, <ya<Tr€pe<; dpyal.
" The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.*" This
verse St. Chrysostom^ supposes the apostle took from Callima-
chus, who makes use indeed of the first part of it, charging the
Cretans to be like themselves, notorious liars, in pretending that
Jupiter was not only born, but died among them, and that
they had his tomb with this inscription, "ENTAT&A ZAN
KEITAI, " Here lies Jupiter," whenas the deity is immortal :
whereupon the good father perplexes himself with many need-
less difficulties in reconciling it. Whereas in truth St. Paul
borrowed it not from Callimachus, but Epimenides, a native of
Crete, famous among the ancients for his raptures and enthu-
siastic divinations, &€0(pt\r]<i koX cro(p6^ irepl to, Oela, rrjv iv-
OovatacTTiKrjv Kal TeXecrriKTjv ao(f)iav, as Plutarch says of him.^
From him Callimachus'' cites part of the verse, and applies it
to his particular purpose, while St. Paul quotes it entire from
the author himself. " This witness (says he) is true." And
indeed that herein he did not belie them, we have the concur-
rent testimonies of most heathen writers, who charge the same
things upon them. So famous for lying, that Kpr^Tl^eiv'^ and
KprjTt^etv TT/oo? KprjTa became proverbial " to lie like a Cretan,"
and " to cozen a cheat," and nothing more obvious than mendax
Greta. Polybius"* tells us of them, that nowhere could be
found more subtle and deceitful wits, and generally more wicked
and pernicious counsels ; that their manners were so very sordid
y Tit. i. 12. " Horn. iii. in Tit. s. 1. vol. xi. p. 744.
" In vit. Solon, vol. i. p. 84. '' Callim. Hymn, els rov Ai'o, p. 1.
'^ Suid. in voc. Kp7]Ti^fiv. Mich. Apostol. in eod. verb. Psell. dc operat. Daemon.
^ Hist. 1. vi. p. 489.
124 THE LIFE OF
and covetous, that of all men in the world the Cretans were the
only persons who accounted nothing base or dishonest, that was
but gainful and advantageous. Besides, they were idle and im-
patient of labour, gluttonous and intemperate, unwilling to take
any pains farther than to " make provision for the flesh ;" as
the natural effect of ease, idleness, and plenty, they were wanton
and lascivious, and prone to the vilest and basest sort of lust,
rrrepl ra TracSiKa Bat/jiovLco'i eTrroTjvraL, (as Athenaeus* informs
us,) outragiously mad upon that sin that peculiarly derives its
name from Sodom. And such being the case, what wonder if
St. Paul bids Titus " rebuke them sharply,"*^ seeing their corrupt
and depraved manners would admit of the sharpest lancets, and
the most stinging corrosives he could apply to them.
VII. In the epistle itself, the main body of it consists of rules
and directions for the several ranks and relations of men : and
because spiritual and ecclesiastical affairs are of all others most
considerable, he first instructs him in the qualifications of those
whom he should set apart to be bishops, and guides of souls,
that they be holy and harmless, innocent and inoffensive, such
as had not divorced and put away their first wife that they
might marry a second, whose children were sober and regular,
and trained up in the Christian faith ; that they be easy and
tractable, meek and unpassionate, free from the love of wine,
and a desire after riches by sordid and covetous designs ; that
they be kind and hospitable, lovers of goodness and good men,
modest and prudent, just and honest, strict and temperate, firm
and constant in owning and asserting the doctrines of Christianity
that have been delivered to them, that being thoroughly furnished
with this pure evangelical doctrine, they may be able both to
persuade and comfort others, and mightily to convince those
that resist and oppose the truth. And certainly it was not
without great reason, that the apostle required that the guides
and governors of the church should be thus able to " convince
gainsayers." For whatever authors report of Crete, that it bred
no serpents or venomous creatures, yet certain it is that the
poison of error and heresy had insinuated itself there together
with the entertainment of Christianity, there being "many un-
ruly and vain talkers, especially they of the circumcision," ^ who
endeavoured to corrupt the doctrine of the gospel with Jewish
« Deipnosoph. 1. xiii. p. (iOl. f Tit, i. 13. « Tit. i. 10.
SAINT TITUS. 125
fables,'^ groundless and unwarrantable traditions, mystical and
cabalistic explications, and ""foolish questions and genealogies.'
For the Jews, borrowing their notions herein from the schools
of Plato, were fallen into a vein of deriving things from an
imaginary generation; first bmah or understanding: then arhmotk
or cockmah, wisdom ; and so till they came to milcah, the king-
dom, and Shekinah, or the Divine Presence. Much after the
same rate as the poets of old deduced the pedigrees of their
gods, they had first their several crv^uylat, their conjunctions, the
coupling and mixing of things together, and thence proceeded
their yeveaXoyiat, their genealogies or generations : out of Chaos
came jErehus and the dark night, the conjunction of whom begat
^ther and the dai/; and thence Hesiod*" proceeds to explain the
whole pagan theology concerning the original of their gods.
VIII. In imitation of all which, and from a mixture of all
together, the Valentinians, Basilidians, and the rest of the
Gnostic crew, formed the senseless and unintelligible schemes of
their TrXojpcofMa and thirty wons, divided into three classes of
conjunction : in the first were four couples, profundity and
silence, mind and truth, the tvord and li/e, man and the church ;
in the second five, viz. profound and mixture, ageratus and
union, &c. ; in the third six, the paraclete and faith, patricos and
hope, &c. Of all which, if any desire to know more, they may
(if they can understand it) find enough in Irenseus, Tertullian,
and Epiphanius, to this purj^ose. 'The last of whom not only
afiirms expressly that Valentinus and his party introduced eOvo-
fivdov TTOirjatv, the fabulous and poetic fancies of the heathens,
but draws a particular parallel between Hesiod's Theogonia, and
their thirty wons, or ages, consisting of fifteen couples or conjuga-
tions, male and female, which he shews exactly to agree both in
the number, design, and order of them. For instance, Valen-
tinus's tribe begins thus :
Ampsiu I *}, t ■ \ Profundity Ubucua I th t " \ Word
Auraan ) ( Silence. Thardeadie \ ' \ Life.
Bucua I +% + • i Mind Merexa I +1, + • i Man
Tharthuu \ ^'^^^ ^^ \ Truth. Atarbarba. \ ^^^^ ^^ } Church.
&c. &c.
All which was nothing but a trifling and fantastical imitation of
Hesiod's progeny and generation of the gods, which being joined
h Tit. i. 14. ' Tit. iii. 9. ^ Hesiod. Theogon. ]'24.
' Hajres. xxxi. c. 2, 3. vid. Tertull. de Prescript. Hajret. c. 7.
126 THE LIFE OF
in conjugations succeeded in this order; Chaos, Night; Erebus^
Earth ; ^ther, Day, &c. ; there being (as he observes) no dif-
ference between the one scheme and the other, but only the
change and alteration of the names." This may suffice for a
specimen to shew whence this idle generation borrowed their
extravagant conceits, though there were that had set much- what
the like on foot before the time of Valeutinus. By such dark
and wild notions and principles, the false apostles, both in Crete
and elsewhere, sought to undermine the Christian doctrine,
mixing it also with principles of great looseness and liberty,
that they might the easilier insinuate themselves into the af-
fections of men, whereby they brought over numerous proselytes
to their party, of whom " they made merchandise," ° gaining
sufficient advantage to themselves. So that it was absolutely
necessary that these men's mouths should be stopped, and that
they should not be suffered to go on under a show of such lofty
and sublime speculations, and a pretence of Christian liberty, to
pervert men from the Christian religion, and the plainness and
simplicity of the gospel. Having done with ecclesiastics, he
proceeds to give directions for persons of all ages and capacities,
whether old or young, men or women, children or servants; and
then of more public concernment, rulers and people, and indeed
how to deport ourselves in the general carriage of our lives. In
the close of the epistle he wishes him to furnish Zenas and
Apollos, the two apostolical messengers by whom this letter was
conveyed to him, with all things necessary for their return;
commanding that he himself, with all convenient speed, should
meet him at Nicopolis, (though where that was is not certain ;
whether Nicopolis in Epirus, so called from Augustus"'s victory
there over Antony and Cleopatra ; or rather Nicopolis in Thrace,
upon the river Nesus, not far from the borders of Macedonia,
whither St. Paul was now going ; or some other city, whereof
many in those parts of that name,) where he had resolved to
spend his winter. And that by withdrawing so useful and
vigilant a shepherd he might not seem to expose his flock to the
fury and the rage of the wolves, he promises to send Artemas
or Tychicus to supply his place during his absence from them.
IX. St. Paul departing from Ephesus was come to Troas,
where though he had a fair opportunity to preach the gospel
" Epiphan. Ilu^res. xxxi. c. 2, .3. " Tit. i. 11.
I
SAINT TITUS. 127
offered to him, yet (as himself tells us) he " had no rest In his
spirit, because he found not Titus his brother,""!" whom he im-
patiently expected to bring- him an account of the state of the
church of Corinth ; whether Titus had been with him, and been
sent upon this errand, or had been commanded by him to take
Corinth in his way from Crete, Is not known. Not meeting him
here, away he goes for Macedonia,'' where at length Titus
arrived, and comforted him under all his other sorrows and
difficulties, with the joyful news of the happy condition of the
church of Corinth, and how readily they had reformed those
miscarriages, which in his former epistle he had charged upon
them, fully making good that great character which he had
given of them to Titus, and whereof they gave no inconsiderable
evidence in that kind and welcome entertainment which Titus
found amongst them. Soon after, St. Paul, having received the
collections of the Macedonian churches for the indigent Christians
at Jerusalem, sent back Titus,"" and with him St. Luke, to Corinth,
to excite their charity, and prepare their contributions against
his own arrival there, and by them he wrote his second epistle
to that church.
X. Titus faithfully discharged his errand to the church of
Corinth ; and having despatched the services for which he was
sent, returned, we may suppose, back to Crete. Nor do we
hear any further news of him till St. Paul's imprisonment at
Rome, whither he came (if my author ^ say true) about two years
after him, and continued with him till his martyrdom, whereat
he was present, and together with St. Luke committed him to
his grave. An account, which I confess I am the less inclined
to believe, because assured by St. Paul himself, that before his
death Titus had left him, and was gone into Dalmatia,* a pro-
vince of Illyrlcum, to plant that fierce and warlike nation with
the gospel of peace, taking It probably in his way in order to
his return for Crete. And this is the last notice we find taken
of him In the holy writings, nor do the records of the church
henceforward furnish us with any certain memoirs or remarks
concerning him. Indeed were the story wdiich some tell us
true, one thing alone were enough to make him memorable to
posterity, I mean his converting Pliny the Younger, that
P 2 Cor. ii. 13. 1-2 Cor. vii. 5—7. 13—15. >■ 2 Cor. viii. 6. IG. 18.
» Pet. de Natal. Hist. SS. lib. vii. c. 108. , '2 Tim. iv. 10.
128 THE LIFE OF
learned and eloquent man, proconsul of Bithynia, and intimate
privy-counsellor to Trajan the emperor. For so they tell us,"
that returning from his province in Bithynia, he landed in Crete,
where the emperor had commanded him to erect a temple to
Jupiter ; which was accordingly done, and no sooner finished,
but St. Titus cursed it, and it immediately tumbled to the
ground. The man, you may guess, was strangely troubled, and
came with tears to the holy man, to request his counsel ; who
advised him to begin it in the name of the God of the Christians,
and it would not fail to prosper. He did so, and having finished
it, was himself, together with his son, baptized. Nay, some, to
make the story perfect, add, that he suffered martyrdom for the
faith at Novocomum, a city of Insubria in Italy, where he was
born. The reader, I presimie, will not expect I should take
pains to confute this story, sufficiently improbable in itself, and
which I behold as just of the same metal, and coined in the
same mint, with that of his master Trajan's soul being delivered
out of hell by the prayers of St. Gregory the Great, so gravely
told, so seriously believed by many, not in the Greek church
only, but in the church of Rome : nay, which the whole east
and west, (if we may believe Damascen,'') held to be jvijaiov
Kol aScd/SXrjTov, true and uncontrollable.
XI. St. Titus lived, as the ancients tell us, to a great age,
dying about the ninety-fourth year of his life. He died in
peace, (say Sophronius •^' and Isidore ^,) and lies buried in
Crete : the Roman Martyrology " adds, that he was buried in
that very church, wherein St. Paul ordained him bishop of that
island. I understand him, where a church was afterwards
built, it not being likely there should be any at that time. At
Candia, the metropolis of the island, there is, or lately was, an
ancient and beautiful church, dedicated to St. Titus ;'' wherein,
under the high altar, his remains are said to be honourably laid
up, and are both by the Greeks and Latins held in great venera-
tion. Though what is become of them since that famous city
lately fell into the hands of the Turk, that great scourge of
Christendom, is to me unknown. His festival is celebrated in
" Pet, de Natal, loe. cit. ex Act. S. Titi a Zena (iiti fertur) script. Fl. Pseuclo-Dext.
Chron. ad Ann. 220.
" Damasccn. Serm. irepl twv iv wisr. KeKoifj.. y Ap. Hieron. de Script, in Tito.
^ Do vit. et ob. c. 87. •'' Ad diem 4. Jan. '• Cotovic. Itin. 1. i. c. 1 2.
SAINT TITUS. 129
the Western church on the fourth day of January, in the Greek
church August the twenty-fifth, and among the Christians in
Egypt (as appears by the Arabic calendar pubHshed by Mr.
Selden)'' the twenty-second of the month Barmahath, answering
to our March the eighteenth, is consecrated to his memory.
<= De Synedr. vol. iii. c. 15.
VOL. I.
THE LIFE OF SAINT DIONYSIUS
THE AREOPAGITE.
Dionysius bom at Athens. The quality of his parents. His domestic studies. His
foreign travels. Egypt frequented as the staple place of all recondite learning. His
residence at Heliopolis. The strange and miraculous eclipse at our Saviour's Passion.
Dionysius's remarks upon it. His return to Athens, and being made one of the judges
of the Areopagus. The nature of this court : the number and quality of its judges.
St. Paul arraigned before it : his discourse, and its success. Dionysius's conversion.
His further instruction by Hierotheus. Hierotheus, who. Dionysius constituted
bishop of Athens. A brief account of his story, according to* those that confound him
with Dionysius bishop of Paris. These shewn to be distinct. The original and pro-
cedure of the mistake inquired into. A probable account given of it. Dionysius's
martyrdom at Athens, and the time of it. A fabulous miracle reported of his scull.
The description of his person, and the hyperbolical commendations which the Greeks
give of him. The books ascribed to him. These none of his. ApoUinaris (probably)
shewed to be the author of them. Several passages of the ancients noted to that purpose.
Books, why oft published under other men's names. These books the fountain of en-
thusiasm and mystical theology. A passage in them instanced in to that purpose.
I. Saint Dionysius was bom at Athens, the eye of Greece, and
fountain of learning and humanity, the only place that without
competition had for so many ages maintained an uncontrolled
reputation for arts and sciences, and to which there was an uni-
versal confluence of persons from all parts of the world to accom-
plish themselves in the more pohte and useful studies. Though
we find nothing particularly concerning his parents, yet we may
safely conclude them to have been persons of a noble quality, at
least of a better rank than ordinary, seeing none were admitted
to be Areopagite judges, (as one who knew very well informs
us,^) TTkrjv 01 Ka\(o<i 7670^0x69, Kal ttoWtjv dperrjv Kal crco(f>po-
avvrjv iv rm ^Iw ivSeSeiyf^evoi, unless they were nobly born,
and eminently exemplary for a virtuous and a sober life. Being
» Isocr. Orat. Areopag. c. 14. Vid. Maxim. Prolog, opp. S. Dionys.Pref. p. 34.
THE LIFE OF SAINT DIONYSIUS. 131
born in the very midst of arts and civility, his education could
not but be learned and ingenuous, especially considering the ad-
vantages of his birth and fortunes. Accordingly, he was in-
structed in all the learned sciences of Greece,*' wherein he made
such vast improvements, that he easily outstripped any of his time;
scarce any sect or institution in philosophy then in vogue, which
he had not considered and made trial of: it does not indeed
appear to which of them he particularly devoted and applied
himself; and they who suppose him to have addicted himself to
the school of Plato, do it, I conceive, for no other reason, than
because the doctrine contained in the books that bear his name,
seems so near of kin to the principles of that noble sect.
II. But it was not an homebred institution, or all the ad-
vantages which Athens could afford, that could fill the vast
capacities of his mind, which he therefore resolved to polish and
improve by foreign travels. Being in the prime and vigour of
his youth, about the age of twenty-five years,*" he took with him
one Apollophanes, a rhetorician, his fellow-student, and (if Syn-
cellus say true"*) his kinsman, who was afterwards at Smyrna,
master to Polemon the Laodicean, as he was to Aristides the
famous philosopher and apologist for the Christians. Thus fur-
nished with a suitable companion, he is said to have gone for
Egypt, to converse with their philosophers and wise men, that
he might perfect himself in the study of the mathematics, and
the more mysterious and recondite parts of learning. Egypt
had in all ages been looked upon as the prime school, not only of
astrology, but of the more abstruse and uncommon speculations of
theology ; and the great masters of wisdom and divinity among
the Gentiles never thought they had gained enough, till they had
crowned their studies by conversing with the Egyptian sages.
Hence it was frequented by Orpheus, Homer, Solon, Thales, by
Pythagoras and Plato, and whom not ? nay, of Pythagoras,
Clemens of Alexandria reports,* that he suffered himself to be
circumcised, that so he might be admitted ia ra ciSvra, to the
concealed rites and notions of their religion, and be acquainted
with their secret and mystical philosophy. The place he fixed
at was Heliopolis, a city between Coptu's and Alexandria, where
^ Suid. in voc. Aiowvaios.
•= Suid. ubi supra. Maxim. Pachj^m. SjTicel. aliique plures.
^ Encom. S. Dionys, vol. ii. p. 213. opp. Dionys. *" Stromat. 1. i. c. 15.
Iv 2
132 THE LIFE OF
the Egyptian priests for the most resided, as a place admirably
advantageous for the contemplation of the heavenly bodies, and
the study of philosophy and astronomy ; and where Strabo '
(who lived much about this time) tells us, he was shewed the
habitations of the priests, and the apartments of Plato and
Eudoxus, who lived here thirteen years ; nay, a very ancient
historian assures us,^ that Abraham himself lived here, and
taught the Egyptian priests astronomy, and other parts of
learning.
III. Dionysius no doubt plied his studies in this place, during
whose stay there, one memorable accident is reported. The Son
of God about this time was delivered up at Jerusalem to an
acute and shameful death by the hands of violence and injustice ;
when the sun, as if ashamed to behold so great a wickedness,
hid his head, and put on mourning to wait upon the funerals of
its Maker. This eclipse was contrary to all the known rules
and laws of nature, it happening in a full moon, when the moon
is in its greatest distance from the sun, and consequently not
liable to a conjunction with him, the moon moving itself under
the sun from its Oriental to its Occidental point, and thence back
by a retrograde motion, causing a strange defection of light for
three hours together. That there was such a wonderful and pre-
ternatural " darkness over all the earth" for three hours, at the
time of our Saviour''s suffering, whereby the sun was darkened,
is unanimously attested by the evangelical historians ; and not
by them only, but Phlegon Trallianus,'' sometime servant to the
emperor Trajan, speaks of an eclipse of the sun that happened
about that time, Meylcrrr] rcov iyvcopiafievcov irporepov, the
greatest of any that had been ever known, whereby the day was
turned into night, and the stars appeared at noon-day, an earth-
quake also accompanying it, whereby many houses at Nice in
Bithynia were overturned. Apollophanes, beholding this strange
eclipse, cried out to Dionysius, that these were changes and re-
volutions of some great affairs ; to whom the other replied, that
" either God suffered, or at least S3'mpathized and bore part with
f Geogr. 1. xvii. p. 1159.
K Alexand. Polyhist. Hist, de Judaeis ap. Euseb. praep. Evang. 1. ix. c. 17.
'' Chronic, lib. xiii. apud Euseb. Chron. ad Ann. Chr. xxxii. vid. Graeca "ET. AF.
p. 20-2. vid. Orig. contr. Cels. 1. ii. c. 33. et Chron. Alexandr. ad Ann. Tiber, xvii.
Indict. 4. Olympiad. 2(\1. 4.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 133
him that did." I confess these passages are not to be found in
the most ancient writers of the church : but that ought to be no
just exception, when we consider what httle care was then taken
to consign things to writing, and how great a part of those few
ancient records that were written were quickly lost, whereof
Eusebius sufficiently complains ; not to say, that a great many
writings might and did escape his notice ; and Maximus,' I re-
member, answering the objection, that the books ascribed to St.
Denys are not mentioned by Eusebius, tells us, that himself had
met with several pieces of the ancients, of which not the least
footstep in Eusebius. But however that be, it concludes not
against the matter of fact ; many things, though never entered
upon record, being as to the substance of them preserved by
constant tradition and report. I deny not but that the several
authors who report this passage, might immediately derive it
out of the epistles said to be written to St. Polycarp and Apollo-
phanes ; but then cannot suppose that the author of these
epistles did purely feign the matter of fact of his own head, but
rather delivered what tradition had conveyed down to his time.
Indeed that which would more shrewdly shake the foundation
of the story, if it be true, is what Origen supposes,'' that this
" darkness that was over all the earth," and the earthquake that
attended our Lord's Passion, extended no farther than Judea, as
some of the prodigies no farther than Jerusalem. But to what
degrees of truth or probability that opinion may approve itself, I
leave to others to inquire.
IV. Dionysius, having finished his studies at Heliopolis, re-
turned to Athens, incomparably fitted to serve his country, and
accordingly was advanced to be one of the judges of the Areo-
pagus, a place of great honour and renown. The Areopagus
was a famous senate-house built upon a hill in Athens, wherein
assembled their great court of justice, tmv iv toI^ "EWrjac
BtKaarrjplcov TifiLcoTaTov Kol a<yioiTaTOVy as one calls it,' "the
most sacred and venerable tribunal in all Greece." Under their
cognizance came all the greater and more capital causes ; and
especially matters of religion, blasphemy against the gods, and
contempt of the holy mysteries ; and therefore St. Paul ™ was
arraigned before this court, as a " setter forth of strange gods,
' Prolog, ante oper. S. Dionys. p. 3(5. '' Tract, xxxv. in Matt. c. 1 34.
' Aristid. vol. i. p. 190. "> Acts xvii. 18, 19.
134 THE LIFE OF
Avlien he preached to them concerning Jesus and Anastasis, or
the resurrection.'''' None might be of this council but persons
of birth and quality, wise and prudent men, and of very strict
and severe manners ; and so great an awe and reverence did this
solemn and gi'ave assembly strike into those that sat in it, that
Isocrates tells us," that in his time, when they were somewhat
degenerated from their ancient virtue, however otherwise men
were irregular and exorbitant, yet once chosen into this senate,
they presently ceased from their vicious inclinations, and chose
rather to conform to the laws and manners of that court, t] Tal<i
avrwv KaKtaf; ifM/jbiveiv, than to continue in their wild and de-
bauched course of life. They were exactly upright and impartial
in their proceedings, and heard causes at night, or in the dark,
that the person of the plaintiff or the pleader might have no
undue influence upon them. Their sentence was decretory and
final, and from their determination lay no appeal. Their number
was uncertain ; by some restrained to nine, by others enlarged to
thirty-one, by others to fifty-one, and to more by some. Indeed
the novemviri, who were the basileus, or king, the archon, the
polemarchus, and the six thesmothetse, were the constant
seminary and nursery of this great assembly, who having dis-
charged their several offices, annually passed into the Areopagus ;
and therefore when Socrates was condemned by this court," we
find no less than two hundred fourscore and one giving their
votes against him, besides those whose white stones were for his
absolution : and in an ancient inscription upon a column in the
acropolis at Athens, p erected to the memory of Rufus Festus,
proconsul of Greece, and one of these judges, mention is made
of the " Areopagite senate of three hundred."
V. In this grave and venerable judicature sat our St. Denys,
when St. Paul, about the year 49 or 50, came to Athens, Avhere
he resolutely asserted the cause of Christianity against the at-
tempts of the Stoic and Epicurean philosophers, who mainly ap-
peared against it. The Athenians, who were infinitely curious
and superstitious in matters of religion, not knowing what to
make of this new and strange doctrine that he taught, presently
brought him before the Areopagite senate, to whom the proper
cognizance of such causes did belong. Here, in a neat and
" Orat. Arcopag. c. 1.5. ° Diog. Laert. 1. ii. in vit. Socrat. s. 41.
P Volatcrran. coram. Urban. 1. viii. ad fin.
._._,!
SAINT DIONYSIUS. I35
eloquent discourse, delivered not with greater freedom of mind
than strength of reason, he plainly demonstrated the folly and
absurdity of those many vain deities, whom they blindly wor-
shipped ; explained to them that infinite Being that made and
governed the world, and what indispensable obligations he had
laid upon all mankind to worship and adore him ; and how much
he had enforced all former engagements to gratitude and obe-
dience, to repentance and reformation by this last and best dis-
pensation, by sending his Son to publish so excellent a religion
to the world. His discourse, however entertained by some with
scorn and laughter, and gravely put off by others, yet wanted
not a happy influence upon many, whom it convinced of the
reasonableness and divinity of the Christian faith : among whom
was our Dionysius, one of the judges tliat sat upon him and
Daftiaris his wife (for so St. Chrysostom'' and others make her)
and probably his whole house. An author' (I confess I know
not by what authority) relates a particular dispute between
Dionysius and St. Paul concerning the unknown God, who as
God-man was to appear in the latter ages to reform the world ;
this the apostle shewed to be the holy Jesus, lately come down
from heaven, and so satisfied St. Denys, that he prayed him to
intercede with heaven, that he might be fully confirmed in this
belief. The next day St. Paul having restoi-ed sight to one that
was born blind, charged him to go to Dionysius, and by that
token claim his promise to be his convert ; who being amazed
at this sight, readily renounced his idolatry, and was with his
house baptized into the faith of Christ. But I know the credit
of my author too well to lay any great stress upon this relation,
and the rather because I find that Baronius himself is not willing
to venture his faith upon it : to which I might add St. Chry-
sostom's observations,^ that the Areopagite was converted diro
87]/ji7}ryopia<; fMovqfi, only by St. PauFs discourse, there being no
miracle that we know of that might promote and further it.
VI. Being baptized, he was, we are told,' committed to the
care and tutorage of St. Hierotheus, to be by him further in-
1 De Sacerdot. 1. iv. c. 7. vol. i. p. 412. Ambros. Ep. Ixiii. s. 22.
"■ Hild. in passio. S. Dionys. n. 6, 7, 8. ap. Sur. Octob. ix.
3 De Sacerdot. 1. iv. c. 7. vol. i. p. 412.
' S. Metaphr. ap. Sur. ut supra. Maxim. SjTicel. Encom. S. Dionys, vol. ii. p. 213.
opp. Dionys. Pseudo-Dionys. dc divin. uomin, c. ii.
136 THE LIFE OF
structed in the faith, a person not so much as mentioned by any
of the ancients ; which creates with me a vehement suspicion,
that it is only a feigned name, and that no such person ever
really was in the world. Indeed the Greek Mensepn" -makes him
to have been one of the nine senators of the Areopagus, to have
been converted by St. Paul, and by him made bishop of Athens,
and then appointed tutor to St. Denys. Others" make him by
birth a Spaniard, first bishop of Athens, and then travelling into
his own country, bishop of Segovia in Spain, And both I be-
lieve with equal truth. Nor probably had such a person ever
been thought of, had there not been some intimations of such an
instructor in Dionysius''s works, confirmed by the scholiasts that
writ upon him, and afterwards by others improved into a formal
story. As for St. Dionysius, he is made to travel with St. Paul
for three years after his conversion, and then to have been con-
stituted by him bishop of Athens ; so that it was necessary it
seems to pack Hierotheus into Spain, that room might be made
for him. Indeed that Dionysius was, and that without any
affront to St. Hierotheus, the first bishop of Athens, we are
assured by an authority that cannot be doubted. Dionysius^
the famous bishop of Corinth (who lived not long after him) ex-
pressly affirming it ; and Nicephorus^ adds, Avhat is probable
enough, that it was done with St, Paul's own hands. I shall
but mention his journey to Jerusalem to meet the apostles, who
are said to have come from all parts of the world to be present
at the last hours of the Blessed Virgin, and his several visitations
of the churches in Phrygia and Achaia, to plant or confirm the
faith.
VII. All which, supposing they were true, yet here we must
take our leave. For now the writers of his life generally make
him prepare for a much longer journey. Having settled his
affairs at Athens, and substituted a successor in his see, he is
said to go to Rome, (a brief account of things shall suffice,
where no truth lies at the bottom :) at Rome he was despatched
by St. Clemens into France, where he planted the faith, and
founded an episcopal see at Paris; whence after many years,
about the ninetieth year of his age, he returned into the East,
to converse with St. John at Ephesus; thence back again to
" Tj7 5' Tov if^pvap. " Pseudo-Dext. Chron. ad Ann. Chr. Ixxi.
y Apud Euseb. Hist. lilccl. 1. iii. c. 4. ct 1. iv. c. 23. ' Niceph. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c, 20.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 137
Paris, where he suffered martyrdom ; and among infinite other
miracles reported of him, he is said to have taken up his head,
after it had been cut off by the executioners, and to have carried
it in his hands (an angel going before, and an heavenly chorus
attending him all the way) for two miles together, till he came
to the place of his interment, where he gently laid it and himself
down, and was there honoui-ably entombed. This is the sum of
a very tedious story : a story so improbable in itself, so directly
contrary to what Severus Sulpitius^ affirms, that none were mar-
tyred for the faith in France, till the fifth persecution under the
reign of M. Aurelius Antoninus, that I shall not spend much
time in its confutation ; especially when the thing has been
unanswerably done by so many learned and ingenious men in
the church of Rome, and by none more effectually than Sirmond
and Launoy, who have cleared it beyond all possibilities of just
exception.
VIII. Indeed we find in several very ancient martyrologies,'^
as also in Gregory" bishop of Tours, who reports it out of the
Acts of Saturninus the martyr, that one Dionysius with some
others was sent by the bishop of Rome into France in the time
of Decius the emperor, Ann. Chr. 250, where he preached the
Christian faith, and became bishop of Paris, and after great
torments and sufferings, was beheaded for his resolute and con-
stant profession of religion ; and accordingly his martyrdom is
recorded in the most ancient martyrologies, upon a day distinct
from that of the Athenian Dionysius, and the same miracles
ascribed to him that are reported of the other. And that this
was the first and true foundation of the story, I suppose no wise
man will doubt. Nor indeed is the least mention made of any
such thing, I am sure not in any writer of name and note, till
the times of Charles the Great ; when Ludovicus,'' emperor and
king of France, wrote to Hilduin, abbot of St. Denys, to pick
up whatever memoirs he could find concerning him, either in
the books of the Greeks or Latins, or such records as they had
at home, and to digest and compile them into orderly tracts.
He did so, and furnished out a very large and particular relation,
» Sacr. Hist. 1. ii. c. 32.
'' Usuard. Martj^r. Calend. Octob. et vii. Id. Octob. Marty . Bedse vii. Id. Octob.
<= Greg. Turon. Hist. Franc, lib. i. c. 28.
•* Vid. Epist. ejus, et Hilduin. Rescript, apud Sur. loc. supra citat.
138 THE LIFE OF
which was quickly improved and defended by Hincmar, bishop
of Rheims, scholar to Hilduin, and Auastasius Bibliothecarius
of Rome, to whom the Greek writers of that and the follow-
ing ages readily gave their vote and suffrage. Nor has a late
author* much mended the matter in point of antiquity, who tells
us, that in a convention of bishops in France, held anno 825, ten
years before Hilduin wrote his Areopagitics, mention is made of
St. Dionysius's being sent into France by Clemens, St. Peter''s
successor. For we can easily allow that there might about that
time be some blind and obscure tradition, though the fragment
of the synod, which he there produces, speaks not one syllable
of this Dionysius''s being the Areopagite, or having any relation
to Athens. In short, the case seems plainly this :
IX. Hilduin, set on by his potent patron, partly that he
might exalt the honour of France, partly to advance the reputa-
tion of his particular convent, finding an obscure Dionysius to
have been bishop of Paris, removes him an age or two higher,
and makes him the same with him of Athens, a person of greater
honour and veneration; and partly from the records, partly
from the traditions current among themselves, draws up a formal
account of him from first to last ; adding, it is like, what he
thought good of his own, to make up the story. These com-
mentaries of his, we may suppose, were quickly conveyed to
Rome, where being met with by the Greeks, who came upon
frequent embassies to that see about that time, they were
carried over to Constantinople, out of which Methodius (who
had himself been aprocrisiarius or ambassador from Nicephorus
the Greek patriarch to pope Paschal at Rome, and after infinite
troubles was advanced to the patriarchate of Constantinople)
furnishes himself with materials to write the life of Dionysius:
for that he had them not out of the records of his own church is
plain, in that when Hilduin set upon composing his Areopagitics,
he expressly says,*^ that the Greeks had written nothing con-
cerning the martyrdom of St. Denys, the particulars whereof,
by reason of the vast distance, they could not attain. Out of
Hilduin therefore, or at least some reports of that time, Metho-
dius nmst needs derive his intelligence; but most probably
from Hilduin, between whose relation and that of Methodius
e J. Mabillon. not. ad Epist. Hincmar. inter Analect. vett.
f Rescript, ad Ludov. Imper. n. 10. ibid.
___J
SAINT DIONYSIUS. I39
there is so exact an agreement, not only in particular passages,
but oft-times in the very same words, as Monsieur Launoy^ has
demonstrated by a particular collation. Methodius's tract was
by the Greek ambassadors quickly brought from Constantinople
to Rome, where Anastasius'' confesses he met with it, translated
it into Latin, and thence transmitted it into France, where it
was read, owned, and published by Hincmar,' as appears by
his epistle to Charles the emperor; where he plainly tells us,
that no sooner had he read this life written by Methodius, but
he found it admirably to agree with what he had read in his
youth, (he means, I doubt not, the writings of Hilduin,) by
whom and how the Acts of St. Denys and his companions came
to the knowledge of the Romans, and thence to the notice of the
Greeks. This is the most likely pedigree and procedure of the
story that I can think of; and from hence how easy was it for
the after-writers both of the Western and the Eastern church to
swallow down a story, thus plausibly fitted to their taste?
Nor had the Greeks any reason over-nicely to examine or reject
what made so much for the honour of their church and nation,
and seemed to lay not France only, but the whole Western
church under an obligation to them, for furnishing them Mdth so
great and excellent a person. But to return to our Dionysius.
X. Though Ave cannot doubt but that he behaved himself
with all diligence and fidelity in the discharge of his ofiice ; yet
because the ancients have conveyed down no particulars to our
hands, we shall not venture upon reports of false, or at best
doubtful credit. Nothing of certainty can be recovered of him,
more than what Aristides, the Christian philosopher (who him-
self lived, and was probably born at Athens, not long after
Dionysius) relates in the Apology'' which he published for the
Christian religion, that after a most resolute and eminent con-
fession of the faith, after having undergone several of the severest
kinds of torment, he gave the last and great testimony to it, by
laying down his life. This was done, as is most probable, under
the reign of Domitian, as is confessed, (betrayed into it by a
secret instinct of truth,) by abbot Hilduin, Methodius, and their
followers : while others extend it to the times of Trajan, others
s Respons. discuss, c. 9. ^ Epist. ad Carol. Calv. Imp. npiid Siir. ut supra.
' Extat apud Sur. ubi supr. et Mabillon. loc. citat.
^ Apud Usuard. et Adon. Mart. v. Non. Octobr.
140 THE LIFE OF
to the reign of Adrian, who entered upon the empire anno 117,
partly that they might leave room enough for the account which
they give of him, partly to preserve the authority of his writings,
wherein a passage is cited out of Ignatius's epistles, written just
before his martyrdom, anno 107. The reader I hope will not
expect from me an account of the miracles said to be done by
him, either before or since his death, or of the fierce contests
that are between several places in the Roman church concerning
his reliques. One passage however I shall not omit. In a
village in Luxemburg, not far from Treves, is a church dedicated
to St. Denys, wherein is kept his scull, at least a piece of it, on
the crown whereof there is a white cross, while the other parts
of the scull are black. This common tradition, and some
authors to avouch it,' will have to be made, when St. Paul laid
his hands upon him at his consecration : which if so, I have
no more to observe, but that orders (which the church of Rome
make a sacrament) did here even in a literal sense confer an
indelible character and mark upon him.
XI. His TU7ro9 (Tco/xaTLKo^, the shape and figure of his body,
is by the Greek Menajon "" thus described : he was of a middle
stature, slender, fair, but inclining to paleness, his nose gracefully
bending, hollow-eyed with short eye-brows, his ear large, his
hair thick and white, his beard moderately long, but very thin.
For the image of his mind expressed in his discourses, and the
excellent conduct of his life, the Greeks, according to their mag-
nifying humour as well as language, bestow most hyperbolical
eulogies and commendations on him. They style him, i€po(f)dv-
Topa, Kol Twv a7ropp7]TO}v Oecopov, the sacred interpreter and
contemplator of hidden and unspeakable mysteries, and an un-
searchable depth of heavenly knowledge ; rpiaSiKov OeoXoyov,
Toov vrrep evvoiav ^coottolcov '^^apicr/xdroiv 6eo(f)6pov opyavov, the
Trinity-Divine, the divine instrument of those enlivening graces
that are above all comprehension. They say of him, that his
life was wonderful, his discourse more wonderful ; his tongue
full of light, his mouth breathing an holy fire ; but his mind
dKpt/3(o<i 6€06iSi(TTaTo<i, most exactly like to God ; with a great
deal more of the like nature up and down their offices. And
certainly, were the notions which he has given us of the celestial
' Vid. Author, citat. up. P. Ilalloix. not. nd vit. Dionys. c. iv. vol. ii. p. 281.
"' Tfj y' Tov 'Okto/8/3.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 14]
hierarchy and orders of angels, and the things of that supra-
mundane state, as clear and certain as some would persuade us,
he might deserve that title which others give him, TTTepvytov rj
ireretvov rou ovpavov" " the wing, or the bird of heaven."
XII. The great and evident demonstration of his wisdom and
eloquence, we are told,° are the works which he left behind him ;
the notions and language wherewith they are clothed, being so
lofty and sublime, as are scarcely capable to be the issue of a
onere mortal creature. Books infinitely intricate and perplexed,
(as our countryman Johannes Scotus,P who first translated them
into Latin, tells us,) far beyond the reach of modern appre-
hensions, and which few are able to pierce into, both for their
antiquity, and sublimeness of those heavenly mysteries whereof
they treat : a work so grateful to all speculative inquirers into
the natures of things, and the more abstruse and recondite parts
of learning, that (if Suidas say true) some of the heathen philo-
sophers, and particularly Proclus, often borrows, not only his
notions, but his very words and phrases from him ; whence he
suspects, that some of the philosophers at Athens stole those
books of his mentioned in the epistle dedicatory to St. Timothy,
and which now are wanting, and published them under their
own names. But had I been to make the conjecture, I should
rather have suspected that this Pseudo-Dionysius fetched his
speculations, and good part of his expressions, from Plotinus,
lamblichus, and the rest of the later Platonists, For certainly
one egg is not more like another, than this man's divinity is like
the theology of that school, especially as explained by the phi-
losophers who lived in the first ages of Christianity. That our
Dionysius was not the author of the books at this day extant
under his name, I shall not concern myself to shew. For how-
ever it be contended for by many with all imaginable zeal and
stiffness, yet want there not those, and men of note, even in the
Roman communion, who clearly disown and deny it ; as among
tHe reformed it has been largely disproved by many, and by
none with greater learning and industry than Monsieur Daille,
who has said whatever is necessary, if not more than enough
" Vid. Anastas. Bibl. Epist. ap. Sur. loco supra citato. Chrysost. de Pseudo-Proph.
8. 6. vol. viii. p. 79. inter spuria.
° Suid. in voce Aiovvaios. Niceph. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 20.
P Epist. ad Carol. Calv. Franc. Reg. ap. Usser. Epist. Hibern. xxiii. p. 59.
142 THE LIFE OF
upon this argument : though as to the date of their birth and
first appearance, when he thrusts them down to the sixth centur}',
he takes somewhat off from the antiquity, which may with pro-
bability be allowed them.
XIII. Who was the particular author of these books, is not
easy to determine. Among the several conjectures about this
matter, none methinks deserves a fairer regard, than what Lau-
rentius Valla tells us"" some learned Greeks of his time con-
ceived, that it was Apollinaris, but whether father or son it
matters not, both being men of parts, and of the same strain
and humour, a^^orepot, 'EWtjvlkcov \6ycov BLSdaKoXoc,'^ both of
them masters in all the learning of the Greeks, thougfh of the
two the son was most likely to be the man. Certain it is, that
Apollinaris was Trpo? TravToSuTrrjv el'Srjaiv, koI Xoymv Iheav
'TrapecTKevacrfjiivo';, as Sozomen describes him,^ trained up to all
sorts of learning, and skilled in the artifices and frames of words
and speeches ; and St. Basil says of him,* that being endued with
a facility of writing upon any argument, joined with a great
readiness and volubility of language, he filled the world with his
books : though even in his theological tracts he sought not to
establish them by scripture proofs, but from human arguments
and ways of reasoning : Sttcr^upt^ero Se to B6y/xa avrov, ovk
airo prjTov rivo<;, aX}C airo Trepivoia^^ as another also says of
him." He was born and bred at Alexandria, (than which no
place more famous for schools of human learning, especially the
profession of the Platonic philosophy,) and afterwards lived at
Laodicea, where he was so intimately familiar with the Gentile
philosophers, that Theodotus bishop of the place forbad him
(though in vain) any longer to keep company with them, fearing
lest he might be perverted to paganism ; as afterwards George,
his successor, excommunicated him for his insolent contempt in
not doing it. This is said to have given the first occasion to his
starting aside from the orthodox doctrines of the church. For
resenting it as an high affront, and being ry evpola rov cro(f)i(TTt-
Kov Xoyov dappcov,'^ prompted with a bold conceit of his sophis-
tical wit, and subtle ways of reasoning, he began to innovate in ■
<J Annot. in Act. Apost. c. xvii. ■• Socrat. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 46.
• Hist. Eccl. 1. V. c. 18. Socr. loc. citat.
» Ep. cclxiii. [al. Ixxiv.] s. 4. vol. iii. p. 406. " Leont. de Sect. Act iv.
* Socrat. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 46.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 143
matters of doctrine, and set up a sect after his own name. And
certainly whoever thoroughly considers Apollinaris's principles,
as they are represented by Socrates, ^ Sozomen, "^ Theodoret,**
Basil,'' and Epiphanius,'' will find many of them to have a great
affinity with the Platonic notions, and some of them not un-akin
to those in Dionysius's books ; and that as to the doctrine of the
Trinity, they were right in the main, which Socrates'* particu-
larly tells us, the Apollinarians confessed to be consubstantial.
To which I add, what a learned man* of our own has observed
upon this argument, that Apollinaris and his followers were
guilty of forging ecclesiastical writings, which they fastened
upon Gregory Thaumaturgus, Athanasius, and pope Julius, as
Leontius^ particularly proves at large. So that they might be
probably enough forged in the school of Apollinaris, either by
himself, or some of his disciples.
XIV. It makes the conjecture look yet more favourable, that
there was one Dionysius, ^ a friend probably of Apollinaris, to
whom he is said to have written that famous epistle that went
under the name of pope Julius : and then among his own
scholars he had a Timotheus, (condemned together with his
master by Damasus*^ and the synod at Eome,) so that they
might easily enough take occasion from their own to vent their
conceptions under the more venerable names of those ancient
and apostolic persons. Or, which is more probable, Apollinaris,
himself so well versed in the arts of counterfeiting, might from
them take the hint to compose and publish them under the name
of the ancient Dionysius. Nor, indeed, could he likely pitch
upon a name more favourable and agreeable to his purpose : a
man born in the very centre of learning and eloquence, and who
might easily be supposed to be bred up in all the institutions of
philosophy, and in a peculiar manner acquainted with the
writings and theorems of Plato and his followers, so famous, so
generally entertained in that place. And there will be the more
reason to believe it still, when we consider, that Apollinaris '
y Socrat, Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 46. * Sozom. 1. vi. c. 27. ex Ep. Nazian. de Nectar.
* Theodor. 1. v. c. 3. ^ Basil, ubi supr. "= Epiph. Hseres. Ixxvii.
•* Ibid. vid. Leont. loc. citat.
« Dr. Stillingfl. Answer to Cress. Apolog. c. 2. §. 17. ^ De Sect. Act. viii.
S Vid. CoUat. Cathol. cum Severian. Cone. Harduin. vol. ii. p. 1163.
h Theod. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 9, 10. ' Socrat. 1. iii. c. 16.
144 THE LIFE OF
reduced the gospels and the writings of the apostles into the
form of dialogues, in imitation of Plato among the Greeks.
And then for the style, which is very lofty and affected, we
noted before how peculiarly qualified Apollinaris was with a
quick invention of words, and a sophistical way of speech ; and
the historian observes,'' that the great instrument by which he
set on foot his heresy, and wherein he had a singular talent, was
T€)(y7j \6<y(ov, artificial schemes of words, and subtle ways to
express himself. Besides he was an incomparable poet,' (not
only the father, but the son,) to the study whereof he peculiarly
addicted himself, and wrote poems to the imitation and the envy
of the best among the heathens. In imitation of Homer he wrote
heroic poems of the history of the Old Testament till the reign
of Saul, comedies after the manner of Menander, tragedies in
imitation of Euripides, and odes in imitation of Pindar : he com-
posed divine hymns," that were publicly sung in the churches of
his separation, and songs which men sung both in their feasts
and at their trades, and even women at the distaff. By this
means he was admirably prepared for lofty and poetic strains,
and might be easily tempted, especially the matter admitting it,
to give way to a wanton and luxuriant fancy in the choice, com-
position, ana use of words. And certainly never was there a
stranger heap {Xe^eoov iroX.vTrXrjdiav^ Maximus himself calls it)
of sublime, affected, bombast, and poetic phrases, than is to be
met with in these books attributed to St, Denys.
XV. If it shall be inquired, why a man should, after so much
pains, choose to publish his labours rather under another man's
name than his own ? there needs no other answer, than that this
has been an old trade, which some men have taken up, either
because it was their humour to lay their own children at other
men"'s doors, or to decline the censure which the notions they
published were likely to expose them to, or principally to conci-
liate the greater esteem and value for them, by thrusting them
forth under the name of those for whom the world has a just
regard and veneration. As for Monsieur Daille''s conjecture,"
that the reason why several learned volumes were written and
fastened upon the fathers of the ancient church, was to vindicate
them from that common imputation of the Gentiles, who were
I* Sozom. 1. vi. c. 25. ' Sozom. 1. v. c. 18.
■" Id. 1. vi. c. 1h. " De Script. Dionys. c. 39.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 145
wont to charge the Christians for heing a rude and illiterate
generation, whose hooks Avere stuffed with nothing but plain
simple doctrines, and who were strangers to all kind of learning
and eloquence ; that to obviate this objection, several took upon
them to compose books full of learning and philosophy, which
they published under the names of the first preachers and pro-
pagators of the Christian faith, and that this particularly was
the case of the Recognitions ascribed to Clemens, and the
writings attributed to Dionysius : the first I grant very likely
and rational, the Recognitions being probably written about the
second century, Avhen (as appears from Celsus's book against the
Christians) this objection was most rife, and when few learned
discourses had been published by them : but can by no means
allow it as to the second, Dionysius's works being written long
after the learning and eloquence of the Christians had sufficiently
approved itself to the world, to the shame and conviction, the
envy and admiration of its greatest enemies. And there was far
less need of them for this purpose, if it be true what Daille him-
self so confidently asserts, and so earnestly contends for, that
they were not written till the beginning of the sixth century,
about the year 520, Avhen there were few learned Gentiles left
to make this objection, heathenism being almost wholly banished
out of the civilized world.
XVI. But whoever was their genuine parent, or upon what
account soever he wrote them, it is plain, that he laid the
foundation of a mystical and unintelligible divinity among
Christians, and that hence proceeded all those wild Rosicrucean
notions, which some men are so fond of, and the life and prac-
tice whereof they cry up as the very soul and perfection of the
Christian state. And that this author does immediately mi-
nister to this design, let the reader judge by one instance, and I
assure him it is none of the most obscure and intricate passages
in these books. I have set it down in its own language as well
as ours, not being confident of my own version, (though expressed,
word for word ;) for I pretend to no great faculty in translating
what I do not understand. Thus then he discourses concerning
the knowledge of God. " God° (saith he) is known in all things,
" Ato Kcd ev iracnv 6 @ehs yiVaxTKerai, Koi X'^P^^ ■ndvrwV kuI 5ia yvtifffcos 6 @ehs
ytvciaKerai, Kal Sia ayvcixrias. Kal iarlv avrov koI v67}(ns, Kal \6yos, koI ein(Trrifj.r), koI
eTra<p7], Kot alcrd-iiais, Kal S6^a, koi (pauTacria, Kal uvofj.a, Kal rh &\\a iravra, Kal oijre
VOL. I. I'
146 THE LIFE OF SAINT DIONYSIUS.
and without all things: he is known by knowledge and by ignorance:
there is both a cogitation of him, and a word, and a science, and
a touch, and a sense, and an opinion, and an imagination, and a
name, and all other things ; and yet he is neither thought, nor
spoken, nor named. He is not any thing of those things that
are, nor is he known in any of the things that are ; he is both
all things in all, and nothing in nothing.'; out of all things he is
known to all, and out of nothing to nothing. These are the things
which we I'ightly discourse concerning God. And this again is
the most divine knowledge of God, that which is known by
ignorance, according to the union that is above understanding ;
when the mind getting at a distance from all things that are,
and having dismissed itself, is united to those super-illustrious
beams, from whence and where it is enlightened in the unfa-
thomable depth of wisdom." More of this and the like stuff is
plentifully scattered up and down these books. And if this be
not mystical and profound enough, I know not what is ; and
which certainly any man, but one well versed in this sort of
theology, would look upon as a strange jargon of nonsense and
contradiction. And yet this is the height of devotion and piety,
which some men earnestly press after, and wherein they glory.
As if a man could not truly understand the mysteries of religion,
till he had resigned his reason ; nor be a Christian, without first
becoming an enthusiast ; nor be able to speak sense, unless in a
language which none can understand.
Writings falsely attributed to him.
De Coelesti Ilierarchia Lib. 1 .
De Divinis Nominibus 1.
De Ecclesiastica Hierarchia 1.
De Mystica Theologia 1.
Epistolae ad Caium 4.
Ad Sosipatnim Epistola 1.
Ad Polycarpum 1.
Ad Demophilum 1.
AdTitum 1.
Ad Joannem Evangelistam 1.
Ad Dorothetim 1. Ad Apollophanem 1.
vourai, ovre Keyerai, ot/re ovOfid^eTai. Ka) ovk itrri ri rwv ovtuv, ovSe ev rivi twv
ouTwv yivuKTiiiTai. Kal ev Traai iravra 4(Tt\, koI iv ovSfvl ovSev, koI 4k irdvruiv irafftA
yivaxTKerat, Koi e| ovSfvhs ovSevi. Kal yap ravra opdSis irepl @€ov Aeyofj.fV. Kal €Vt2«»J
aidis 7} BeioTaTr) tov &fou yvucris, 7) Si' dyvcocrlas yivoicTKonivri, Kara t^v virlp vovvA
ivwcTiv, lirav 6 vovs twv ovtwv ■ko.vtwv anocTTas, etrsiTa Kol kavrhv a.(p(\s, ivuiO]} rats]
vTTfpcpdfcnv amlffiv, iK€70ev koI e/cf? rijo avi^fptwr^Tw fid9fi rrjs oo(plas Kara\afjiir6-^
/xtvos, Dionys. de Divin. Nomin. c. 7.
_i
THE LIFE OF SAINT CLEMENS /^^^
BISHOP OF ROME.
His birth-place. His parents, kindred, education, and conversion to Christianity, noted
out of the books extant under his name. His relation to the imperial family shewed
to be a mistake. His being made bishop of Rome. The great confusion about the
first bishops of that see. A probable account endeavoured concerning the order of
St. Clemens's succession, and the reconciling it with the times of the other bishops.
What account given of him in the ancient epistle to St. .Tames. Clemens's appointing
notaries to write the acts of the martyrs, and despatching messengers to propagate the
gospel. The schism in the church of Corinth ; and Clemens's epistle to that church.
An inquiry into the time when that epistle was written. The persecution under
Trajan. His proceeding against the HetericB. A short relation of St. Clemens's
troubles out of Simeon Metaphrastes. His banishment to Cherson. Damnatio ad
metalla, what. The great success of his ministry in the place of his exile. St. Cle-
mens's martyrdom, and the kind of it. The anniversary miracle reported on the day
of his solemnity. The time of his martyrdom. His genuine writings. His epistle
to the Corinthians : the commendations given of it by the ancients. Its style and
character. The great modesty and humility that appears in it. The fragment of his
second epistle. Supposititious writings. The Recognitions ; their several titles, and
different editions. Their antiquity, what. A conjecture concerning the author of
them. The censures of the ancients concerning the corruption of them, considered.
The epistle to St. James.
It makes not a little for the honour of this venerable apostolical
man, (for of him all antiquity understands it,) that he was
fellow-labourer with St. Paul, and one of those " whose names
were written in the book of life." '^ He was born at Rome, upon
Mount Cselius, as, besides others, the Pontifical,'' under the name
of Damasus, informs us. His father's name was Faustinus, but
who he was, and what his profession and course of life, is not re-
corded. Indeed in the book of the Hecognitions, and the ra
K\r}/j,6VTia, (mentioned by the ancients, and lately published,)
we have more particular accounts concerning him : books which
however falsely attributed to St. Clemens, and liable in some
cases to just exception, yet being of great antiquity in the church,
a Phil. iv. 3. ^ Vit. Clement, vol. i. p. 75. Concill. ed. reg.
U8 THE LIFE OF
written not long after the apostolic age, (as we shall shew here-
after,) we shall thence derive some few notices to onr pnrpose,
though we cannot absolutely engage for the certainty of them.
There we find St. Clemens brought in, giving this account of
himself.
II. He was descended of a noble race,*^ sprung from the family
of the Csesars ; his father Faustinianus, or Faustus, being near
akin to the emperor (I suppose Tiberius) and educated together
with him, and by his procurement matched with Mattidia, a
woman of a prime family in Rome. He was the youngest of
three sons, his two elder brothers being Faustinus and Faustus,
who after changed their names for Nicetas and Aquila. His
mother, a woman it seems of exquisite beauty, was by her
husband's own brother strongly solicited to unchaste embraces :
to avoid whose troublesome importunities, and yet loth to reveal
it to her husband, lest it should break out to the disturbance
and dishonour of their family, she found out this expedient : she
pretended to her husband that she was warned in a dream, to-
gether with her two eldest sons to depart for some time from
Rome. He accordingly sent them to reside at Athens, for the
greater conveniency of their education. But hearing nothing of
them, though he sent messengers on purpose ever}^ year, he re-
solved at last to go himself in pursuit of them ; which he did,
leaving his youngest son, then twelve years of age, at home,
under the care of tutors and guardians. St. Clemens'^ grew up
in all manly studies, and virtuous actions, till falling under some
great dissatisfactions of mind concerning the immortality of the
soul, and the state of the other life, he applied himself to search
more narrowly into the nature and the truth of things. After
having baffled all his own notions, he betook himself to the
schools of the philosophers, where he met with nothing but fierce
contentions, endless disputes, sophistical and uncertain arts of
reasoning; thence he resolved to consult the Egyptian i/i'^ro-
pJiania\ and to see if he could meet with any who by arts of ||
magic was able to fetch back one of those who were departed
to the invisible Avorld, the very sight of M'hom might satisfy his
curious inquiries about this matter. While he was under this
suspense, he heard of the Son of God's appearing in the world,
« Recogn. 1. vii. c. 8. Clem. Horn. xii. c. 8. Clem. Epitom. c. 76.
'' Recogn. 1. i. c. 1. Clem. Horn. i. c. 1. Clem. Epitom. c. 2.
SAINT CLEMENS. 149
and the excellent doctrines he had published in Judea, wherein
he was further instructed by the ministxy of St. Barnabas, who
came to Rome. Him he followed first to Alexandria, and thence
after a little time to Judea, Ari-iving at Ctesarea he met with
St. Peter, by whom he was instructed and baptized, whose com-
panion and disciple he continued for a great part of his life.
III. This is the sum of what I thought good to borrow from
those ancient writings. As for his relations, what various mis-
adventures his father and mother, and his two brothers severally
met with, by what strange accidents they all afterwards met
together, were converted and baptized into the Christian faith,
I omit, partly as less proper to my purpose, partly because it
looks more like a dramatic scene of fancy than a true and real
history. As to that part of the account of his being related to
the imperial family, though it be more than once and again con-
fidently asserted by Nicephorus,^ (who transcribes a good part
of the story,) and by others^ before him, yet I cannot but behold it
as an evident mistake, arising from no other, fountain than the
story of Flavins Clemens, the consul, who was cousin-german to
the emperor Domitian, and his wife Flavia Domitilla, near akin
also to the emperor; concerning whose conversion to, and mar-
tyrdom for the faith of Christ, we have elsewhere ^ given an ac-
count from the writers of those times. Probable it is, that
St. Clemens for the main attended St. Peter''s motions, and came
with him to Rome, where he had at last the government
of that church committed to him. Dorotheus tells us,** that he
was the first of the Gentiles that embraced the Christian faith,
and that he was first made bishop of Sardica, a city in
Thrace, afterwards called Triaditza, and then of Rome. But
herein I think he stands alone, I am sure has none of the an-
cients to join with him ; unless he understands it of another
Clemens, whom the Chronicon Alexandriuum' also makes one of
the seventy disciples, but withal seems to confound with ours.
That he was bishop of Rome, there is an unanimous and un-
« Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 35. 1. iii. c. 2. et 18.
f Eucher. Lugd. ad Valerian, de contempt. Mund. Anonym, de vit. Petr. et Paul. ap.
P. Jun. not. in Clem. Ep. ad Corinth.
? Primit. Christ, p. 1. c. 3.
h Synops. de vit. Apostt. in bibl. patrum, vol. iii. p. 184. ed. 1575.
' Chroii. Alex. p. 214.
150 THE LIFE OF
questionable agreement of all ancient writers, though they
strangely vary about the place and order of his coming to it.
The writers of the Roman church, how great words soever they
speak of the constant and uninterrupted succession of St. Peter's
chair, are yet involved in an inextricable labyrinth about the
succession of the four first bishops of that see, scarce two of
them of any note bringing in the same account. I shall not
attempt to accommodate the difference between the several
schemes that are given in, but only propose what I conceive
most likely and probable.
IV. Evident it is, both from Irensus J and Epiphanius,'' as also
before them from Caius' an ancient writer, and from Dionysius"'
bishop of Corinth, that Peter and Paul jointly laid the founda-
tions of the church of Rome, and are therefore equally styled
bishops of it ; the one as " apostle of the Gentiles,"" (as we may
probably suppose,) taking care of the Gentile Christians, while
the other, as " the apostle of the circumcision," applied himself to
the Jewish converts at Rome. For we cannot imagine, that
there being such chronical and inveterate prejudices between
Jews and Gentiles, especially in matters of religion, they should
be suddenly laid aside, and both intercommune in one public
society. We know that in the church of Jerusalem, till the de-
struction of the temple, none were admitted but Jewish con-
verts; and so it might be at first at Rome, where infinite num-
bers of Jews then resided, they might keep themselves for
some time in distinct assemblies, the one under St. Paul, the
other under Peter. And some foundation for such a conjecture
there seems to be even in the apostolic history, where St. Luke"
tells us, that St. Paul at his first coming to Rome being rejected
by the Jews turned to the Gentiles, declaring to them " the sal-
vation of God," who gladly heard and entertained it ; and that
he continued thus " preaching the kingdom of God, and re-
ceiving all that came in unto him for two years together." This
I look upon as the first settled foundation of a Gentile church at
Rome, the further care and presidency whereof St. Paul might
devolve upon Linus, (whom the interpolated Ignatius makes his
deacon or minister,) as St. Peter having established a church of
J Adv. Hseres,!. iii. c. 3. s. 2. ^ Epiph. Haeres. xxra. c. 6. vid. Ham. Dissert, v. c. 1.
' Cai. adv. Procul. ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 25.
" Dionys. Epist. ad Rom. apud Euseb. I. ii. c. 25, " Acts xxviii. 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 31.
SAINT CLEMENS. 151
Jewish converts might turn it over to St. Clemens, of whom
Tertullian expressly says," that Peter ordained him bishop of
Rome. Accordingly the compiler of the Apostolic Constitutions p
makes Linus to be ordained bishop of Rome by St. Paul, and
Clemens by St. Peter. He says, indeed, that Linus was the
first, and so he might very well be, seeing St. Paul (whatever
the modern writers of that church say to the contrary) was
some considerable time at Rome before St. Peter came hither.
Linus dying, was probably succeeded by Cletus or Anacletus
(for the Greeks, and doubtless most truly, generally make him
the same person) in his distinct capacity : at which time
Clemens, whom St. Peter had ordained to be his successor,
continued to act as president over the church of Jewish con-
verts: and thus things remained till the death of Cletus, when
the difference between Jew and Gentile being quite Avorn off,
the entire presidency and government of the whole church of
Rome might devolve upon St. Clemens as the survivor ; and
from this period of time, the years of his episcopacy, according
to the common computation, are to begin their date. By this ac-
count, not only that of Optatus "• and the Bucherian Catalogue ""
may be true, who make Clemens to follow Linus, but also that of
Baronius and many of the ancients, who make both Linus and
Cletus to go before him, as we can allow they did as bishops and
pastors of the Gentile church. As for a more distinct and
particular account of the times, I thus compute them: Peter
and Paul suffered martyrdom in the Neronian persecution, (as
we have elsewhere probably shewed,) anno 65. After which,
Linus sat twelve years, four months, and twelve days; Cletus
twelve years, one (but as Baronius seven) months, and eleven
days ; which between them make twenty-five years, and extend
to Ann. Chr. 90; after Avhich if we add the nine years, eleven
months, and twelve days, Avherein Clemens sat sole bishop over
that whole church, they fall in exactly with the third year of
Trajan, the time assigned for his martyrdom, by Eusebius,
Hierom, Damasus, and many others. Or if with Petavius,
Ricciolus, and some others, we assign the martyrdom of Peter
and Paul, anno 67, two years later, the computation will still
run more smooth and easy, and there will be time enough to be
° De Prsescript. Haeret. c. 32. »> Lib. viL c. 47.
1 De Schism. Donat. 1. ii. p. 36. ■" A Bucher. edit. comm. in Vict. Can. Pasch. c. 1 5.
152 THE LIFE OF
allowed for the odd months and days assigned by the different
accounts, and to make the years of their pontificate complete and
full. Nor can I think of any way, considering the great intricacy
and perplexity of the thing, that can hid fairer for an easy solu-
tion of this matter. For granting Clemens to have been ordained
by St. Peter for his successor, (as several of the ancients ex-
pressly affirm,) and yet withal (Avhat is evident enough) that
he died not till Ann. Chr. 100. Traj. 3, it will be very difficult to
find any way so proper to reconcile it. As for that fancy of
Epiphanius,' that Clemens might receive imposition of hands
from Peter, but refused the actual exercise of the episcopal
office, so long as Linus and Cletus lived : he only proposes it as
a conjecture, founded merely upon a mistaken passage of
Clemens in his epistle to the Corinthians, and confesses it is a
thing wherein he dare not be positive, not being confident
whether it were so or no.
V. Might the ancient epistle' written to St. James, the brother
of our Lord, under the name of our St. Clemens, be admitted as
a competent evidence, there we find not only that Clemens was
constituted bishop by St. Peter, but with what formality the
whole affair was transacted. It tells us that the apostle, sensible
of his approaching dissolution, presented Clemens before the
church as a fit person to be his successor ; the good man with
all imaginable modesty declined the honour, which St. Peter in
a long discourse urged upon him, and set out at large the par-
ticular duties both of ministers in their respective orders and
capacities, as also of the people ; which done, he laid his hands
upon him, and compelled him to take his seat. How he ad-
ministered this great but difficult province, the ecclesiastical
records give us very little account. The author of the Pontifical"
that fathers himself upon pope Damasus, tells us, that he divided
Rome into seven regions, in each of which he appointed a notary,
who should diligently inquire after all the martyrs that suffered
within his division, and faithfully record the acts of their mar-
tyrdom. I confess the credit of this author is not good enough
absolutely to rely upon his single testimony in matters so remote
and distant: though we are otherwise sufficiently assured, that-
« Contr. Carpocrat. Hares, xxvii. c. 6. vid. Clem. Epist. ad Corinth, c. 54.
' Extat Grsuce et Lat. inter Patres Apost. a Coteler. edit.
" Lib. Pontif. in vit. Clem, vol. i. p. 7o. Concill. ed. reg.
SAINT CLEMENS. 153
the custom of notaries taking the speeches, acts, and sufferings
of the martyrs did obtain in the early ages of the church.
Besides this, we are told by others that he despatched away
several persons to preach and propagate the Christian religion
in those countries, whither the sound of the gospel had not yet
arrived. Nor did he only concern himself to propagate Chris-
tianity where it wanted, but to preserve the peace of those
churches where it was already planted : '' for an unhappy schism
having broken out in the church of Corinth, they sent to Rome
to require his advice and assistance in it, who in the name of
the church, whereof he was governor, wrote back an incomparable
epistle to them, to compose and quell /jiiapdv koX dvocnov crrdacv,
as he calls it,^ "that impious and abominable sedition" that was
arisen amongst them. And indeed there seems to have been a
more intimate and friendly intercourse between these two churches
in those times, than between any other mentioned in the writings
of the church. The exact time of writing this epistle is not
known, the date of it not being certainly determinable by any
notices of antiquity, or any intimations in the epistle itself. The
conjecture that has obtained with some of most note and learning
is, that it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, while
the temple and the Levitical ministration were yet standing :
which they collect, I suppose, from a passage,^ where he speaks
of them in the present tense. But whoever impartially considers
the place, will find no necessary foundation for such an inference,
and that St. Clemens's design was only to illustrate his argu-
ment, and to shew the reasonableness of observing those parti-
cular stations and ministries which God has appointed us, by
alluding to the ordinances of the Mosaic institution. To me it
seems most probable to have been written a little after the
persecution under Domitian, and probably not long before
Clemens's exile. For excusing the no sooner answering the
letters of the church of Corinth, he tells them" it was Std
yevofxeva'; rjfilv avficpopd'i /cal 7rept7rTQ)creL<;, by reason of those
calamities and sad accidents that had happened to them. Now
plain it is, that no persecution had been raised against the
Christians, especially at Rome, from the time of Nero till
Domitian. As for Mr. Young's conjecture from this place, that
" Hegesip. ap. Euseb. 1. iii. c. 16. i Epist. ad Corinth, c. 1.
^ Ibid. c. 40. * Ibid. c. I.
154 THE LIFE OF
it was written in the time of his banishment ; he forgot to con-
sider that the epistle was written not in Clemens's own name,
but in the person of the church of Rome. A circumstance that
renders the place incapable of being particularly applied to him.
VI. By a firm patience and a prudent care he Aveathered out
the stormy and troublesome times of Domitian, and the short
but peaceable reign of Nerva. When, alas, the clouds returned
after rain, and began to thicken into a blacker storm in the time
of Trajan, an excellent prince, indeed of so sweet and plausible
a disposition, of so mild and inoifensive a conversation, that it
was ever after a part of their solemn acclamation at the choice
of a new elected emperor, MELIOR TRAJANO," better than
Trajan. But withal he was zealous for his religion, and upon
that account a severe enemy to Christians. Among several
laws enacted in the beginning of his reign, he published one (if
Baronius,*" which I much question, conjecture the time aright,
for Pliny's epistle,'* upon which he seems to ground it, was pro-
bably written at least nine or ten years after) whereby he forbad
the heteriw^ the societies or colleges erected up and down the
Roman empire, whereat men were wont to meet, and liberally
feast under a pretence of more convenient despatch of business,
and the maintenance of mutual love and friendship ; which yet
the Roman state beheld with a jealous eye, as fit nurseries for
treason and sedition. Under the notion of these unlawful com-
binations, the Christian assemblies were looked upon by their
enemies ; for finding them confederated under one common pre-
sident, and constantly meeting at their solemn love-feasts, and
especially being of a way of worship different from the religion
of the empire, they thought they might securely proceed against
them as illegal societies, and contemners of the imperial consti-
tution, wherein St. Clemens, as head of the society at Rome, was
sure to bear the deepest share. And, indeed, it was no more
than what himself had long expected, as appears from his letter
to the Corinthians ; where having spoken of the torments and'
sufferings M^iich the holy apostles had undergone, he tells them,®
that he looked upon himself and his people as eV avro) r<o aKa/x-
fiaTL, set to run the same race, Kal 6 avT6<; rjfjilv aycov iTrtKetTai,
and that the same fight and conflict was laid up for them.
■* Eutrop. Hist. Rom. 1. viii. non longe ab initio. *^ Ad Ann. 100. n. 8.
<> Epist. 97. 1. y. ^ Ep- ad Corinth, c. 7.
SAINT CLEMENS. I55
VII. Simeon the Metaphrast, in the account of his martyr-
dom/ (much-what the same with that Life of St. Clemens, said
to be written by an uncertain author, published long since by
Lazius at the end of Abdias Babylonius,) sets down the begin-
ning of his troubles to this effect. St. Clemens having converted
Theodora, a noble lady, and afterwards her husband Sisinnius, a
kinsman and favourite of the late emperor Nerva, the gaining so
great a man quickly drew on others of chief note and quality to
embrace the faith : so prevalent is the example of religious
greatness to sway men to piety and virtue ; but envy naturally
maligns the good of others, and hates the instrument that pro-
cures it. This good success derived upon him the particular
odium of Torcutianus,^ a man of great power and authority at
that time in Rome, who by the inferior magistrates of the city
excited the people to a mutiny against the holy man, charging
him with magic and sorcery, and for being an enemy and blas-
phemer of the gods ; crying out, either that he should do sacrifice
to them, or expiate his impiety with his blood. Mamertinus,
prefect of the city, a moderate and prvident man, being willing
to appease the uproar, sent for St. Clemens, and mildly per-
suaded him to comply. But finding his resolution inflexible, he
sent to acquaint the emperor with the case, who returned this
short rescript, that he should either sacrifice to the gods, or be
banished to Cherson, a disconsolate city beyond the Pontic sea.
Mamertinus having received the impei'ial mandate, unwillingly
complied with it, and gave order that all things should be macte
ready for the voyage, and accordingly he was transported thither,
to dig in the marble quarries, and labour in the mines. Damna-
tio ad metalla is a punishment frequently mentioned in the
Roman laws, where it is said to be pt'oxima morti poena,''' the
very next to capital punishments. Indeed the usage under it
was very exti'eme and rigorous : for besides the severest labour
and most intolerable hardship, the condemned person was treated
with all the instances of inhumanity, whipped and - beaten,
chained and fettered, depi'ived of his estate,' which was forfeited
to the exchequer, and the person himself perpetually degraded
' Habetur Graece et Lat. integrum ap. Cotelerii Patres Apost.
S Ibid. c. 15. h Lib. xxviii. ff. de poen. 1. 48. Tit. 19.
' Lib. xxxvi. ubi supr. 1. 12. if. de jur. fisc. lib. xlix. Tit. 14. 1. 1. de bon. damnat. ]. 8.
Qui test. fac. poss. §. 4.
156 THE LIFE OF
into the condition of a slave, and consequently rendered inca-
pable to make a will. And not this only, but they were further
exposed to the most public marks of infamy and dishonour,
their heads half shaved,"* their right eye bored out, their left leg
disabled, their foreheads branded with an infamous mark, a piece
of disgrace first used in this case by Caligula' (and the historian
notes it as an instance of his cruel temper) and from him con-
tinued till the times of Constantine, who abolished it by a law""
Ann. Chr. 315, not to mention the hunger and thirst, the cold
and nakedness, the filth and nastiness, which they were forced
to conflict with in those miserable places.
VIII. Arriving at the place of his uncomfortable exile, he
found vast numbers of Christians condemned to the same
miserable fate, whose minds were not a little erected under all
their pressures at the sight of so good a man, by whose constant
preaching, and the frequent miracles that he wrought, their
enemies were converted into a better opinion of them and their
religion, the inhabitants of those countries daily flocking over to
the faith, so that in a little time Christianity had beaten Pa-
ganism out of the field, and all monuments of idolatry there-
abouts were defaced and overturned. The fame whereof was
quickly carried to the emperor, who despatched Aufidianus the
president to put a stop to this growing sect, which by methods
of terror and cruelty he set upon, putting great numbers of them
to death. But finding how readily and resolutely they pressed
up to execution, and that this day*'s martyrs did but prepare
others for to-morrow*'s torments, he gave over contending with
the multitude, and resolved to single out one of note above the
rest, whose exemplary punishment might strike dread and terror
into the rest. To this purpose St. Clemens is pitched on, and all
temptations being in vain tried upon him, the executioners are
commanded to carry him aboard and throw him into the bottom
of the sea, where the Christians might despair to find him.
This kind of death was called KaTaTrovTicrfjLb'i, and was in use
not only among the Greeks, as appears by the instance men-
tioned by Diodorus Siculus," but the Romans, as we find in
several malefactors condemned to be thrown into the sea, both
^ Cypr. Epist. 7(5. ad Nemes. Euseb. 1. viii. c. 12.
' Sueton. in vit. Calig. c. 27. "' Lib. ii. Cod. Th. de poen. lib. ix. Tit. 40.
" Biblioth. 1. xvi. p. 435. ed. 1 (504.
SAINT CLEMENS. 157
by Tiberius and Avidius Cassius." To this our Lord has respect,
when, in the case of wilful scandal, he pronounces it " better for
the man that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he
cast into the bottom of the sea/'P Where though St. Hierom
tells us,'' that this punishment was usual among the ancient Jews
in case of more enormous crimes, yet do I not remember that
any such capital punishment ever prevailed among them. I
shall not here relate what I find concerning the strange and
miraculous discovery of St. Clemens\s body, nor the particular
miracle of a little child preserved in the church erected to him
in the middle of the sea for a whole year together, (though
solemnly averred by Ephraem"^ bishop of the place,) as despairing
they would ever find a belief wide enough to swallow them, nor
those infinite other miracles said to be done there ; it shall only
suffice to mention one ; that upon the anniversary solemnity of
his martyrdom the sea retreats on each side into heaps, and
leaves a fair and dry passage for three miles together to the
martyr's tomb, erected within a church, built (as it must be sup-
posed by angels) within the sea, and the people^s devotions being
ended, the sea returns to its own place, rt/icovro? tov ©eov
Kavravda tov fMciprvpa, says one of my authors,* " God by this
means doing honour to the martyr." I only add, that these tra-
ditions were current before the time of Gregory bishop of Tours,
who speaks of them with great reverence and devotion.* St.
Clemens died (as both Eusebius'' and St. Hierom'' witness, for
I heed not the account of the Alexandrine Chronicon,'' which
places it four years after, Trajan 7, though the consuls, which
he there assigns, properly belong to the fourth of that emperor)
in the third year of Trajan, a little more than two years after
his banishment, after he had been sole bishop of Rome nine
years, six months, and so many days, say Baronius and others,
though Bucherius"'s Catalogue, more to be trusted, (as being com-
posed before the death of pope Liberius, anno 354,) nine years,
eleven months, and twelve days. His martyrdom happened on
o Sueton. in vit. Tib. c. 62. Vul. Gallic, in Avid. Cass. c. 4.
P Mark ix. 42. i Com. in Matt, xviii. vol. iv. par. 1. p. 82.
■■ Senn. de mirac. in puer. a S. Clem. fact. ap. Sur. Novemb. 23. et Gr. Lat. ap. Coteler.
c. 7—12. vol. i. p. 817.
8 Ibid. c. 11. p. 818. « De Mirac. 1. i. c. 35, 36.
" Lib. iii. c. 34. " De Script. Eccl. in Clem.
'^ Ann. 4. Olymp. 220. Ind. 1.
158 THE LIFE OF
the twenty-fourth of November, according to Baronius and the
ordinary Roman computation, but on the ninth of that month,
says the little Martyrology published by Bucherius,^ and which
unquestionably was one of the true and genuine calendars of the
ancient church. He was honoured at Rome by a church erected
to his memory, yet standing in St. Hierom's time.""
IX. The writings which at this day bear the name of this
apostolic man, are of two sorts, genuine or suj)posititious. In the
first class is that famous Epistle to the Corinthians, so much
magnified by the ancients, tKavcoTarri <ypa(pri^ (as Irenseus*
calls it;) the most excellent and absolute writing, fieyuXr] re Kal
Oav/j.aaia, says Eusebius ; '' a truly great and admirable epistle
and very useful, as St. Hierom*^ adds; a^LoXoyo'i^ as Photius''
styles it ; worthy of all esteem and veneration, dvco/jboXoyov/j^evrj
irapa iracri, as Eusebius assures us,* received by all and indeed
reverenced by them next to the holy Scriptures, and therefore
publicly read in their churches for some ages, even till his time,
and it may be a long time after. The style of it (as Photius^
truly observes) is very plain and simple, imitating an ecclesi-
astical and unaffected way of writing, and which breathes the
true genius and spirit of the apostolic age. It was written upon
occasion of a great schism and sedition in the church of Corinth,
begun by two or three factious persons against the governors of
the church, who, envying either the gifts or the authority and
esteem of their guides and teachers, had attempted to depose
them, and had drawn the greatest part of the church into the
conspiracy ; whom, therefore, he endeavours by soft words and
hard arguments to reduce back to peace and unity. His mo-
desty and humility in it are peculiarly discernible, not only that
he wholly writes it in the name of the church of Rome, without
so much as ever mentioning his own, but in that he treats them
with such gentle and mild persuasives. Nothing of sourness, or
an imperious " lording it over God's heritage,"" to be seen in the
whole epistle. Had he known himself to be the infallible judge
of controversies, to whose sentence the whole Christian world
was bound to stand, invested with a supreme unaccountable
>' A Bucher. edit, comni. in Vict. can. Pasch. c. 15.
^ De Script, in Clement. a Adv. Hseres. 1. iii. ap. Euseb. 1. v. c. 6.
b LiU. iii. 0. IG. c De Script. Eccles. in Clem. <^ Cod. CXII.
e Lib. iii. c. 38. r Cod. CXXVI.
SAINT CLEMENS. 159
power, from which there lay no appeal, we might have expected
to have heard him argue at another rate. But these were the
encroachments and usurpations of later ages, when a spirit of
covetousness and secular ambition had stifled the modesty and
simplicity of those first and best ages of religion. There is so
great an affinity in many things, both as to words and matter,
between this and the Epistle to the Hebrews, as tempted Euse-
bius^ and St. Hierom'' of old, and some others before them, to
conclude St. Clemens at least the translator of that epistle.
This Epistle to the Corinthians, after it had been generally be-
wailed as lost for many ages, was not more to the benefit of the
church in general, than the honour of our own in particular,
some forty years since published here in England, a treasure not
sufficiently to be valued. Besides this first, there is the fragment
of a second epistle, or rather homily, containing a serious ex-
hortation and direction to a pious life : ancient indeed, and
which many will persuade us to be his, and to have been written
many years before the former, as that which betrays no footsteps
of troublesome and unquiet times: but Eusebius,' St. Hierom,
and Photius assure us that it was rejected, and never obtained
among the ancients equal approbation with the first. And
therefore though we do not peremptorily determine against its
bein^ his, yet we think it safer to acquiesce in the judgmeht of
the ancients, than of some few late writers in this matter.
X. As for those writings that are undoubtedly spurious and
supposititious, disowned (as Eusebius says'") because they did not
Kadapov Tri<i d7roaTo\cKf]<i opdoho^la^ cnroaoiil^eLV tov 'yapaK-
rrjpa, " retain the true stamp and character of orthodox apo-
stolic doctrine," though the truth is, he speaks it only of the
Dialogues of Peter and Appion, not mentioning the Decretal
Epistles, as not worth taking notice of, there are four extant at
this day that are entitled to him, the Apostolical Canons and
Constitutions, (said to be penned by him, though dictated
by the apostles,) the Recognitions, and the Epistle to St.
James. For the two first, the Apostolic Canons and the
Constitutions, I have declared my sense of them in another
place,' to which I shall add nothing here. The Recognitions
succeed, conveyed to us under different titles by the ancients,
8 Hist. Eccl, 1. iii. c. 38. ^ De Script. Eclces. in Clem. ' Locis supra citatis.
^ Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 38. ' Pref. to Primit. Christianity.
160 THE LIFE OF
sometimes styled St. Clemens's Acts, History, Chronicle ;
sometimes St. Peter's Acts, Itinerary, Periods, Dialogues with
Appion; all which are unquestionably but different inscrip-
tions (or it may be parcels) of the same book. True it is what
Photius™ suspected, and Ruflnus" (who translated it) expressly
tells us, that there were two several editions of this book, differ-
ing in some things, but the same in most. And it deserves to
be considered, whether the to, KXruxevna mentioned by Nice-
phorus," and which he says the church received, and denies to
be those meant by Eusebius, and those Clementine Homilies
lately published under that very name, be not that other edition
of the Recognitions, seeing they exactly answer Rufinus"'s cha-
racter, differing in some things, but in most agreeing with them.
There is yet a third edition, or rather abstract out of all, styled
K\-t]/jL€VTo<i Trepl tcov Trpd^eoyv, Szc, " Clemens''s Epitome of the
Acts, Travels, and Preachings of St. Peter," agreeing with the
former, though keeping more close to the Homilies than the other.
This I guess to have been compiled by Simeon the Metaphrast,
as for other reasons, so especially because the appendage added
to it by the same hand concerning Clemens's martyrdom is word
for word the same with that of Metaphrastes, the close of it
only excepted, which is taken out of St. Ephraem's Homily of
the miracle done at his tomb.
XL The Recognitions themselves are undoubtedly of very
great antiquity, written about the same time, and by the same
hand, (as Blondel probably conjectures, p) with the Constitutions,
about the year 180, or not long after. Sure I am, they are cited
by Origen'' as the Avork of Clemens in his Periods, and his large
quotation is in so many words extant in them at this day.'
Nay, before him we meet with a very long fragment of Barde-
sanes the Syrian^ (who flourished anno 180) concerning Fate,
word for word the same with what we find in the Recognitions,
and it seems equally reasonable to suppose that Bardesanes had
it thence, as that the other borrowed it from him. Nay, what if
Bardesanes himself was the author of these books ? It is cer-
tain that he was a man of great parts and learning, a man
" Cod. CXII. n Prfflfat. ad Gaudent. ° Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 1{
P Pseudo-Isid. p. 28. 1 Pliilocal. c. 23. ■■ Recognit. 1.
' Extat. ap. Eiiseb. Prrep. Evan. 1. vi. c. 10. et seq. vid. Recogn. 1. ix.
SAINT CLEMENS.
161
prompt and eloquent, koI hiaXeKTiKdoTaro^;,^ an aente and subtle
disputant, heretically inclined, for he came out of the school of
Valentinus, whose uncouth notions he had so deeply imbibed,
that even after his recantation he could never get clear from
the dregs of them, as Eusebius informs us: though Epiphanius"
tells us he was first orthodox, and afterwards fell into the errors
of that sect, like a well-freighted ship, that having duly performed
its voyage is cast away in the very sight of the harbour. He
was a great mathematician and astrologer, eir aKpov rr}'? Xa\-
BaiKrj<i i7n(TT7]fn]'i eXr^A-a/cox?," accurately versed in the Chaldean
learning, and wrote incomparable Dialogues concerning Fate,
which he dedicated to the emperor Antoninus. And surely
none can have looked into the Recognitions, but he must see
what a considerable part the doctrines concerning fate, the ge-
nesis, the influence of the stars and heavenly constellations,
and such like notions, make there of St. Peter''s and St. Clemens''s
dialogues and discourses. To which we may add what Photius
has observed,-^ and is abundantly evident from the thing itself,
that these books are considerable for their clearness and perspi-
cuity, their eloquent style and grave discourses, and that great
variety of learning that is in them, plainly shewing their com-
poser to have been a master in all human learning, and the study
of philosophy. I might further remark, that Bardesanes seems
to have had a peculiar genius for books of this nature, it being
particularly noted of him,"^ that besides the scriptures, he traded
in certain apocryphal writings. He wrote irXeiaTa a-vyypdfM-
fiara,^ which St. Hierom'' renders "infinite volumes;" written
indeed for the most part in Syriac, but which his scholars trans-
lated into Greek, though he himself was sufficiently skilful in
that language, as Epiphanius notes. In the number of these
books might be the Recognitions, plausibly fathered upon St.
Clemens, who was notoriously known to be St. Peter's com-
panion and disciple : and were but some of his many books now
extant, I doubt not but a much greater affinity both in style
and notions would appear between them. But this I propose
only as a probable conjecture, and leave it at the reader's plea-
' Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 30.
* Euseb. Praep. Evang. 1. vi. c. 9.
^ Epiph. H aires. Ivi. c. 2.
•' De !^cript. Eccles. in Bardes.
VOL. I.
" Epiph. Hseres. hi. c. 1.
y Cod. CXII.
» Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 30.
M
162 THE LIFE OF
sure either to reject or entertain it. I am not ignorant that both
St. Hierora'' and Photius*^ charge these books with heretical
opinions, especially some derogatory to the honour of the Son of
God, which it may be Rufinus (who confesses the same thing,"
and supposes them to have been inserted by some heretical
hand) concealed in his translation : nay, Epiphanius tells us,'
that the Ebionites did so extremely corrupt them, that they
scarce left any thing of St. Clemens sound and true in them,
which he observes from their repugnancy to his other writings,
those Encyclical Epistles of his (as he calls them) which were
read in the churches. But then it is plain, he means it only of
those copies which were in the possession of those heretics, pro-
bably not now extant ; nor do any of those particular adultera-
tions, which he says they made in them, appear in our books ;
nor in those large and, to be sui*e, uncorrupt fragments of Barde-
sanes and Origen, is there the least considerable variation from
those books which we have at this day. But of this enough.
XII. The Epistle to St. James, the " brother of our Lord," is,
no doubt, of equal date with the rest ; in the close whereof the
author pretends that he was commanded by St. Peter to give
him an account of his travels, discourses, and the success of his
ministry, under the title of " Clemens's Epitome of Peter''s po-
pular preachings," to which he tells him he would next proceed.
So that this epistle originally was nothing but a preface to St.
Peter''s Acts or Periods, (the same in effect with the Recogni-
tions,) and accordingly in the late edition of the Clementine
Homilies (which have the very title mentioned in that epistle)
it is found prefixed before them. This epistle (as Photius tells
us") varied according to different editions; sometimes pretending
that it, and the account of St. Peter's Acts annexed to it, were
written by St. Peter himself, and by him sent to St. James;
sometimes that they were written by Clemens at St. Peter's in-
stance and command. Whence he conjectures that there was a
twofold edition of St. Peter's Acts, one said to be written by
himself, the other by Clemens; and that when in time the first
was lost, that pretending to St. Clemens did remain : for so he
assures us he constantly found it in those many copies that he
•^ Apol. adv. Uufin. 1. ii. vol. iv. par. 2. p. 409.
^ Phot. Cod. CXII. c Apolog. pro Orig. ap. Ilicron. vol. v. p. 250.
Ihurcs. .\.\.\. c. 1j. s Cod. CXII.
SAINT CLEMENS. 163
met with, notwithstanding that the epistle and inscription were
sometimes difterent and various. By the original whereof now
published, appears the fraud of the factors of the Romish church,
who in all Latin editions have added an appendix almost twice
as large as the epistle itself. And well had it been, had this
been the only instance wherein some men, to shore up a tottering
cause, have made bold with the writers of the ancient church.
His writings.
Genuine. Supposititious.
Epistola ad Corinthios. Recognitionum, llbri 10.
Doubtful. To. KXTjfifVTia, seu Homiliae Clementinae.
Epistola ad Corinth, secunda. Constitutionum Apost. libri 8,
Supposititious. Canones Apostolici.
Epistola ad Jacobura Fratrem Domini.
THE LIFE OF SAINT SIMEON
BISHOP OF JERUSALEM.
The heedless confounding him with others of the like name. His parents, and near re-
lation to our Saviour. The time of his birth. His strict education and way of life.
The order and institution of the Rechabites, what. His conversion to Christianity.
The great care about a successor to St. James bishop of Jerusalem. Simeon chosen to
that place, when and why. The causes of the destruction of the Jewish state. The
original and progress of those wars brieflj' related. The miserable state of Jerusalem
by siege, pestilence, and famine. Jerusalem stormed. The burning of the temple, and
the rage of the fire. The number of the slain and captives. The just accomplishment
of our Lord's predictions. The many prodigies portending this destruction. The
Christians forewarned to depart before Jerusalem was shut up. Their withdrawment
to Pella. The admirable care of the Divine Providence over them. Their return back
to Jerusalem, when. The flourishing condition of the Christian church there. The
occasion of St. Simeon's martyrdom. The infinite jealousy of the Roman emperors
concerning the line of David. Simeon's apprehension and crucifixion. His singular
torments and patience. His great age, and the time of his death.
I. It cannot be unobserved by any that have but looked into
the antiquities of the church, what confusion the identity or
similitude of names has bred among ecclesiastic writers, espe-
cially in the more early ages, where the records are but short
and few. An instance whereof, were there no other, we have in
the person of whom we write : Avhom some " will have to be the
same with St. Simon the Canaanite, one of the twelve apostles ;
others confound him with Simon, one of the four brethren of
our Lord, while a third sort make all three to be but one and
the same person : the sound and similitude of names giving birth
to the several mistakes. For that Simeon of Jerusalem was ai
person altogether distinct from Simon the apostle, is undeniably
evident from the most ancient martyrologies both of the Greek]
and the Latin church, where vastly different accounts are givei
concerning their persons, employments, and the time and places!
» ^'id. Chron. Alexandr. Olynip. 220. Ind. 1. Traj. 7. et Ann. sequent.
THE LIFE OF SAINT SIMEON. 165
of tlieir death ; Simon the Apostle being martyred in Britain,
or as others in Pei-sia, while Simeon the bishop is notoriously
known to have suffered in Palestine or in Syria. Nor are the
testimonies of Dorotheus, Sophronius, or Isidore considerable
enough to be weighed against the authorities of Hegesippus,
Eusebius, Epiphanius, and others. But of this enough.
II. St. Simeon was the son of Cleophas,'' brother to Joseph,
husband to the blessed Virgin, and so his father had the honour
to be uncle to our Saviour, in the same sense that Joseph was
his father. His mother (say some)*^ was Mary the wife of
Cleophas, mentioned in the history of the gospel, sister or
cousin-german to the mother of our Lord : and if so, he was by
both sides Nearly related to our Saviour. He was born (as ap-
pears from his age, and the date of his martyrdom assigned by
Eusebius) Ann. Mundi 3936; thirteen years, according to the
vulgar computation, before our Saviour's incarnation. His edu-
cation was according to the severest rules of religion professed
in the Jewish church, being entei'ed into the order of the Re-
chabites, as may be probably collected from the ancients. For
Hegesippus informs us,'' that when the Jews wei'e busily en-
gaged in the martyrdom of St. James the Just, a Rechabite
priest, one of the generation of the sons of Rechab, mentioned by
the prophet Jeremy, stepped in, and interceded with the people
to spare so just and good a man, and one that was then praying
to heaven for them. This person, Epiphanius expressly tells us,^
was St. Simeon the son of Cleophas, and cousin-german to the
holy martyr. The Rechabltes were an ancient institution,
founded by Jonadab the son of Rechab, who flourished in the
reign of Jehu, and obliged his posterity to these following rules;*^
to drink no wine, sow no fields, plant no vineyards, build no
houses, but to dwell only in tents and tabernacles. All which
precepts (the last only excepted, which wai'S and foreign inva-
sions would not suffer them to observe) they kept with the most
religious reverence ; and are therefore highly commended by
God for their exact conformity to the laws of their institution,
^ Hegesip. ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 11. Epiph. Hseres. Ixvi. c. 19. et omnia
aiitiqua Martyrologia, Adonis, Bedae, Notkeri, Usuardi apud Bolland. de Vit. SS. ad
diem 18. Febr.
= Hegesip. ap. Euseb. 1. iii. c. 32. Niceph. 1. iii. c. 10. ^ Ibid. 1. ii. c. 23.
■= Ha;rcs. Ixxviii. c. 7. ^ Jer. xxxv. 2, 3, &c.
166 THE LIFE OF
and brought in to upbraid the degeneracy of the house of Israel, in
violating the cominands he had laid upon them. They continued,
it seems, (and so God had promised them, that " they should
not want a man to stand before him for ever,^) till the very last
times of the Jewish church, though little notice be taken of
them, as indeed they are but once mentioned throughout the
whole history of the Bible, and that only accidentally, and then
too no less than three hundred years after their first institution.
Probable it is, that in after-times all Rechabites were not Jona-
dab's immediate descendants, but that all were accounted such,
who took upon them the observance of the same rules and orders
which Jonadab had prescribed to his immediate posterity. It
further seems probable to me, that from these Rechabites, the
Essenes, that famous sect among the Jews, borrowed their
original ; that part of them especially that dwelt in towns and
cities, and in many things conformed themselves to the rules of
the civil and sociable life. For as for the GeooprjrcKol described
by Philo,'' they gave up themselves mainly to solitude and con-
templation, lived in forests and among groves of palm-trees, and
shunned all intercourse and converse with other men. While
the practic part of them, (more particularly taken notice of by
Josephus,') though abstaining from marriage, and despising the
riches and pleasures of this world, did j^et reside in cities and
places of public concourse, labour in their several trades and
callings, maintain hospitality, and were united in a common col-
lege and society, M^here they were kept to a solemn observance
of the great duties of religion, and devoted to the orders of a
very strict pious life. And among the^e, I doubt not, the
Rechabites were incorporated and swallowed up, though it may
be, together with the general name of Essenes, they might still
retain their particular and proper name. But to return.
III. His first institution in Christianity Avas probably laid
under the discipline of our Lord himself, whose auditor and,
follower Hegesippus*^ supposes him to have been; and in all
likelihood he was one of the seventy disciples, in which capacity]
he continued many years, when he was advanced to a place ofj
great honour and eminency in the church. About the year 62, j
K Jer. XXXV. 19. •• Lib. Uepl fiiov &€upr]TtKov, fj iKT)ra>v apercov, p. 891, &cl
> De Bell. Jud. 1. ii. c. 8. s. 2, &c. et Antiq. Jud. 1. xviii. c. 1. s. 5.
k A p. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 32.
SAINT SIMEON. 167
St. James the Just, bishop of Jerusalem, by the artifices of
Ananus, the high-priest, had been cruelly martyred by the
Jews: the providing for whose place was so far thought to be
the concernment of the whole Christian church, that the apostles
and disciples of our Lord are said to have come from all parts
to advise and considt with those of our Saviour's kindred and
relations about a fit successor in his room.' None was thought
meet to be a candidate for the place, but one of our Lord's own
relations ; and accordingly with one consent they devolved the
honour upon Simeon, our Lord's next kinsman, whom they all
judged most worthy of the place. I know Eusebius seems to in-
timate that this election was made not only after St. James's
death, but after the destruction of Jerusalem, between which
there was the distance of no less than eight or nine years. But
(besides that Eusebius makes the destruction of Jerusalem im-
mediately to succeed upon St. James's martyrdom, when yet
there was so great a space) it is very unreasonable to suppose
that so famous and eminent a church, a church newly constituted,
and planted in the midst of the most bitter and inveterate
enemies, should for so long a time be destitute of a guide and
j^astor, especially seeing the apostles were all long since dispersed
into several remote quarters of the world : not to say that most
of the apostles were dead before that time ; or if they had not,
could not very conveniently have returned and met together
about this aifair in so dismal and distracted a state of things,
as the Roman wars, and the utter ruin and overthrow of the
Jewish nation, had then put those parts into. Besides that
Eusebius" himself elsewhere places Simeon's succession imme-
diately after St. James's martyrdom. Nor is the least vacancy
in that see mentioned by any other writer. The Chronicle of
Alexandria" places his succession, anno 69 ; for it tells us, that
this year St. James, the apostle and pati-iarch of Jerusalem,
(whom St. Peter at the time of his going to Rome, as his proper
see, had ordained to that place ; this passage, it is plain the
publisher, for want of rightly distinguishing, did not understand,)
dying, Simeon or Simon was made patriarch in his room. But
this account is against the faith of all the ancients, who make
St. James to have suft'ered martyrdom several years before ; nor
' Ap. Euseb. 1. iii. c. 11. vid. 1. iv. c. 22. >" Chron. ad Ann. Chr. 62.
" Ann. 1. Olympiad. 212. Ind. 11. Vespas. 1.
168 THE LIFE OF
do any of them say that he was ordained by St. Peter, many of
them expressly affirming, that he immediately received his con-
secration from the hands of our Lord himself.
IV. How he managed the affairs of that church, is not dis-
tinctly known, few particular accounts of things being trans-
mitted to us. Confident Ave may be that his presidency M'as
attended with sufficient trouble and difficulty, not only from the
malicious and turbulent temper of that people, whom he was
continually exposed to, but because it fell in with the most
black and fatal period of the Jewish church. For the sins of
that nation being now ripe for vengeance, and having filled up
the measure of their iniquities by their cruel usage of the apostles
and messengers of our Saviour, their barbarous treatment of
St. Stephen, and afterward of St. James the Great, and their last
bloody murder of St. James the Less, but above all, by their
insolent and merciless carriage towards the Son of God, and the
Saviour of the world, " the wrath of God came upon them to the
uttermost,"''' and the Romans broke in upon them, and "took away"
both " their place and nation." The sum whereof, because con-
taining such remarkable passages of providence, such instances
of severe displeasure towards a people, that for so many ages
had enjoyed the peculiar influences of the divine favour, and
whose destruction at last so evidently justified the predictions
of our Saviour, and made such immediate way for the honour
and advancement of Christianity, we shall here relate.
V. The Jews, a stubborn and unquiet people, impatiently re-
sented the tyranny of the Roman yoke, which seemed heavier to
their necks than it did to other nations, because they looked
upon themselves as a more free-born people, and were elated
with those great charters and immunities which heaven had im-
mediately conferred upon them. This made them willing to
catch at any opportunity to re-assert themselves into their an-
cient liberty : a thing which they more unanimously attempted
imder the government of Cestius Florus," whom Nero had sent
to be procurator of that province : by whose intolerable op-
pressions and insolent cruelties, for two years together, nothing
abated by prayers and importunities, and the solicitations of
potent intercessors, their patience was tired out, and they brokeJ
out into rebellion. The fatal assault began first at Csesarea,
'' Joseph, dp Boll. Judaic. 1. ii. c. 14. s. 2. Egesip. de excid. Hierosol. 1. ii. c. 14.
SAINT SIMEON. 169
which instantly like lightning- spread itself over the whole nation,
till all places were full of blood and violence. p Florus, unable
himself to deal with them, called in to his assistance Cestius
Gallus, the president of Syria, who came from Antioch with an
army, took Joppa and some other places, and sat down be-
fore Jerusalem ; but after all was forced to depart, and indeed
to fly with his whole army, leaving all his warlike instruments
and provisions behind him. The news of this ill success was
soon carried to Nero,'' then residing in Achaia, who presently
despatched Vespasian (a man of prudent conduct, experienced
valour, the best commander of his time) to be general of the
army. He, coming into Syria, united the Roman forces, fell into
Galilee, burnt Gadara, and destroyed Jotapata, where Jose-
phus"" himself was taken prisoner. He pursued his conquests
with an unwearied diligence, victory every where attending upon
his sword, and was preparing to besiege Jerusalem,^ when hear-
ing of the distractions of Italy by the death of Nero, and the
usurpations of Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, he resolved for Rome,
to free it from those unhappy encumbrances that were upon it ;
whose resolutions herein were so far applauded by the army,
that they presently proclaimed him emperor : who, thereupon,
hastened into Egypt, to secure that country ; a jilace of so con-
siderable importance to the empire.
VI. From Alexandria,' Vespasian remanded his son Titus
back into Judea, to carry on the war ; who thought no way
quicker to bring it to a period than to attempt the capital city,
to strike at Jerusalem itself; and, accordingly, put all things in
readiness to besiege it. The state of Jerusalem " at this time
was very sad. That place, whose honour and security once it
was to be "a city at unity within itself, ''""' was now torn in pieces
by intestine factions ; and how unlikely is that kingdom long
to stand, that is once " divided against itself?" " Simon the son
of Giora, a bold and ambitious man, had possessed himself of the
upper city : John, who headed the zealots, an insolent and un-
governable generation, commanded the lower parts, and the out-
skirts of the temple ; the inner parts whereof were secured by
Eleazar the son of Simon, who had drawn over a considerable
P Joseph, de bello Judaic. 1. ii. c. 14. s. 5. "J Ibid. 1. iii. c. 1.
■■ Ibid. 1. iii. c 7. s. 8. Egesip. 1. iii. c. 18. ' Joseph, ibid. 1. iv. c. .'). s. 2.
' Ibid. c. 1 1. s. 5. " Ibid. 1. V. c. 1. s. 1. c. 3. «. 1. * Pb. cxxii. 3. " Matt. xii. 25.
170 THE LIFE OF
number of the soldiers to his party ; and all those mutually
quarrelling with, and opposing one another. Titus with his army
approaching, a little before the paschal solemnity, begirt the city,
drawing it by degrees into a closer siege, he straitly blocked up
all avenues and passages of escape, building a wall of thirty-nine
furlongs,^ which he strengthened with thirteen forts ; whereby he
prevented all possibility either of coming into, or going out of the
cit3^ And now was exactly accomplished what our Lord had some
time since told them would come to pass, when " he beheld the
city and wept over it, saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at
least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! but
now they are hidden from thine eyes. For the days shall come
upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and
compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall
la}- thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee,
because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.*"^ The truth
is, whoever would be at the pains to compare what our Lord has
said " concerning this war and the sackage of Jerusalem, with the
accounts given of them by Josephus, would find so just a cor-
respondence between the prophecy and the success, as would
tempt him to think that the historian had taken his measures as
much from our Lord's predictions as from the event of things.
But to proceed. Terms of mercy were offered upon surrender,
but scornfully rejected, which exasperated the Roman army to
fall on with greater fierceness and severity. And now God and
man, heaven and earth, seemed to fight against them. Besides
the Roman army without, and the irreconcilable factions and
disorders within, a ^ famine (hastened by those vast multitudes
that had flocked to the passover) raged so horribly within the
city, that they took more care to prey upon one another, and to
plunder their provisions, than how to defend themselves against
the common enemy : thousands were starved for want of food,
who died so fast that they Avere not capable of performing
to them the last offices of humanity, but were forced to throw
them upon common heaps ; nay, were reduced to that extremity,
that some ofl'ered violence to all the laws of nature, among
whom was 'Mary the daughter of Eleazar, who being undone
y Joseph, de bcUo Judaic. 1. v. c. 12. s. 2. *Luke xix. 41 — 44.
* Vide Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 7.
'' Joseph, dc hello Judaic. 1. v. c. 12. s. 3. I. vi. c 3. s. 3. <" Ibid. s. 4.
SAINT SIMEON. 171
l)y the soldiers, and no longer able to bear the force and rage of
hunger, boiled her sucking child and eat him. So plainly had
our Lord foretold "the daughters of Jerusalem," that "the days
were coming, in the which they should say, blessed are the bar-
ren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never
gave suck."''
VII. Titus went on with the siege, and finding that no me-
thods, either of kindness or cruelty, would work upon this ob-
stinate generation of men, gave order that all things should be
made ready for a storm. Having gained the tower of Antonia,
the Jews fled to the temple, which was hard by, the *■ out-gates
and porches whereof Avere immediately set on fire ; the Jews,
like persons stupified and amazed, never endeavouring to quench
it. Titus, the sweetness of whose nature ever inclined him to
pity and compassion, M^as greatly desirous to have spared the
people,' and saved the temple. But all in vain : an obscure
soldier threw a firebrand into the chambers that wei-e about the
temple, which presently took fire ; and though the general ran
and stormed, and commanded to put it out, yet so great was the
clamour and confusion, that his orders could not be beard : and
when they were it was too late, the conquering and triumphant
flames prevailing in spite of all opposition, and making their way
with so fierce a rage ^ as if they threatened to burn up Mount
Zion to the very roots. So eftectually did our Saviour's com-
mination take place, who told his disciples, when they admired
the stately and magnificent buildings of the temple, " Verily I
say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another,
that shall not be thrown down."^ And that nothing might be
wanting to verify our Lord's prediction, Turnus Rufus was com-
manded to plough up the very foundations of it. How sad a
sigcht must it needs be to behold all things hurled into a mixture
of blood, smoke, and flames ! the Jews were slain like sheep or
dogs, and many, to prevent the enemies' sword, voluntarily
leaped into the fire ; the ^ number of them that perished in this
siege amounting to no less than eleven hundred thousand, besides
ninety-seven thousand that Avere made slaves ; the infinite mul-
titudes that from all parts had flocked to the feast of the pass-
^ Luke xxiii. 29. * Joseph, de bcllo Judaic. 1. v. c. 4. s. ,5, 6, &c.
f Ibid. c. 5. s. 1. 8 Matt. xxiv. 2. *• Joseph, de bello Judaic, l.v. c. 9. s. 3.
172 THE LIFE OF
over, and were by the Roman army crowded up within the city,
rendering the account not improbable.
VIII. Such was the period of the Jewish church and state;
thus fell Jerusalem, (by far the most eminent city not of Judea
only, but of the whole East, as Pliny himself confesses,') not-
withstanding- its antiquity, wealth, and strength, after it had
stood from the time of David 1579 years. And memorable it
is, that this fatal siege began a little before the passover, about
that very time when they had so barbarously treated and put to
death the Son of God : so exact a proportion does the divine
justice sometimes observe in the retributions of its vengeance :
a fate not only predicted by our Lord and his apostles, but
lately presignified by immediate prodigies and signs from heaven.''
A blazing comet, in the fashion of a sword, hung directly over
the city for a whole year together. In the feast of unleavened
bread, a little before the breaking out of the war, at nine of the
clock of the night, a light suddenly shined out between the altar
and the temple, as bright as if it had been noon-day. About
the same time a heifer, as she was led to sacrifice, brought forth
a lamb in the very midst of the temple. The east gate of the
inner part of the temple, all of massy brass, and which twenty
men could hardly shut, after it had been fast locked and barred
was at night seen to open of its own accord. Chariots and armies
were beheld in the air, all in their martial postures, and pre-
paring to surround the city. At pentecost, when the priests
entered into the inner temple, they first perceived a noise and
motion, and immediately heard a voice that said, MeTa/Saivco/xev
iyrevdev. " Let us depart hence." And four years before ever
the war began, while all things were peaceable and secure, one
Jesvis, a plain country fellow, pronounced many dreadful woes
against the temple, the city, and the people, Avherein he con-
tinued, especially at festival times, notwithstanding all the
cruelties used towards him for seven years together, when some
made a shift to despatch him by a violent death. But, alas, an
angel itself cannot stop men that are riding post towards their
own destruction. So little will warnings, or threatenings, or
miracles signify with them, whom heaven hath once given up to
an incurable infatuation.'
'Nat. Hist. 1. V. e. 14. '' Joseph, de bello Judaic. 1. vi. c. 5. s. 3.
Vide Josojili. ibid. .s. 4.
SAINT SIMEON. 173
IX. But it is high time to return and inquire, in the mitlst
of this sad and calamitous state of things, what became of St.
Simeon and the Christians of that place. And of them Ave find,
that being timely warned by the caution which our Lord had
given them, that " when they should see Jerusalem compassed
with armies, and the abomination of desolation (that is the Ro-
man army) standing in the holy place, they should then flee
unto the mountains,'"'" betake themselves to some obscure place
of refuge ; and having been lately commanded by a particular
revelation," communicated to some pious and good men among
them, (which, says Epiphanius," was done by the ministry of an
angel,) to leave Jerusalem, and go to Pella ; they universally
withdrew themselves, and seasonably retreated thither, as to a
little Zoar from the flames of Sodom, and so not one perished in
the common ruin. This Pella was a little town in Ooelo-Syria
beyond Jordan, deriving its name probably from Pella a city of
Macedonia, as being founded and peopled by the Macedonians
of Alexander's army, who sat down in Asia. That its in-
habitants were Gentiles is plain, in that the Jews,P under
Alexander Jannseus their king, sacked it, because they would
not receive the rites of their religion. And God, it is like, on
purpose directed the Christians hither, that they might be out
of the reach of the besom of destruction that was to sweep away
the Jews wherever it came. Nor was it a less remarkable in-
stance of the care and tenderness of the Divine Providence over
them, that when Cestius Gallus had besieged Jerusalem, on a
sudden he should unexpectedly break up the siege, at once
giving them warning of their danger, and an opportunity to
escape. How long Simeon and the church continued in this
little sanctuary, and when they returned to Jerusalem, appears
not : if I might conjecture, I should place their return about the
beginning of Trajan's reign, when the fright being sufficiently
over, and the hatred and severity of the Romans assuaged, they
might come back with more safety. Certain it is, that they re-
turned before Adrian's time ;'' who, forty-seven years after the
devastation, coming to Jerusalem in order to its reparation,
>" Matt. xxiv. 15, 16.
» Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 5. Epiph. Hseres. xxix. c. 7. Haeres. xxx. c. 2.
o De Pond, et Mens. c. 15. P Joseph. Antiq. Jud. 1. xiii. c. 15. s. 4.
'I Epiph. de Pond, et Mens. c. 15.
174 THE LIFE OF
found there a few houses, and a little church of Christians built
upon Mount Sion, in that very place where that "upper room"
was, into which the disciples went up when they returned from
our Lord's ascension. Here the Christians who were returned
from Pella kept their solemn assemblies ; and were so renowned
for the flourishing state of their religion, and the eminency of
their miracles, that Aquila, the emperor*'s kinsman, and whom he
had made governor and overseer of the rebuilding of the city,
being convinced, embraced Christianity : but still pursuing his
old magic and astrological studies, notwithstanding the frequent
admonitions that were given him, he was cast out of the church ;
which he resented as so great an affront, that he apostatized to
Judaism, and afterwards translated the Bible into Greek. But
to return back to Simeon : confident we may be that he ad-
ministered his province with all diligence and fidelity, in the
discharge whereof God was pleased to preserve him as a person
highly useful to his church, to a very great age, till the middle
of Trajan's reign, when he was brought to give his last testimony
to his religion, and that upon a very slight pretence.
X. The Roman emperors were infinitely jealous of their new
established sovereignty, and of any that might seem to be cor-
rivals with them, especially in Palestine and the Eastern parts.
For an ancient and constant tradition (as appears, besides
Josephus, both from Suetonius and Tacitus) had been enter-
tained throughout the East, that out of Judea should arise a
prince, that should be the great monarch of the world : which
though Josephus, to ingratiate himself with the Romans, flatter-
ingly applied to Vespasian, yet did not this quiet their minds,
but that still they beheld all that were of the line of David with
a jealous eye. This made Domitian,"" Vespasian's son, resolve to
destroy all that were of the blood royal of the house of Judah ;
upon which account two nephews of St. Jude, one of the brothers
of our Lord, were brought before him, and despised by him for
their poverty and meanness, as persons very unlikely to stand
competitors for a crown. The very same indictment was brought
against our aged bishop ; for some of the sects of the Jews,' not
able to bear his activity and zeal in the cause of his religion, and
■■ Chron. Alexandr. ad Ann. 1. Olympiad. 213. Ind. 15. Vespas. 5. eadem habct de
Domitian ad Ann. 1. Olymp. 218. Ind. 5. Domit. 13.
» Knseb. Hist. Keel. 1. iii. e. 32.
SAINT SIMEON. 175
finding nothing else to charge upon him, accused him to Atticus,
at that time consular legate of Syria, for being of the posterity
of the kings of Judah, and withal a Christian. Hereupon he
was apprehended and brought before the proconsul, who com-
manded him for several days together to be racked with the
most exquisite torments : all which he underwent with so com-
posed a mind, so unconquerable a patience, that the proconsul
and all that were present were amazed to see a person of so
great age able to endure such and so many tortures : at last he
was commanded to be crucified. He suiFered in the one hun-
dred and twentieth year of his age, and in the tenth year of
Trajan's reign, Ann. Chr. 107, (the Alexandrine Chronicon* places
it Traj. 7. Ann. Chr. 104, as appears by the consuls, though as
doubtful of that, he places it again in the following year,) after
he had sat bishop of Jerusalem (computing his succession from
St. James's martyrdom) forty-three or forty-four years ; Pe-
tavius'^ makes it no less than forty-seven ; though Nicephorus,
patriarch of Constantinople, (probably by a mistake of the
figure) assigns him but twenty-three, a longer proportion of
time than a dozen of his immediate successors were able to
make up : God probably lengthening out his life, that as a skil-
ful and faithful pilot he might steer and conduct the affairs of
that church in those dismal and stormy days.
' Anno 4. Olymp. 220. Ind. 1. " Animadv. ad Epiph. Haeres. Ixvi. p. 266.
THE LIFE OF SAINT IGNATIUS
BISHOP OF ANTIOCH.
His originals unknown. Called Theophorus, and why. The story of his heing taken up
into our Saviour's arms, refuted. His apostolic education. St. John's disciple. His
being made bishop of Antioch. The cminency of that see. The order of his succes-
sion stated. His prudent government of that church. The tradition of his appointing
antiphonal hymns by revelation. Trajan's persecuting the church at Antioch. His
discourse with Ignatius. Ignatius's cruel usage. His sentence passed. His being
transmitted to Rome : and why sent so far to his execution. His arrival at Smyrna,
and meeting with St. Polycarp. His epistles to several churches. His coming to
Troas, and epistles thence. His arrival at Porto Romano. Met on the way by the
Christians at Rome. His earnest desire of martyrdom. His praying for the prosperity
of the church. The time of his Passion. His being thrown to wild beasts. What
kind of punishment that among the Romans. The collection of his remains, and their
transportation to Antioch ; and the great honours done to them. The great plenty of
them in the church of Rome. Trajan's surceasing the persecution against the Chris-
tians. The dreadful earthquakes happening at Antioch. Ignatius's admirable piety.
His general solicitude for the preservation and propagation of the Christian doctrine,
as an apostle. His care, diligence, and fidelity as a bishop. His patience and fortitude
as a martyr. His epistles. Polycarp 's commendation of them.
I. Finding nothing recorded concerning the country or parentage
of this holy man, I shall not build upon mere fancy and con-
jecture. He is ordinarily styled, both by himself and others,
Theophorus, which, though, like Justus, it be oft no more than
a common epithet, yet is it sometimes used as a proper name.
It is written according to the different accents, either @eo(p6po<i,
and then it notes a divine person, a man whose soul is full of
God, and all holy and divine qualities, 6 tov Xpiarov iv tj} '^uxfl
'7r€pt(f)ipu)v, as Ignatius himself is said to explain it ; or ©e6(f)opo<i,
and so in a passive signification it implies one that is born or
carried bv God. And in this latter sense he is said to have de-
rived the title from our Lord's taking him up into his arms.
For thus we are told, that he was that very child Avlioin our
THE LIFE OF SAINT IGNATIUS. 177
Saviour took into his arms," and set in the midst of his disciples,
as the most lively instance of innocency and hmiiility. And this
affirmed, (if number might carry it,) not only by the Greeks'' in
their public rituals, by Metaphrastes,*^ Nicephorus,** and others,
but (as the primate of Armagh observes'' from the manuscripts
in his own possession) by two Syriac writers, more ancient than
they. But how confidently or generally soever it be reported,
the story at best is precarious and uncertain, not to say absolutely
false and groundless. Sure I am St. Ohrysostom* (who had far
better opportunities of knoAving than they) expressly affirms of
Ignatius, that he never saw our Saviour, or enjoyed any fami-
liarity or converse with him.
II. In his younger years he was brought up under apostolical
institution : so Chrysostom tells us," that he was intimately con- \y
versant with the apostles, educated and nursed up by them, every
where at hand, and made partaker prjrcov koI airopprjTwv, both
of their familiar discourses, and more secret and uncommon
mysteries. Which though it is probable he means of his par-
ticular conversation with St. Peter and St. Paul, yet some of the
forementioned authors, and not they only, but the Acts of his
Martyrdom,*' written, as is supposed, by some present at it,
further assure us, that he was St. John''s disciple. Being fully
instructed in the doctrines of Christianity, he was, for his eminent
parts, and the great piety of his life, chosen to be bishop of An-
tioch, the metropolis of Syria, and the most famous and re-
nowned city of the East ; not more remarkable among foreign
writers for being the Oriental seat of the Roman emperors and
their viceroys and governors, than it is in ecclesiastics for its
eminent entertainment of the Christian faith, its giving the
venerable title of Christians to the disciples of the holy Jesus,
and St. Peter's first and peculiar residence in this place. Whence
the synod of Constantinople,' assembled under Nectarius, in their
synodical epistle to the western bishops, deservedly call it, " the
most ancient and truly apostolic church of Antioch, in which the
honourable name of Christians did first commence." In all which
a Mark ix. 36. Matt, xviii. 2, 3, 4.
•> Menaeon. Graecor. T^ (Ikoctt^ tov Aeicefi^p.
^ Metaphr. ad Decembr. 20. s. 1. Gr. Lat. apiid Coteler. vol. ii. p. 163.
'' Niceph. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 35. "-* Annot. in Ignat. Act. p. 37.
f Homil. in S. Ignat. s. 4. vol. ii. p. 599. s Ibid. s. 1. p. 593.
'' Act. Ignat. p. I. et 5. edit. Usser. ' Ap. Theodor. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 9.
VOL. I. ' N
17a THE LIFE OF
respects it is frequently in the writings of the church by a proud
kind of title styled &€ov7ro\t<i, or the city of God. That Igna-
tius Avas constituted bishop of this church, is allowed on all
hands, though, as to the time and order of his coming to it,
almost the same difficulties occur, which before did in Clemens's
succession to the see of Rome, possibly not readily to be removed
but by the same method of solution, easily granted in this case
by Baronius himself, "^ and some other writers of note in that
church. I shall not need to prove what is evident enough in
itself, and plainly acknowledged by the ancients, that Peter and
Paul planted Christianity in this city, and both concurred to the
foundation of this church, the one applying himself to the Jews,
the other to the Gentiles. And large enough was the vineyard
to admit the joint endeavours of these two great planters of the
gospel, it being a vast populous city, containing at that time, ac-
cording to St. Chrysostom's computation, no less than two hun-
dred thousand souls. But the apostles (who could not stay
always in one place) being called off to the ministry of other
churches, saw it necessary to substitute others in their room, the
one resigning his trust to Euodius, the other to Ignatius. Hence
in the Apostolic Constitutions/ Euodius is said to be ordained
bishop of Autioch by St. Peter, and Ignatius by St. Paid ; till
Euodius dj-ing, and the Jewish converts being better reconciled
to the Gentiles, Ignatius succeeded in the sole care and presi-
dency over that church, wherein he might possibly be afterwards
confirmed by Peter himself In Avhich respect probably the
author of the Alexandrine Chronicon meant it,'" when he affirms
that Ignatius was constituted bishop of Antioch by the apostles.
By this means he may be said both immediately to succeed the
apostle, as Origen," Eusebius," Athanasius,^ and Chrysostom''
affirm ; and withal to be the next after Euodius, as St. Hierom,''
Socrates,^ Metaphrastes, * and others, place him. However,
Euodius dying, and he being settled in it by the apostle's hands,
might be justly said to succeed St. Peter ; in which sense it is
^ Ad Ann. 45. n. 14. vid. Ad. Martyr. Rom. Feb. 1. ' Lib. vii. c. 47.
>" Ad. Ann. Tib. 19. " Oiig. Horn. vi. in Luc. vol. iii. p. .QSS.
« Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 86.
P Athan. de Synod. Aiini. et Seleuc. c. 47. vol. ii. par. i. p. 761.
1 Chrysost. Horn, in S. Ignat. s. 4. vol. ii. p. 597. ■■ Hier. de script, in Igiiat.
' Socrat. Hist. Eecl. 1. vi. c. 8. ' Metaphr. ap. Coteler. s. 1. vol. ii. p. 16.3.
SAINT IGNATIUS. 179
that some of the ancients expressly affirm him to have received
his consecration from St. Peter, Slo. tt}? tov fxejaXov Tlerpov
Be^ia.<i T-rj<i ap'^^iepoavvT]'; t^]v %a/otv iSi^aro, says Theodoret;"
and so their own historian relates it,"" that Peter coming to An-
tioch, in his passage to Rome, and finding Euodius lately dead,
committed the government of it to Ignatius, whom he made
bishop of that jilace : though it will be a little difficult to recon-
cile the times to an agreement with that account.
III. Somewhat above forty years St. Ignatius continued in
his charge at Antioch, (Nicephorus, patriarch of Constantinople,
assigns him but four years, the figure fi for forty being probably,
through the carelessness of transcribers, slipped out of the account,)
in the midst of very stormy and tempestuous times. But he^
like a wise and prudent pilot sat at the stern, and declined the
dangers that threatened them by his prayers and tears, his
fastings and the constancy of his preaching, and those inde-
fatigable pains he took among them ; fearing lest any of the
more weak and unsettled Christians might be overborne with
the storms of persecution. Never did a little calm and quiet
interval happen, but he rejoiced in the prosperity of the church :
though as to himself he somewhat impatiently expected and
longed for martyrdom, without which he accounted he could
never perfectly attain to the love of Christ, nor fill up the duty
and measures of a true disciple ; which accordingly afterwards
became his portion. Indeed, as to the particular acts of his
government, nothing memorable is recorded of him in the an-
tiquities of the church, more than what Socrates'' relates, (by
what authority, I confess, I know not,) that he saw a vision,
wherein he heard the angels with alternate hjanns celebrating
the honour of the holy Trinity, in imitation whereof he insti-
tuted the way of antiphonal hymns in the church of Antioch,
which thence spread itself over the whole Christian church.
Whether this story was made on purpose to outvie the Arians,
who were wont on the sabbaths and Lord''s-days to sing alternate
hymns in their congregations, with some tart reflections upon
the orthodox, insomuch that Chrysostom was forced to introduce
the same way of singing into the orthodox assemblies ; or whether
" De Immutab. Dialog. 1. vol. iv. p. 49.
" Jo. Malel. Chron. 1. x. ap. Usser. Not. in Epist. ad Antiocli. p. 107.
>• Act. Ignat. p. 1, 2. ' Hist. Eccl. I. vi. c. 8.
180 THE LIFE OF
it was really instituted by Ignatius, but afterwards grown into
disuse, I will not say. Certain it is, that Flaviauus, afterwards
bishop of Antiocli in the reign of Constantius, is said"* to have
been the first that thus established the quire, and appointed
David's psahns to be sung by turns, which thence propagated
itself to other churches. St. Ambrose was the first that brought
it into the Western church, reviving (says the historian)'' the
ancient institution of Ignatius, long disused among the Greeks.
But to return.
IV. It was about the year of Christ 107, when Trajan the
emjieror, swelled with his late victory over the Scythians and the
Daci, about the ninth year of his reign, came to Antioch, to make
preparation for the war which he was resolved to make upon
the Parthians and Armenians. He entered the city with the
pomps and solemnities of a triumph ; and as his first care usually
was about the concernments of religion, he began presently to
inquire into that affair. Indeed he looked "^ upon it as an affront
to his other victories to be conquered by Cln-istians ; and there-
fore, to make this religion stoop, had already commenced a per-
secution against them in other parts of the empire, which he re-
solved to carry on here. St. Ignatius (whose solicitude for the
good of his flock made him continually stand upon his guard)
thinking it more prudent to go himself, than stay to be sent for, of
his own accord presented himself to the emperor, '^' between whom
there is said to have passed a large and particular discourse, the
emperor wondering that he dared to transgress his laws, while
the good man asserted his own innocency, and the power which
God had given them over evil spirits, and that the gods of the
Gentiles were no better than demons, there being but one su-
preme Deity, who made the Moi-ld, and his only begotten Son
Jesus Christ, who though crucified under Pilate, had yet de-
stroyed him that had the power of sin, that is, the Devil, and
would ruin the whole power and empire of the demons, and
tread it under the feet of those who carried God in their hearts*
The issue was, that he was cast into prison, where (if what the
Greek rituals'" and some others report be true) he was, for the
constancy and resolution of his profession, subjected to the most
severe and merciless torments, whipped with plumbatce^ scourges
* Theodor. Hist. Eccl. 1. ii. c. 24. ^ Sigebert. Chr. ad Ann. Chr. 387.
< Act. Ignat. p. 2. "' Ibid. p. ;5. «■ Tj; ^fif'p. k. jx-qv. rov AfKffj.Pp.
SAINT IGNATIUS. 181
with leaden bullets at the end of them, forced to hold fire in his
hands, while his sides were burnt with papers dipped in oil, his
feet stood upon live coals, and his flesh was torn off" with burning
pincers. Having by an invincible patience overcome the malice
and cruelty of his tormentors, the emperor pronounced the finaF
sentence upon him, that being incurably overrun with supersti-
tion, he should be carried bound by soldiers to Rome, and there
thrown as a prey to wild beasts. The good man heartily re-
joiced at the fatal decree ; " I thank thee, 0 Lord, (said he,) that
thou hast condescended thus perfectly to honour me with thy
love, and hast thought me worthy, with thy apostle Paul, to be
bound with iron chains.'"' With that he cheerfully embraced his
chains, and having fervently prayed for his church, and with
tears recommended it to the divine care and providence, he de-
livered up himself into the hands of his keepers, that were ap-
pointed to transport him to the place of execution.
V. It may justly seem strange, and it was that which puzzled
the great Scaliger,^ why he should be sent so vast a way from
Antioch in Syria to be martyred at Rome : whereof these
probable accounts may be rendered. First, it was usual with
the governors of provinces, where the malefactors were more than
ordinarily eminent, either for the quality of their persons, or the
nature of their crimes, to send them to Rome, that their punish-
ment might be made exemplary in the eye of the world.
Secondly, his enemies were not willing he should suffer at home,
where he was too much honoured and esteemed already, and
where his death would but raise him into a higher veneration
with the people, and settle their minds in a firmer belief of that
faith which he had taught them, and which they then saw him
sealing with his blood. Thirdly, by so long a journey, they
hoped that in all places where he came, men would be more
effectually tex-rified from embracing that religion, which they
saw so much distasted and resented by the emperor, and the
profession whereof could not be purchased but at so dear a rate ;
besides the probability, that by this usage the constancy of
Ignatius himself might be broken, and he forced to yield.
Fourthly, they designed to make the good man's punishment
as severe and heavy as they could, and therefore so contrived it,
that there might be a concurrence of circumstances to render it
f Act. Martyr. S. Ignat. s. 2. « Animadv, ad Euseb. Chron. p. 207. ed. 1G58.
182 THE LIFE OF
bitter and grievous to him. His great age, being then probably
above fourscore years old, the vast length and tediousness of the
journey, (which was not a little increased by the /xa/cporepot 8i-
avXot Tov SpofMov, as St. Chrysostom observes, *" their going the
farthest way about, for they went not the direct passage to
Rome, but by infinite windings diverted from place to place,)
the trouble and difficulty of the passage, bad at all times, but
much worse now in w^inter, the want of all necessary con-
veniencies and accommodations for so aged and infirm a person,
the rude and merciless usage of his keepers, who treated him
with all ruggedness and inhumanity : " From Syria even to
Eiome both by sea and land I fight with beasts, night and day
I am chained to ten leopards, (which is my military guard,) who
the kinder I am to them, are the more cruel and fierce to me,"
as himself complains.' Besides, Avhat was dearer to him than
all this, his credit and reputation might be in danger to suffer with
him, seeing at so great a distance the Romans were generally
more likely to understand him to suifer as a malefactor for some
notorious crime, than as a martyr for religion ; and this, Meta-
phrastes assures us,'' was one particular end of his sending thither.
Not to say that, beyond all this, the Divine Providence (which
knows how to bring good out of evil, and to overrule the designs
of bad men to wise and excellent purposes) might the rather
permit it to be so, that the leading so great a man so far in
triumph, might make the faith more remarkable and illustrious,
that he might have the better opportunity to establish and con-
firm the Christians, who flocked to him from all parts as he
came along;' and by giving them the example of a generous
virtue, arm them with the stronger resolution to die for their
religion, and especially that he might seal the truth of his re-
ligion at Rome, where his death might be SiSacr/caA-to? tt}? evae-
y8eta9, (as Chrysostom speaks,'") a tutor of piety, and teach ko.-
KeivTjv (f)c\ocro(j)eiv, the city that was so famous for arts and
wisdom, a new and better philosophy than they had learned
before. To all which may be added, that this was done not by
the provincial governor, wdio had indeed power of executing
•• Homil. in S. Ignat. s. 4. vol. ii. p. 598.
• Epist. ad Rom. s. 5. et ap. Euscb. 1. iii. c. 30".
I* Martyr. S. Ignat. s. 8. apud Coteler. vol. ii. p. 165.
' Vid. Chrysost. Horn, in S. Ignat. s. 4. vol. ii. p. 598. ■" Ibid.
SAINT IGNATIUS. 183
capital punishments within his own province, (which seems to
have been the main ground of Scaliger's scruple,) but imme-
diately by the emperor himself, whose pleasure and command it
was that he should be sent to Rome ; whither we must now
follow him to his martyrdom : in the account whereof we shall
for the main keep to the Acts of it, written in all probability
by Philo and Agathopus, the companions of his journey, and
present at his passion ; two ancient versions whereof the in-
comparable bishop Usher first recovered and published to the
world.
VI. Being consigned to a guard of ten soldiers," he took his
leave of his beloved Antioch, (and a sad parting no doubt there
was between him and his people, who were to see his face no
more,) and was conducted on foot to Seleucia, a port-town
of Syria, about sixteen miles distant thence, the very place
whence Paul and Barnabas set sail for Cyprus. Here going
aboard, after a tedious and difficult voyage they arrived at
Smyrna, a famous city of Ionia, where they were no sooner set
on shore, but he went to salute St. Polycarp, bishop of the place,
his old fellow-pupil under St. John the Apostle. Joyful was
the meeting of these two holy men : St. Polycarp being so far
from being discouraged, that he rejoiced in the otlier"'s chains,
and earnestly pressed him to a firm and final perseverance.
Hither came in the country round about, especially the bishops,
presbyters, and deacons of the Asian churches, to behold so
venerable a sight, to partake of the holy martyr's prayers and
blessing, and to encourage him to hold on to his consummation.
To requite whose kindness, and for their further instruction and
establishment in the faith, he wrote letters" from hence to
several churches : one to the Ephesians, wherein he commends
Onesimus their bishop for his singular charity ; another to the
Magnesians, a city seated upon the river Meander, which he
sent by Damns their bishop, Bassus and Apollonius presbyters,
and Sotio deacon of that church ; a third to the Trallians, by
Polybius their bishop, wherein he jiarticularly presses them to
subjection to their spiritual guides, and to avoid those pestilent
heretical doctrines that were then risen in the church ; a fourth
he wrote to the Christians at Rome, to acquaint them with his
present state, and passionate desire not to be hindered in that
" Act. Ignat. p. 5. " Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 36.
18^ THE LIFE OF
course of martyrdom, which he was now hastening to accom-
phsh.
VII. His keepers, a little impatient of their stay at Smyrna,
set sail for Troas, a noted city of the Lesser Phrygia, not far
from the ruins of the ancient Troy : where, at his arrival, he was
not a little refreshed with the news that he received of the per-
secution ceasing in the church of Antioch. Hither several
churches sent their messengers to visit and salute him, and
hence he despatched two epistles ; one to the church at Phila-
delphia, to press them to love and unity, and to stand fast in
the truth and simplicity of the gospel ; the other to the church
of Smyrna, from whence he lately departed ; which he sent, as
also the former, by Burrhus the deacon, whom they and the
Ephesians had sent to wait upon him : and together with that
(as Eusebius informs usP) he wrote privately to St. Polycarp,
particularly recommending to him the care and oversight of the
church of Antioch, for which, as a vigilant pastor, he could not
but have a tender and very dear regard ; though very learned
men (but certainly without any just reason) think this not to
have been a distinct epistle from the former, but jointly directed
and intended to St. Polycarj) and his church of Smyrna. Which
however it be, they conclude it as certain that the Epistle to
St. Polycarp, now extant, is none of it, as in w-hich nothing of
the true temper and spirit of Ignatius does appear ; while others
of great note not improbably contend for it as genuine and sin-
cere. From Troas they sailed to Neapolis, a maritime town of
Macedonia ; thence to Philippi, a Roman colony, (the very same
journey Avhich St. Paul had gone before him,'^ ) where (as St.
Polycarp intimates in his epistle to that church"") they were en-
tertained with all imaginable kindness and courtes}^ and con-
ducted forwards in their journey. Hence they passed on foot
through INIacedonia and Epirus, till they came to Epidamnum,
a city of Dalmatia; w^iere again taking ship they sailed through
the Adriatic, and arrived at Rhegium, a port-town in Italy;
whence they directed their course through the Tyrrhenian sea
to Puteoli, Ignatius desiring (if it might have been granted)
thence to have gone by land, that he might have traced- the
same way by which St. Paul went to Rome. After a day and
a night's stay at Puteoli, a prosperous wind quickly carried them
P Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 36. n Acts xvi. 11, 12. f Epist. Polycarp. ad Phil. s. 1.
SAINT IGNATIUS. 185
to the Eoman port, the great harbour and station for their navy,
built near Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber, about sixteen miles
from Rome ; whither the holy martyr longed to come, as much
desirous to be at the end of his race, as his keepers, weary of their
voyage, were to be at the end of their journey.
VIII, The Christians at Rome, daily expecting his arrival,
were come out to meet and entertain him, and accordingly
received him with an equal resentment of joy and sorrow. Glad
they were of the presence and company of so great and good
a man, but quickly found their joy allayed with the remem-
brance, how soon, and by how severe a death, he was to be
taken from them : and when some of them did but intimate,
that possibly the people might be taken off from desiring his
death, he expressed a pious indignation, entreating them to cast
no rubs in his way, nor do any thing that might hinder him,
now he was hastening to his crown. Being conducted to Rome,
he was presented to the prefect of the city ; and, as it is pro-
bable, the emperor's letters concerning him were delivered. In
the mean time, while things were preparing for his martyrdom,
he and the brethren that resorted to him improved their time to
pious purposes ; he prayed with them, and for them, heartily
recommended the state of the church to the care and protection
of our blessed Saviour, and earnestly solicited Heaven, that it
would stop the persecution that was begun, and bless Christians
with a true love and charity towards one another. That his
punishment might be the more pompous and public, one of their
solemn festivals, the time of their Saturnalia, and that part of
it when they celebrated their sic/illaria, was pitched on for his
execution ; at which times they were wont to entertain the
people with the bloody conflicts of the gladiators, and the hunt-
ing of and fighting with wild beasts. Accordingly, on the ISth
of the kalends of January, that is, December 20, he was brought
out into the amphitheatre : and according to his own fervent
desire, that he might have no other grave but the bellies of wild
beasts, the lions were let loose upon him ; whose roaring alarm
he entertained with no other concernment, than that now, as
God's own corn, he should be ground between the teeth of these
wild beasts, and become white bread for his heavenly Master.
The lions were not long doing their work, but quickly despatched
their meal, and left nothing but what they could not well devour,
186 THE LIFE OF
a few hard and solid bones. This throwing of persons to wild
beasts was accounted among the Eomans, inter summa supplicia,^
and was never used but for very capital offences, and towards
the vilest and most despicable malefactors, under which rank
they beheld the Christians, who were so familiarly destined to
this kind of death, that, (as Tertullian tells us,') upon any trifling
and frivolous pretence, if a famine or an earthquake did but
happen, the common outcry was, Christianos ad leones, " away
with the Christians to the lions."
IX. Among other Christians that were mournful spectators
of this tragic scene, were the deacons I mentioned, who had been
the companions of his journey, who bore not the least part in
the sorrows of that day. And that they might not return home
with nothing but the account of so sad a story, they gathered
up the bones which the wild beasts had spared," and transported
them to Antioch, where they were joyfully received, and honour-
ably entombed in the cemetery without the gate that leads to
Daphne : a passage which Chrysostom, according to his rheto-
rical vein, elegantly amplifies as the great honour and treasure
of that place. From hence, in the reign of Theodosius,'' they
were by his command, with mighty pomp and solemnity, re-
moved to the Tychseon within the city, a temple heretofore
dedicated to the public genius of the city, but now consecrated
to the memory of the martyr. And for their translation after-
wards to Rome, and the miracles said to be done by them, they
that are further curious may inquire ; for, indeed, I am not now
at leisure for these things : but I can direct the reader to one^
that will give him very punctual and particular accounts of them,
and in what places the several parcels of his reliques are be-
stowed ; no less than five churches in Rome enriched with them,
besides others in Naples, Sicily, France, Flanders, Germany, and
indeed where not. And verily but that some men have a very
happy faculty at doing wonders by multiplication, a man would
be apt to wonder how a few bones (and they were not many
which the lions spared) could be able to serve so many several
* Paul. JC. Sent. lib. v. Tit. 23. 1. 3. s. 5. ff. ad leg. Cornel, de Sicar. et Venef.
' Apolog. c. 40.
" Act. Ignat. p. 8. ed. Usser. Metaphr. Martyr. S. Ignat. s. 24. ap. Coteler. vol. ii.
p. 169. Men. Grac. Tfj Kd". tov 'lavvap. Hioron. de Script, in Ignat.
* Euagr. Hist. Eccl. 1. i. c. 16. y Bollaud. ad diem 1. Febr.
SAINT IGNATIUS. 187
churches. I could likewise tell him a long story of the various
travels and donations of St. Ignatius''s head, and by what good
fortune it came at last to the Jesuits' college at Rome, where it
is richly enshrined, solemnly and religiously worshipped, but
that, I am afraid, my reader would give me no thanks for my
pains.
X. About this time, or a little before, while Trajan was yet at
Antioch, he stopped, or at least mitigated the persecution
against Christians: for having had an account from Pliny ^ the
proconsul of Bithynia (whom he had employed to that purpose)
concerning the innocency and simplicity of the Christians, that
they were a harmless and inoffensive generation ; and lately re-
ceived a letter from Tiberianus^ governor of Palestina Prima^
wherein he told him that he was wearied out in executing the
laws against the Galilseans, who crowded themselves in such
multitudes to execution, that he could neither by persuasion nor
threatenings keep them from owning themselves to be Christians,
further praying his majesty's advice in that affair. Hereupon
he gave command, that no inquisition should be made after the
Christians, though if any of them offered themselves, execution
should be done upon them. So that the fire, which had hitherto
flamed and burnt out, began now to be extinguished, and only
crept up and down in private corners. There are that tell
us,'' that Trajan, having heard a full account of Ignatius and
his sufferings, and how undauntedly he had undergone that
bitter death, repented of what he had done, and was particularly
moved to mitigate and relax the persecution : Avhereby (as
Metaphrastes observes) not only Ignatius's life, but his very
death became ttoWcov 7rp6^evo<i ayadcov, the procurer of great
peace and prosperity, and the glory and establishment of the
Christian faith. Some not improbably conceive, that the severe
judgments which happened not long after, might have a peculiar
influence to dispose the emperor's mind to more tenderness and
pity for the remainder of his life. For during his abode at An-
tioch, there were dreadful and unusual earthquakes, fatal to
* Epist. 97. 1. X. Euseb. 1. iii. c. 34. J. Malel. Chron. 1. xi. ap. Usser. not. in Ignat.
Epist. p. 43.
'^ Extat ap. Jo. Malel. ap. Usser. ApiJend. Ignat. p. 9. \'id. Excerpt, ex Jo. Antioch.
a Val. edit. p. 818.
'' Metaphr. Martyr. Ignat. s. 27. apud Coteler. vol. ii. p. 169.
188 THE LIFE OF
other places, but -vvhieh fell most heavy upon Antioch,*^ at that
time filled more than ordinary with a vast army and confluence
of people from all parts of the world. Among thousands that
died, and far greater numbers that were maimed and wounded,
Pedo the consul lost his life ; and Trajan himself, had he not
escaped out at a window, had undergone the same fate : acci-
dents which I doubt not prepared his mind to a more serious
consideration and regard of things. Though these calamities
happened not till some years after Ignatius's death.
XI. Whether these judgments were immediate instances of
the divine displeasure for the severity used against the Chris-
tians, and particularly for their cruelty to Ignatius, I will not
say. Certain it is, that the Christian church had a mighty loss
in so useful and excellent a person. For he was a good man,
one in whose breast the true spirit of religion did eminently
dwell ; a man of very moderate and mortified affections : in
which sense he doubtless intended that famous saying, so much
celebrated by the ancients, O EMOS EPflS E^TATPflTAI,
" my love is crucified ;" that is, (for to that purpose he explains
it in the very words that follow,) his appetites and desires were
crucified to the world, and all the lusts and pleasures of it. We
may with St. Chrysostom'' consider him in a threefold capacity,
as an apostle, a bishop, and a martyr. As an apostle, (in the
larger acceptation of the word, he being Opovcov StdSo'^o'i twv
dirocTToXcov, as the Greek oflfices style him,* " the immediate
successor of the apostles in their see,") he was careful to dif-
fuse and propagate the genuine doctrine which he had received
of the apostles, and took a kind of oecumenical care of all the
churches ; even in his passage to Rome, he surveyed Td<; Kara
ttoXlv TrapocKba^;, as Eusebius tells us,' the dioceses, or churches,
that belonged to all the cities whither he came ; confirming them
by his sermons and exhortations, and directing epistles to several
of the principal, for their further order and establishment in the
faith. As a bishop, he was a diligent, faithful, and industrious
pastor, infinitely careful of his charge ; which though so exceed-
ingly vast and numerous, he prudently instructed, governed, and
"= Dio. Cass. Hist. Rom. 1. G8. et Xiphil. in vit. Traj. p. 249, 250, 231. Jo. Malel.
Chron. 1. x. ap. Usscr. not. in Ignat. Epist. p. 9.
^ Homil. in S. Ignat. s. 1. vol. ii. p. 593. « Men. Gi-ac. t^ k'. rod AeKe/j.fip.
<■ Hist. Eccl. ]. iii. c. 3P.
SAINT IGNATIUS. 189
superintended, and that in the midst of ticldish and trouble-
some times, above forty years together. He had a true and
unchangeable love for his people, and when ravished from them
in order to his martyrdom, there was not any church to whom
he wrote,^ but he particularly begged their prayers to God for
his church at Antioch, and of some of them desired that they
would send deoirpecr^evrrjv^ a divine ambassador thither on
purpose to comfort them, and to congratulate their happy de-
liverance from the persecution. And because he knew that the
prosperity of the church and the good of souls were no less
undermined by heresy from within, than assaulted by violence
and persecution from without, he had a peculiar eye to that,
and took all occasions of warning the church to beware of here-
tics and seducers, to, Oripla ra avdpcoTro/xopcfia, as he styles
them ; ^ those beasts in the shape of men, whose wild notions
and brutish manners began even then to embase religion, and
corrupt the simplicity of the faith. Indeed he duly filled up
all the measures of a wise governor, and an excellent guide of
souls ; and St. Ohrysostom' runs through the particular charac-
ters of the bishop delineated by St. Paul, and finds them all
accomplished and made good in him ; with so generous a care,
(says he,"") so exact a diligence did he preside over the flock of
Christ, even to the making good what our Lord describes, 609
/jiiytaTov opov koI Kuvova tt}? eTViaKoirrj'i^ as the utmost pitch
and line of episcopal fidelity, "to lay down his life for the
sheep;"' and this he did with all courage and fortitude; which
is the last consideration we shall remark concerning him.
XII. As a martyr he gave the highest testimony to his fidelity,
and to the truth of that religion which he both preached and
practised. He gloried in his sufferings as his honour and his
privilege, and looked upon his chains, tou? TrvevfjuariKov^ /Map-
ryaplra^;, he calls them,"" as his jewels and his ornaments: he
was raised above either the love or fear of the present state, and
could with as much ease and freedom (says Ohrysostom") lay
s Epist. ad. Eph. s. 21. ad Magnes. s. 14. ad Trallian. s. 13. ad Rom, s. 9, ad Phila-
delph. s. 10. ad Smyrn. s. 11.
h Epist. ad Smyrn. s. 4. et Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 36.
' Homil. in S. Ignat. s. 2. vol. ii. p. 594. '' Ibid. s. 1. p. 593.
' John xi. 14. ■" Epist. ad Eph. s. 11.
" Homil. in S. Ignat. s. 1. vol. ii. p. 593.
190 THE LIFE OF
down his life, as another man could put off his clothes. The
truth is, his soul was strangely inflamed with a desire of martyr-
dom ; he wished every step of his journey to meet with the wild
beasts that were prepared for him, and tells the Romans,^ he de-
sired nothing more than they might presently do his work ; that
he would invite and court them speedily to devour him, and if
he found them backward, as they had been towards others, he
would provoke and force them. And though the death he was
to undergo was most savage and barbarous, and dressed up in
the most horrid and frightful shapes, enough to startle the
firmest resolution, yet could they make no impression, iirl rrjv
areppav Koi aBafidvTivov "^vx^rjv, (as the Greeks say of him,P)
upon his impregnable adamantine mind, any more than the
dashes of a Avave upon a rock of marble ; " Let the fire (said
he'') and the cross, the assaults of wild beasts, the breaking of
bones, cutting of limbs, battering the Avhole body in pieces, yea
and all the torments which the Devil can invent come upon me, so
I may but attain to be with Jesus Christ ;"" professing he thought
it much better to die for Christ, than to live and reign the sole
monarch of the world ; expressions certainly of a mighty zeal,
and a divine passion wound up to its highest note. And yet
after all, this excellent person was humble to the lowest step of
abasure : he oft professes "^ that he looked upon himself as an
abortive, and the very least of the faithful in the whole church
of Antioch ; and that though it was his utmost ambition, yet he
did not know whether he was worthy to suffer for religion. I
might, in the last place, enter into a discourse concerning his
epistles, (the true indices of the piety and divine temper of his
mind,) those seven I mean, enumerated and quoted by Eusebius,
and collected by St. Polycarp, as himself expressly testifies;^
but shall forbear, despairing to offer any thing considerable after
so much has been said by learned men about them: only
observing, that in the exceptions to the argument from St. Poly-
carp"'s testimony, little more is said even by those who have
managed it to the best advantage, than what might be urged
" Epist. ad Rom. s. 5. et apud Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 36.
P Men. Grsec. rp k. tov AefcejUjSp.
1 Epist. ad Rom. s. 5. et ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 36.
"■ Epist. ad Eph. s. 21. ad Rom. s. 9. ad Trail, s. 13.
» Epist, Polycarp. p. 23. edit. Usser. et ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 36.
SAINT IGNATIUS.
191
against the most genuine writing in the world. I add St. Poly-
carp''s character of these epistles,* whereby he recommends them
as highly useful and advantageous, that " they contain in them
instructions and exhortations to faith and patience, and what-
ever is necessary to build us up in the religion of our Lord and
Saviour."
His writings.
Genuine.
Ad Ephesios Epistola 1.
Ad Magnesianos 1.
Ad Trallianos 1.
Ad Romanos 1 .
Ad Philadelphenos 1 .
Ad Smyrnseos 1 .
Doithtful.
Epistola ad Polycarpum.
STpurious.
Ad Mariam Cassobolitam
Ad Tarsenses
Ad Antioclienos
Ad Philippenses
Ad Heronem
Ad B. Virg. Mariam
Ad Joannem Apostolum 2,
' Epist. Polycarp. p. 23. edit. Usser.
THE LIFE OF SAINT POLYCARP
BISHOP OF SMYRNA.
The place of his nativity. The honour and eminency of Smyrna. His education
under St. John. By him constituted bishop of Smj'rna. Whether the same with,
the bishop to whom St. John committed the young man. St. Polycarp the angel of
the church of Smyrna mentioned in the Apocalypse. Ignatius's arrival at Smyrna.
His letters to that church, and to St. Polj^carp. His journey to Rome about the
Quartodeciman controversy. The time of it inquired into. Anicetus's succession to
the see of Rome. His reception there by Anicetus. Their mutual kindness notwith-
standing the difference. His stout opposing heretics at Rome. His sharp treatment
of Marcion, and mighty zeal against those early corrupters of the Christian doctrine.
Irenseus's particular remarks of St. Polycarp's actions. The persecution under M. An-
toninus. The time of Polycarp's martyrdom noted. The Acts of it written by the
church of Smyrna : their great esteem and value. St. Polycarp sought for. His mar-
tyrdom foretold by a dream. His apprehension. Conducted to Smyrna. Irenarchae,
who. Polycarp's rude treatment by Herodes. His being brought before the proconsul.
Christians refused to swear by the emperor's genius, and why. His pious and re-
solute answers. His slighting the proconsul's threatenings. His sentence proclaimed.
Asiarchae, who. Preparation for his burning. His prayer before his death. Mira-
culously preserved in the fire. Despatched with a sword. The care of the Christians
about his remains : this far from a superstitious veneration. Their annual meeting at
the place of his martyrdom. His great age at his death. The day of his passion.
His tomb, how honoured at this day. The judgments happening to Smyrna after his
death. The faith and patience of the primitive Christians noted out of the preface to
the Acts of his Martyrdom. His Epistle to the Philippians. Its usefulness. Highly
valued and publicly read in the ancient church. The epistle itself,
I. Saint Polycarp was born towards the latter end of Nero"'s
reign, or it may be a little sooner, his great age at the time of his
death, with some other circumstances, rendering it highly pro-
bable, if not certain. Uncertain it is where he was born ; and I
see no sufficient reason to the contrary, why we may not fix his
nativity at Smyrna, an eminent city of Ionia in the Lesser Asia,
the first of the seven that entered their claim of being the birth-
place of the famous Homer;'' in memory whereof they had a
* Strab. Geograph. 1. xiv. p. 956.
THE LIFE OF SAINT POLYCARP. 193
library, and a four-square portico, called Homereum, with a
temple and the statue of Homer adjoining to it, and used a sort
of brass coin, which they called 'Ojxrjpeiov, after his name, and
probably with his image stamped upon it. A place it was of great
honour and renown, and has not only very magnificent titles
heaped upon it by the writers of those times, but in several an-
cient inscriptions, set up by the public order of the senate, not
long after the time of Adrian, it is styled, " the chief city of
Asia, both for beauty and greatness, the most splendid, the
metropolis of Asia, and the ornament of Ionia.""'' But it had a
far greater and more honourable privilege to glory in, if it was
(as we suppose) the place of St. Polycarp's nativity, however of
his education, the seat of his episcopal care and charge, and the
scene of his tragedy and martyrdom. The Greeks, in their
Menjeon,*^ report that he was educated at the charge of a certain
noble matron, (whose name we are told was Callisto,) a woman
of great piety and charity, who, when she had exhausted all her
granaries in relieving the poor, had them suddenly filled again
by St. Polycarp''s prayers. The circumstances whereof are more
particularly related by Pionius (who suffered, if, which I much
question, it was the same, under the Decian persecution) to this
effect.'* Callisto, warned by an angel in a dream, sent and re-
deemed Polycarp (then but a child) of some who sold him,
brought him home, took care of his education, and finding him a
youth of ripe and pregnant parts, as he grew up, made him the
major-domo and steward of her house ; whose charity it seems
he dispensed with a very liberal hand, insomuch that during her
absence he had emptied all her barns and store-houses to the
uses of the poor. For which being charged by his fellow-servants
at her return, she not knowing then to what purpose he had em-
ployed them, called for the keys, and commanded him to resign
his trust, which was no sooner done, but at her entrance in, she
found all places full, and in as good condition as she had left
them, which his prayers and intercession with Heaven had again
replenished. As indeed Heaven can be sometimes content rather
to work a miracle, than charity shall suffer and fare the worse
'■ Marmor. Oxon. ii. p. 47. Eadem habetManii. Ixxviii. p. 12!). cxliii. p. 277. Append.
XV. p. 2!)G.
'^ Tp Ky'. rov iJ.r]v. rov 'Pifipvap.
'' Pion. vit. S. Polycarp. ex MS. Grajc. apud Bolland. Jan. 2i'L
VOL. I. O
1^4 THE LIFE OF
for its kindness and bounty. In liis younger years he is said to
have been instructed in the Christian faith by Bucolus, whom the
same Mengeon elsewhere informs us,* St. John had consecrated
bishop of Smyrna : however, authors of more unquestionable
credit and ancient date tell us,'" that he ^vas St. John's disciple ;
and not his only, but as Irenseus,^ who was liis scholar, (followed
herein by St. Hierom,) assures us, he was taught by the apostles,
and familiarly conversed with many who had seen our Lord in
the flesh.
11. Bucolus, the vigilant and industrious bishop of Smyrna,
being dead, (by whom St. Polycarp was, as we are told,'' made
deacon and catechist of that church, an office which he dis-
charged with great diligence and success), Polycarp was or-
dained in his room, according to Bucolus''s own prediction,
who, as the Greeks report,' had in his lifetime foretold that he
should be his successor. He was constituted by St. John, say
the ancients generally ;^ though Irenseus,' followed herein by the
Chronicle of Alexandria,"" affirms it to have been done by the
apostles, whether any of the apostles besides St. John Avere
then alive, or whether he means apostolic persons (commonly
styled apostles in the writings of the church) who joined with
St. John in the consecration. Eusebius" says that Polycarp
was familiarly conversant with the apostles, and received the
government of the church of Smyrna from those who had been
eye-witnesses and ministers of our Lord. It makes not a little
for the honour of St. Polycarp, and argues his mighty diligence
and solicitude for the good of souls, that (as we shall note more
anon) Ignatius passing to his martyrdom, wrote to him, and
particularly recommended to him the inspection and oversight
of his church at Antioch, knowing him (says Eusebius°) to be
truly an apostolical man, and being assured that he would use
his utmost care and fidelity in that matter. The author? of the
^ Ttj (TT . TOV JUTJV. TOV ^f^pVCLp.
' Act. Ignat. p. 5. Hieron. de Script. inPoIycai-p. Euseb. Chron. Olynip. 219. A. D. 99.
8 Adv. Hseres. 1. iii. c. 3. s. 4. et ap. Euseb. 1. iv. c. 14.
h Pion. c. 3. n. 12. apud BoUand. Jan. 26. ' Men. K-y'. rov ftrjv. tov ie^pvap.
^ Tcrtull. de praescript. Haeret. c. 32. Hieron. de script, in Polycarp. vid. Suid. in
voc. no\vKapir. Niceph. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii, c. 2. Martyr. Rom. ad 26. Jan.
' Adv. Haeres. 1. iii. c. 3. s. 4.
"> OljTnp. 224. 1. Anton. 21. » Hist. Eccl. 1. iii.c. 36. " Ibid.
P Ad Ann. 1. Olympiad. 220. Indict. 13. Ann. Traj. 4.
SAINT POLYCARP. 195
Alexandrian Chronicle tells us, that it was the bishop of Smyrna
(who could not well be any other than St. Polycarp) to whom
St. John committed the tutorage and education of the young
man, whom he took up in his visitation, who ran away, and be-
came captain of a company of loose and debauched highwaymen,
and was afterwards reduced and reclaimed by that apostle.
But seeing Clemens Alexandrinus, who relates the story, sets
down neither the name of the bishop nor the city, though he
confesses there were some that made mention of it,'i nor is this
circumstance taken notice of by any other ancient writer, nor
that bishop''s neglecting of his charge well consistent with
St. Poly carp's care and industry, I shall leave the story as I find
it. Though it cannot be denied but that Smyrna was near to
Ephesus, as St. Clemens says that city also was, and that
St. John seems to have had a more than ordinary regard to that
church, it being next Ephesus, the first of those seven famous
Asian churches, to whom he directed his epistles, and St. Poly-
carp at this time bishop of it : for that he was that angel of the
church of Smyrna, to whom that apocalyptical epistle was sent,
is not only highly probable, but by a learned man put past all
question."" I must confess that the character and circumstances
ascribed by St. John to the angel of that church seem very
exactly to agree with Polycarp, and with no other bishop of
that church (about those times especially) that we read of in
the history of the church. And whoever compares the account
St. Polycarp's martyrdom, with the notices and intimations
which the apocalypst there gives of that person's sufferings and
death, will find the prophecy and the event suit together. That
which may seem to make most against it, is the long time of his
presidency over that see : seeing by this account he must sit
at least seventy-four years bishop of that church, from the latter
end of Domitian's reign (when the Apocalypse was written) to
the persecution under M. Aurelius, when he suffered. To
which no other solution needs be given, than that his great, nay
extreme age at the time of his death renders it not at all impro-
bable ; especially when we find, several ages after, that Reraigius,
bishop of Rheims, sat seventy-four years bishop of that place.
III. It was not many years after St. John's death, when the
persecution under Trajan began to be reinforced, wherein the
n Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 23. '' Usser. Prolegom. ad Ignat. Epist, c. 2.
o 2
196 THE LIFE OF
eastern parts had a very large share. Ann. Chr. 107, Ignatius
was condemned by the emperor at Antioch, and sentenced to be
transported to Rome in order to his execution. In his voyage
tliither he put in at Smyrna, to salute and converse with Poly-
carp ; these holy men mutually comforting and encouraging each
other, and conferring together about the affairs of the church.
From Smyrna Ignatius and his company sailed to Troas, whence
he sent back an epistle to the church of Smyrna ; wherein he
endeavours to fortify them against the errors of the times which
had crept in amongst them, especially against those who under-
mined our Lord's humanity, and denied his coming in the flesh,
affirming him to have suffered only in an imaginary and fantastic
body : an opinion (which as it deserved) he severely censures,
and strongly refutes. He further presses them to a due ob-
servance and regard of their bishop, and those spiritual guides
and ministers which, under him, wei-e set over them ; and that
they would despatch a messenger on purpose to the church of
Antioch, to congratulate that peace and tranquillity which then
began to be restored to them. Besides this he wrote particularly
to St. Polycarp, whom he knew to be a man of an apostolic
temper, a person of singular faithfulness and integrity, recom-
mending to him the care and superintendency of his disconsolate
church of Antioch. In the epistle itself, as extant at this day,
there are many short and useful rules and precepts of life,
especially such as concern the pastoral and episcopal office.
And here again he renews his request concerning Antioch, that
a messenger might be sent from Smyrna to that church, and that
St. Polycarp would write to other churches to do the like ;
a thing which he would have done himself, had not his hasty
departure from Troas prevented him. And more than this we
find not concerning Polycarp for many years after, till some un-
liappy differences in the church brought him upon the public
stage.
IV. It happened that the quartodeciman controversy about
the observation of Easter began to grow very high between the
Eastern and Western churches, each standing very stiffly upon
their own way, and justifying themselves by apostolical practice
and traditi(ju. That this fire might not break out into a greater
flame, St. Polycarp' undertakes a journey to Rome to interpose
' Ircn. apiid Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 14.
SAINT POLYCARP. 197
with those who were the main supports and champions of the
opposite party, and gave life and spirit to the controversy.
Though the exact time of his coming hither cannot precisely he
defined, yet will it in a great measure depend upon Anicetus's
succession to that see, in whose time he came thither. Now
evident it is that almost all the ancient catalogues place him he-
fore Soter, and next to Pius, whom he succeeded. This succes-
sion Eusehius* places Ann. Ohr. 154, a computation certainly
much truer than that of Baronius, who places it in the year
167, and consonantly to this the Chronicle of Alexandria" places
St. Polycarp's coming to Rome Ann.Chr. 158, Anton. Imp. 21.
It is true indeed that in two ancient catalogues of the hishops of
Rome, set down by Optatus" and St. Augustine,^ Anicetus is
set before Pius, and made immediately to succeed Hyginus ; by
which account he must be removed fifteen years higher, for so
long Eusebius positively says Pius sat. And methinks it seems
to look a little this way, that Eusebius, having given an account
of the emperor Antoninus Pius"'s rescript in behalf of the
Christians, (granted by him in his third consulship, Ann. Ohr.
140, or thereabouts,) immediately adds, that about the time of
the things spoken of,^ Anicetus governed the chui-ch of Rome,
and Polycarp came thither upon this errand ; the late peace and
indulgence granted to the Christians probably administering both
opportunity and encouragement to his journey. But seeing this
scheme of times contradicts Eusebius's plain and positive account
in other places, and that most ancient catalogues, especially that
of Ii-eufeus'' and Hegesippus^ (who both lived and were at Rome
in the time of Anicetus himself) constantly place Anicetus next
to Pius, I dare not disturb this ancient and almost uncontrolled
account of things, till I can meet with better evidence for this
matter. But whenever it was, over he came to Anicetus to
confer with him about this affair ; which makes me the more
wonder at the learned Monsieur Valois,*^ who with so peremp-
tory a confidence denies that Polycarp came to Rome upon this
errand, and that it was not the difference about the paschal
solemnity, but some other controversies that brought him thither,
' Chron. ad Ann. 1 54. " Ad An. 2. Olymp. 224. Ind. 10.
'^ De Schism. Donatist. 1. ii. p. 36. ^ Epist. liii. ad Generos. s. 2. vol. ii. p. 120.
^ Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 14. * Adv. Hseres. 1. iii. c. 3. s. 2. et apud Euseb. 1. iv. c. 13.
•> Ap. Euseb. ib. c. 22. " Annot. in Euseb. p. 1 09.
198 THE LIFE OF
whenas Irenreus's express words are,** (if Eusebius rightly re-
presents them,) that he came to Home to confer and discourse
with Anicetus, Sia rl ^yrrj/xa irepl Trj<i kwtcl to iraa'^a rj^kpa^
" by reason of a certain controversy concerning the day whereon
Easter was to be celebrated." It is true he says," that they
differed a little irepl aXkcov tlvcov, about some other things, but
this hindered not, but that the other was the main errand and
inducement of his voyage thither : though even about that (as
he adds) there was no great contention between them. For
those holy and blessed souls, knowing the main and vital parts
of religion not to be concerned in rituals and external observ-
ances, mutually saluted and embraced each other. They could
not indeed so satisfy one another, as that either Avould quit the
customs which they had observed, but were content still to
retain their own sentiments, without violating that charity,
which was the great and common law of their religion. In
token whereof they communicated together at the holy sacra-
ment ; and Anicetus, to put the greater honour upon St. Poly-
carp, gave him leave to consecrate the eucharist in his own
church : after which they parted peaceably ; each side, though
retaining their ancient rites, yet maintaining the peace and
communion of the church. The ancient Synodicon*^ tells us that
a provincial synod was held at Rome about this matter by
Anicetus, Polycarp, and ten other bishops ; where it was decreed
that Easter should not be kept at the time, nor after the rites
and manner of the Jews, but be celebrated avrfj rfj TreptSof &>
Kal /xeyaXj} KvpiaKj}, on the eminent and great Lord's-day that
followed after it. But improbable it is that St. Polycarp should
give his vote to any such determination, when we know that he
could not agree with Anicetus in this controversy, and that he
left Rome with the same judgment and practice herein, where-
with he came thither.
V. During his stay at Rome^ he mainly set himself to con-
vince gainsayers, testifying the truth of those doctrines which he
had received from the apostles, whereby he reclaimed many to
the communion of the church, who had been infected and over-
run with errors, especially the pernicious heresies of Marcioa
^ Ap. Euseb. I. iv. c. 13. vid. etiam. Chron. Alex, ad An. 2. Olymp. 224. Ind. 10.
•= Euseb. Hist. Eccl. v. c. 24. f Synod, a Pappo edit. p. 3.
s Iren. adv. Hseres. 1. iii. c. 3. s. 2. et ap. Euseb. 1. iv. c. 14.
SAINT POLYOARP. 199
and Valentinus. And when Marcion'' meeting him one day
accidentally in the street, and ill resenting it that he did not
salute him, called out to him, " Polycarp, own us ;" the good
man replied in a just indignation, " I own thee to be the first-
born of Satan." So religiously cautious (says Irenseus) were the
apostles and their followers, not so much as by discourse to com-
municate with any that did adulterate and corrupt the truth ;
observing St. Paul's rule, " A man that is an heretic, after the
first and second admonition, reject ; knowing that he that is
such is perverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."'
Indeed St. Polycarp's pious and devout mind was fermented
with a mighty zeal and abhorrency of the poisonous and pesti-
lent principles, which in those times corrupted the simplicity of
the Christian faith, insomuch that when at any time he heard
any thing of that nature, he was wont presently to stop his ears,*"
and cry out, " Good God, into what times hast thou reserved
me, that I should hear such things !" immediately avoiding the
place where he had heard any such discourse. And the same
dislike he manifested in all the epistles, which he wrote either
to neighbour churches, or particular persons, warning them of
errors, and exhorting them to continue stedfast in the truth.
This zeal against heretics, and especially his carriage towards
Marcion, we may suppose he learnt in a great measure from
St. John, of whom he was wont to tell,' that going into a bath
at Ephesus, and espying Cerinthus, the heresiarch, there, he
presently started back, " Let us be gone" (said he to his com-
panions) " lest the bath, wherein there is Cerinthus, the enemy
of the truth, fall upon our heads." This passage (says Irenseus)
some yet alive heard from St. Polycarp's own mouth, and him-
self, no doubt, among the rest ; for so he tells us elsewhere," that
in his youth, when he was with St. Polycarp in the Lesser Asia,
he took such particular notice of things, that he perfectly re-
membered the very place where he used to sit while he dis-
coursed, his goings out and coming in, the shape of his body, and
the manner of his life, his discourses to the people, and the
account he was wont to give of his familiar converse Avith
'' Vid. Men. Grrecor, rfj (Tt. tov ^ifipvap. ' Tit. iii. 9, 1 0.
^ Ireii. Epist. ad Florin, ap. Euseb. 1. v. c. 20.
' Iren. 1. iii. c. 3. s. 4. et Euseb. 1. iv. c, 14.
'» Epist. ad Florin, ap. Euseb. 1. v. c. 20.
200 THE LIFE OF
St. John, and others who had seen our Lord, whose sayings he
rehearsed, and whatever they had told him concerning our
Savioui*, concerning his miracles and his doctrine, which them-
selves had either seen or heard, agreeing exactly with the rela-
tions of the sacred history : all which, Irenceus tells us, he par-
ticularly took notice of, and faithfully treasured thera up in his
mind, and made them part of his constant meditation. These
are all the material remarks which I find among the ancients
concerning Polycarp during the time of his government of the
church at Smyrna. Indeed there are several miracles and par-
ticular passages of his life related hy the above-mentioned
Pionius, which tend infinitely to exalt the honour of this holy
man : hut seeing the author is obscure, and that we can have no
reasonable satisfaction who he was, and whence he borrowed his
notices and accounts of things, I choose rather to suspend my
belief, than to entertain the reader with those (at best uncertain)
relations which he has given us.
VI. In the reign of M. Antoninus and L. Verus began a severe
persecution (whether fourth or fifth, let others inquire) against
the Chi'istians, Melito bishop of Sardis, who lived at that time,
and dedicated his Apology to the emperors, making mention of
Kaivci Kara ri-jv ^Aalav Sojfiara koI Biardy/jbara,^ new edicts
and decrees which the emperors had issued out through Asia, by
virtue whereof impudent and greedy informers spoiled and vexed
the innocent Christians. But the storm increased into a more
violent tempest about the seventh year of their reign, Ann. Chr.
] 67, when the emperor Marcus Antoninus, designing an expedi-
tion against the Marcomanni," the terror of whom had sufficiently
awakened them at Rome, summoned the priests together, and
began more solemnly to celebrate their religious rites ; and no
doubt but he was told that there was no better way to pro])itiate
and atone the gods, than to bear hard upon the Christians,
generally looked upon as the most open and hateful enemies to
their gods. And now it was that St. Polycarp, after a long and
diligent discharge of his duty in his episcopal station, received
his crown : so vastly Avide of the mark are the later Greeks,P
making him in their public offices to suffer martvrdom under the
Decian persecution. Nor much nearer is that of Socrates,''
" ApuJ Euseb. 1. iv. c. 2G. " Jul. Capit. in vit. M. Antonin. c. 13.
P Men. Gru;c. T-jj kj . tov ^tfipvap. i Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 22.
SAINT POLYCARP. 201
(liowever he fell into the error,) who tells us that he was
martyred under Gordianus ; mistakes so extravagant, that there
needs no more to confute them, than to mention them. Con-
cerning his sufferings and martyrdom, we have a full and parti-
cular relation in a letter of the church of Smj'^rna, written not
long after his death, to the church of Philomelium, (or more
truly Philadelphia,) and in the nature of an encyclical epistle, to
all the dioceses (7rapoiKLat<i) of the holy catholic church ; the
far greatest part whereof Eusebius has inserted into his history,
leaving out only the beginning and the end, though the entire
epistle, together with its ancient version, or rather paraphrase, is
since published by bishop Usher. It was penned by Euaristus ;
and afterwards (as appears by their several subscriptions at the
end of it) transcribed out of Irenseus's copy by Caius, con-
temporary and familiar with Irenseus ; out of his by one Socrates
at Corinth ; and from his by Pionius, who had with great dili-
gence found it out : a piece it is that challenges a singular
esteem and reverence, both for the subject-matter and the an-
tiquity of it, with which Scaliger"^ thinks every serious and
devout mind must needs be so affected, as never to think it has
enough of it ; professing for his own part, that he never met
with any thing in all the history of the church, with the reading
whereof he was more transported, so that he seemed no longer
to be himself. Which effect that it may have upon the pious
well-disposed reader, we shall present him with this following
account.
VII. The persecution growing hot at Smyrna, * and many
having already sealed their confession with their blood, the ge-
neral outcry was, " Away with the impious," (or the " Atheists,""
such they generally called and accounted the Christians,) " let
Polycarp be sought for." The good man was not disturbed at
the news, but resolved to endure the brunt : till his friends,
knowing his singular usefulness, and that our Lord had given
leave to his disciples, when persecuted in one city to flee to
another, prevailed with him to withdraw into a neighbouring
village, where with a few companions he continued day and night
in prayer, earnestly interceding with Heaven (as afore-time it
>• Animadv. ad Euseb. Chr. ad N. 2583. p. 221.
•^ Epist. Eccles. Smyrn. do Mart. Polycarp. edit. Usser. p. 16. et apud Euseb. 1. iv.
c. 15.
202 THE LIFE OF
had ever been his custom) for the peace and tranquillity of all
the churches in the world. Three days before his apprehension,
falling- at night, as he was at prayer, into a trance, he dreamed
that his pillow was on fire, and burned to ashes ; which, when
he awakened, he told his friends was a prophetic presage that he
should be burnt alive for the cause of Christ. In the mean time
he was every where narrowly sought for, upon notice whereof
his friends persuaded him to retire into another village, whither
he was no sooner come but his enemies were at hand ; who seizing
upon a couple of youths, (one of whom by stripes they forced to
a confession,) were by them conducted to his lodging. Entering
the house at evening, they perceived him to be in bed in an
upper room ; and though upon notice beforehand of their coming
he might easily have saved himself by slipping into another
house, yet he refused, saying, " The will of the Lord be done."
Understanding his_ persecutors were there, he came down and
saluted them with a very cheerful and gentle countenance ; in-
somuch that they who had not hitherto known him, wondered
to behold so venerable a person, of so great age, and so grave
and composed a presence, and what needed all this stir to hunt
and take this poor old man. He, nothing concerned, ordered a
table to be spread, and provisions to be set upon it, inviting
them to partake of them, and only requesting for himself, that
in the mean while he might have one hour for prayer. Leave
being granted, he rose up, and betook himself to his devotions ;
wherein he had such mighty assistances of divine grace, that he
continued praying near two hours together, heartily recommend-
ing to God the case of all his friends and acquaintance, whether
great or little, honourable or ignoble, and the state of the catholic
church throughout the world; all that heard him being astonished
at it, and many of them now repenting that so divine and
venerable an old man should be put to death.
VIII. His prayer being ended, and they ready to depart, he
was set upon an ass, and (it being then the Great Sabbath, though
what that Great Sabbath was, learned men, I believe, will hardly
agree till the coming of Elias) conducted into the city. As they
were upon the road, they were met by Herod and his father
Nicetes, who, indeed, were the main-springs of the persecution,
and had put the tunuilt into motion. This Herod was an
irenarcha ; one of those, ad quos iuendw publicw pads vigilantia
SAINT POLYCARP. 203
pertineiat, as St. Augustine describes them :' their office was most-
what the same with that of our modern justices of the peace ;
they being set to guard the provinces, and to secure the pubHc
peace and quietness within their several jurisdictions, to prevent
and suppress riots and -tumults, robberies and rapines, and to
inquire into the companions and receivers of all such persons,
and to transmit to the magistrates the examinations and notices
which they had received of such matters. They were appointed
either by the emperor himself, or the prcefecti prwtorio, or the
decurios ; and at this time the custom in the provinces of the
Lesser Asia was, that every city did yearly send ten of the names
of their principal persons to the governor of the province, who
chose out one to be the irenarcha, the keeper, or justice of the
peace. Being afterwards found grievous and troublesome to the
people, they were taken away by a law of the younger Theo-
dosius," though the office remained under another name. This
office at Smyrna was at this time managed by this Herod, whom
Baronius'' conjectures to be Herodes Atticus,^ a man of consular
dignity, and of great learning and eloquence, and who had been
tutor to the present emperor. Certain it is that that Herod
governed in the free cities of Asia,'' and resided sometimes at
Smyrna ; though it cramps the conjecture, that the name of that
Herod's father was Atticus, of this Nicetes, unless we will sup-
pose him to have had two names. But whoever he be, a great
enemy he was to Polycarp ; whom meeting upon the way, he took
him up into his chariot, where both he and his father by plausible
insinuations sought to undermine his constancy, asking him
what great harm there was in saying, " My lord the emperor,"
and in sacrificing, by which means he might escape. This was
an usual way of attempting the Christians ; not that they made
any scruple to acknowledge the emperor to be their lord, (none
were so forward, so earnest to pay all due subjection and reve-
rence to princes,) but because they knew that the Romans, too
apt to flatter the ambition of their emperors into a fondly usurped
divinity, by that title usually understood God, as Tertullian tells
' Epist. cxxxiii. s. 1. ad Marcellinum, vol. ii. p. 396. Epist. cxxxiv. s. 3. ad Aprin-
giiim, vol. ii. p. 398. Vid. 1. xii. b. 4. fF. de muner. et honor. Tit. 4. et 1. vi. s. 2. ff. de
custod. et exhib. reor. Tit. 3.
" Cod. Theod. lib. unie. Tit. 14. de Hirenarch. " Ad Ami. 169. n. 7.
y A. Gell. noct. Att. 1. i. c. 2. J. Capit. in vit. M. Anton, c. 3.
I * Philastr. de vit. Sophist. 1. ii. in Herod, p. m. 646. et 1. i. in Polemon. p. G42.
204 THE LIFE OF
thorn ;" in any other notion of the word they could as freely as
any call him lord, though, as he adds, even Augustus^ himself
modestly forhad that title to he ascribed to him.
IX. St. Polycarp returned no answer to their demand, till
importunately urging him, he replied, that he would not at any
rate comply with their persuasions. Frustrated of the ends
which they had upon him, they now lay aside the visor of their
- dissembled friendship, and turn their kindness into scorn and
reproaches, thrusting him out of the chariot with so much vio-
lence that he bruised his thigh with the fall. Whereat nothing
daunted, as if he had received no hurt, he cheerfully hastened
on to the place of his execution, under the conduct of his guard ;
whither when they were come, and a confused noise and tumult
was arisen, a voice came from heaven, (heard by many, but
none seen who spake it,) saying, " Polycarp, be strong, and quit
thyself like a man." Immediately he was brought before the
public tribunal, where a great shout was made, all rejoicing that
he was apprehended. The proconsul (whose name was L. Sta-
tins Quadratus) this very year, as Aristides the Orator, who
lived at this time at Smyrna, informs us,^ the proconsul of Asia,
(as not long before he had been consul at Rome,) asked him
whether he was Polycarp I which being confessed, he began to
persuade him to recant ; " Regard," said he, " thy great age ;
swear by the genius of Caesar ; repent, and say with us, ' take
away the impious.^ " These were a avvrjOe'; avrnl';, as my
authors truly observe, their usual terms and proposals to Chris-
tians, who stoutly refused to swear by the emperor's genius ;
upon which account the heathens generally traduced them as
traitors and enemies to the state, though to wipe off that charge
they openly professed,'' that though they could not swear by the
fortune of the emperor, (their genii being accounted deities,
whom the Christians knew to be but demons, and cast out at
every turn,) yet they scrupled not to swear by the emperor's
safety, a thing more august and sacred than all the genii in the
world.
X. The holy martyr looking about the stadium, and with a
severe and angry countenance beholding the crowd, beckoned
to them with his hand, sighed and looked up to heaven, saying,
^ Apolog. c. 34. •> Vid. Sueton. in vit. Aug. c. 53.
'■ Orat. Sacr. iv. '' Tcrtul. Apol. c. 3"2. Orig. contr. Cels. 1. viii. c. 65.
1
SAINT POLYOARP. 205
(though quite in another sense than they intended,) "Take away
the impious." The proconsul still persuaded him to swear, with
promise to release him, withal urging him to blaspheme Christ :
for with that temptation they were wont to assault Christians,
and thereby to try the sincerity of their renegados ; a course
which Pliny tells us he observed towards apostate Christians,^
though he withal confesses, that none of them that Avere really
Christians could ever be brought to it. The motion was re-
sented with a noble scorn, and drew from Polycarp this gene-
rous confession, " Fourscore and six years I have served him,
and he never did me any harm, how then shall I now blaspheme
my King and my SaAdour?" But nothing will satisfy a mali-
cious misguided zeal : the proconsul still importuned him to
swear by Csesar"'s genius ; to Avhom he replied, " Since you are
so vainly ambitious that I should swear by the emperor's genius,
as you call it, as if you knew not who I am, hear my free con-
fession, I am a Christian. If you have a mind to learn the
Christian religion, appoint me a time, and I will instruct you in
it." The proconsul advised him to persuade the people : he an-
SAvered, " To you I rather choose to address my discourse ; for
Ave are commanded by the laws of our religion to give to princes
and the poAvers ordained of God, all that due honour and reve-
rence that is not prejudicial and contrary to the precepts of re-
ligion : as for them (meaning the common herd) I think them
not competent judges, to whom I should apologize, or give an
account of my faith."
XI. The proconsul noAv saAv it AA-as in vain to use any further
persuasives and entreaties, and therefore betook himself to se-
verer arguments : " I have wild beasts at hand (said he) to
which I Avill cast thee, unless thou recant." " Call for them, (cried
the martyr,) for Ave are immutably resolved not to change the
better for the worse, accounting it fit and comely only to turn
from vice to virtue." " Since thou makest so light of Avild beasts,
(added the proconsul,) I have a fire that shall tame thee, vmless
thou repent." " Thou threatenest me with a fire (ansAvered
Polycarp) that burns for an hour, and is presently extinct, but
art ignorant, alas, of the fire of eternal damnation and the judgment
to come, reserved for the Avicked in the other Avorld. But why
delayest thou ? bring forth Avhatever thou hast a mind to." This
* Epist. ;id Trajan. Imp. Ep. 97. 1. x.
206 THE LIFE OF
and much more he spake with a pleasant and cheerful confi-
dence, and a divine grace was conspicuous in his very looks;
so far was he from cowardly sinking under the great threaten-
ings made against him. Yea, the proconsul himself was asto-
nished at it ; though finding no good could be done upon him, he
commanded the crier, in the middle of the stadium^ thrice to
make open proclamation, (as was the manner of the Romans in
all capital trials,) " Polycarp has confessed himself a Christian.*"
Whereat the whole multitude, both of Jews and Gentiles that
were present, (and probable it is that the to kolvov tt}? 'A(Tia<;,
the common-council or assembly of Asia, might about this time
be held at Smyrna for the celebration of their common shows
and sports ; for that it was sometimes held here is evident from
an ancient inscription making mention of it,') gave a mighty
shout, crying out aloud, " This is the great doctor of Asia, and
the father of the Christians ; this is the destroyer of our gods,
that teaches men not to do sacrifice, or worship the deities.""
XII. The cry being a little over, they immediately addressed
themselves to Philip the Asiarch : these Asiarchs were Gentile
priests belonging to the commonalty of Asia,^ yearly chosen at
the common-council or assembly of Asia, to the number of about
ten, (whereof one was principal,) out of the names returned by
the several cities. It was an office of great honour and credit,
but withal of great expence and charge ; they being obliged to
entertain the people with sights and sports upon the festival
solemnities, and therefore it was not conferred but upon the
more wealthy and substantial citizens. In this place was Philip
at this time, whom the people clamorously requested, to let out
a lion upon the malefactor : which he told them he could not
do, having already exhibited the ra Kvvrjryiaca, the hunting of
wild beasts with men, one of the famous shows of the amphi-
theatre. Then they unanimously demanded, that he might be
burnt alive ; a fate which he himself, from the vision in his
dream, had prophetically foretold should be his portion. The
thing was no sooner said than done, each one striving to bear
a part in this fatal tragedy, with incredible speed fetching wood
and faggots from several places ; but especially the Jews were
•" Marm. Oxon. iii. p. 70.
e Vid. 1. vi. §. 14. ff. de excusat. Tit. 1. et 1. viii. §. 1. de Vacat. Tit. 5. ibid. Vid.
etiam Aristid. Orat. Sacr. iv.
SAINT POLYCARP. 207
peculiarly active in the service, malice to Christians being almost
as natural to them as it is for the fire to burn. The fire being
prej)ared, St. Polycarp untied his girdle, laid aside his garments,
and began to put off his shoes ; ministeries which he before was
not wont to be put to : the Christians ambitiously striving to be
admitted to do them for him, and happy he that could first
touch his body. So great a reverence even in his younger years
had he from all for the admirable strictness and regularity of his
holy life.
XIII, The officers that were employed in his execution having
disposed all other things, came according to custom to nail him
to the stake ; which he desired them to omit, assuring them, that
he who gave him strength to endure the fire, would enable him
without nailing to stand immoveable in the hottest flames. So
they only tied him ; who standing like a sheep ready for the
slaughter, designed as a grateful sacrifice to the Almighty, clasp-
ing his hands which Avere bound behind him, he poured out his
soul to heaven in this following prayer : " O Lord God Al-
mighty, the Father of thy well-beloved and ever-blessed Son
Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of thee ;
the God of angels, poAvers, and of every creature, and of the
whole race of the righteous, who live before thee ; I bless thee
that thou hast graciously condescended to bring me to this day
and hour, that I may receive a portion in the number of thy
holy martyrs, and drink of Christ's cup, for the resurrection to
eternal life both of soul and body in the incorruptibleness of the
Holy Spirit. Into which number grant I may be received this
day, being found in thy sight as a fair and acceptable sacrifice,
such a one as thou thyself hast prepared, that so thou mayest
accomplish what thou, O true and faithful God, hast foreshewn.
Wherefore I praise thee for all thy mercies ; I bless thee, I
glorify thee, through the eternal High-priest, thy beloved Son
Jesus Christ ; with whom to thyself and the Holy Ghost, be
glory both now and for ever. Amen." Which last word he
pronounced with a more clear audible voice : and having done
his prayer, the ministers of execution blew up the fire, which
increasing to a mighty flame, behold a wonder, (seen, say my
authors, by us, who were purposely reserved, that we might de-
clare it to others,) " the flames disposing themselves into the
resemblance of an arch, like the sails of a ship swelled with the
208 THE LIFE OF
wind, gently encircled the body of the martyr, who stood all
the while in the midst, not like roasted flesh, hut like gold or
silver purified in the furnace, his body sending forth a delightful
fragrancy, which like frankincense or some other costly spices,
presented itself to our senses."
XIV. How blind and incorrigibly obstinate is unbelief ! '' The
infidels were so far from being convinced, that they were rather
exasperated by the miracle, commanding a spearman, one of
those who were wont to despatch wild beasts when they became
outrageous, to go near and run him through with a sword ; which
he had no sooner done, but such a vast quantity of blood flowed
from the wound, as extinguished and put out the fire ; together
with which a dove was seen to fly from the wounds of his body,
which some suppose to have been his sojjI, clothed in a visible
shape at the time of its departure : though true it is, that this
circumstance is not mentioned in Eusebius''s account, and pro-
bably never was in the original. Nor did the malice of Satan
end here : he knew by the innocent and unblameable course of
his life, and the glorious constancy of his martyrdom, that he
had certainly attained the crown of immortality, and nothing
now was left for his spite to work on, but to deprive them even
of the honour of his bones. For many were desirous to have
given his body decent and honourable burial, and to have as-
sembled there for the celebration of his memory ; but were pre-
vented by some who prompted Nicetes, the father of Herod and
brother to Alee, to advise the proconsul not to bestow his body
upon the Christians, lest leaving their crucified Master, they
should henceforth worship Polycarpus. A suggestion, however,
managed by the heathens, yet first contrived and prompted by
the Jews, who narrowly watched the Christians when they would
have taken away his body from the place of execution : " Little
considering (they are the very words of my authors) how im-
possible it is that either we should forsake Christ, who died for
the salvation of the whole world, or that we should worship any
other. Him we adore as the Son of God ; but martyrs, as the
disciples and followers of our Lord, we deservedly love for their
eminent kindness towards their own Prince and Master, whose
companions and fellow-disciples we also by all means desire to
be.*" So far were those primitive and better ages from that undu*
'' Vid. Usser. not. 74. in Act. Polycarp. p. 67.
SAINT POLYCARP. 209
and superstitious veneration of the reliques of martyrs and de-
parted saints which after-ages introduced into the church, as
elsewhere we have shewed more at large.'
XV. The centurion beholding the perverseness and obstinacy
of the Jews, commanded the body to be placed in the midst, and
in the usual manner to be burnt to ashes ; whose bones the
Christians gathered up as a choice and inestimable treasure, and
decently interred them : in which place they resolved, if possible,
(and they prayed God nothing might hinder it,) to meet and
celebrate the birth-day of his martyrdom, both to do honour to
the memory of the departed, and to prepare and encourage others
hereafter to give the like testimony to the faith. Both which
considerations gave birth and original to the memories martyrwtn^
those solemn anniversary commemorations of the martyrs, which
we have in another place more fully shewed,'' were generally
kept in the primitive church. Thus died this apostolical man,
Ann. Chr. 167, about the hundredth year of his age ; for those
" eighty-six years," which himself speaks of, wherein he had
served Christ, cannot be said to commence from his birth, but
from his baptism, or new-birth, at which time we cannot well
suppose him to have been less than sixteen or twenty years old :
besides, his converse with the apostles and consecration by St.
John, reasonably suppose him of some competent years ; for we
cannot think he would ordain a youth or a very young man
bishop, especially of so great and populous a city. The incom-
parable primate,' from a passage in his epistle, conjectures him
to have lived (though not then converted to Christianity) at the
time when St. Paul wrote his epistles ; which, if so, must argue
him to have been of a greater age : nor is this any more impro-
bable than what Quadratus,"" the Christian apologist, who lived
under Adrian, and dedicated his Apologetic to that emperor,
reports ; that there were some of those whom our Lord had
healed, and raised from the dead, alive even in his time : and of
Simeon, successor to St. James in the bishopric of Jerusalem, He-
gesippus expressly relates," that he was one hundred and twenty
years old at the time of his martyrdom. Sure I am, Irenaeus"
particularly notes of our St. Polycarp, that he lived a very long
' Prim. Christ, par. i. c. 5. '' Ibid. c. 7.
• Usser. Annot. in Ep. S. Polycarp. p. 2. ™ Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 3.
" Ibid. lib. iii. c. 32. ° Adv. Haeres. 1. iii. c. 3. s. 4. et ap. Euseb. 1. iv. c. 14.
VOL. I. * t'
210 THE LIFE OF
time, and was arrived to an exceeding great age, when he un-
derwent a most glorious and illustrious martyrdom for the faith.
XVI. He suffered on the second of the month Xanthicus, the
seventh of the calends of May ; though wliether mistaken for the
seventh of the calends of April, and so to be referred to March
26, as some will have it, or for the seventh of the calends of
March, and so to be adjudged to February 23, as others, is
difficult to determine. It shall suffice to note, that his memory
is celebrated by the Greek church, February the 23d ; by the
Latin, January the 26th. The amphitheatre where he suffered
is in a great measure yet remaining, (as a late eye-witness and
diligent searcher into antiquity informs us,p) in the two opposite
sides whereof are the dens where the lions were wont to be kept.
His tomb is in a little chapel in the side of a mountain on the
south-east part of the city, solemnly visited by the Greeks upon
his festival-day ; and for the maintenance and reparation
whereof, travellers are wSnt to throw in a few aspers into an
earthen pot that stands there for that purpose. How miserable
the state of this city is under the Turkish yoke at this day, is
without the limits of my business to inquire : to look a little
higher to the times we write of, though I love not to make
severe and ill-natured interpretations of the actions of Divine
Providence, yet I cannot but observe, how heavy the Divine dis-
pleasure not long after Polycarp's death fell, as upon other places,
so more particularly upon this city, by plague, fire, and earth-
quakes, mentioned by others, ^ but more fully described by
Aristides,"" their own orator, who was contemporary with St.
Polycarp : by which means their city, before one of the glories
and ornaments of Asia, was turned into rubbish and ashes, their
stately houses overtui-ned, their temples ruined; one especially,
which as it advanced Asia above other countries, so gave Sm}Tna
the honour and precedence above other cities of Asia ; their
traffic sjioiled, their marts and ports laid waste, besides the great
numbers of people that lost their lives : indeed, the fate so sad,
that the orator was forced to give ovei', professing himself unable
to describe it.
XVII. I cannot better close the story of Polycarp's martyr-
P Th. Smith Epist. de septem Asise Eccles. p. 164.
•• Xiphil Epit. Dion, in M. Anton, p. 281.
■■ In Orat. Monodia diet. vid. Philastr. de \-it. Sophist. 1. ii. in Aristid. p. m. 659.
SAINT POLYOARP. 211
dom, than with the preface which the church of Smyrna has in
the beginning of it, as what eminently represents the illustrious
faith and patience of those primitive Christians. ^ " Evident it
is (say they) that all those martyrdoms are great and blessed
which happen by the will of God ; for it becomes us Christians,
who have a more divine religion than others, to ascribe to God
the sovereign disposure of all events. Who would not stand
and admire the generous greatness of their mind, their singular
patience, and admirable love to God ? who when their flesh was
with scourges so torn off their backs, that the whole frame and
contexture of their bodies, even to their inmost veins and arteries,
might be seen, yet patiently endured it. Insomuch that those
who were present, pitied and grieved at the sight of it, while
they themselves were endued with so invincible a resolution, that
none of them gave one sigh or groan : the holy martyrs of Christ
letting us see, that at that time when they were thus tormented,
they were strangers to their own bodies ; or rather that our
Lord stood by them to assist and comfort them. Animated by
the grace of Christ, they despised the toi-ments of men, by one
short hour delivering themselves from eternal miseries : the fire
which their tormentors put to them seemed cool and little, while
they had it in their eye, to avoid the everlasting and unex-
tinguishable flames of another world ; their thoughts being fixed
upon those rewards which are prepared for them that endure to
the end, such as ' neither ear hath heard, nor eye hath seen, nor
hath it entered into the heart of man ;' ' but which were shewn
to them by our Lord, as being now no longer mortals, but enter-
ing upon the state of angels. In like manner those who were
condemned to be devoured by wild beasts, for a long time en-
dured the most grievous tortures ; shells of fishes were strewed
under their naked bodies, and they forced to lie upon sharp
pointed stakes driven into the ground, and several such-like en-
gines of torture devised for them, that (if possible) by the con-
stancy of their torments, the enemy might drive them to renounce
the faith of Christ : various were the methods of punishments
which the Devil did invent, though, blessed be God, there were
not many whom they were able to prevail upon.*" And at the
end of the epistle they particularly remark concerning Polycarp,
that he was not only a famous doctor, but an eminent martyr
' Edit. Usser. p. 14. confer Euseb. 1. iv. c. 15. ' 1 Cor. ii. 9.
p 2
212 THE LIFE OF
whose martyrdom all strove to imitate, as one who by his
patience conquered an unrighteous judge, and by that means
having attained an immortal crown, was triumphing with the
apostles, and all the souls of the righteous, glorifying God the
Father, and praising of our Lord, the disposer of our bodies, and
the bishop and pastor of the catholic church throughout the
world. Nor were the Christians the only persons that reverenced
his memory, but the very Gentiles (as Eusebius tells us") every
where spoke honourably of him.
XVIIL As for his writings, besides that St. Hierom" mentions
the volumes of Papias and Polycarp, and the above-mentioned
Pionius,^ his Epistles and Homilies ; Irenseus evidently intimates
that he wrote several ejiistles,^ of all which none are extant at
this day, but the Epistle to the Philippians, an epistle peculiarly
celebrated by the ancients, very useful says St. Hierom,* Trdvv
Oavfiaarr}, (as Suidas** and Sophronius*^ style it,) "a most ad-
mirable epistle." Irenseus gives it this eulogium,'' that it is " a
most perfect and absolute epistle, whence they that are careful
of their salvation may learn the character of his faith, and the
truth which he preached." To which Eusebius adds, that in
this epistle he makes use of some quotations out of the first
Epistle of St. Peter: an observation that holds good with the
epistle, as we have it at this day, there being many places in it
cited out of the first, not one out of the second epistle. Photius
passes this just and true judgment of it ; that it is full of many
admonitions, delivered with clearness and simplicity, according
to the ecclesiastic way and manner of interpretation. It seems to
hold a great affinity both in style and substance with Clemens's
Epistle to the Corinthians, often suggesting the same rules, and
making use of the same words and phrases, so that it is not
to be doubted, but he had that excellent epistle particularly
in his eye at the writing of it. Indeed it is a pious and
truly Christian epistle, furnished with short and useful precepts
and rules of life, and penned with the modesty and simplicity of
the apostolic times, valued by the ancients next to the writings
" Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 15. * Epist. Hi. ad Lucin. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 578.
y Vit. Polycarp. c. 3. n. 12. ^ Epist. ad Florin, ap. Euseb. 1. iv. c. 15.
' De Script, in Polycarp. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 108.
'* Suid. in voc. UoXvKapTr. "= Sophron. ap. Hieron, de Script, in Polycarp.
•* Adv. Ilrcres. 1. iii. c. 3. s. 4. et apud Euseb. 1. iv. c. 15.
SAINT POLYCARP. 213
of the holy canon ; and St. Hierom tells us,^ that even in his
time it Avas read in A sice conventu, in the public assemblies of
the Asian church. It was first published in Greek by P. Halloix
the Jesuit, anno 1633, and not many years after by bishop
Usher : and I presume the pious reader will think it no unuseful
digression, if I here subjoin so venerable a monument of the
ancient church.
* De Script, in Polycarp, vol. iv. par. ii. p. 108.
THE EPISTLE OF SAINT POLYCARP,
BISHOP OF SMYRNA AND MARTYR,
TO THE PHILIPPIANS.
Polycarp and the presbyters that are with him, to the church
of God which is at Philippi : mercy unto you, and peace from
God Almighty, and Jesus Christ our Saviour, be multiplied.
I. I REJOICED with you greatly in our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye
entertained the patterns of true love, and (as became you) con-
ducted onwards those who were bound with chains, which are
the ornaments of saints, and the crowns of those that are the
truly elect of God, and of our Lord : and that the firm root of
your faith, formerly published, does j-et remain, and bring forth
fruit in our Lord Jesus Christ, who was pleased to offer up him-
self even unto death for our sins : " whom God raised up, having
loosed the pains of death :"^ " in whom, though you see him not,
ye believe, and believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory;"'' whereinto many desire to enter, knowing that
" ^y grace ye are saved, not by works,"" but by the will of God
through Jesus Christ.
II. " Wherefore girding up your loins," '^ serve God in fear and
truth, forsaking empty and vain talking, and the error wherein
so many are involved, " believing in him who raised up our Lord
Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave him glory," ^ and a throne
at his right hand ; to whom all things both in heaven and in
a Acts ii. 24. b 1 Pet. i. 8. " Eph. ii. 8, 9. '^1 Pet. i. 13. •= 1 Pet. i. 21.
214 THE EPISTLE OF
earth are put in subjection, whom every thing that has breath
worships, who comes to judge the quick and the dead, whose
blood God will require of them that believe not in him. I3ut he
who raised him up from the dead, will raise up us also, if we do
his will, and walk in his commandments, and love what he loved,
abstaining from all unrighteousness, inordinate desire, covetous-
ness, detraction, false witness ; " not rendering evil for evil, or
railing for railing," ^ or striking for striking, or cursing for
cursing, but remembering what the Lord said, when he taught
thus, " Judge not, that ye be not judged, forgive and ye shall
be forgiven, be merciful that ye may obtain mercy : with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again :"s and that
" blessed are the poor, and they which are persecuted for right-
eousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God."''"'
in. These things, brethren, I write to you concerning right-
eousness, not of my own humour, but because yourselves did
provoke me to it. For neither I, nor any other such as I
am, can attain to the wisdom of blessed and glorious St. Paul,
who being among you, and conversing personally with those who
were then alive, firmly and accurately taught the word of truth ;
and when absent, wrote epistles to you, by which, if you look
into them, ye may be built in the faith, delivered unto you,
which is the mother of us all, being followed by hope, and led on
by love, both towards God, and Christ, and to our neighbour.
For whoever is inwardly replenished with these things, has ful-
filled the law of righteousness ; and he that is furnished with
love, stands at a distance from all sin. But " the love of money
is the beginning of all evil."' Knowing, therefore, " that we
brought nothing into the world, and that we shall carry nothing
out," '' let us arm ourselves with the armour of righteousness,
and in the first place be instructed ourselves to Avalk in the com-
mands of the Lord, and next teach your wives to live in the faith
delivered to them, in love and chastity, that they embrace their
own husbands with all integrity, and others also with all tem-
perance and continency, and that they educate and discipline
their children in the fear of God, The widows, that they be
sober and modest concerning the faith of the Lord, that they
incessantly intercede for all, and keep themselves from all
f 1 Pet. iii. 9. e Matt. vii. 1. Luke vi. 36, 37.
h Matt. V. .3. 10. ■' 1 Tim. vi. 10. ^ \ Tim. vi. 7.
SAINT POLYCARP. 215
slandering detraction, false witness, covetonsness, and every evil
work ; as knowing that they are the altars of God, and that
he accurately surveys the sacrifice, and that nothing can be con-
cealed from him, neither of our reasonings, nor thoughts, nor the
secrets of the heart. Accordingly, knowing that God is not
mocked, we ought to walk worthy of his command, and of his
glory.
IV. Likewise let the deacons be unblameable before his
righteous presence, as the ministers of God in Christ, and not of
men ; not accusers, not double-tongued, not covetous, but tem-
perate in all things, compassionate, diligent, walking according
to the truth of the Lord, who became the deacon or servant of
all : of whom, if we be careful to please him in this world, we
shall receive the reward of the other life according as he has
promised to raise us from the dead : and if we walk worth}' of
him, " we believe ih^t we shall also reign with him." Let the
young men also be unblameable in all things, studying in the
first place to be chaste, and to restrain themselves from all that
is evil. For it is a good thing to get above the lusts of the
world, seeing every lust Avars against the spirit ; and that
" neither fornicators, nor efteminate, nor abusers of themselves
with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God,"' nor whoever
commits base things.
V. Wherefore it is necessary that ye abstain from all these
things, being subject to the presbyters and deacons, as to God
and Christ : that the virgins also walk with a chaste and unde-
filed conscience. Let the presbyters be tender and merciful,
compassionate towards all, reducing those that are in error,
visiting all that are weak, not negligent of the widow and the
orphan, and him that is poor, but ever providing what is honest
in the sight of God and men ; abstaining from all wrath, respect
of persons, and unrighteous judgment, being far from covetous-
ness, not hastily believing a report against any man, not rigid
in judgment, knowing that we are all faulty, and obnoxious to
punishment. If therefore we stand in need to pray the Lord
that he would forgive us, we ourselves ought also to forgive.
For we are before the eyes of him, who is Lord and God, and
" all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and every one
give an account of himself."'" Wherefore let us serve him with
' 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. "> Rom. xiv. 10. 12.
216 THE EPISTLE OF
all fear and reverence, as he himself has commanded us, and as
the apostles have preached and taught lis, and the prophets who
foreshewed the coming of the Lord. Be zealous of that which
is good, abstaining from offences and false brethren, and those
who bear the name of the Lord in hypocrisy, who seduce and
deceive vain men. For " every one that confesseth not that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is antichrist ;"" and he who doth
not acknowledge the martyrdom of the cross, is of the Devil ;
and whoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his private
lusts, and shall say, that there is neither resurrection nor judg-
ment to come, that man is the first-born of Satan. Leaving,
therefore, the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us
return to that doctrine, that from the beginning was delivered
to us : let us be watchful in prayers, persevering in fasting and
supplications, beseeching the allseeing God that he would not
lead us into temptation ; as the Lord has said, " the spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak."° Let us unweariedly and con-
stantly adhere to Jesus Christ, who is our hope and the pledge
of our righteousness ; " who bear our sins in his own body on
the tree, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth," p
but endured all things for our sakes, that we might live through
him. Let us then imitate his patience, and if we suffer for his
name, we glorify him ; for such a pattern he set us in himself,
and this we have believed and entertained.
VL I exhort you therefore all, that ye be obedient to the
word of righteousness, and that you exercise all manner of
patience, as you have seen it set forth before your eyes, not only
in the blessed Ignatius, and Zosimus, aijd Riifus, but in others
also among you, and in Paul himself, and the rest of the
apostles ; being assured that all these have not run in vain, but
in faith and righteousness, and are arrived at the place, due and
promised to them by the Lord, of whose sufterings they were
made partakers. For they loved not this present world, but
him Avho both died, and was raised up again by God for us.
Stand fast therefore in these things, and follow the example of
the Lord, being firm and immutable in the faith, lovers of the
brethren, and kindly affectionate one towards another, united in
the truth, carrying yourselves meekly to each other, despising
no man. When it is in your power to do good, defer it not, for
n 1 .lohii iv. .3 ; 2 John 7. " Matt. xxvi. 41. i' 1 Pet. ii. •22. 24.
SAINT POLYCARP. 217
alms delivereth from death. " Be all of you subject one to
another," '^ " having your conversation honest among the Gen-
tiles;"'" that both you yourselves may receive praise by your
good works, and that God be not blasphemed through you.
For woe unto him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed.
Wherefore teach all men sobriety, and be yoiirselves conversant
in it.
VII. I am exceedingly troubled for Valens, who was some-
time ordained a presbyter among you, that he so little under-
stands the place wherein he was set. I therefore warn you, that
you abstain from covetousness, and that ye be chaste and true.
Keep yourselves from every evil work. But he that in these
things cannot govern himself, how shall he preach it to another?
If a man refrain not from covetousness, he will be defiled with
idolatry, and shall be judged among the heathen. Who is
ignorant of the judgment of the Lord ? " Know ye not that
the saints shall judge the world f^ as Paul teaches. But I have
neither found any such thing in you, nor heard any such thing
of you, among whom the blessed Paul laboured, and who are in
the beginning of his epistle. For of you he boasts in all those
churches, which only knew God at that time, whom as yet we
had not known. I am therefore, brethren, greatly troubled for
him, and for his wife ; the Lord give them true repentance. Be
ye also sober as to this matter, and account not such as enemies,
but restore them as weak and erring members, that the whole
body of you may be saved ; for in so doing, ye build up your-
selves.
VIII. I trust that ye are well exercised in the holy Scriptures,
and that nothing is hid from you ; a thing as yet not granted
to me. As it is said in these places, " be angry and sin not :"
and, " let not the sun go down upon your wrath."* Blessed is
he that is mindful of these things, which I belicA^e you are.
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ Jesus
the eternal High-priest, and Son of God, build you up in faith
and truth, and in all meekness, that you may be without anger,
in patience, forbearance, long-suffering and chastity, and give
you a portion and inheritance amongst his saints, and to us to-
gether with you, and to all under heaven, who shall believe in
our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his Father, who raised him from
1 1 Pet. V. 5. ■■ 1 Pet. ii. 12. ^ 1 Cor. vi. 2. ' Eph. iv. 26.
218 THE EPISTLE OF SAINT POLYCARP.
the dead. Pray for all saints. Pray also for kings, magistrates,
and princes, and even for them that hate and persecute you, and
for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest in
all, that you may be complete in him.
IX. Ye wrote unto me, both ye and Ignatius, that if any one
go into Syria, he might carry your letters along with him : which
I will do so soon as I shall have a convenient opportunity, either
myself, or by some other, whom I will send upon your errand.
According to your request, we have sent you those epistles of
Ignatius which he wrote to us, and as many others of his as we
had by us, which are annexed to this epistle, by which ye may
be greatly profited. For they contain in them faith, and pa-
tience, and whatever else is necessary to build you up in our
Lord. Send us word what you certainly know, both concerning
Ignatius himself, and his companions. These things have I writ-
ten unto you by Crescens, whom I have hitherto commended to
you, and do still recommend. For he has unblameably conversed
among us, as also, I believe, amongst you. His sister also ye
shall have recommended, when she shall come unto you. Be ye
safe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with vou all. Amen.
THE LIFE OF SAINT QUADRATUS
BISHOP OF ATHENS.
His birth-place inquired into. His learning. His education under the apostles. Publius
bishop of Athens. Quadratus's succession in that see. The degenerate state of that
church at his coming to it. His indefatigable zeal and industry in its reformation.
Its purity and flourishing condition noted by Origen. Quadratus's being endowed
with a spirit of prophecy, and a power of miracles. This person proved to be the
same with our Athenian bishop. The troubles raised against the Christians under
the reign of Adrian. Adrian's character. His disposition towards religion, and base
thoughts of the Christians. His fondness for the learning and religion of Greece.
His coming to Athens, and kindness to that city. His being initiated into the
Eleusinian mysteries. These mysteries what, and the degrees of initiation. Several
addresses made to the emperor in behalf of the Christians. Quadratus's Apologetic.
Ser. Granianus's letter to Adrian concerning the Christians. The emperor's rescript.
His good opinion afterwards of Christ and his religion. Quadratus driven from his
charge. His martyrdom and place of burial.
I. Whether St. Quadratus was born at Athens, no notices of
church antiquity enable us to determine : though the thing itself
be not improbable, his education and residence there, and the
government of that church seeming to give some colour to it.
And as nature had furnished him veith incomparable parts, (ex-
celleyis ingeniuni, as St. Hierom says of him,^) so the place gave
him mighty advantages in his education, to be thoroughly
trained up in the choicest parts of learning, and most excellent
institutions of philosophy, upon which account the Greeks truly
style him,'' avhpa iroXviaropa, a man of great learning and know-
ledge. He became acquainted with the doctrines and principles
of Christianity, by being brought up under apostolical instruc-
* Ep. Ixxxiii. ad Magn. Orat. vol. iv. par. ii. p. G56.
*" Men. Graec. ry Ka. rod Seirre/n/Sp.
220 THE LIFE OF
tion, for so Eusebius"' and St. Hierom'^ more than once tell us,
that he was an auditor and a disciple of the apostles ; which
must be understood of the longer! ived apostles, and particularly
of St. John, whose scholar in all probability he was, as were
also Ignatius, Polycarp, Papias, and others : and therefore
Eusebius* places him among those that had t?}v irpwTrjv ra^tv,
that were of the very first rank and order among the apostles' suc-
cessors. There are that make him, and that too constituted by
St. John, (though I confess I know not by what authority, the
ancients being wholly silent in this matter,) bishop of Phila-
delphia, one of the seven famous churches of Asia, and at that
time, when St. John sent his epistle to that church : which I
pass by as a groundless and precarious assertion, seeing they
might with equal warrant have made him bishop of any other
place.
II. Under the reign of Trajan, as is probable, though Baro-
nius places it under Adrian, Ann. Imp. 6, Publius, bishop of
Athens, suffered martyrdom;' who is thought by some to have
been that very Publius whom St. Paul converted in the island
Melita, in his voyage to Rome, and who afterwards succeeded
Dion3'sius the Areopagite in the see of Athens. To him suc-
ceeded our Quadratus, (as Dionysius bishop of Corinth,^ who lived
not long after that time, informs us,) who found the state of that
church in a bad condition at his coming to it. For upon Pub-
lius's martyrdom, and the persecution that attended it, the
people were generally dispersed and fled, as what wonder, if
when " the shepherd is smitten, the sheep be scattered," and go
astray? their public and solemn assemblies were deserted, their
zeal grown cold and languid, their lives and manners corrupted,
and there wanted but little of a total apostacy from the Chris-
tian faith. This good man therefore set himself with a mighty
zeal to retrieve the ancient spirit of religion ; he resettled order
and discipline, brought back the people to the public assemblies,
kindled and blew up their faith into an holy flame. Nor did he
content himself with a bare reformation of what was amiss, but
<= Euseb. Chron. Olymp. 226. A. D. 127.
^ Hicr. de Script, in Quadrat, vol. iv. par. ii. p. 109. et Epist. ad Magn. Orat. ibid.
p. 656.
e Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 37. f Euseb. Hist. Eccl. I. iv. c. 23.
S Epist. ad Athcn. apud Euseb. ibid.
SAINT QUADRATUS. 221
with infinite diligence pi-eached the faith, and by daily converts
enlarged the bounds of his church, so that (as the Greek rituals
express it*") the sages and wise men of Greece, being convinced
by his doctrines and wise discourses, embraced the gospel, and
acknowledged Christ to be the creator of the world, and the
great wisdom and power of God ; and in a short time reduced it
to such an excellent temper, that Origen,' (who lived some years
after,) demonstrating the admirable efficacy of the Christian faith
over the minds of men, and its triumph over all other religions
in the world, instances in this very church of Athens for its
good order and constitution, its meekness, quietness, and con-
stancy, and its care to approve itself to God, infinitely beyond
the common assembly at Athens, which was factious and tu-
multuary, and no way to be compared with the Christian church
in that city ; that the churches of Christ, when examined by the
heathen convocations, shone like lights in the world, and that
every one must confess that the worst parts of the Christian
church were better than the best of their popular assemblies ;
that the senators of the church (as he calls them) were fit to
govern in any part of the church of God, while the vulgar se-
nate had nothing worthy of that honourable dignity, nor were
raised above the manners of the common people.
III. Thus excellently constituted was the Athenian church ;
for which it was chiefly beholden to the indefatigable industry,
and the prudent care and conduct of its present bishop, whose
success herein was not a little advantaged by those extraordinary
supernatural powers which God had conferred upon him. That
he was endued with a spirit of prophecy, of speaking suddenly
upon great and emergent occasions, in interpreting obscure and
difficult scriptures, but especially of foretelling future events, we
have the express testimonies of Eusebius,'' affirming him to have
lived at the same time with Philip's vii-gin-daughters, and to
have had 7rpo<p7]TCKov '^dpiafxa, the gift of prophecy ; and of an-
other author,' much ancienter than he, who confuting the error
of the Cataphryges, reckons him among the prophets who
flourished under the economy of the gospel. I know a learned
man™ would fain persuade us, that the Quadratus who had the
^ Men. Graec. tj7 ku. tov 'Sfirrefj.fip. ' Contr. Cels. 1. iii. c. 30.
I* Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 37. ' Apud Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 17.
"' Vales. Annot. ad Euseb. 1. iv. c. 23.
222 THE LIFE OF
prophetic gifts, was a person distinct from our Athenian bishop.
But the grounds he proceeds upon seem to me very weak and
inconchiding. For whereas he says, that that Quadratus is not
by Eusebius styled a bishop ; who knows not that persons are
not in every place mentioned under all their capacities 1 and less
need was there for it here ; Quadratus, when first spoken of by
Eusebius, not being then bishop of Athens, and so not proper to
be taken notice of in that capacity. Nor is his other exception
of greater weight, that the prophetic Quadratus did not survive
the times of Adrian ; whereas ours was in the tiine with Diony-
sius bishop of Corinth, who lived under M. Antoninus, and speaks
of him as his contemporary, and lately ordained bishop of Athens.
But whoever looks into that passage of Dionysius," will find na
foundation for such an assertion, but rather the quite contrary,
that he speaks of him as if dead before his time, as I believe
any one that impartially considers the place must needs confess :
not to say, that St. Hierom, and all after him, without any
scruple make them to be the same. So that we may still leave
him his gift of prophecy, which procured him so much reverence
while he lived, and so much honour to his memory since his
death. To which may be added what the Greeks in their
Menseon" not improbably say of him, that he was furnished with
a power of working miracles, and that by his prayers he ruined
the idolatrous temples of the heathens, Avhereby he mightily
confounded the infidels, and brought in great numbers to the
faith.
IV. But the fair weather and prosperity of the church was
not wont to last long in those days. They had enjoyed a short
tranquillity about the latter end of Trajan's reign, but now,
alas ! under Adrian, his successor, the weather changed, and
there arose (as St. Hierom calls it^) a most grievous and heavy
persecution, and which Sulpitius Severus expressly says'' was
the fourth persecution. And, indeed, how grievous it was, suffi-
ciently appears from those many thousands of martyrs that then
suffered, mentioned in the ancient martyrologies of the church :
yea, even at Home itself,"" Eustachius and his wife Theopistis,
with their two sons, are said by the emperor's command to have
" Apud Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 23. ° Men. Grsec. T17 ko,'. rov SfwrffiPp.
P Epist. Ixxxiii. ad Magn. Orat. vol. iv. p:ir. ii. p. 656.
1 Hist. sacr. 1. ii. c. 31. vol. ii. p. 170. ■■ Vid. Rom. Martyr, ad Septemb. 20.
SAINT QUADRATUS. 223
been throAvn to the lions, and when the mercy of the savage
beasts had spared them, they were ordered to be burnt to death
in the belly of a brazen bnll. It is true Tertullian says,^ that
Adrian published no laws or edicts against the Christians ; but
the laws enacted by Trajan being yet unrepealed, or not laid
aside, there would not want those who would put them in exe-
cution. We find,* that though Trajan commanded a stop to be
put to the persecution against Christians, yet even then both
people and governors of provinces went on with their accustomed
cruelties, and though there was not a general, there were parti-
cular and provincial persecutions. And no doubt it was much
more so after his death, when Adrian came to the empire, whom
they knew too well, to think he would be an enemy to such pro-
ceedings. For whatever some have said concerning the cle-
mency and good nature of that prince, there are others" that
plainly affirm, that it was but personated and put on, that he
really was in his nature cruel, and that (according to the true
genius of superstition) whatever works of piety he did, it was
for fear lest the same evil fate should happen to him, that fell
upon Domitian ; and of his cruelty instances enough may be met
with in the writers of his life. In short, there was in him a
strange mixture and contemperation of vice and virtue, it being
a true character which the historian gives of him," that he was
severe and cheerful, grave and affable, deliberate and yet eagerly
wanton, covetous and liberal, cruel and merciful, a great dis-
sembler, and perpetually inconstant in all his actions.
V. For religion he was a diligent and superstitious observer
of their own rites of worship,^ but hated and despised all strange
and foreign religion, and especially the Christian. Indeed, how
well he thought of the Christians, appears sufficiently from his
letter to Servianus the consul,^ written a little after his return
out of Egypt, wherein he gives the Christians there so lewd and
base a character ; not sticking to affirm that the people, yea,
their priests, their bishops, and their very patriarch himself,
would worship both Christ and Serapis, and that they were a
most turbulent, vain, and injurious generation. From which
■' Apol. c. 6. » Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 33.
" Mar. Maxim, ap. ^1. Spart. in vit. Adrian, c. 20. vid. Dion. 1. 6.9. non long, ab
init.
^ Spartian. ib. c. 14. y Id. ibid. c. 22. '^ Extat. ap. Fl, Vopisc. in vit. Saturn.
224 THE LIFE OF
epistle it seems plain to me, that at his being there, he had
severely persecuted the Christians, and compelled some light or
false professors to worship the deities of the country, which pro-
bably gave ground to his censure, and to charge the imputation
upon all. And since he looked upon the Christians as such a
vile sort of men, it is the less to be wondered, that he should
connive at, or encourage their being persecuted in other parts of
the empire. He principally applied himself to the studies of
Greece," whereof he was so strangely fond, that he was com-
monly styled Grseculus, the " Little Greek :" this made him de-
light much in those parts, and to converse with the learning and
philosophy of those countries. About the sixth or seventh year
of his reign he came to Athens, where he took upon him the
place and honour of an archon, celebrated their solemn sports,
and gave many particular laws and privileges to that city ; but
especially was entered into their Eleusinian mj^steries, accounted
the most sacred and venerable of the whole Gentile world, and
which particularly carried the title of " The Mysteries." They
were solemn and religious rites performed to Ceres, in memory
of great benefits received from her, the candidates whereof were
styled fxvarai, and to the full participation whereof they were
many times not admitted till after a five years' preparatory trial,
which had many several steps, and each its peculiar rites : first,
there were TrdySai/jboc KaOupcrea, the " common purgations ;"
then al aTropprjroTepoi, those that were " more secret;" next the
crvaTdaeif, or "stations;" then the //.u T^Vet?, the " initiations;" and
lastly, (which was the top of all,) the eVoTrre^ai, or the " in-
spections." Others reckon them thus ; that first there were the
Ta Kaddpaia, the " purifications" and expiations ; then followed
the Ta fiLKpd pbvarrjpLa^ the " lesser mysteries," when they were
solemnly initiated and taken in ; and lastly, after some time they
arrived at the greater mysteries, the rd iTroTrnKd, which were
the most hidden solemnities of all, when they were admitted to
a full sight of the whole mystic scene, and thenceforth called
eTTOTTTac, or " inspectors," ^ and were obliged, under a solemn
oath, not to discover these mysterious rites to any. We cannot
well suppose that the emperor Adrian was put to observe these
tedious methods of initiation ; their mystic laws were no doubt
dispensed with for so extraordinary a person, and he at once be-
* Spart. in vit. Adrian, c, 1. ^ De Script, in Quadrat, vol. ii. par. ii. p. 109.
SAINT QUADRATUS. 225
came both a candidate and an iTroTrrr]';, a thing which they
sometimes granted in some extraordinary cases. And not con-
tent to do thus at Athens, St. Hierom tells us, he was initiated
into almost all the sacred rites of Greece, whence Tertullian'^
justly styles him, " The searcher into all curious and hidden
mysteries ;" and Dion*^ himself tells tis of him, that he was in-
finitely curious, and strangely addicted to all sorts of divination
and magic arts.
VI. At Athens, Adrian stayed the whole winter, where his busy
and superstitious zeal being taken notice of, was warrant enough
without further order for active zealots to piirsue and oppress the
Christians ; the persecution growing so fierce and hot, that the
Christians were forced to remonstrate and declare their case to
the emperor : among whom, besides Aristides,^ a Christian phi-
losopher, at this time at Athens, who in an Apology addressed
himself to Adrian, our Quadratus presented an Apologetic to the
emperor, defending the Christian religion from the calumnies and
exceptions of its enemies, and vindicating it from those pre-
tences, upon which ill-minded men sought to ruin, and undo the
innocent Christians ; wherein also he particularly took notice of
our Saviour's miracles, his curing diseases, and raising the dead ;
some instances whereof, he says, were alive in his time. Besides
this Apology, (wherein, as Eusebius says, he gave large evidences
both of his excellent parts, and true apostolic doctrine,) it is pro-
bable he left no other writings behind him, none being mentioned
by any of the ancients : where I cannot but note the strange
heedlessness of the compilers of the Centuries,^ where they tell
us out of Eusebius, that besides the Apology, he composed
another excellent book called Syngramma, when nothing can be
more plain, than that by that writing Eusebius means not a
distinct book, but that very apologetic oration which he there
speaks of: and yet a modern German professor^ (who frequently
transcribes their errors as well as their labours) securely swal-
lows it, purely, (I suppose upon their authority) ; though strange
it is, that he could read that passage in Eusebius himself, which
he seems to have done, and not palpably feel the mistake.
<^ Apol. c. 6. ^ Excerpt, ex Dion, a Vales, edit. p. 714.
* Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 3. Hieron. do script, in Aristid. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 109.
et in Epist. ad Magn. Orat. p. 656.
f Cent. ii. c. 10. s Bebel. Antiq. Eccles. Sccul. 2. Artie. 1. p. 183.
VOL. I. tt
226 THE LIFE OF
VII. It happened about this time that Serenius Granianus, the
proconsul of Asia, wrote letters to the emperor, •" representing to
him the injustice of the common proceedings against Christians ;
how unfit it was that without any legal trial, or crime laid to
their charge, they should be put to death, merely to gratify the
unreasonable and tumultuary clamours of the people. With this
letter and the apologies that had been offered him by the Chris-
tians, the keenness of the emperor's fury was taken off, and care
was taken that greater moderation should be used towards them.
To which purpose he despatched away to Fundanus,' Granianus's
successor in the proconsul ship of Asia, this following rescript :
" Adrian, emperor, to Minucius Fundanus.
" I received the letters which were sent me by the most excel-
lent Serenius Granianus, your predecessor. Nor do I look upon
it as a matter fit to be passed over without due inquiry, that
the men may not be needlessly disquieted, nor informers have
occasion and encouragement of fraudulent accusations ministered
unto them. Wherefore if the subjects of our provinces be able
openly to appear to their indictments against the Christians, so
as to answer to them before the public tribunal, let them take
that course, and not deal by petition and mere noise and clamour :
it being much fitter, if any accusation be brought, that you should
have the cognizance of it. If any one shall prefer an indictment,
and prove that they have transgressed the laws, then give you
sentence against them according to the quality of the crime.
But if it shall appear, that he brought it only out of spite and
malice, take care to punish that man according to the heinousness
of so mischievous a design."
The same rescripts (as Melito bishop of Sardis,"" who presented
an Apology to M. Antoninus, informs us) Adrian sent to several
other governors of provinces; nay, was so far wrought into a
good mood, that if it be true what their own historian reports of
him,' he designed to build a temple to Christ, and to receive hiras
into the number of their gods ; and that he commanded templesi
to be built in all cities without images, which were for a long
'' Just. Mart. Apol. i. c. G9. et apud Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 8.
' Justin, ibid. Euseb. lib. iv. c. 9. k Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 26.
' Lamprid. in ^•it. Alex. Sever, c. 43.
SAINT QUADRATUS. 227
time after called Adrian! ; but was prohibited to go on by some,
who, having consulted the oracle, had been told, that if this suc-
ceeded according to some men's desires, the temples would be
deserted and all men become Christians.
VIII. What became of St. Quadratus after Adrian's departure
from Athens, we find not more than what the Greeks in their
Menseon relate,™ that by the violence of persecutors he was
driven from his charge at Athens, and being first set upon by
stones, then tormented by fire, and several other punishments,
he at last under Adrian (probably about the latter end of his
reign) received the crown of martyrdom. To what place he fled
when he left Athens, and where he suffered martyrdom, is un-
certain ; unless it were at Magnesia, a city of Ionia in Asia Minor,
where the same Menreon tells us, he preached the gospel, as he
did at Athens, and that his body was there entombed, and his re-
mains famous for miracles done there : a place memorable for the
death of Themistocles, that great commander and citizen of
Athens, banished also by his own fellow-citizens ; who, after his
brave and honourable achievements, did here by a fatal draught
put a period to his own life ; where (as Plutarch tells us") his
posterity had certain honours and privileges conferred upon them
by the Magnesians, and which his friend Themistocles the
Athenian enjoyed in his time.
■" Men. Greec. rp ko!. tov 'SeirTefx^p. " In vit. Themist. p. 128.
Q 2
THE LIFE OF SAINT JUSTIN
THE MARTYR.
His vicinity to the apostolic times. His birth-place and kindred. His studies. His
travels into Egypt. To what sect of philosophy he applied himself. The occasion
and manner of his strange conversion to Christianity related by himself. Christianity
the only safe and satisfactory pliilosophy. The great influence which the patience and
fortitude of the Christians had upon his conversion. The force of that argument to
persuade men. His vindication of himself from the charges of the Gentiles. His
continuance in his philosophic habit. The <pi\6ao^ov axoh-"' what, and by whom
worn. 'O ypainhs eirtdfrris. His coming to Rome, and opposing heretics. Marcion,
who, and what his principles. Justin's first Apology to the emperors, and the design
of it. Antoninus's letter to the common-council of Asia in favour of the Christians.
This shewed not to be the edict of Marcus Antoninus. Justin's journey into the
East, and conference with Trypho the Jew. Trypho, who. The malice of the Jews
against the Christians. Justin's return to Rome. His contests with Crescens the
philosopher. Crescens's temper and principles. Justin's' second Apology. To whom
presented. The occasion of it. M. Antoninus's temper. Justin foretells his own
fate. The acts of his martyrdom. His arraignment before Rusticus prefect of Rome.
Rusticus, who : the great honours done him by the emperor. Justin's discourse with
the prefect. His freedom and courage. His sentence and execution. The time of
his death. His great piety, charity, impartiality, &c. His natural parts, and ex-
cellent learning. His imskilfulness in the Hebrew language noted. A late author
censured. His writings. The epistle to Diognetus. Diogn^tus, who. His style and
character. The unwarrantable opinions he is charged with. His indulgence to hea-
thens. Kara \6yov fiiovv, what. A6yos, in what sense used by the ancient fathers.
How applied to Christ, how to reason. His opinion concerning Chiliasm. The con-
currence of the ancients with him herein. This by whom first started ; by whom
corrupted. Concerning the state of the sonl after this life. The doctrine of the
ancients in this matter. His assertion concerning angels, maintained by most of
the first fathers. The original of it. Their opinion concerning free-will shewed not
to be opposed by them to the grace of God. \^' hat influence Justin's philosophic edu-
cation had upon his opinions. His writings enumerated.
^ I. Justin the Martyr was one, as of the most learned, so of the
most early writers of the Eastern church, not long after the
apostles as Eusebius says of him ;* near to them, %/3ov&) koX
» Hist. Eccl. ]. ii. c. 1 ?,.
THE LIFE OF SAINT JUSTIN. 229
dperf], gflys Methodius bishop of Tyre,*^ both in " time and
virtue." And near indeed, if we strictly understand what he
says of himself,'' that he was a " disciple of the apostles ;" which
surely is meant either of the apostles at large, as comprehending
their immediate successors, or probably not of the persons, but
doctrine and writings of the apostles, by which he was instructed
in the knowledge of Christianity. He was born at Neapolis,'*
a noted city of Palestine, within the province of Samaria, an-
ciently called Sichem, afterwards, as Josephus tells us,'' by the
inhabitants Mabartha (corruptly by Pliny Mamortha^) ; by the
Romans, Neapolis ; and from a colony sent thither by Flavins
Vespasian, styled Flavia Oasarea. His father was Priscus the
son of Bacchius, (for so the UplcrKov rov BaK')/€ov, roiv airo
^Xavla'i, as Sylburgius and Valesius observe, must necessarily
be understood, implying the one to have been his father, the
other his grandfather,) a Gentile, and as (Scaliger probably
thinks ^) one of those Greeks which were in that colony trans-
planted thither, who took care, together with religion, to have
him educated in all the learning and philosophy of the Gentile
world. And indeed how great and exact a master he was in all
their arts and learning, how thoroughly he had digested the best
and most useful notions, which their institutions of philosophy
could afford, his writings at this day are an abundant evidence.
II. In his younger years, and as is probable before his con-
version to Christianity, he travelled into foreign parts for the
accomplishment of his studies, and particularly into Egypt, the
staple-place of all the more mysterious and recondite parts of
learning and religion, and therefore constantly visited by all the
more grave and sage philosophers among the heathens. That he
was at Alexandria, himself assures us,*" where he tells us what ac-
count he received from the inhabitants of the seventy translators ;
and was shewed the cells wherein they performed that famous
and elaborate work, which probably his inquisitive curiosity as a
philosopher, and the reports he had heard of it by living among
the Jews, had more particularly induced him to inquire after.
Among the several sects of philosophers, after he had run through
and surveyed all the forms, he pitched his tent among the
>> Ap. Phot. Cod. CCXXXIV. <= Epist. ad Diognet. c. 11.
^ Apol. i. s. 1. « De Bell. Jud. 1. v. c. 4. f Hist. Nat. 1. v. c. 13.
S Animadv. ad Euseb. Chron. n. 2157. '' Paraenes, ad Graec. s, 13.
230 THE LIFE OF
Platonists, whose notions were most agreeable to the natural
sentiments of his mind,' and which no doubt particularly dis-
posed him for the entertainment of Christianity ; himself telling
us,'' that the principles of that philosophy, though not in all
things alike, were yet not alien or contrary to the doctrines of
the Christian faith. But, alas, he found no satisfaction to his
mind, either in this, or any other, till he arrived at a full per-
suasion of the truth and divinity of that religion which was so
much despised by the wise and the learned, so much opposed
and trampled on by the grandees and powers of the world :
whereof, and of the manner of his conversion to the Christian
religion, he has given us a very large and punctual account in
his discourse with Trypho. I know this account is suspected
by some to be only a fvosopopceia, to represent the grounds of
his becoming a Christian after the Platonic mode, by way of a
dialogue, a way familiar with the philosophers of that sect.
But however it may be granted that some few circumstances
might be added to make up the decorum of the conference, yet
I see no reason, (nor is any thing offered to the contrary besides
a bare conjecture,) to question the foundation of the story,
whereof the sum is briefly this.
III. Being from his youth acted by an inquisitive philosophic
genius," to make researches and inquiries after truth, he first
betook himself to the Stoics, but not satisfied with his master
he left him, and went to a peripatetic tutor, whose sordid
covetousness soon made him conclude that truth could not dwell
with him : accordingly he turned himself over to a Pythagorean,
who requiring the preparatory knowledge of music, astronomy,
and geometry, him he quickly deserted ; and last of all, delivered
himself over to the institution of an eminent Platonist, lately
come to reside at Neapolis ; ^ith whose intellectual notions he
was greatly taken, and resolved for some time to give up him-
self to solitude and contemplation. Walking out therefore into a
solitary place by the sea side, there met him a grave ancient
man, of a venerable aspect, who fell into discourse with him.
The dispute between them was concerning the excellency of
philosophy in general, and of Platonism in particular; which
Justin asserted to be the only true way to happiness, and
knowing and seeing God. This the grave person' refutes at^
' Apol. ii. s. 13. '' Ibid. ' Dulog. cum Tryph. s. 2—7.
SAINT JUSTIN. 231
large ; and at last comes to shew him, who were the most likely
persons to set him in the right way. He tells him, that there
were, long before his reputed philosophers, certain blessed and
holy men, lovers of God, and divinely inspired, called Prophets,
who foretold things which have since come to pass ; who alone
understood the truth, and undesignedly declared it to the world,
whose books yet extant would instruct a man in what most be-
came a philosopher to know ; the accomplishment of whose pre-
dictions did sufficiently attest their faithfulness and integrity ;
and the mighty miracles which they wrought, set the truth of
what they said beyond all exception ; that they magnified Crod
the great Creator of the world, and published his Son Christ to
the world : concluding his discourse with this advice, " But as
for thyself, above all things pray that the gates of light may set
open to thee; for these are not things discerned and understood by
all, unless God and Christ grant to a man the knowledge of them."
Which discourse being ended, he immediately departed from him.
IV. The wise discoui'se of this venerable man made a deep
impression upon the martyr's mind,™ kindled in his soul a divine
flame, and begot in him a sincere love of the prophets, and those
excellent men that were friends to Christ. And now he began
seriously to inquire into and examine the Christian religion,
which he confesses he found, fiovriv (f)cXo(Tocj)iav acr(pa\rj re koI
av/M(f}opov, the only certain and profitable philosophy ; and which
he could not but commend as containing a certain majesty and
dread in it, and admirably adapted to terrify and persuade
those who were out of the right way, and to beget the
sweetest serenity and peace in the mind of those who are
conversant in it. Nor was it the least inducement to turn
the scale with him, when he beheld the innocency of the
Christians'' lives, and the constancy of their death ; with what
fearless and undaunted resolutions they courted torments, and
encountered death in its blackest shape. This very account he
gives of it to the Roman emperor : " For my own part, (says
he,") being yet detained under the Platonic institutions, when I
heard the Christians traduced and reproached, and yet saw them
fearlessly rushing unto death, and venturing upon all those
things that are accounted most dreadful and amazing to human
nature, I concluded with myself, it was impossible that those
™ Dialog, cum Try ph. s. 8. " Apol. ii. s. 12.
232 THE LIFE OF
men should wallow in vice, and be carried away with the love
of lust and pleasure. For what man that is a slave to pleasure
and intemperance, that looks upon the eating of human flesh as
a delicacy, can cheerfully bid death welcome, which he knows
must put a period to all his pleasures and delights ; and would
not rather by all means endeavour to prolong his life as much as
is possible, and to delude his adversaries, and conceal himself
from the notice of the magistrate, rather than voluntarily betray
and offer himself to a present execution V And certainly the
martyr's reasonings were unanswerable ; seeing there could not
be a more effectual proof of their innocency, than their laying
down their lives to attest it. Zeno was wont to say, he had
rather see one Indian burnt alive, than hear a hundred argu-
ments about enduring labour and suffering. Whence Clemens
Alexandrinus infers the great advantages of Christianity," wherein
there were daily fountains of martyrs springing up, who before
their eyes were roasted, tormented, and beheaded every day ;
whom regard to the law of their Master had taught and obliged,
TO ev\a/3e<; Bi alfidrtov ivheiKvevcrOai, to demonstrate the truth
and excellency of their religion, by sealing it with their blood.
V. We cannot exactly fix the date of his conversion, yet may
we, I think, make a very near conjecture. Eusebius tells us,p
that at the time when Adrian consecrated Antinous, Justin did
yet adhere to the studies and religion of the Greeks. Now, for
this, we are to know that Adrian, coming into Egypt, lost there
his beloved catamite Antinous, whose death he so resented, that
he advanced him into the reputation of a deity ; whence, in an
ancient inscription at Rome,^ he is styled CTNGPONOS TflN
EN AirrnTn OEHN, " the assessor of the gods in Egypt."
He built a city to him in the place where he died, called Antinoe;
erected a temple, and appointed priests and prophets to attend it;
instituted annual solemnities, and every five years sacred games,
called ''AvTtvoeta, held not in Egypt only, but in other parts ;
whence an inscription,'" not long after those times, set up by the
senate of Smyrna, mentions " Lerenius Septimius Heliodorus
ANTINOEA," who overcame in the sports at Smyrna. But to
return. It is very evident that Adrian had not been in Egypt
till about the time of Servianus or Severianus's being consul, (as
0 Stromat. 1. ii. c. 20. p Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 8.
1 Ap. Casau. not. in JE\. Spart. vit. Adr. ■■ Marm. Oxon. cxliii.
SAINT JUSTIN. 233
appears from that emperor's letters to him,*) whose consulship
fell in with Ann. Chr. 182, Traj. 16. So that this of Antinous
must be clone either that, or, at most, the foregoing year ; and
accordingly about this time (as Eusebius intimates) Justin de-
serted the Greeks, and came over to the Christians. Whence in
his first Apology, presented not many years after to Antoninus
Pius, Adrian's successor, he speaks of Antinous* tov vvv
ryeyevvrjfjuivov, who very lately lived and was consecrated ; and of
the Jewish war, headed by Barchachab, as but lately past ;
which we know was concurrent with the death and apotheosis
of Antinous. For that Justin's 6 vvv yeyevv7}/jLevo<i in both
passages, cannot be precisely confined to the time of presenting
that apology, is evident to all, and therefore (as the phrase is
sometimes used) must be extended to what was lately done.
VI. The wiser and more considerate part of the Gentiles were
not a little troubled at the loss of so useful and eminent a person,
and wondered what should cause so sudden a change : for whose
satisfaction and conversion, as well as his own vindication, he
thought good particularly to write a discourse to them, in the
very first words whereof he thus bespeaks them : " Think not,
O ye Greeks, that I have rashly, and without any judgment or
deliberation, departed from the rites of your religion ; for I could
find nothing in it really sacred, and worthy of the divine accept-
ance. The matters among you, as your poets have ordered them,
are monuments of nothing but madness and intemperance : and
a man can no sooner apply himself, even to the most learned
among you for instruction, but he shall be entangled in a thou-
sand difficulties, and become the most confused man in the
world."" And then he proceeds, with a great deal of wit and
eloquence, to expose the folly and absurdness of the main founda-
tions of the Pagan creed, concluding his address with these
exhortations : " Come hither, O ye Greeks, and partake of a
most incomparable wisdom, and be instructed in a divine re-
ligion, and acquaint yourselves with an immortal King. Be-
come as I am, for I sometime was as you are. These are the
arguments that prevailed with me ; this the efficacy and divinity
of the doctrine, which, like a skilful charm, expels all corrupt
and poisonous aftections out of the soul, and banishes that lust
that is the fountain of all evil, whence enmities, strifes, envy,
' Ext. ap. Vopisc. in vit. Saturn. ' Apol. i. s. 29. " Orat. ad Graec. s. 1.
234 THE LIFE OF
emulations, anger, and such-like mischievous passions, do pro-
ceed : which being once driven out, the soul presently enjoys
a pleasant calmness and tranquillity. And being delivered from
that yoke of evils, that before lay upon its neck, it aspires and
mounts up to its Creator ; it being but suitable that it should
return to that place, from whence it borrowed its original.""
VII. But though he laid aside his former profession, he still
retained his ancient garb, eV (j)i\oa6(f)ov cr^?;/xaTt Trpea/Sevcov rov
6elov \6yov, as Eusebius,^ and after him St. Hierom,'^ reports,
preaching and defending the Christian religion under his old
philosophic habit, which was the jyaU'mm or cloak, the usual
badge of the Greek philosophers, (different from that which
was worn by the ordinary Greeks,) and which those Christians
still kept to, who before their conversion had been professed
philosophers. So St. Hierom tells us of Aristides," the Athenian
philosopher, contemporary with Quadratus, that under his for-
mer habit he became Chrisfs disciple ; and Origen of Heraclas,''
afterwards bishop of Alexandria, that giving up himself to the
more strict study of philosophy, he put on <pi\6cro(f)ov a-^^rjixa^
the " philosophic habit," which he constantly wore, even after
he became presbyter of that church. This custom continued
long in the Christian church, that those who did a«/9t/3w9
•^pta-TLavi^eiv (as Socrates speaks'^) enter upon an ascetic course
of life, and a more severe profession of religion, always wore
the philosophers' cloak ; and he tells us of Silvanus, the rheto-
rician, that when he became Christian, and professed this ascetic
life, he was the first that laid aside the cloak, and, contrary to
custom, put on the common garb. Indeed it was so common,
that o' TpatKo<i eVt^erT^? became proverbial among the heathens,
Avhen any Christian acrKTjTT]'? passed by, there goes a Greek
impostor, because of their being clad after the same manner, and
professing a severer life than ordinary, like the philosophers
among the Grecians,'* many of whom, notwithstanding, were
mere cheats and hypocrites : and St. Hierom notes of his time,^
that if such a Christian were not so fine and spruce in his garb
as others, presently the common saying was clapped upon him,
" Orat. ad Graec. s. 5. J Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 11. ' De Script, in Justin.
'^ De Script, in Aristid. •» Ap. Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 1.0.
<= Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 37. "^ Vide Dion Chrys. Orat. Ixxi. irepl rov ffxhl^
•^ Epist. xix. ad Marcel, vol. iv. par. ii. p. 51.
SAINT JUSTIN. 235
he is an impostor and a Grreek. This habit, it seems, was
generally black, and sordid enough. Whence the monks, who
succeeded in this strict and regular course of life, are severely
noted by the Gentile writers of those times under this character.
Libanius calls them /jbe\av€i/xovovvTa<i,^ " black-coat monks,"
and says of them,^ that the greatest demonstration of their virtue
was TO ^rjv iv fyLtartot? TrevOovvrcov, " to walk about in mourning
garments." Much at the same rate Eunapius*' describes the
monks of Egypt, that they were clad in black, and were am-
bitious hrjixocTia, do-'XTj/xovelv, to go abroad in the most slovenly
and sordid garb. But it is time to return to our St. Justin,
who (as Photius' and Epiphanius"* note) shewed himself in his
words and actions, as well as in his habit, to be a true philo-
sopher.
VIII. He came to Rome (upon what occasion is uncertain)
probably about the beginning of Antoninus Piuses reign, where
he fixed his habitation ; dwelling, as appears from the acts of his
martyrdom, about the Timothine baths, which were upon the
Viminal Mount. Here he strenuously employed himself to defend
and promote the cause of Christianity, and particularly to con-
fute and beat down the heresies that then mainly infested and
disturbed the church, writing a book against all sorts of heresies ;\^
but more especially opposed himself to Marcion, who was the
son of a bishop, born in Pontus, and for his deflowering a virgin
had been cast out of the church, whereupon he fled to Rome,
where he broached many damnable errors ; and among the rest,
that there were two gods, one the creator of the woi'ld, whom
he made to be the God of the Old Testament, and the author
of evil ; the other a more sovereign and supreme being, creator
of more excellent things, the Father of Christ, whom he sent
into the world to dissolve the law and the prophets, and to
destroy the works of the other deity, whom he styled the God
of the Jews. Others, and among them especially Epiphanius,"
and a more ancient author of the Dialogues against the Mar-
cionites," under the name of Origen, (for that it was Origen him-
self, I much question,) make him to have established three
differing principles or beings ; an a/3%^ ajaOrj, or good principle,
f Orat, de Tempi, p. 10. Ibid. p. 28. ^ In vit. ^dcs. p. 78. ' Cod. CXXV.
'' IlEeres. xlvi. c. 1. ' Apol. i. s. 2G. "> Hajres. xlii. c. 3.
" Dial, contr. Marcion. p. 3, 4. Basil, edit. 1074.
236 THE LIFE OF
the Father of Christ, and this was the God of the Christians ;
an ap^r; BrffjuiovpytKr], or creating principle, that made the visible
frame of things, which presided over the Jews ; and an ap^^^r)
TTOVTjpa, or evil principle, which was the Devil, and ruled over
the Gentiles : with him Justin encountered both by word and
writing, particularly publishing a book which he had composed
against him and his pernicious principles.
IX. About the year of our Lord 140, the Christians seem
to have been more severely dealt with ; for though Antoninus
the emperor was a mild and excellent prince, and who put out
no edicts, that we know of, to the prejudice of Christianity, yet
the Christians being generally traduced and defamed as a wicked
and barbarous generation, had a hard hand borne upon them in
all places, and were persecuted by virtue of the particular edicts
of former emperors, and the general standing laws of the Roman
empire. To vindicate them from the aspersions cast upon them,
and to mitigate the severities used towards them, Justin about
this time published his first Apology, (for though in all editions
it be set in the second place, it was unquestionably the first,")
presenting it (as appears from the inscription) to Antoninus Pius
the emperor, and to his two sons Verus and Lucius, to the senate,
and by them to the whole people of Rome : wherein with great
strength and evidence of reason he defends the Christians from
the common objections of their enemies, proves the divinity of
the Christian faith, and shews how unjust and unreasonable it
was to proceed against them without due conviction and form of
law ; acquaints them with the innocent rites and usages of the
Christian assemblies ; and lastly puts the emperor in mind of the
course which Adrian his predecessor had taken in this matter,
who had commanded that Christians should not be needlessly and
unjustly vexed, but that their cause should be traversed and de-
termined in open judicatures ; annexing to his Apology a copy
of the rescript which Adrian had sent to JNIinucius Fundanus to
that purpose.
X. His address wanted not, it seems, its desired success. pJ
For the emperor, in his own nature of a merciful and generouaJ
° Vid. Euseb. Plist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 18. In the Benedictine edition now referred to, the!
correct order of the Apologies has been observed, and Cave's references consequently]
altered, consistently with the opinion here expressed. Ed.
P Ores. Hist. 1. vii. c. 14.
SAINT JUSTIN. 287
disposition, being moved partly by this Apology, partly by the
notices he had received from other parts of the empire, gave order
that Christians henceforward should be treated in more gentle
and regular ways, as appears, among others, by his Letter to the
Commonalty of Asia,'' yet extant, which I shall here insert :
" Emperor Csesar Titus, ^lius Adrian, Antoninus, Augustus,
Pius, high-priest, the fifteenth time tribune, thrice consul, father
of the country, to the common assembly of Asia, greeting. I
am very well assured, that the gods themselves will take care,
that this kind of men shall not escape, it being much more their
concern, than it can be yours, to punish those that refuse to
worship them ; whom you do but the stronglier confirm in their
own sentiments and opinions, while you vex and oppress them,
accuse them for atheists, and charge other things upon them,
which you are not able to make good : nor can a more acceptable
kindness be done them, than that being accused they may seem
to choose to die rather than live, for the sake of that God whom
they worship. By which means they get the better, being ready
to lay down their lives, rather than be persuaded to comply with
your commands. As for the earthquakes that have been, or that
do yet happen, it may not be amiss to advertise you, whose
minds are ready to despond under any such accidents, to com-
pare your case with theirs. They at such a time are much more
secure and confident in their God ; whereas you, seeming to dis-
own God all the while, neglect both the rites of other gods, and
the religion of that immortal Deity, nay, banish and persecute to
death the Christians that worship him. Concerning these men
several governors of provinces have heretofore written to my
father of sacred memory : to whom he returned this answer ;
' That they should be no way molested, unless it appeared that
they attempted something against the state of the Roman empire."*
Yea, and I myself have received many notices of this nature, to
which I answered according to the tenor of my fathers consti-
tution. After all which, if any shall still go on to create them
trouble, merely because they are Christians, let him that is in-
1 Ap. Just. Mart, ad Calc. Apol. i. et ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 1 3. et Chron.
Alex. Ann. 2. Olymp. 237. Ind. 7.
238 THE LIFE OF
dieted be discharged, although it appear that he be a Christian,
and let the informer himself undergo the punishment.
" Published at Ephesus in the place of the common assembly
of Asia.''"'
XL This letter was sent"(as appears from the year of his con-
sulship) Ann. Chr. 140, Antonini 3. If it be objected, that this
seems not consistent with the year of his being tribune, said
here to be the fifteenth, I answer, that the Srj/jiap^iKr] i^ovaia,
or tribunitian power, did not always commence with the begin-
ning of their reign, but was sometimes granted, and that more
than once, to persons in a private capacity, especially those who
were candidates for the empire. Thus (as appears from the
Fasti Consulares') M. Agrippa had the tribunitia potestas seven,
as after his death Tiberius had it fifteen times during the life of
of Augustus. So that Antoninus's fifteenth tribuneship might
well enough consist with the third year of his empire. Though
I confess I am apt to suspect an error in the number, and the
rather because Sylburgius tells us,^ that these fifteen years were
not in the edict, as it is in Justin Martyr, but were supplied out
of Eusebius''s copy, which I have some reason to think to be
corrupted in other parts of this epistle. I am not ignorant that
some learned men would have this imperial edict to be the decree
of Marcus Aurellus, son of Antoninus. Lideed, in the inscrip-
tion of it, as it is extant in Eusebius, it is Marcus Aurelius An-
toninus : but then nothing can be more evident, than that that
part of it is corrupted, as is plain, both because Eusebius him-
self, a few lines before, expressly ascribes it to Antoninus Pius,
and because in the original inscription in Justin"'s own Apology
(from whence Eusebius transcribed his) it is Titus ^lius An-
toninus Pius. And besides that nothing else of moment is offered
to make good the conjecture, the whole consent of antiquity,
and the tenor of the epistle itself, clearly adjudge it to the elder
Antoninus; and Melito bishop of Sardis,* who presented an
Apology to his son and successor, tells him of the letters which
his father, at the time when he was his partner in the empire,
■■ Videsis Fast. Consul, a Sigon. edit, ad Ann. V. C. 741 ct 7fj(j.
» Annot. in Just. Mart. p. 10. c. 2.
' Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 2(;. ct vid. c. \'i.
SAINT JUSTIN. 239
wrote to the cities, that they should not raise any new troubles
against the Christians.
XII. Not long after his first Apology, Justin seems to have
revisited the eastern parts : for besides what he says in the Acts
of his Martyrdom, that he was twice at Rome, Eusebius ex-
pressly affirms," that he was at Ephesus, where he had his dis-
course with Tryphon, which it is plain was after the presenting
his first Apology to the emperor." Audit is no ways improbable
but that he went to Ephesus in company with those who carried
the emperor's edict to the common-council of Asia, then assem-
bled in that city, where he fell into acquaintance with Tryphon
the Jew. This Tryphon was probably that Rabbi Tarphon,
1'^IV^Tl IIUDili as they commonly call him, the wealthy priest, the
master or associate of R. Aquiba, of whom mention is often made
in the Jewish writings ; a man of great note and eminency, who
had fled his country in the late war,^ wherein Barchochab had
excited and headed the Jews to a rebellion against the Romans,
since which time he had lived in Grreece, and especially at
Corinth, and had mightily improved himself by converse with
the philosophers of those countries. With him Justin enters the
lists in a two-days dispute, the account whereof he has given us
in his dialogue with that subtle man, wherein he so admirably
defends and makes good the truth of the Christian religion, cuts
the very sinews of the Jewish cause, dissolves all their pleas and
pretences against Christianity, and discovers their implacable
spite and malice, who not barely content to reject Christianity,
sent peculiar persons up and down the world to spread abroad,^
that Jesus the Galilean was a deceiver and seducer, and his
whole religion nothing but a cheat and an imposture ; that in
their public synagogues'" they solemnly anathematized all that
turned Christians, hated them, as elsewhere he tells us,** with
a mortal enmity, oppressed and murdered them whenever they
got them in their power ; Barchochab, their late general, making
them the only objects of his greatest severity and revenge, unless
they would renounce and blaspheme Christ. The issue of the
conference was, that the Jew acknowledged himself highly
pleased with his discourse, professing he found more in it than
" Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 17. "'Vid. Dialog, cum Tryph. s. 120. ? Dialog, cum Trj'ph. s. 1.
' Ibid. s. 108. et ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 18. * Dialog, cum Tryph. s. 96.
'' Apol. i. s. .31.
240 THE LIFE OF
he thought could have been expected from it, wishing he might
enjoy it oftener, as what would greatly conduce to the true
understanding of the scripture, and begging his friendship in
what part of the world soever he was.
XII. In the conclusion of this discourse with Tryphon, he
tells us, he was ready to set sail, and depart from Ephesus, but
whether in order to his return to Rome, or some other place, is
not known. That he returned thither at last, is unquestionable,
the thing being evident, though the time uncertain, whether it
was while Antoninus was yet alive, or in the beginning of his
successor's reign, I will not venture to determine. At his coming
he had, among others, frequent contests with Crescens, the
philosopher, a man of some note at that time in Rome. He was
a Cynic,*^ and, according to the genius of that sect, proud and con-
ceited, surly and ill-natured, a philosopher in appearance, but
a notorious slave to all vice and wickedness, Tatian,** Justin's
scholar, (who saw the man at Rome, admired and despised him
for his childish and trifling, his wanton and effeminate manners,)
gives him this character, that he was the traducer of all their
gods, the epitome of superstition, the accuser of generous and
heroic actions, the subtle contriver of murders, the prompter of
adultery, a pursuer of wealth even to rage and madness, a tutor
of the vilest sort of lust, and the great engine and instigator of
men's being condemned to execution : he tells us of him,^ that
when at Rome, he was, above all others, miserably enslaved to
sodomy and covetousness ; and though he pretended to despise
death, yet did he himself abhor it ; and to which, as the greatest
evil, he sought to betray Justin and Tatian, for their free re-
proving the vicious and degenerate lives of those philosophical
impostors. This was his adversary, (f>tX6ylro(j)o<; ov (f)L\6ao(f)o<;,
as he calls him,*^ a lover of popular applause, not of true wisdom
and philosophy, and who, by all the base arts of insinuation,
endeavoured to traduce the Christians, and to represent their
religion under the most infamous character. But in all his dis-
putes the martyr found him wretchedly ignorant of the aflfairs of j
Christians, and strongly biassed by malice and envy, which he
offered to make good (if it might be admitted) in a public dis-;
putation with him before the emperor and the senate ; assuring!
« Vid. Hieron. de Script, in Justin. <• Orat. contr. Grrec. s. 22.
e Ibid. c. 1 9. f Apol. ii. s. 3.
SAINT JUSTIN. 2il
them, that either he had never considered the Christian doctrines,
and then he was worse than the meanest idiots, who are not
wont to bear witness and pronounce sentence in matters whereof
they have no knowledge ; or if he had taken notice of them, it
was plain that either he did not understand them, or if he did,
out of a base compliance with his aitditors, dissembled his know-
ledge and approbation, for fear of being accounted a Christian,
and lest freely speaking his mind, he should fall under the sen-
tence and the fate of Socrates ; so far was he from the excellent
principle of that wise man, that "no man was to be regarded
before the truth : " which free and iinpartial censure did but more
exasperate the man, the sooner to hasten and promote his ruin.
XI 11. In the mean time Justin presented his second Apology
to M. Antoninus (his colleague L. Verus being then, probably,
absent from the city) and the senate ; for that it was not
addressed to the senate alone, is evident from several passages
in the Apology itself. There are, that will have this as well as
the former to have been presented to Antoninus Pius, but cer-
tainly without any just ground of evidence, besides that Eusebius
and the ancients expressly ascribe it to Marcus Aurelius, his son
and successor : and were the inscription and beginning of it,
which are now wanting, extant, they would quickly determine
and resolve the doubt. The occasion of it was this. A woman
at Rome s had, together with her husband, lived in all manner of
wantonness and debauchery, but being converted to Christianity,
she sought by all arguments and persuasions to reclaim him from
his loose and vicious course. But the man was obstinate, and
deaf to all reason and importunity ; however, by the advice of her
friends, she still continued with him, hoping in time she might
reduce him ; till finding him to grow intolerable, she procured a
bill of divorce from him. The man was so far from being cured,
that he was more enraged by his wife"'s departure, and accused
her to the emperor for being a Christian ; she also put in her
petition, to obtain leave to answer for herself; whereupon he
deserted the prosecution of his wife, and fell upon one Ptolomeus,
by whom she had been converted to the Christian faith, whom
*he procured to be cast into prison, and there a long time tortured
merely upon his confessing himself a Christian. At last being
brought before Urbicius, prefect to the city, he was condemned
s Apol. ii. s. 2.
VOL. I. R
242 THE LIFE OF
to death : whereat Lucius, a Christian that stood by, couhl not
forbear to tell the judge, it was very hard that an innocent and
virtuous man, charged with no crime, should be adjudged to die
merely for bearing the name of a Christian, a thing no way
creditable to the government of such emperors as they had, and
of the august senate of Rome ; which he had no sooner said, but
he was, together with a third person, sentenced to the same fate.
The severity of these proceedings awakened Justin's solicitude
and care for the rest of his brethren, who immediately drew up
an Apology for them ; wherein he lays down a true and naked
relation of the case, complains of the injustice and cruelty of
such procedures, to punish men merely for the name of Christians,
without ever accusing them of any material crimes, answers the
objections usually urged against them, and desires no more
favour, than that what determination soever they should make
of it, his Apology might be put before it, that so the whole world
might judge of them, when they had been once truly acquainted
with their case.
XIV. The Martyr's activity and zeal in the cause of Chris-
tianity did but set the keener edge upon Crescens's malice and
rage against him. The philosopher could not confute him by
force of argument, and therefore resolved to attack him by
clancular and ignoble arts, and could think of no surer way to
oppress him, than by engaging the secular powers against him.
Marcus Antoninus, the emperor, was a great philosopher, but
withal zealous of Pagan rites to the highest degree of supersti-
tion ; he had from his youth been educated in the Salian college,*"
all the offices whereof he had gone through in his own person,
affecting an imitation of Numa Pompilius, the first master of
religious ceremonies among the Romans, from whom he pre-
tended to derive his pedigree and original ; nay, so very strict in
his way of religion (says Dion') that even upon the Dies Nefasti,
the unlucky and inauspicious days, when all public sacrifices
were prohibited, he would then privately ofi'er sacrifices at home.
What apprehensions he had of the Christians is evident from]
hence, that he ascribes their ready and resolute undergoing
death,'' not to a judicious and deliberate consideration, but to aj
■y^Lkr] 7rapdTa^i<;, a mere stubbornness and obstinacy ; which he,
^ J. Capitol, in vit. M. Anton, c. 4. ' Excerpt. Dion. p. 721.
■* Tuv fh eavT. 1, xi. s. 3.
SAINT JUSTIN. 243
being so eminent and professed a Stoic, had of all men in the
Avorld the least reason to charge them with. With him it was
no hard matter for Crescens to insinuate himself, and to procure
his particular disfavour towards Justin, a man so able, and so
active to promote the interest of the Christian religion. Indeed
Justin' himself had publicly told the emperor what he expected
should be his OAvn fate ; that he looked that Crescens, or some of
their titular philosophers, should lay snares to undermine, tor-
ment, or crucify him. Nor was he at all mistaken, the envious
man procuring him to be cast in prison ; where, if the Greeks say
true,"' he was exercised with many preparatory tortures in order
to his martyrdom. I confess Eusebius gives us no particular
account of his death, but the Acts of his Martyrdom are still
extant," and (as there is reason to believe) genuine and uncor-
rupt, the shortness of them being not the least argument that
they are the sincere transcripts of the primitive records, and that
they have for the main escaped the interpolations of later ages,
which most others have been obnoxious to. I know it is doubted
by one,° whether these Acts contain the martyrdom of ours, or
another Justin : but whoever considers the particulars of them,
most agreeable to our Justin, and especially their fixing his death
under the prefecture of Rusticus, which Epiphanius expressly
affirms of our St. Justin, will see little reason to question,
whether they belong to him. In them then we have this fol-
lowing account,
XV. Justin and six of his companions having been appre-
hended, were brought before Rusticus, prefect of the city. This
Rusticus was Q. Junius Rusticus,^ a man famous both for court
and camp, a wise statesman and great philosopher, peculiarly
addicted to the sect of the Stoics. He was tutor to the pre-
sent emperor M. Aurelius, and what remarkable rulea and in-
structions he had given him, Antoninus himself sets down at
large. Above all his masters he had a particular reverence and
regard to him, communicated to him all his public and private
counsels, shewed him respect before all the great officers of the
empire, and after his death required of the senate that he might
be honoured with a public statue. He had been consul in the
' Apol. ii. s. 3. ™ Men, Grsec. Tj? a', tov 'loCf.
" Apiid Sur. ad xii. Jun. et Baron, ad Ann. 165. n, 2. etseq. " Sur. loc. citat.
t' J. Capitol in vit. M. Anton, c. 9. i Twv els eavr I. i. s. 7.
h2
244 THE LIFE OF
second year of Adrian, and again In the second of the present
emperor, and was now prefect of Rome ; before whom these
good men being brought, he persuaded Justin to obey the gods,
and comply with the emperor's edicts. The martyr told him,
that no man could be justly found fault with, or condemned,
that obeyed the commands of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Then
the governor inquired in what kind of learning and discipline he
had been brought up : he told him, that he had endeavoured to
understand all kinds of discipline, and tried all methods of
learning, but had finally taken up his rest in the Christian disci-
pline, how little soever it was esteemed by those who were led
by error and false opinions. Wretch that thou art, (said the
governor,) art thou then taken with that discipline ? I am, re-
plied the martyr, for with right doctrine do I follow the Chris-
tians. And when asked what that doctrine was ; he answered,
the right doctrine which we Christians piously profess, is this.
We believe the one only God to be the Creator of all things
visible and invisible, and confess our Lord Jesus Christ to be the
Son of God, foretold by the prophets of old, and who shall here-
after come to be the Judge of mankind, a Saviour, Preacher, and
Master to all those who are duly instructed by him : that as
for himself, he thought himself too mean to be able to say any
thing becoming his infinite deity ; that this was the business of
the prophets, who had many ages before foretold the coming of
this Son of God into the world.
XVL The prefect next inquired where the Christians were
wont to assemble ; and being told, that the God of the Christians
was not confined to a particular place, he asked in what place
Justin was wont to instruct his disciples ; who gave him an
account of the place where he dwelt, and told him that there
he preached the Christian doctrine to all that resorted to him.
Then having severally examined his companions, he again ad-
dressed himself to Justin in this manner. " Hear, thou that art
noted for thy eloquence, and thinkest thou art in the truth ; if
I cause thee to be scourged from head to foot, thinkest thou
thou shalt go to heaven f He answered, that although he
should suffer what the other had threatened, yet he hoped he
should enjoy the portion of all true Christians, well knowing
that the divine grace and favour was laid up for all such, and
should be as long as the world endured. And when airain
SAINT JUSTIN. 245
asked, wli,ether he thought he shoiikl go to heaven, and receive
a reward ; he repHed, that he did not think it only, hut knew,
and was so certain of it, that there was no cause to doubt it.
The governor seeing it was to no purpose to argue, came closer
to the matter in hand, and bade them go together, and unani
mously sacrifice to the gods. No man (replied the martyr) that
is in his right mind, will desert true religion to fall into error and
impiety. And when threatened, that unless they complied they
should be tormented Avithout mercy ; " There is nothing" (said
Justin) " which we more earnestly desire, than to endure tor-
ments for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. For
this is that which will promote our happiness, and procure us
confidence before that dreadful tribunal of our Lord and Saviour,
before which, by the divine appointment, the whole world must
appear."" To which the rest assented, adding, " Despatch quickly
what thou hast a mind to, for we are Christians, and cannot
sacrifice to idols."''' Whereupon the governor pronounced this
sentence ; " They who refuse to do sacrifice to the gods, and to
obey the imperial edict, let them be first scourged, and then
beheaded according to the laws."" The holy martyrs rejoiced
and blessed God for the sentence passed upon them, and being
led back to prison, were accordingly whipped, and afterwards
beheaded. The Greeks in their rituals, "^ though very briefly, give
the same account, only they differ in the manner of the martyr's
death, which they tell us was by a draught of poison, while the
rest of his companions lost their heads. Though there are that
by that fatal potion understand no more than the poisonous
malice and envy of Crescens the philosopher, by which Justin's
death was procured. And indeed, if literally taken, the account
of the Greeks in that place will not be very consistent with
itself. Their dead bodies the Christians took up and decently
interred. This was done, as Baronius conjectures, Ann. Chr.
165, with whom seems to concur the Alexandrine Chronicle,*
which says, that Justin having presented his second Apology to
the emperors, was not long after crowned with martyrdom. This
is all the certainty that can be recovered concerning the time of
his death, the date of it not being consigned by any other ancient
writer. It is a vast mistake (or rather error of transcribers) of
■" Men. Graecor. T77 a! • tov 'low.
" Ad Anil. 2. Olymp. 236". M. Aurel. et L. Ver. Imp. 6. Indict, 3.
246 THE LIFE OF
Epiphanius,' who makes him Buffer under Adrian, when yet he
could not be ignorant that he dedicated his first Apology to
Antoninus Pius his successor, in the close whereof he makes
mention of Adrian, his illustrious parent and predecessor, and
annexes the letter which he had written to Minucius Fundanus
in favour of the Christians ; and no less his mistake (if it was
not an error in the number) concerning his age, making him but
thirty years old at the time of his death, a thing no ways con-
sistent with the course of his life : and for what he adds of
iv KaOearcoarj rjXcKia, that he died in a firm and consistent age,
it may be very well applied to many years after that period of
his life.
XVII. Thus have we traced the martyr through the several
stages of his life, and brought him to his last fatal period. And
now let us view him a little nearer. He was a man of a pious
mind, and a very virtuous life ; tenderly sensible of the honour
of God, and the great interests of religion. He was not elated,
nor valued himself upon the account of his great abilities, but
upon every occasion entirely resolved the glory of all into the
divine grace and goodness. He had a true love to all men, and
a mighty concern for the good of souls, whose happiness he con-
tinually prayed for and promoted, yea, that of their fiercegt
enemies. From none did he and his religion receive more bitter
aiFronts and oppositions than from the Jews; yet he tells Tryphon
that they heartily prayed for them," and all other persecutors,
that they might repent, and ceasing to blaspheme Christ, might
believe in him, and be saved from eternal vengeance at his glo-
rious appearing : that though they were wont solemnly to curse
them in their synagogues," and join with any that would per-
secute them to death, yet they returned no other answer than
that, " You are our brethren, we beseech you own and embrace
the truth of God." And in his Apology to the emperor and the
senate,^ he thus concludes, " I have no more to say, but that we
shall endeavour what in us lies, and heartily pray, that all men
in the world may be blessed with the knowledge and entertain-
ment of the truth." In the pursuit of this noble and generous
design he feared no dangers, but delivered himself with the
greatest freedom and impartiality ; he acquaints the emperors,'
« Hseres. xlvi. c. 1. " Dial, cum Trypli. s. 35. " Ibid, s. i)6.
y Apol. ii. s. 15. I Apol. i. s. 2.
SAINT JUSTIN. 247
how innch it was their duty to honour and esteem the truth ;
that he came not to smooth and flatter them, hut to desire them
to pass sentence according to the exactest rules of justice ; that
it was their place," and infinitely reasonable, when they had
heard the cause, to discharge the duty of righteous judges,
which if they did not, they would at length be found inexcusable
before God ; nay, that if they went on to punish and persecute
such innocent persons,*^ he tells them beforehand, it was impos-
sible they should escape the future judgment of God, while they
persisted in this evil and unrighteous course. In this case he
regarded not the persons of men, nor was scared with the
dangers that attended it ; and therefore in his conference with
the Jew, tells him,'' that he regarded nothing but to speak the
truth, not caring whom in this matter he disobliged, yea, though
they should presently tear him all in pieces .; neither fearing nor
favouring his own countrymen the Samaritans, whom he had
accused in his Apology to the emperor, for being so much be-
witched and seduced with the impostures of Simon Magus,
whom they cried up as a supreme deity, above all principality
and power.
XVril. For his natural endowments, he was a man of acute
parts, a smart and pleasant wit, a judgment able to weigh the
diiFerences of things, and to adapt and accommodate them to the
most useful purposes ; all which were mightily improved and
accomplished by the advantages of foreign studies, being both in
the Christian and Ethnic philosophy, et? uKpov avri'yfjbevo<i, tto-
XvfiaOeia re koI laroptcov Trepippeofievof ttXovto), says Photius,''
arrived at the very height, flowing with abundance of history,
and all sorts of learning. In one thing indeed he seems to have
come short, and wherein the first fathers were generally defec-
tive, skill in the Hebrew, and other Eastern languages, as ap-
pears (to omit others) by one instance, his derivation of the word
Satanas ; Safa, (as he tells us,*") in the Hebrew and the Syriac
signifying an " apostate," and Mas the same with the Hebrew
Sata ; out of the composition of both which arises this one word
Satanas : a trifling conceit, and the less to be pardoned in one that
was born and lived among the Samaritans and the Jews ; every
one that has but conversed with those languages at a distance,
» Apol. i. s. 3. ^ Ibid. s. 68. <= Dial, cum Trypli. s. 120.
'' Cod. CXXV. « Dial, cum Tryph. s. 103.
248 THE LIFE OF
knowing it to spring from ]tOiy " to be an adversary," Avhich being
formed according to the mode of the Greeks, (as Origen long
since observed in this very instance,^) who were wont to add a?
to the termination of words borrowed from a foreign language,
becomes Satanas, "an adversary." And therefore a late author,^
(who has weeded the writings of the ancients, and whose quota-
tions savour of infinitely greater ostentation than either jvidg-
ment or fidelity,) sufficiently betrays his ignorance in those very
fathers, with which he pretends so much acquaintance, when to
prove the Qucest. et Besp. ad Orthodoxos, not to be the genuine
work of our Justin, he urges the odd and ridiculous interpreta-
tion of the word Osanna, there rendered by /nejaXoa-vvr) virep-
Keifxevr),^ " super-excellent magnificence:" of the true signification
whereof (says he) Justin himself being a Samaritan could not be
ignorant ; whenas his unquestionable tracts afford such evident
footsteps of his lamentable unskilfulness in that language. But
the man must be excused, seeing in this (as in many other
things) he traded purely upon trust, securely stealing the whole
passage word for word out of another author : ' so little skill had
he to distinguish between true and false, and to know when to
follow his guides, and where to leave them. As for Justin him-
self, his ignorance herein is the less to be wondered at, if we
consider that his religion, as a Gentile born, his early and almost
sole converse with the Greeks, his constant study of the writings
of the Gentile philosophers, might well make him a stranger to
that language, which had not much in it to tempt a mere philo-
sopher to learn it. In all other parts of learning how great his
abilities were, may be seen in his writings yet extant, (to say no-
thing of them that are lost,) 7re7rai8€vfievr]<i hiavola<; koI irepl
TO, Beta ea7rovSaKvla<; viro/JLVijfiaTa Trda-r]^; dxpeXela^ e/bUTrXea, as
Eusebius says of them,"* the monuments of his singular parts,
and of a mind studiously conversant about divine things, richly
fraught M'ith excellent and useful knowledge. They are all de-
signed either in defence of the Christian religion both against
Jews and Gentiles, or in beating down that common religion,
and those profane and ridiculous rites of worship which then
^ Contr. Cels. 1. vi. c. 44.
e Sand. Tract, de Vet. Script. Eccl. Hist. Eccles. vol. i. Prefix, p. 44.
'' Vid. Qurest. .50. ' Vid. Rivet. Crit. Sacr, 1. ii. c. 5.
I* Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 18.
SAINT JUSTIN. 249
governed the world, or in prescribing rules for the ordinary con-
duct of the Christian life, all which he has managed with an
admirable acuteness and dexterity. Some books indeed have
obtruded themselves under his name, as the Expositio Fidei,
Qucestiones et Besponsa ad OrtJiodoxos^ Quoestiones Grwcanicce ad
Christianos, Quwstiones V. ad Grwcos, &c. all which are un-
doubtedly of a later age, composed after Christianity was fully
settled in the world, and the Arian controversies had begun to
disturb the Christian church : or if any of them were originally
his, they have been so miserably interpolated and defaced by
after-ages, that it is almost impossible to discern true from
false.
XIX. As for the epistle to Diognetus, though excepted against
by some, yet is it fairly able to maintain its title, without any
just cause alleged against it. Nor is it improbable but that this
might be that very Diognetus who was tutor to the emperor
M. Aurelius, who (as himself confesses') persuaded him to the
study of philosophy, and gave him wise counsels and directions
to that purpose, and being a person of note and eminency, is
accordingly saluted by the martyr with a Kpariare AtoyvrjTe,
" most excellent Diognetus." His temper and course of life had
made him infinitely curious (as is evident from the first part of
that epistle) to know particularly what was the religion, what
the manners and rites of Christians, what it was that inspired
them with so brave and generous a courage, as to contemn the
world, and to despise death ; upon what grounds they rejected
the religion, and disowned the deities of the Gentiles, and yet
separated themselves from the Jewish discipline and way of
worship ; what was that admirable love and friendship by which
they were so fast knit together, and why this novel institution
came so late into the world : to all which inquiries (suitable
enough to a man of a philosophic genius) Justin (to whom pro-
bably he had addressed himself as the most noted champion of
the Christian cause) returns a very particular and rational satis-
faction in this epistle, though what effect it had upon the philo-
sopher is unknown. That this epistle is not mentioned by
Eusebius, is no just exception, seeing he confesses there were
many other books of Justin's,'" besides those which he there
reckons uj) : that it is a little more than ordinarily polite and
' M. Aurel. tuv ds eaur, 1. i. s. 0'. "> Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 18.
250 THE LIFE OF ^
philosophical, is yet less ; for who can wonder if so great a scholar
as Justin, writing to a person so eminent for learning and philo-
sophy, endeavoured to give it all the advantages of a florid and
eloquent discourse. It must he confessed that his ordinary style
does not reach this ; for which let us take Photius's censure," a
man able to pass a judgment in this case : " he studied not (says
he) to set off the native beauty of philosophy with the paint
and varnish of rhetorical arts : for which cause his discourses,
though otherwise very weighty and powerful, and observing a
composure agreeable enough to art and science, have not yet
those sweet and luscious insinuations, those attractives and
allurements, that are wont to prevail upon vulgar auditors, and
to draw them after them."
XX. That which may seem most to impair the credit of this
ancient and venerable man, is that he is commonly said to be
guilty of some unorthodox sentiments and opinions, disagreeing
with the received doctrines of the church. True it is, that he
has some notions not warranted by general entertainment or the
sense of the church, especially in later ages, but yet scarce any
but what were held by most of the fathers in those early times,
and which for the main are speculative and have no ill influence
upon a good life ; the most considerable whereof we shall here
remark. First, he is charged with too much kindness and in-
dulgence to the more eminent sort of heathens, and particularly
toward Socrates, Heraclitus," and such like: such, indeed, he
seems to allow to have been in some sense Christians, and of
Socrates particularly affirms,'' that " Christ was atro fMepovi, in
part known to him," and the like elsewhere more than once.
The ground of all which was this, that such persons did fj,era
\6<you /3tovv " live according to the Xoyo?, the word, or reason,"
and that this naturally is in every man, and manifest to him, if
he but govern himself according to it. For the clearer under-
standing whereof it may not be amiss briefly to inquire in what
sense the primitive fathers, and especially our Justin, use this
word X6709. And their notion was plainly this, that Christ was
the eternal \6<yo'i, or Word, of the Father, the sum and centre of
all reason and wisdom, as the sun is the fountain of light, and
that from him there was a X6709, or reason, naturally derived
into every man, as a beam and emanation of light from that
» Cod. CXXV. " Apol. 1. s. 46. p Apol. ii. s. 10.
SAINT JUSTIN. 251
sun ; to which purpose they usually hring that of St, John,''
" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God : that was the true light that lighteth
every man that cometh into the world." " God, (says Justin,"")
first and before the production of any creatures, begot of himself
hvvafxtv TLva \o<ytKr}v^ a certain rational power, sometimes styled
in scripture the glory of God, the Son, Wisdom, an Angel, God,
Lord, and Word ; by all which names he is described both ac-
cording to the economy of his Father's will, and according to his
voluntary generation of him." And elsewhere,^ " We love and
worship the Word of the unbegotten and ineffable God, which
(Word) for our sakes became man, that by partaking of our
sufferings he might work out our cure." Hence Christ is called
Tov TrdvTO'i \0709,* the universal Word ; and with respect to him
reason is styled aTrep/jLariKO'; \6yo<;, the seminal Word that is
sown in our natures, tov cnrepfjuaTLKOv 6eov \6yov to cry^^eve?,"
and ^ ivovaa ifMcj^vTov tov Xoyov aTroprj, the internal semination
of the implanted Word, which he there distinguishes from the
avTo TO cnrepp^a, the primary and original seed itself, from
which, according to the measure of grace given by it, all parti-
cipation and imitation does proceed. This is that which he
means by the o-Trep/xara aKrj6e[a<i, the seeds of truth, which, he
tells us," seem to be in all men in the world ; they are a deriva-
tion from Christ, who is the root, a kind of participation of a
divine nature from him. Clemens of Alexandria thus deduces
the pedigree : " The image of God (says he^) is his Word, (for
the divine Word is the genuine offspring of the mind, the arche-
typal light of light,) and the image of the Word is man. The
true mind that is in man, (said therefore to be made after the
image and likeness of God,) as to the frame of the heart, is con-
formed to the divine Word, and by that means partakes of the
Word or reason."
XXI. Origen, Clemens's scholar, treads exactly in his master's
stops. He tells us,^ that as God the Father is avTodeo^;, the
fountain of Deity to the Son, so God the Son, 6 Xoyo^, the
Word, or the supreme and eternal reason, is the fountain and
1 John i. ], 9. Vid. Orig. Com. in Joan. torn. i. s. 24.
>• Dial, cum Tryph. c. 61 et 62. ^ Apol. ii. s. 13. « Ibid. s. 8.
" Ibid. s. 13. '^ Apol. i. s. 44. y Cohort, ad Gunt. c. 10.
' Com. in Joan. toui. ii. s. 2, 3.
252 THE LIFE OF
original that communicates reason to all rational beings, who, as
such, are et/cove? t?}? €Ik6vo<;, the image of the image ; that is,
some kind of shadow of the Word, who is the brightness of his
Father's glory, and the express image of his person. And he
further adds, that X6709, with an article, is meant of Christ, but
without it, of that word or reason that is derived from him.
The case- then, in short, is this ; every man naturally is endued
with principles of reason, and lively notices of good and evil, as
a light kindled from him, who is the Word and Wisdom of the
Father, and may so far be said to partake of Christ, the primi-
tive and original Word, and that more or less, according to their
improvement of them ; so that whatever wise and excellent
things either philosophers or poets have spoken, says Justin the
Martyr," it was Sia to efju^vrov Travrl jevet avOpwTrwv cnrep^a
rov \6jov, from that seed of the \6<yo^, the Word, or reason
that was implanted in all mankind: thus he says, that Socrates'^"
exhorted the Greeks to the knowledge of the " unknown God"
by the inquisition of the " Word." To conclude this, he nowhere
affirms, that Gentiles might be saved without the entertainment
of Christianity, nor that their knowledge was of itself sufficient
to that end, (no man more strongly proves reason and natural
philosophy to be of themselves insufficient to salvation,) but that
so far as they improved their reason and internal word to the
great and excellent purposes of religion, so far they were Chris-
tians, and akin to the eternal and original Word, and that what-
ever was rightly dictated or reformed by this inward word,
either by Socrates" among the Greeks, or by others among the
Barbarians, was in effect done by Christ himself, " the Word
made flesh."
XXII. Another opinion with which he was charged is Chi-
liasm, or the reign of a thousand years. This, indeed, he ex- "
pressly asserts,*^ that after the resurrection of the dead is over,
Jerusalem should be rebuilt, beautified, and enlarged ; where our
Saviour, with all the holy patriarchs and prophets, the saints and
martyrs, should visibly reign a thousand years. He confesses,
indeed, that there are many sincere and devout Christians that
would not subscribe to this opinion ; but withal affirms, that
there were abundance of the same mind with him : as indeed
'^ Apol. ii. s. 8. et vid. s. 10. >> Ibid. s. 10.
'^ Apol. i. s. 5. <> Dial, cum Try ph. s. 80, ct vid. s. 139.
SAINT JUSTIN. 253
there were; Papias bishop of Hierapolis,^ Irenseiis bishop of
Lyons,' Nepos,^ Apollinaris,*' TertulHan,' Victorinus,'' Lactan-
tius,' Severus Galkis,'" and many more. The first that started
this notion among the orthodox Christians of those early times
seems to have been the fore-mentioned Papias, who (as Eusebius
tells us°) pretended it to be an apostolical tradition, misunder-
standing the apostles' discourses, and too lightly running away
with what they meant in a mystical and hidden sense. For he
was, though a good man, yet of no great depth of understanding,
and so easily mistaken ; and yet, as he observes, his mistake
imposed upon several ecclesiastical persons, the venerable anti-
quity of the man recommending the error to them with great
advantage. Among which especially were our St. Justin and
Irenaeus, who held it in an innocent and harmless sense. It is
true, Cerinthus and his followers," mixing it with Jewish dreams
and fables, and pretending divine revelations to patronize and
countenance it, improved it to brutish and sensual purposes,
placing it in a state of eating and drinking, and all manner of
bodily pleasures and delights. And what use heretics of later
times have made of it, and how much they have improved and
enlarged it, is not my present business to inquire.
XXIII. Concerning the state of the soul after this life, he
affirms,P that the souls even of the prophets and righteous men
fell under the power of demons, though how far that power
should extend, he tells us not, grounding his assertion upon no
other basis than the single instance of SamueFs being sum-
moned up by the enchantments of the Pythoness. Nor does he
assert it to be necessarily so, seeing he grants that by our hearty
endeavours and prayers to God, our souls at the hour of their
departure may escape the seizure of those evil powers. To this
we may add, what he seems to maintain,'' that the souls of good
men are not received into heaven till the resurrection ; that when
•= Apud Iren. adv. Haeres. 1. v. c. 33. Vid. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. ult.
f Id. ibid. e Ap. Euseb. 1. vii. c. 24.
'■ Ap. Hieron. Comm. in Ezech. c. 36.
' Adv. Marcion. 1. iii. c. 23. De Resur. Cam. c. 25.
'' Apud Hieron. loc. supr. cit. ' De vit. beat. 1. vii. c. 24. 26. et seq.
■" Ap. Hieron. ubi supr. vid. etiam de Script. Eccl. in Papia.
n Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 39.
" Caius ap. Euseb. lib. iii. c. 28. Dionys. Corinth, ibid, et 1. vii. c. 25.
1' Dial, cum Tryph. s. 105. i Tbid. s. 5.
254 THE LIFE OF
they depart the body, they remain eV KpelrrovL ttoi y^copo), in a
better state/ where being gathered within itself, the soul per-
petually enjoys what it loved ; but that the souls of the un-
righteous and the wicked are thrust into a worse condition,
where they expect the judgment of the great day : and he
reckons it among the errors of some pretended Christians,^ who
denied the resurrection, and affirmed that their souls imme-
diately after death were taken into heaven. Nor herein did he
stand alone, but had the almost unanimous suffrage of primitive
writers voting with him; Irenseus,' Tertullian," Origen,'' Hilary,^
Prudentius,^ Ambrose," Augustine,'' Anastasius Siuaita,'' and,
indeed, who not, there being a general concurrence in this matter,
that the souls of the righteous were not, upon the dissolution,
presently translated into heaven, that is, not admitted to a full
and perfect fruition of the divine presence, but determined to
certain secret and unknown repositories, where they enjoyed a
state of imperfect blessedness, waiting for the accomplishment of
it at the general resurrection, which intermediate state they will
have described under the notion of Paradise and Abraham's
bosom, and which some of them make to be a subterranean
region within the bowels of the earth.
XXIV. The like concurrence, though not altogether so un-
controllably entertained of the ancients with our Justin, we may
observe in his opinion concerning the angels,'* that Grod having
committed to them the care and superintendency of this sub-
lunary world, they abused the power entrusted with them,
mixing themselves with women in wanton and sensual embraces,
of whom they begat a race and posterity of demons. An
assertion not only intimated by Philo* and Josephus,^ but ex-
pressly owned by Papias,^ Athenagoras,*' Clemens Alexandrinus,'
«• Dial, cum Tryph. s. 5.* « Ibid. s. 80.
' Adv. Hseres. 1. v. c. 31. " Apol. c. 47.
* Tlep. &PX- !• ii- c. 12. 1. iv. c. 2. confer, Philoc. c. 1. et Homil. vii. in Levit.
y Enarr. in Psal. cxx. ^ Cathemer. Hymn. x.
* Ambros. de Cain et Ab. 1. ii. c. 2. s. 5). Do bon. Mort. c. x. s. 4G.
^ Enchirid. c. 109. vol. vi. p. 237. Enar. in Ps. xxxvi. Serm. i. s. 10. vol. iv. p. 263,
Cone. 1. col. 281. torn. viii.
« Qusest. xci. "i Apol. ii. s. 5.
e De Gigant. vol. i. p. 263. f Antiq. 1. i. c. 4.
K Apud Andr. Caesar. Comment, in Apoc. Serm. xii.
^ Legat. pro Christ, s. 24. ' Stromat. 1. v. c. 1. i
SAINT JUSTIN. 255
TertulHan,'' Cyprian,' Lactantius," Sulpitius Severus," St. Am-
brose," and many more. That which first gave birth to this opinion
(easily embraced by those who held angels to be corporeal) was
a misunderstanding that place, " the sons of God saw the
daughters of men that they were fair, and they took them to
wife, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty
men, men of renown." p And it more particularly furthered the
mistake, that many ancient copies of the Septuagint (as is
evident from Philo and St. Augustine, and the king"'s ancient
Alexandrian manuscript at this day) instead of " the sons," read
" the angels of God," which the fathers, who generally understood
no Hebrew, were not able to correct. And I doubt not, what
gave further patronage to this error, was the authority of the
book of Enoch (highly valued by many in those days) wherein
this story was related, as appears from the fragments of it still
extant.
XXV. I might here also insist upon, what some find so much
fault with in our martyr, his magnifying the power of man''s
will, which is notoriously known to have been the current
doctrine of the fathers through all the first ages, till the rise of
the Pelagian controversies ; though still they generally own
xdpLv i^alperov, a mighty assistance of divine grace to raise up
and enable the soul for divine and spiritual things. Justin'' tells
his adversary, that it is in vain for a man to think rightly to un-
derstand the mind of the ancient prophets, unless he be assisted
/jbera /jueydXiTi ')(api,ro<i t^9 irapd ©eov, by a mighty grace de-
rived from God. As well may the dry ground (says Irenseus')
produce fruit without rain to moisten it, as we, who at first are
like dried sticks, be fruitful unto a good life, without voluntary
showers from above, that is, (as he adds,) the laver of the Spirit.
Clemens^ of Alexandria aflfirms expressly, that as there is a free
choice in us, so all is not placed in our own power, but that " by
grace we are saved," though not without good works ; and that
to the doing of what is good /ndXiara t^9 Oela^ ;j^p?7^o/i.ev %"/3t-
T09, " we especially need the grace of God," a right institution,
^ De Hab. mul. seu de Ciilt. fcemiii. 1. i. c. 2. ' De Hab. Virg. p. 99.
™ De Orig. error. 1. ii. c. 14. " Sacr. Hist. 1. i. c. 2.
" De Noe et Arc. c. iv. s. 8. P Gen. vi. 2, 4.
1 Dial, cum Trj'^)h. s. 92. ■■ Adv. Hseres. 1. iii, c. 1 7. s. 2.
' Stromat. 1. v. c. 13. et vid. c. 1.
256 THE LIFE OF
an honest temper of mind, and that the Father draws us to him :
and that the to iv rj/xlv avre^ovaiov, the powers of the will are
never able to wing the soul for a due flight for heaven, without
a mighty portion of grace to assist it. The mysteries of Christi-
anity (as Origen* discourses against Celsus) cannot be duly con-
templated without a better afflatus and more divine power ; for
"as no man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of a man
that is in him ; so no man knows the things of God, but the
Spirit of God:"" it being all to no purpose (as he elsewhere ob-
serves) unless God by his grace does (pcori^ecv to rj'yenovLKov^
enlighten the understanding. I add no more but that of Ter-
tullian," who asserts, that there is a power of divine grace,
stronger than nature, which has in subjection the power of our
free will. So evident it is, that when the fathers talk highest
of the aiiTe^ovcrtov, and the powers of nature, they never in-
tended to exclude and banish the grace of God. Some other
disputable or disallowed opinions may be probably met with in
this good man^s writings, but which are mostly nice and philo-
sophical. And indeed having been brought up under so many
several institutions of philosophy, and coming (as most of the
first fathers did) fresh out of the schools of Plato, it is the less
to be wondered at, if the notions which he had there imbibed
stuck to him, and he endeavoured, as much as might be, to
reconcile the Platonic principles with the dictates of Christi-
anity.
His Writings.
Genuine. Not Extant.
Parsenesis ad Graecos. Liber Psaltes dictus.
Elenchus, sen Oratio ad Grascos. Contra omnes Haereses.
Apologia pro Christianis prima. Contra Marcionem.
Apologia pro Christuinis secunda. Commentarius in Hexameron {cujus meminit
Liber de Monarchia Dei, forsan in fine Anastasius Sinaita.)
mutihis. De Resurrectione Camis teste Damasceno.
Dialogus cum Trj^hone Judaeo.
Epistola ad Diognetum. Doubtful.
Aristotelicorum quorundam Dogmatum
Not Extant. eversio.
Liber de Anima. Epistola ad Zenam et Serenum.
* Lib. iv. s. 30. \'id. etiam s. 66. u \ q^^^ jj_ h
" Hsec erit vis divin.Te gratia;, potentior utique natura, habens in nobis subjacentem
sibi liberam arbitrii potestatem, quod avTi^oixriov dicitur. De Anim. c. 21.
SAINT JUSTIN. ^
Supposititious. Qusestionum 146 Responsio ad Ortho
Qufestiones et Respons. ad Grajcos, doxosJ
QuiEstiones Grsecanica;, de incorporeo, etc. DuMtationum adversus Religionem sum-
et ad easdem Chrietianse Respon- marise solutiones.
gjQjjgg_ Expositio Fidei de S. Trinitate.
y Vid. an hie liber Bit idem (sed bterpolatus) de quo PhotiuB hoc titulo.
VOL. I.
THE LIFE OF SAINT IRENJ:US
BISHOP OF LYONS.
His country inquired into. His philosophical studies. His institution by Papias.
Papias, who. His education under St. Polycarp. His coming into France, and being
made presbj'ter of Lyons. Potbinus, who ; how and by whom sent into France. The
grieTous persecution there under M. Aiu-elius. The letters of the martyrs to the bishop
of Rome. Pope Eleutherius giiilty of Montanism. Irenseus sent to Rome. His
writing against Florinus and Blastus. The martyrdom of Potbinus bishop of Lyons,
and the cruelty exercised towards him. Irenaeus succeeds. His great diligence in-his
charge. His opposition of heretics. The synods said to have been held under him to
that purpose. The Gnostic heresies spread in France. Their monstrous villanies.
His confutation of them by word and writing. Variety of sects and divisions objected
by the heathens against Christianity. This largely answered by Clemens of Alex-
andria. Pope Victor's reviving the controversy about Easter. The contests between
him and the Asiatics. Several synods to determine this matter. Irenseus's moderate
interposal. His synodical epistle to Victor. The persecution under Severus. Its rage
about Lyons. Irenasus's martyrdom, and place of burial. His virtues. His indus-
trious and elaborate confutation of the Gnostics. His style and phrase. Photius'a
censure of his works. His error concerning Christ's age. Miraculous gifts and powers
common in his time. His writings.
Saint Irenseus, may justly challenge to go next the martyr, 6 iyyi/^
roiv aTToaToXtov rycv6fjLevo<;, as St Basil styles him/ one near to
the apostles, which St, Hierom ^ expresses by being a man of
the apostolic times. His originals are so obscure, that some
dispute has been, to what part of the world he belonged,
whether East or West, though that he was a Greek there can
be no just cause to doubt. The ancients having not particularly
fixed the place of his nativity, he is generally supposed to have
been born at Smyrna, or thereabouts. In his youth he wanted
not an ingenuous education in the studies of philosophy and
human learning, whereby he was prepared to be afterwards an
useful instrument in the church. His first institution in the]
= De Spirit. S. c. 29. '' Epist. liii. ad Thcodnr. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 5iil.
THE LIFE OF SAINT IREN^US. 259
doctrine of Christianity was laid under some of the most eminent
persons that then were in the Christian church. St. Hierom*"
makes him scholar to Papias bishop of Hierapolis, who had
himself conversed with the apostles and their followers. This
Papias (as Irenreus'^ and others inform us) was one of St. John's
disciples ; by whom though Eusebius understands not the apostle,
but one surnamed the Elder, which he seems to collect from
a passage of Papias himself, * yet evident it is, that though
Papias in that place affirms, that he diligently picked up what
memoirs he could meet with concerning the apostles from those
that had attended and followed them, yet he no where denies
that he himself conversed with them. He was (as Eusebius^
characters him) a man very learned and eloquent, and knowing
in the scriptures; though, as elsewhere he adds,*^ a^ohpa o-jjul-
Kpo<i wv rov voOv, of a very weak and undiscerning judgment,
especially in the more abstruse and mysterious parts of the
Christian doctrine, which easily betrayed him, and others that
followed him, into great errors and mistakes. He wrote five
books, entitled Aofylcov KvpiaKMV i^'^yrja-i,';, " The explanation of
our Lord's discourses;" and, as he in Photius intimates,'' and the
Alexandrine Chronicon expressly affirms,' died a martyr, being
put to death at Pergamus, in the persecution under M. Aurelius.
He is said to have trained up many scholars in the Christian
institution, and among the rest our Irenseus : which though not
improbable, yet we are sure, not only from the testimonies of
Eusebius ^ and Theodoret,' but what is more, from his own,"'
that he was trained up under the tutorage and instructions of
St. Polycarp bishop of Smyrna, and St. John's disciple, from
whom he received the seeds of the true apostolic doctrine, and
for whom he had so great a reverence and regard, that he took
a most exact and particular notice of whatever was memorable
in him, even to the minutest circumstances of his conversation,
the memory whereof he preserved fresh and lively to his dying
day.
II. By whose hands he Avas consecrated to the ministeries of
« Ibid. "> Adv. Hsercs. 1. v. c. ?>Z. et ap. Euseb. 1. iii. c. 30. « Ap. Euseb. ibid,
f Ibid. c. 36. s Ibid. c. 39. "> Stepli. Gob. ap. Phot. Cod. CCXXXII.
' An. 3. Olymp. 235. Ind. 1. M. Aurel. 4.
•' Hist. Eecl. 1. V. c. .5. ' Adv. IlaTes. dial. 1.
"' Epist. ad Flor. apud Euseb. I. v. c. 20. et Iliercm. do Script, in Iron.
260 THE LIFE OF
religion, as also when and upon what occasion he came into
France, is not known. Probable it is that he accompanied St,
Polycarp in his journey to Rome about the paschal controversy,
where by his and Anicetus*'s persuasions he might be prevailed
with to go for France, (in some parts whereof, and especially
about Marseilles, great numbers of Greeks did reside,) then
beginning to be overrun with those pernicious heresies, which
at that time invaded and disturbed the church, that so he might
be helpful and assisting to Pothinus, the aged bishop of Lyons,
in quelling and subduing of them. This Pothinus, (if we may
believe Gregory bishop of Tours," who resided some time in this
city with his uncle Nicetius bishop of it,) came out of the East,
and had been despatched hither also by St. Polycarp, to govern
and superintend this church. If it seem strange to any how
St. Polycarp's care came to extend so far, as to send a bishop
into so remote and distant parts of the world ; it seems not
improbable to suppose, that Lyons being a city famous for
commerce and traffic, some of its merchants might trade to
Smyrna, where being converted by Polycarp, they might desire
of him to send some grave and able person along with them, to
plant and propagate the Christian faith in their own country,
which accordingly fell to Pothinus's share. But then, that this
must needs be done by the authority, and ratified by the decree of
the bishop of Rome, a learned man will never be able to convince
us,° though he offers at three arguments to make it good : weak,
I must needs say, and inconcluding, and which rather shew that
he designed thereby to reconcile himself to the court of Rome,
(whose favour at the time of his writing that tract he stood in need
of, in order to his admission to the bishopric of St. Leiger de Con-
serans, to which he was nominated, and wherein he was delayed
by that court, offended with his late book De Concordia Sacerdotii
et Imperii^) than argue the truth of what he asserts, so unsuit-
able are they to the learning and judgment of that great man.
But I return to Irenseus. He came to Lyons, the metropolis of
Gallia Celtica, situate upon the confluence of the two famous
rivers the Rhone and La Saone, or the ancient Arar, famous
among other things for its temple and altars, erected to the
honour of Augustus, at the common charge of all France, where
they held an annual solemnity from all parts of the country upon
" Hist. Franc, lib. i. c. 2!). •> P. de Marc, dissert, de Primat. ii. 1 1 1. p. 2'27.
SAINT IREN^US. 261
the first of August . and upon this day p it was that most of the
martyrs suffered in the following- persecution. These festival
solemnities were usually celebrated not only with great conten-
tions for learning and eloquence, but with sports and shows, and
especially with the bloody conflicts of gladiators, with barbarous
usages, and throwing malefactors to wild beasts in the amphi-
theatre ; wherein the martyrs mentioned by Eusebius bore a sad
and miserable part. Irenseus being arrived at Lyons, continued
several years in the station of a presbyter, under the care and
government of Pothinus, till a heavy storm arose upon them.
For in the reign of M. Aurelius Antoninus, Ann. Chr. 177,
began a violent persecution against the Christians,'' which broke
out in all places, but more peculiarly raged in France, Avhereof
the churches of Lyons and Vienne, in a letter to them of Asia
and Phrygia,*" give them an account ; where they tell them, it
was impossible for them exactly to describe the brutish fierce-
ness and cruelty of their enemies, and the severity of those tor-
ments which the martyrs suffered, banished from their houses,
and forbid so much as to shew their heads ; reproached, beaten,
hurried from place to place, plundered, stoned, imprisoned, and
there treated with all the expressions of an ungovernable rage
and fury, as they particularly relate at large. Tlie occasion ^ of
writing this account, was a controversy lately raised in the Asian
churches by Montanus and his followers, concerning the pro-
phetic spirit, to which they pretended : for the composing
whereof these churches thought good to send their judgment and
opinion in the case, adjoining the epistles which several of the
martyrs (while in prison) had written to those churches about
that very matter ; all which they annexed to their commentary
about the martyrs"* sufferings, penned, no doubt, by the hand of
Irenseus.
III. Nor did the martyrs write only to the Asian churches, but
to Eleutherius bishop of Rome, about these controversies. And
just occasion there was for it, if (which is most probable) this
very Eleutherius was infected with the errors of Montanus : for
Tertullian tells us,' that the bishop of Rome did then own and
embrace the prophecies of Montanus and his two prophetesses,
and upon that account had given letters of peace to the churches
P Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 1. '» Eiiseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. praef.
■■ Apud Euseb. ibid. ' Euseb. ibid. c. 3. ' Adv. Prax. c. 1.
262 THE LIFE OF
of Asia and Phrygia, though by the persuasions of one Praxeas
he was afterwards prevailed with to revoke them : where by
the way may be observed, that the infallibility of the pope was
then from home, or so fast asleep, that the envious man could
sow tares in the very pontifical chair itself. This bishop Ba-
ronius will have to be Anicetus," but in all likelihood was our
Eleutherius, who, in his after-commendation of the Montanists
followed the example of his predecessors," (no doubt Soter and
Anicetus,) who had disowned and rejected Montanus's prophecy ;
nor can it well be otherwise conceived why the martyrs should
so particularly write to him about it. And whereas Baronius
would have pope Eleutherius dead long before Tertullian became
a Montanist,^ because in his book against heresies he styles him
the blessed Eleutherius,^ as if it were tantamount with cujiis
memoria est in benedicfione, nothing was more common than to
give that title to eminent persons while alive, as Alexander of
Jerusalem calls Clemens Alexandrinus, who carried the letter,
"the blessed Clemens,""'' in his epistle to the church of Antioch ;
and the clergy of the church of Rome styles St. Cyprian,^ (then
in his retirement,) " the blessed pope Cyprian," in their letter to
them of Carthage. To this Eleutherius then these martyrs di-
rected their epistle : for the martyrs in those times had a mighty
honour and reverence paid to them, and their sentence in any
weighty case was always entertained with a just esteem and
veneration. These letters they sent to Rome by IrenjBus,"^ whom
they persuaded to undertake the journey, and whom they par-
ticularly recommended to Eleutherius by a very honourable
testimony, desiring him to receive him not only as their brother
and companion, but as a zealous professor and defender of that
religion which Christ had ratified with his blood. I know
Mons. Valois will not allow that Irena?us actually went this
journey ; '^ that the martyrs indeed had desired him, and he had
promised to undertake it, but that the heat of the persecution
coming on, and he being fixed in the government and presidency
over that church, could not be spared personally to undergo it.
But since Eusebius clearly intimates and St. Hierom expressly
" Ad Ann. 173. n. 4. ^ TertulL adv. Prax. c. 1. y Ad Ann. 201. n. 9.
» De Praescript, Haeret. c. 30. » Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 11.
•> Ad Cler. Carthag. Epist. \-iii. p. 15. Cypriani opp. "^ Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 4
^ Annot. in Euseb. p. 91 ct 92.
SAINT IREN^US. 263
affirms,^ that the martyrs sent him upon this errand, it is safest
to grant his journey thither, though it must be while he was
yet presbyter, for so they particularly say he was in their epistle
to the bishop of Rome. And there probably it was that he
took more particular notice of Florinus and Blastus,*" who, being
presbyters of the church of Rome, were about this time fallen
into the Valentinian heresy ; the first of whom he had formerly
known with St. Polycarp in Asia,^ and noted him for his soft
and delicate manners, and to whom after his return home, as
also to Blastus, he wrote epistles, to convince them of those
novel and dangerous sentiments which they had espoused.
IV. And now the jjersecution at Lyons was daily carried on
with a fiercer violence. Vast numbers had already gone to
heaven through infinite and inexpressible racks and torments ;
and to crown all, Pothinus,'' their reverend and aged bishop,
above ninety years old, was seized, in order to his being* sent the
same way. Age and sickness had rendered him so infirm and
weak, that he was hardly able to crawl to his execution. But
he had a vigorous and sprightly soul in a decayed and ruinous
body ; and his great desire to give the highest testimony to his
religion, and that Christ might triumph in his martyrdom, added
new life and spirit to him. Being apprehended by the officers,
he was brought before the public tribunal, the magistrates of the
city following after, and the common people giving such loud
and joyful acclamations, as if our Lord himself had been leading
to execution. The governor presently asked him, who the God
of the Christians was ? Which he knowing to be a captious and
sarcastic question, returned no other answer than " Wert thou
worthy, thou shouldst know." Instruction takes hold only of
the humble and obedient ear. Truth is usually lost by being
exposed to the vicious and the scornful : it is in vain to hold a
candle either to the blind that cannot, or to them that shut
their eyes, and will not see : there is a reverence due to the
principles of religion that obliges us " not to cast pearls before
swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again
and rend us."' Hereupon, without any reverence to his age, or
so much as respect to humanity itself, he was rudely dragged
* De Script, in Iren. ^ Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 15.
8 Id. ibid. c. 20. '' Epist. Eccles. Lugd. et Vien. ap. Euseb. ibid. c. 1.
' Matt. vii. 6. et vid. Origen. Exhort, ad Martyr, s. 8.
264 THE LIFE OF
away, and unmercifully beaten ; they that were near kicking
him with their feet, and striking him with their fists ; they that
Avere farther off, throwing at him what they could meet with,
making whatsoever came next to hand the instruments of their
fury : every man looking upon it as impious and piacular, not to
do something that might testify his petulant scorn and rage
against him. For by this means they thought to revenge the
quarrel of their gods. But their savage cruelty thought it too
much kindness to despatch him at once ; it is like they intended
him a second tragedy, which, if so, heaven disappointed their
designs. For being taken up with scarce so much breath as
would entitle him to live, he was thrown into the prison, where
two days after he resigned up his soul to God.
V. The church of Lyons being thus deprived of its venerable
guide, none could stand fairer for the chair than Irenseus, a
person honoured and admired by all, who succeeded accordingly
about the year 179, in a troublesome and tempestuous time.
But he was a wise and skilful pilot, and steered the ship with a
prudent conduct. And need enough there was both of his
courage and his conduct ; for the church at this time was not
only assaulted by enemies from without, but undermined and
betrayed by heresies within. The attempts of the one he en-
dured with meekness and patience, while he endeavoured to
prevent the infection and poison of the other by a diligent and
vigilant circumspection, discovering their persons, laying open
their designs, confuting and condemning their errors, so that
" their folly was made manifest unto all." The author of the
ancient Synodicon published by Pappus,'' tells us of a provincial
synod held at Lyons by Irenteus, where, with the assistance and
suiFrage of twelve other bishops, he condemned the heresies of
Valentinus, Marcion, Basilides, and the rest of that anti-christian
crew. Whence he derived this intelligence, I know not, it not
being mentioned by any other of the ancients. However the
thing itself is not improbable, Iren£eus''s zeal against that sort of
men engaging him to oppose them both by word and writing ;
and especially when it is remembered what himself informs us
of, that they had invaded his own province, and were come
home to his very door. For having given us an account of
Marcus, one of those Gnostic heresiarchs, and his followers,
^ Edit. Argent. 1601. p. 2.
SAINT IREN^US. 265
their beastly and licentious practices, and by what ludicrous and
senseless arts, what magic and hellish rites they were wont to
ensnare and initiate their seduced proselytes; he tells us,' they
were come into the countries round him, all along- the Rhone,
where they generally prevailed (which seems to have been ob-
served as a maxim and first principle by all authors of sects)
upon the weaker sex, corrupting their minds, and debauching
their bodies; whose cauterized consciences being afterwards
awakened, some of them made public confession of their crimes,
others, though deserting their party, were ashamed to return to
the church, while others made a desperate and total apostacy
from any pretences to the faith. With some of these ringleaders
Irenseus had personally encountered,™ and read the books of
others, which gave him occasion (what the desires of many had
importuned him to undertake) to set upon that elaborate work
against heresies, wherein he has fully displayed their wild and
fantastic principles, their brutish and abominable practices, and
with such infinite pains endeavoured to refute them : though
indeed so prodigiously extravagant, so utterly irreconcileable
were they to any principles of sober reason, that as he himself
observes," it was victory enough over them, only to discover and
detect them. This work he composed in the time of Eleutherius
bishop of Rome, as is evident from his catalogue of the bishops
of that see,° ending in Eleutherius, the twelfth successive bishop,
who did then possess the place.
VI. And indeed it was but time for Irenseus and the rest of
the wise and holy bishops of those days to bestir themselves,
" grievous wolves having entered in, and made havoc of the
flock." The field of the church was miserably overrun with
tares, which did not only endanger the choking of religion
Avithin the church, but obstruct the planting and propagating the
faith among them that were without : nothing being more com-
monly objected against the truth and divinity of the Christian
religion, than that they were rent and torn into so many
schisms and heresies. St. Clemens of AlexandriaP particularly
encounters this exception ; some of whose excellent reasonings
' Adv. Hcercs. 1. i. c. 13. s. 7. vid Hieron. Epist. liii. ad Tlieodor. vol. iv. par. ii.
p. 581.
■n Praef. ad lib. i. " Lib. i. c. iilt. s. 4.
" Lib. iii. c. 3. s. 3. et Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. G. p Stromat. I. vii. c. 15.
266 THE LIFE OF
are to this effect. The first thing (says he) they charge upon
us, and pretend why they cannot embrace the faith, Is the
diversity of sects that are among us, truth being delayed and
neglected, while some assert one thing and some another. To
which he answers, that there were various sects and parties both
among the Jews and the philosophers of the Gentiles, and yet
no man thought this a sufficient reason why they should cease to
study philosophy, or adhere to the Jewish rites and discipline :
that our Lord had foretold, that errors would spi'ing up with
truth, like tares growing up with the wheat, and that therefore
it was no wonder if it accordingly came to pass ; and that we
ought not to be wanting to our duty, because others cast off
theirs, but rather stick closer to them who continue constant in
the profession of the truth : that a mind diseased and distem-
pered with error and idolatry, ought no more to be discouraged
from complying with an institution that will cure it, by reason
of some differences and divisions that are in it, than a sick man
would refuse to take any medicines, because of the different
opinions that are among physicians, and that they do not all
use the same prescriptions : that the apostle hath told us, that
" there must be heresies, that they that are approved may be
made manifest :""'• that they heartily entertain the Christian
doctrine, improve and persevere in faith and a hoi}' life : that if
truth be difficult to be discerned, yet the finding it out will
abundantly recompence the trouble and the labour : that a wise
man would not refuse to eat of fruit, because he must take a little
pains to discover what is ripe and real, from that which is only
painted and counterfeit. Shall the traveller resolve not to go
his journey because there are a great many ways that cross and
thwart the common road, and not rather inquire which is the
plain and king's highway 'i or the husbandman refuse to till his
ground, because weeds grow up together with the plants ? We
ought rather to make these difterences an argument and incen-
tive the more accurately to examine truth from falsehood, and
realities from pretences, thut escaping the snares that are plausi-
bly laid, we may attain et? eTTiyvcoaiv t>}9 ovtq)<; ovaij^ akrjdela^,
to the knowledge of that which is really truth indeed, and which
is not hard to find, of them that sincerely seek it. But to re-
turn back to Irena^us.
1 1 Cor. xi. 19.
SAINT IREN^US. 267
VII. Having passed over the times of the emperor Commodus,
(the only honour of whose reign was, that he created no great
disturbance to the Christians, being otherwise a most debauched
and dissolute prince, in whom the vices of all his predecessors
seemed to meet as in one common-sewer,) Eleutherius died, and
Victor succeeded in the see of Rome. A man furious and in-
temperate, impatient of contradiction, and who let loose the
reins to an impotent and ungovernable passion. He revived the
controversy about the celebration of Easter, and endeavoured
imperiously to impose the Roman custom, of keeping it on the
next Lord's-day after the Jewish Passover, upon the churches of
the Lesser Asia, and those who observed the contrary usage ;
and because they would not yield, rashly thundered out an
excommunication against them, not only endeavouring, but, as
Eusebius explains it in the following words,"" actually proscribing
and pronouncing them cut off from the communion of the church.
The Asiatics, little regarding the fierce threatenings from Rome,
under the conduct of Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, stood their
ground, justifying their observing it upon the fourteenth day
after the appearance of the moon, let it fall upon what day of
the week it would, after the rule of the Jewish Passover, and
this by constant tradition, and uninterrupted usage derived from
St. John and St. Philip the apostles, St. Polycarp, and several
others, to that very day : all which he told pope Victor, but pre-
vailed nothing (as what will satisfy a wilful and passionate mind!)
to prevent his rending the church in sunder. For the composure
of this unhappy schism, synods Avere called in several places,^ as
besides one at Rome, one in Palestine under Theophilus bishop
of Caisarea Palestina, and Narcissus bishop of Jerusalem, an-
other in Pontus under Pal mas, and many more in other places,
who w^ere willing to lend their hands toward the quenching of
the common flame, who all wrote to Victor sharply reproving
him,* and advising him rather to mind what concerned the peace
of the church, and the love and unity of Christians among one
another. And among the rest our Irena'us (who, as Eusebius
observes," truly answered his name in his peaceable and peace-
making temper) convened a synod of the churches of France
under his jurisdiction, where, with thirteen bishops besides him-
>• Hist. Eccl. 1. V. c. 24. » Id. ibid. c. 23.
' Id. ibid. c. 24. » Ibid. c. 23.
268 THE LIFE OF
self, (says the forementioned Synodicon") he considered and
determined of this matter. In whose name he wrote a synodical
epistle to pope Victor/ wherein he told him that they agreed
with him in the main of the controversy, but withal duly and
gravely advised him to take heed how he excommunicated whole
churches for observing the ancient customs derived down to them
from their ancestors : that there was as little agreement in the
manner of the preparatory fast before Easter, as in the day
itself; some thinking that they were to fast but one day, (pro-
bably he means of the great or solemn week,) others two, others
more, and some measuring the time by a continued fast of forty
hours, (whether in memory of Christ^s lying so long in the grave,
or in imitation of his forty days' fast in the wilderness, I know
not ;) and that this variety was of long standing, and had crept
into several places, while the governors of the church took less
care about these different customs, who yet maintained a sincere
and mutual love and peace towai'ds one another, a thing practised
by all his own pious predecessors; putting him in mindof Anicetus
and Polycarp, who though they could not so far convince each
other as to lay aside their different usages, did yet mutually
embrace, orderly receive the communion together, and peaceably
part from one another. And letters to the same effect he wrote
to several other bishops for allaying the difference thus unhappily
started in the church.
VIII. The calm and quiet days w^hich the church had for
gome years of late enjoyed, now expired, and the wind changed
into a more stormy quarter : Severus, the emperor, hitherto
favourable, began a bitter and bloody persecution against the
Christians, prosecuted with great severity in all parts of the
empire. Himself had heretofore governed this very province of
Lyons,^ and probably had taken peculiar notice of Irenaeus, and
the flourishing state of the church in that city, and might there-
fore give more particular orders for the proceeding against them
in this place. The persecution, that in other parts picked out
some few to make them exemplary, here served all alike, and
went through with the work. For so Gregory of Tours,* and
the ancient martyrologies inform us,'' that Irenaeus having been
" Edit. Argent. 1()01. p. 7. y Eiiseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 24.
^ ^El. Spartian. in vit. Sever, c. 3. " Hist. Eranc. 1. i. c. 29.
^ Martyr, Rom. ad .Tun. xxviii. Ailon. Martvr. iv. Kalend. JuL
SAINT IREN^US. 269
prepared by several tormeuts, was at length put to death,
(beheaded, say the Greeks"^ likely enough,) and, together with
him, almost all the Christians of that A^ast populous city, whose
numbers could not be reckoned up, so that the streets of the
city flowed with the blood of Christians. His body was taken
up by Zacharias, his presbyter, and buried in a vault, laid be-
tween Epipodius and Alexander, who had suffered in the persecu-
tion under Antoninus. It is not easy to assign the certain date
of his martyrdom, which may with almost equal probability be
referred to a double period, either to the time of that bloody
edict which Severus published against the Christians about the
tenth year of his reign, Ann. Chr, 202, or to his expedition into
Britain, Ann. Chr. 208, when he took Lyons in his way, and
might see execution done with his own eyes. And indeed the vast
numbers that are there said to have suffered, agree well enough
with the temper of that fierce and cruel prince, who had con-
ceived before a particular displeasure against the citizens of
Lyons, and a worse against the Christians there.
IX. He was a true lover of God, and of the souls of men, for the
promoting whose happiness he thought no dangers or difficulties
to be great : he scrupled not to leave his own country, to take
so troublesome and tedious a journey ; and, instead of the smooth
and polite manners of the Eastern nations, to fix his dwelling
among a people of a wild and savage temper, and whom he must
convert to civility, before he gained them to religion. Nor was
it the least part of his trouble (as himself plainly intimates'^)
that he was forced to learn the language of the country, a rugged
and (as he calls it) barbarous dialect, before he could do any
good upon them. All which, and a great deal more, he cheerfully
underwent, that he might be serviceable to the great interests of
men. And because he knew that nothing usually more hinders
the progress of piety, than to have men's minds vitiated and de-
praved with false and corrupt notions and principles ; and that
nothing could more expose the Christian religion to the scorn
and contempt of wise and discerning men, than the wild schemes
of those absurd and ridiculous opinions that were then set on
foot, therefore he set himself with all imaginable industry to
oppose them, reading over all their writings, considering and un-
ravelling all their principles with incomparable patience as well
*-■ Men. Graec. Tfj /cy'. rov kvyovar. '' Prsef. ad 1. i.
270 THE LIFE OF
as dlHg-ence, whence he is deservedly styled by Tertullian,*
Omnium doctrinanim curiosissimtis explorator, the most curious
searcher into all kinds of doctrines : in the successful managery
whereof he was greatly advantaged hy the natural acumen and
subtlety of his parts, and those studies of philosophy and human
literature of which he had made himself master in his younger
days, sufficient footsteps whereof appear in the writings which he
left behind him. For besides his epistles, he wrote many volumes,
(though he that tells us that he composed an ecclesiastical his-
tory, "^^ which Eusebius made use of, reckons up one more than
ever he wrote, and doubtless mistook it for his work Ad versus
ffwreses,) which are all lost, except his Five Books against Here-
sies, entitled anciently Ilepl iXeyx^ov koI avarpoirr]'; rrj<i -y^rev-
Sfovvfiov 7i/wa-ea)9,"The confutation and Subversion of Knowledge
falsely so called ;■" i. e. of Grnosticism ; those abstruse and mystical
heretics pretending that all sublime and excellent knowledge
dwelt with them. What his proper style and phrase was in
these books is not easily guessed, the far greatest part of the
original Greek being wanting, (the conjecture of those who will
have them originally penned in Latin is not worth the mention-
ing ;) probably it was simple and unaffected, vulgar and ordinary,
embased, it is like, and he seems to confess as much,^ with the
natural language of the country where he lived ; nor had he
studied the arts of rhetoric, the ornaments of speech, or had any
skill in the elaborate methods and artifices of persuasion, as he
modestly apologizes for himself.'^ However his discourses are
grave and well digested, and (as far as the argument he manages
would admit) clear and perspicuous ; in all which he betrays a
mighty zeal, and a spirit prepared for martyrdom : for the
martyrs (as Erasmus truly notes') have a certain serious, strenu-
ous, and masculine way of writing beyond other men.
X, As for his works themselves, Photius** thus censures
them : that in some of them the accuracy of truth in ecclesiastic
doctrines is sophisticated vodot^ Xoyio-fjLoi<;, with false and
spurious reasonings, which ought to be taken notice of. In the
books yet extant, there are some assertions that will not bear a
strict rigorous examination, the principal whereof are such as
we have already remarked in the Life of Justin Martyr, the rest
e Adv. Valent. c. o. f Volaterr. Comm. Urban. 1. xvi. col. 4.01.
e Prsef. ad 1. i. " ibid. < Praf. in Iran. " Cod. CXX.
SAINT IRENiEUS. 271
are of an inferior and more inconsiderable notice. As for his
affirming tliat our Lord was near fifty years of age^ at the
time of his public ministry, it was an error into which he was
betrayed, partly from a false supposition that our Lord must be
of a more mature and elderly age, that so he might deliver his
doctrine with the greater authority ; partly from a mistaken re-
port (which he had somewhere picked up, and it may be from
his master Papias) that St. John and the rest of the apostles
had so affirmed and taught it ; and partly out of opposition to
his adversaries, who maintained that our Saviour stayed no longer
upon earth than till the thirty-first year of his age ; against
whom the eagerness of disputation tempted him to make good
his assertion from any plausible pretence, and to take the hint
(though his impetus, and the desire of prosecuting his argument,
would not give his thoughts leave to cool, and take the place
into sober consideration) from that question of the Jews to
Christ, " thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen
Abraham?""^ whence in transitu he took it for granted that the
Jews had some ground for what they said, and that he must be
near that age.
XL His care to have his writings derived pure and un-
corrupted to posterity was great and admirable, adding to his
book JJepl oycodSof;, this solemn and religious obtestation ; " I
adjure thee, whoever thou art that shalt transcribe this book,
by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by his glorious coming, wherein
he shall judge the quick and the dead, that thou compare what
thou transcribest, and diligently correct it by the copy from
whence thou transcribest it, and that thou likewise transcribe this
adjuration, and annex it to thy copy."° And well had it been
with the ancient writers of the church, had their books been
treated with this care and reverence: more of them had been
conveyed down to us ; at least those few that are, had arrived
more sound and unpolluted. I note no more (and it is what
Eusebius long since thought worth taking notice of) than that
in his time miraculous gifts and powers were very common in
the church. For so he tells us,° that some expelled and cast
out devils, the persons often embracing Christianity upon it ;
others had visions and revelations, and foretold things to come ;
' Adv. Hceres. 1. ii. c. 22. s. 5, (». '" John viii. 57. " Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 20.
" Adv. Haeres. 1. ii. c. .'^2. s. 4. ct ap. Euseb. 1. v. c. 7.
272 THE LIFE OF SAINT IREN^US.
some spake all manner of languages, and, as occasion was, dis-
covered men's thoughts and secret purposes, and expounded the
mysteries and deep things of God ; others miraculously healed
the sick, and by laying their hands upon them restored their
health ; and many raised the dead, the persons so raised living
among them many years after. The gifts (as he speaks) which
God, in the name of our crucified Lord, then bestowed upon the
church being innumerable, all which they sincerely and freely
improved to the great advantage and benefit of the world.
Whence with just reason he urges the truth of our religion in
general, and how much advantage true Christians had to triumph
over all those impostors and seducers who sheltered themselves
under the venerable title of being Christians.
His Writings.
Extant. Liber de Ogdoade.
Adversus H;ereses, seu De refutatione et Epistola ad Blastum de Schismate.
eversione falsse scientiae, Libri quiii- Ad Florinum de Monarchia, seu Quod Deus
que. non sit conditor mali, Epistola.
Ad Victorem Episcopum Romanum de
Not E3ia7it. Paschate, Epistola.
Libellus de Scientia adversus Gentes. Ad varies Episcopos de eadem re, Epistolae
Demonstratio Apostolica; prsedicationis, ad plures.
MarcLanum fratrem. Variorum Tractatuum Liber.
THE LIFE OF SAINT THEOPHILUS
BISHOP OF ANTIOCH.
The gi-eat obscurity of his originals. His learned and ingenuous education, and natural
parts. An account of his conversion to Christianity, and the reasons inducing him
thereunto, collected out of his own writings. His scrupling the doctrine of the Re-
surrection. The great difficulty of entertaining that principle. Synesius's case.
Theophilus's conquering this objection. His great satisfaction in the Christian reli-
gion. His election to the bishopric of Antioch. His desire to convert Autolycus.
Autolycus, who. His mighty prejudice against Christianity. Theophilus's under-
taking him, and his free and impartial debating the case with him. His excellent
management of the controversy. His vigorous opposing the heresies of those times.
His books against Marcion and Hermogenes. His death, and the time of it. St.
Hierom's character of his works. His writings.
Though the ancients furnish us with very few notices concern-
ing this venerable bishop, yet perhaps it may not be unaccept-
able to the reader to pick up that little which may be found.
The mistake is not worth confuting, and scarce deserves men-
tioning, that makes him the same with that Theophilus of
Antioch, to whom St. Luke dedicates his evangelical writings,
so great the distance of time (if there were nothing more) be-
tween them. Whether he was born at Antioch is uncertain :
but wherever he was born, his pai'ents were Gentiles, by whom
he was brought up in the common rites of that religion that then
governed the world. They gave him all the accomplishments of
a learned and liberal education, and vast improvements he made
in the progress of his studies, so that he was thoroughly versed
in the writings of all the great masters of learning and philo-
sophy in the heathen world : which being set off with a quick
and a pleasant wit, (as appears from his disputes against the
Gentiles,) rendered him a man of no inconsiderable note and ac-
count among them.
VOL. I. T
274 THE LIFE OF
II. When or by what means converted to Christianity, is
impossible particularly to determine : thus much only may be
gathered from the discourses which he left behind him. Being
a man of an inquisitive temper, and doubtless of a very honest
mind, he gave up himself to a more free and impartial search
into the nature and state of things. He found that the account
of things which that religion gave, wherein he was then engaged,
was altogether unsatisfactory ; that the stories of their gods were
absurd and frivolous, and some of them profane and impious ;
that their rites of worship were trifling and ridiculous : he con-
sidered the several parts of the creation, and that excellent pro-
vidence that governed the world ; wherein he easily discerned the
plain notices of a wise and omnipotent Being, and that God had
purposely disposed things thus, that his grandeur and majesty
might appear to all. Accordingly he directs his friend to this
method of conviction, as that which doubtless he had found
most successful and satisfactory to himself. He bids him survey
and consider the works of God f the vicissitude and alteration of
times, according to their proper seasons ; the revolutions of the
heavenly bodies ; the wisely established course of the elements ;
the beautiful order and disposition of nights and days, and
months and years ; the pleasant and admirable variety of seeds,
plants, and fruits; the manifold generations of beasts, birds,
creeping things, fishes, and the inhabitants of the watery regions ;
the prudent instinct by which all these creatures are excited to
preserve their kind, and nourish their young, and that not for
their own advantage, but for the necessity and pleasure of man-
kind, God by a wise and secret providence having so ordained,
that all things should be in subjection unto man. And, indeed,
so strangely was he ravished with the consideration of this argu-
ment, that he professes,'' that no man is able duly to describe
the singular order and economy of the creation ; no, though he
had a thousand mouths, and as many tongues, and were to live
in the world a thousand years, Sia ro vTrep/SdWov /xiyeOoi?, koI
rov ttXovtov rri<i ao(f}La<i tov &eov, so incomprehensibly great
and unfathomable is that divine wisdom that shines in the works
of the creation. Thus prepared, he seems to have betaken him-
self (and to this also he advises Autolycus'') to the consideration
of other volumes, the books that contained the religion of the
» Ad Autolyc. 1. i. s. (>. b jjjjd. l. ii. g. 12. « Ibid, s. 34.
SAINT THEOPHILUS. 275
Christians, especially the writings of the prophets, and to have
weighed the importance of their revelations, the variety of the
persons, the meanness and obscurity of their education, their
exact harmony and agreement, the certainty of their predictions,
and how accurately the prophecy and the event met together ;
so that (as he adds'') whoever would but seriously apply him-
self to the study of them, had a way ready open to come to the
exact knowledge of the truth.
III. One thing there was, which he himself seems to intimate,^
did more especially obstruct his full compliance with the Chris-
tian doctrine, the belief of the resurrection. He had been
brought up in the schools of philosophy, where he had been
taught, that from a privation of life there can be no return to
the possession of it ; it is like he could not conceive how men's
scattered dust after so many ages could be recollected, and built
up again into the same bodies. Indeed, there is scarce any
principle of the Christian faith, that generally met with more
opposition from the wise and the learned, and which was more
difficultly admitted into their creed. When St. Paul preached
to the philosophers at Athens, while he told them of a judgment
to come, they made no scruple to give it entertainment, it being
a principle evident by natural light, till he discoursed of a future
resurrection ; and this they rejected with contempt and scorn,
" and when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
mocked ;" ^ and the most grave and sober took time to consider
of it ; " others said, we will hear thee again of this matter."
And Synesius himself, that great philosopher, after his being
baptized into the Christian religion, when courted by Theophilus
of Alexandria to take upon him the bishopric of Ptolemais,
would not yield till he had publicly entered his dissent to the
doctrine of the resurrection,^ at least as to the common expli-
cation of the article : he looked upon it as lepov ri koI airop-
pijTov, as containing a kind of sacred and ineffable mystery in
it, but could not comply "wdth the vulgar and received opinions;
being willing probably to admit it, if he might explain it ac-
cording to the principles of philosophy, and after the Platonic
mode. Though why the credibility of this article should stick
with any, that own a Being of infinite power, I see not : it being
" Ad Autolyc. 1. ii. s. 35. <^ Ibid. 1. i, s. 14. •' Acts xvii. 32.
s Syiies. Epist. cv. p. 249. Vid. Evagr. Hist. Eccl. 1. i. c. 15.
276 THE LIFE OF
equally easy to Omnipotence (as Athenagoras^ and others dis-
course upon this argument) to restore our scattered parts, and
combine them again into the same mass, as it was at first to
create them out of nothing. But to return to our Theophilus.
By a frequent reflection upon those many shadows of a resur-
rection,' which God hath impressed upon the course of nature,
and the standing phenomena of Divine Providence, he conquered
this objection, especially after he had conversed with, and em-
braced the holy volumes, wherein these things were so positively
declared and published. And thus he became a Christian ; being
baffled and disappointed in all other refuges, he took sanctuary
in the church, which (as himself expresses it"") God has set in
the world, like an island in the midst of the sea, into whose safe
and convenient harbours the lovers of truth might fly, and all
those who desired to be saved, and to escape the judgment and
the Avrath to come. And glad he was that he was got thither,'
rejoicing that he bore the name of a Christian, to ©eo^tXef ovofjia,
that name that was so dear to God, how much soever otherwise
despised and scorned by an ignorant and evil age.
IV. About the year 169,'" (Eutychius refers it to the sixteenth
year of Antoninus"'s reign^") or rather the year before, his prede-
cessor Eros being dead, he was made bishop of Antioch, ac-
counted by some the sixth, by the others the seventh bishop of
that see : and neither of them mistaken, both being true accord-
ing to different computations, some reckoning St. Peter the first,
while others beholding him as an apostle, and as acting in a
larger and more oecumenical sphere than a private bishop, begin
the accoimt from Euodius as the first bishop of it, St. Theo-
philus, thus fixed in his charge, set himself to promote the true
interest and happiness of men ; and as goodness always delights
to communicate and diffuse itself, he studied to bring over others
to that faith, which he had entertained himself. Among the rest
he attempted a person of note, his great friend Autolycus. Who
this Autolycus was we have no account, more than what is givei
us by Theophilus himself." He was a person learned an(
eloquent, curious in all arts and sciences, the acquist whereof he
pursued with so indefatigable a diligence, that he would burj
•' De Resurr. mort. s. 3. ' Ad Autolyc 1. i. s. 13.
^ Ibid. 1. ii. s. 14. ' Ibid. 1. i. s. i. '" Euseb. Cluon. eod. anno
" Anna), vol. i. p. 359. " Ad Autolyc. 1. iii. s. 4.
SAINT THEOPHILUS. 277
himself among books, and steal hours for study from his neces-
sary rest, spending whole nights in libraries, and in conversing-
with the monuments of the dead. But withal a Gentile, p in-
finitely zealous for his religion, and unreasonably prejudiced
against Christianity, which he cried out of as the highest folly
and madness, and loaded with all the common charges and
calumnies which either the wit or malice of those times had in-
vented to make it odious, and for the defence and vindication
whereof he had bitterly quarrelled with Theophilus. This not-
withstanding, he is not affrighted from undertaking him, but
treats him with all the freedom and ingenuity that became a
friend and a philosopher ; tells him that the cause was in himself,i
why he did not discern and embrace the truth ; that his wicked-
ness and impieties had depraved his mind, and darkened his
understanding ; and that men were not to blame the sun for want
of light, when themselves were blind, and wanted eyes to see it ;
that the rust and soil must be wiped off from the glass before it
would make a true and clear representation of the object; and
that God would not discover himself, but to purged and prepared
minds, and such who by innocency and a divine life were become
fit and disposed to receive and entertain him. Then he explains
to him the nature of God, and gives him an account of the origin
of the world according to the Christian doctrine, disproves and
derides the ridiculous deities of the heathens, and particularly
answers those black imputations usually laid upon the Chris-
tians ; and because Autolycus had mainly urged the lateness
and novelty of the Christian faith, he shews at large how much
superior it was in many parts of it in point of seniority, and
that by many ages, to any thing which the heathen religion
could pretend to : pressing him at every turn to comply with
so excellent a religion, and assuring him the people, "■ whom he
invited him to, were so far from being such as he represented
them, that they lived under the conduct of modesty and sobriety,
temperance and chastity, banished injustice, and rooted up all
vice and wickedness, loved righteousness, lived under law and
rule, exercised a divine religion, acknowledged God, served the
truth, were under the preservation of grace and peace, directed
by a sacred word, taught by wisdom, rewarded by a life im-
P Ad Autolyc. 1. ii. s. 2. i Ibid. 1. i. s. 2. ' Ibid. 1. iii. s. 15.
278 THE LIFE OF
mortal, and governed by God himself. What the issue of his
discourses was, we cannot tell, but may probably hope they had
a desired success ; especially since we find Autolycus,^ after the
first conference, a little more favourable to the cause, abating of
his conceived displeasure against Theophilus, and desiring of him
a further account of his religion. And certainly, if wisdom and
eloquence, if strength of reason and a prudent managing the
controversy, were able to do it, he could not well fail of reclaiming
the man from his error and idolatry.
V. Nor was he more solicitous to gain others to the faith,
than he was to keep those who already had embraced it from
being infected and depraved with error. For which cause he
continually stood upon his guard, faithfully gave warning of the
approach of heresy, and vigorously set himself against it. For
notwithstanding the care and vigilance of the good and pious
men of those days, (as Eusebius observes,') envious men crept
in, and sowed tares among the sincere apostolic doctrine : so
that the pastors of the church were forced to rise up in every
place, and to set themselves to drive away these wild beasts
from Christ"'s sheep-fold, partly by exhorting and warning the
brethren, partly by entering the lists with the heretics them-
selves, some personally disputing with, and confuting them,
others accurately convincing and refuting their opinions by the
books which they wrote against them. Among whom he tells us
was our Theophilus, who conflicted with these heretics, and par-
ticularly wrote against Marcion, who asserted two deities, and
that the soul only, as being the divine and better part, and not
the body, was capable of the happiness of the other world, and
this too granted to none but his followers, with many such im-
pious and fond opinions. Another book he wrote against Her-
mogenes, one better skilled in painting than drawing schemes
of new divinity ; he forsook the church, and fled to the Stoics,
and being tinctured with their principles maintained matter to
be eternal, out of which God created all things, and that all
evils proceeded out of matter; asserting moreover, (as Clemens of
Alexandria informs us,") that our Lord's body was lodged in the
sun, ridiculously interpreting that place,'' " in them hath he set
a tabernacle for the sun." Nor did our Theophilus neglect the
• Ad Autolyc. 1. ii. s. 1. t jjist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 24.
" In Scriptt Prophet, eclog. ap. Clem. Alex. s. 56. "^ Ps. xix. 4.
SAINT THEOPHILUS. 279
weak and younger part of the charge ; he had not only physic
for the sick, and " strong meat for them of full age, but milk for
babes, and such as were yet unskilful in the word of righteous-
ness,"^ composing many catechetic discourses, that contained the
first rudiments of the faith.
VI. He sat thirteen years in his bishopric,^ (twenty-one
says the Patriarch of Alexandria,") and died about the second
or third year of the emperor Oommodus ; for that he outlived
M. Antoninus, is evident from his mentioning his death and the
time of his reign in his discourses with Autolycus,'* after which
he composed those discourses, but what kind of death it was,
whether natui-al or violent, is to me unknown. From the calm-
ness and tranquillity of Commodus's reign, as to any persecution
against the Christians, we may probably guess it to have been a
peaceable and quiet death. Books he wrote many, whereof
St. Hierom gives this character, '^ that they were elegant tracts,
and greatly conducive to the edification of the church. And
further adds, that he had met with Commentaries upon the
Gospel and the Proverbs of Solomon, bearing his name, but
which seemed not to answer his other writings in the elegancy
and politeness of the style.
His writings.
Eodant, Libri aliquot Catechetici.
Ad Autolycum Libri tres. Doubtful.
Not extant. Commentarii in Evangelium.
Contra Haeresin Hermogenis. Commentarii in Proverbia Solomonis.
Adversus Marcionem.
y Heb. V. 13, 14.
^ Niceph. C. P. Chronograph. ap.Thes. Temp. Eusebii per Scaliger, p. 311.
» Eutych. Annal. vol. i. p. 359. ^ Ad Autol. 1. iii. s. 27.
<^ Hieron. de Script, in Theoph.
THE LIFE OF SAINT MELITO
BISHOP OF SARDIS.
His country and birth-place. His excellent parts and learning. His being made bishop
of Sardis. His celibacy. His prophetic gifts. The persecution under Marcus Aur
relius. Melito's Apology for the Christians. A fragment of it cited out of Eusebius.
The great advantages of Christianitj^ to the empire. His endeavour to compose the
Paschal controversy. His book concerning that subject. His journey to Jerusalem
to search what books of the Old Testament were received by that church. The copy
of his letter to his brother Onesimus concerning the canon of the Old Testament.
What books admitted by the ancient church. Solomon's Proverbs styled by the an-
cients the Book of Wisdom. His death and burial. The great variety of his works.
Unjustly suspected of dangerous notions. An account given of the titles of two of his
books most liable to suspicion. His writings enumerated.
Saint Melito was born in Asia, and probably at Sardis, the me-
tropolis of Lydia, a great and ancient city, the seat of the
Lydian kings ; it was one of the seven churches to which St.
John wrote epistles, and wherein he takes notice of some that
durst own and stand up for God and religion, in that great de-
generacy that was come upon it. He Avas a man of admirable
parts, enriched with the furniture of all useful learning, acute
and eloquent, but especially conversant in the paths of divine
knowledge, having made deep inquiries into all the more un-
common parts and speculations of the Christian doctrine. He
was for his singular eminency and usefulness chosen bishop of
Sardis, though we cannot exactly define the time, which were I
to conjecture, I should guess it about the latter end of Antoninus
Pius's reign, or the beginning of his successor's. He filled up
all the parts of a very excellent governor and guide of souls,
whose good he was careful to advance both by word and writ-
ing : which that he might attend with lesis solicitude and dis-
traction, he not only kept himself within the compass of a single
THE LIFE OF SAINT MELITO. 281
life, but was more than ortHnarily exemplary for his chastity
and sobriety, his self-denial and contempt of the world; npon
which account he is by Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, styled an
eunuch ;* that is, in our Saviour's explication, one of those " who
make themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake;'"''
who for the service of religion, and the hopes of a better life, are
content to deny themselves the comforts of a married state, and
to renounce even the lawful pleasures of this world. And God,
who delights to multiply his grace upon pious and holy souls,
crowned his other virtues with the gift of prophecy ; for so Ter-
tullian tells us,*^ that he was accounted by the orthodox Chris-
tians as a prophet ; and Polycrates says of him,'' that he did eV
arylw Trvev/jLUTC Trdvra TroKirevecrOai, was in all things governed
and directed by the afflatus and suggestion of the Holy Ghost.
Accordingly in the catalogue of his writings,® we find one, irepl
TToXiTeiWi, Kol TTpo^rjTwv, of the right way of living, and con-
cerning prophets, and another concerning prophecy.
II. It was about the year 170, and the tenth of M. Antoni-
nus,^ (his brother L. Verus having died the year before of an
apoplexy, as he sat in his chariot,) when the persecution grew
high against the Christians, greedy and malicious men taking
occasion from the imperial edicts lately published, by all the
methods of cruelty and rapine to oppress and spoil innocent
Christians. Whereupon as others, so especially St. Melito^
presents an apology and humble supplication in their behalf to
the emperor, wherein, among other things, he thus bespeaks
him. " If these things, sir, be done by your order, let them be
thought well done. For a righteous prince will not at any
time command what is unjust ; and we shall not think much
to undergo the award of such a death. This only request we
beg, that yourself would please first to examine the case of
these resolute persons, and then impartially determine, whether
they deserve punishment and death, or safety and protection.
But if this new edict and decree, which ought not to have been
proclaimed against the most barbarous enemies, did not come
out with your cognizance and consent, we humbly pray, and
" Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 24. " Matt. xix. 12.
<= Ap. Hieron.de Script, in Mclit. "^ Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 24.
« Ibid. 1. iv. c. 26. f Euseb. Chron. ad Ann. 171.
S Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 26.
282 THE LIFE OF
that with the greater importunity, that you would not suffer us
to be any longer exposed to this public rapine.""
III. After this he put him in mind how much the empire had
prospered since the rise of Christianity, and that none but the
worst of his predecessors had entertained an implacable spite
against the Christians. " This new sect of philosophy (says he)
which we profess, heretofore flourished among the Barbarians,
(by which probably he means the Jews.) Afterwards, under
the reign of Augustus, your pi-edecessor, it spread itself over the
provinces of your empire, commencing with a happy omen to it :
since which time the majesty and greatness of the Roman empire
hath mightily increased, whereof you are the wished-for heir and
successor, and together with your son shall so continue, espe-
cially while you protect that religion, which begun with
Augustus, and grew up together with the empire, and for which
your predecessors had, together with other rites of worship, some
kind of reverence and regard. And that our religion, which
was bred up with the prosperity of the empire, was born for
public good, there is this great argument to convince you, that
since the reign of Augustus there has no considerable mischief
happened ; but, on the contrary, all things according to every
one's desire have fallen out glorious and successful. None but
Nero and Domitian, instigated by cruel and ill-minded men, have
attempted to reproach and calumniate our religion ; whence
sprang the common slanders concerning us, the injudicious vul-
gar greedily entertaining such reports without any strict exami-
nation. But your parents of religious memory gave a check to
this ignorance and injustice, by frequent rescripts reproving those
who made any new attempts in this matter. Among whom was
your grandfather Adrian, wbo wrote, as to several others, so to
Fundanus, the proconsul of Asia ; and your father, at what time
yourself was colleague with him in the empire, wrote to several
cities (particularly to Larisssea, Thessalonica, Athens, and all the
cities of Greece) that they should not create any new disturbance
about this affair. And for yourself, who have the same opinion
of us which they had, and a great deal better, more becoming
a good man and a philosopher, we promise ourselves that you
will grant all our petitions and requests." An address, managed
with great prudence and ingenuous freedom, and which striking
in with other apologies presented about the same time, did not
SAINT MELITO. 283
a little contribute to the general quiet and prosperity of Chris-
tians.
IV. Nor was he so wholly swallowed up with care for the
general peace of Christians, as to neglect the particular good of
his own, or neighbour churches. During the government of
Servilius Paulus, proconsul of Asia, Sagaris, bishop of Laodicea,
had suffered martyrdom in the late persecution ; at what time
the controversy about the paschal solemnity'' was hotly venti-
lated in that church, some, strangers probably, urging the ob-
servation of the festival according to the Roman usage, cele-
brating it upon the Lord''s-day, contrary to the custom of those
churches, who had ever kept it upon the fourteenth day of the
moon, according to the manner of the Jews. For the quieting
of which contention Melito presently wrote two books irepl rov
nda-'x^a, " concerning the Passover," wherein no doubt he treated
at large of the celebration of Easter according to the observation
of the Asian churches, and therefore Polycrates in his letter to
pope Victor particularly reckons Sagaris and Melito ' among the
chief champions of the cause. This Paschal book of St. Melito
was mentioned also by Clemens of Alexandria "^ in a tract con-
cerning the same subject, wherein he confesses that he was
moved to that undertaking by the discourse which Melito had
published upon that subject.
V. How unwearied is true goodness and a love to souls ! how
willing to digest any difficulties, by which another's happiness
may be advanced ! His brother Onesimus had desired of him
to remark such passages of the Old Testament as principally
made for the confirmation of the Christian religion, and to let
him know how many of those books were admitted into the holy
canon. Wherein that he might at once thoroughly satisfy both
his brother and himself, he took a journey on purpose into the
East, that is, I suppose, to Jerusalem, where he was likeliest to
receive full satisfaction in this matter, and where having in-
formed himself, he gave his brother at his return an account of
it. The letter itself, because but short, and containing so
authentic an evidence what books of the Old Testament were
received by the ancient church, we shall here subjoin.
" Melito to his brother Onesimus, greeting.
" Forasmuch as out of your great love to and delight in the
h Ipse Melit. ap. Euseb. 1. iv. c. 26. ' Ibid. 1. v. c. 24. ^ Ibid. 1. iv. c. 26.
284
THE LIFE OF
holy scriptures, you have oft desired me to collect such passages
out of the Law and the Prophets as relate to our Saviour and the
several parts of our Christian faith, and to be certainly informed
of the books of the Old Testament, how many in number, and
in what order they were wx-itten, I have endeavoured to comply
with your desires in this affair. For I know your great zeal and
care concerning the faith, and how much you desire to be in-
structed in matters of religion, and especially out of your love
to God how infinitely you prefer these above all other things,
and are solicitous about your eternal salvation. In order here-
unto, I travelled into the East ; and being arrived at the place
where these things were done and published, and having accu-
rately informed myself of the books of the Old Testament, I have
sent you the following account. The five books of Moses :
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Jesus or
Joshua the son of Nun. Judges. Kuth. The four books of Kings.
Two books of Chronicles. The Psalms of David, The Pro-
verbs of Solomon, which is Wisdom. Ecclesiastes. The Song of
Songs. Job. The Prophets: Isaiah. Jeremiah. The twelve
[minor] Prophets in one book. Daniel. Ezekiel. Esdras or Ezra.
Out of all which I have made collections, which I have digested
into six books."
VI. In which catalogue we may observe the book of Esther
is omitted, as it is also by St. Athanasius,' Gregory Nazianzen,™
and Leontius," in their enumeration of the books of the holy
canon : though for what reason is uncertain, unless (as Sixtus
Senensis ° not improbably conjectures) because it was not in those
times looked upon as of such unquestionable credit and authority
as the rest ; the spurious additions at the end of it causing the ■
whole book to be called in question. Nor is here any particular
mention made of Nehemiah, probably because it was anciently
comprehended under that of Esdras. And by that of Wisdom
we see is not meant the apocryphal book, called the Wisdom of
Solomon, (as Bellarmine,^ and most writers of that church con-
fidently enough assert,) but his Proverbs, of which Eusebiusi ex-
pressly tells us, that not only Hegesippus but Irenaus, and all
' Synops. S. Script, vol. iii. p. 128. >» Carm. xxxiii. vol. ii. p. 98.
» De Sect. Act. ii. p. 497. vol. i. bibl. Patrum. ed. 1(524.
" liiblioth. Sanct. 1. i. p. 6. P De Script. Eccl. in Melit. ad Ami. 150.
■) Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 22.
SAINT MELITO. 285
the ancients, were wont to call the Proverbs of Solomon by the
name of Wisdom, iravaperov ao<^iav, a wisdom containing a
system of all kind of virtues. And indeed that Melito in this
place could mean no other, the words of his letter, as restored
by Valesius, {^o\6fJb(ovo<i Trapoi/xiat^ tj koX ^o(f)ia,) according to
Nicephorus's quotation, and the faith of all the best and most
ancient manuscripts, puts the case beyond all peradventure.
VII. At last this good man, broken with infinite pains and
labours, and wearied with the inquietudes of a troublesome
world, retreated to the place of rest. The time and manner of
his death is unknown ; this only we find,"^ that he died, and lies
buried at Sardis, waiting rrjv airo rwv ovpavcov €7rLcrK07rr]v,
the episcopal visitation from heaven, when our Lord shall come
and raise him up from the dead. He was a man, besides the
piety of his mind and the strictness and innocency of his life, of
great parts and learning ; he had elegans et declamator'mm inge-
nium, as Tertullian said of him,^ a smart elegant wit, able to
represent things with their most proper aggravations. He wrote
books almost in all kinds of subjects, divine, moral, and philoso-
phical, the monuments of no less industry than learning, which
are all long since lost, some very few fragments only excepted.
I know there are that suspected him to have had notions less
orthodox about some of the great principles of religion : which
I confess seems to me a most uncharitable and unjust reflection
upon so holy and so good a man, especially seeing the conjecture
is founded upon the mere titles of some of his books, none of the
books themselves being extant, and of those titles a fair account
might be given to satisfy any sober and impartial man ; there
being but two that can be liable to exception, the one Ilepl
ivo-cofidrov Geov, de Deo, not Gorporeo, (however Theodoret,'
and as it seems from Origen, understands it,) but Corporato (as
Tertullian would express it) de Deo corpore induto, as Rufinus
of old translated it, concerning God clothed with a body, or
" the Word made flesh ;" the other TJepl Krl<Tew<i (most copies
read Trlareco^;) koL <y€vecre(o<; XpicrTov, of the creation and genera-
tion of Christ. Where admit it to have been KTiaeco<;, creation,
he alluded I doubt not to that of Solomon," " the Lord j3ossessed,
eKTiae, created me in the beginning of his way."" And evi-
'■ Polycrat. Ep. ap. Euseb. 1. v. c. 24. ' Apud Hieron. de Script, in Melit.
' Theod. Quest, xx. in Genes, vol. i. p. .32. " Prnv. viii. 22.
286
THE LIFE OF SAINT MELITO.
dent it is, that before the rise of the Arian controversies the
fathers used the word for any manner of production/ and usually
understand that place of Solomon of the ineffable generation of
the Son of God.
His writings, none whereof are now extant.
Dc Paschate, Libri duo.
De recta vivendi r.atione, et de Prophetis,
Liber unus,
De Ecclesia.
De die Dominica.
De Natura Hominis.
De Creatione.
De obedicntia sensuum fidei.
De Anima, et corpore, et mentc.
De Lavacro.
De Veritate.
De fide [Creatione] et Generatione Christi,
De Prophetia.
De Hospitalitate.
Liber Clavis dictus.
De Diabolo.
De Joannis Apocalypsi.
De Incarnatione Dei.
Apologia ad Imp. Antoninum.
Excerptorum ex libris Veteris Testamenti,
Libri sex.
^ Vid. Constit. Apostt. 1. v. c. 1 9. Tertull. adv. Prax. c. 5, C, 7.
THE LIFE OF SAINT PANTJilNUS
CATECHIST OF ALEXANDEIA.
The various conjectures concerning his original. The probabilities of his Jewish descent,
what. Whether bom in Sicily or at Alexandria. His first institution. The famous
Platonic school erected by Ammonius at Alexandria. The renown of that place for
other parts of learning. Pantaenus addicted to the sect of the Stoics. The principles
of that sect shewed to agree best with the dictates of Christianity. His great im-
provements in the Christian doctrine. The catechetic school at Alexandria, with its
antiquity. Pantaenus made regent of it. When he first entered upon this office.
An embassy from India to the bishop of Alexandria for some to preach the Christian
faith. Pantaenus sent upon this errand. This country where situate. His arrival
in India, and converse with the Brachmans. Their temper, principles, and way of
life. Their agreement with the Stoics. Footsteps of Christianity formerly planted
there. St. Matthew's Hebrew Gospel found among them and brought by Pantaenus
to Alexandria. How far and by whom Christianity was propagated in India after-
wards. Pantaenus's return to Alexandria, and resuming his catechetic office. His
death. His great piety and learning.
The silence of antiquity as to the country and kindred of this
excellent person has administered to variety of conjectures con-
cerning his original. Some conceive him to have been born
of Jewish parents, and they of note and quality. For Clemens
Alexandrinus,'* reckoning up his tutors, tells us that one (whom
he names last) was of Palestine, an Hebrew of very long de-
scent; and then adds, that having found the last, (meaning,
say some, the last of those whom he had reckoned up,) though
he justly deserved to be placed first, after he had with infinite
diligence and curiosity hunted him out in Egypt, where he lay
obscure, he sat down under his discipline and institution. This
person Eusebius plainly supposes to have been our Pantsenus ; ^
and that he intended him in the latter clause there is no cause
to doubt, the former only is ambiguous, it not being clear,
a Stromat. 1. i. c. 1. *> Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 11.
288 THE LIFE OF
whether the latter sentence be necessarily connected and johied
to the former, or that he designed any more than to intimate
the last master he addressed to, as distinct from those he had
named before. And this I am the rather inclined to think, be-
cause whoever considerately weighs Clemens^s period, will find
that by his Hebrew or Palestine master he means one of the
two whom he heard in the East, whereas Pantsenus was his
master in Egypt, whom he both found and heard there. Others
make him born in Sicily,*^ because Clemens, in the following
Avords, styles him " a truly Sicilian bee :" but whether there
may not be something proverbial in that expression, even as it
relates to Sicily, I shall not now inquire. However it is certain
that the inhabitants of that island were generally Greeks, that
many eminent philosophers were born, or resided there, and
particularly the famous Porphyry, who had retired hither for
some years, and here wrote his virulent books against the
Christians. Let this then stand for his country, till something
more probable offer itself, unless we will say, that being de-
scended of Sicilian ancestors, he was born at Alexandria, the
place of his education.
IL His younger years were seasoned with all learned and
philosophical studies, under the best masters which Alexandria
(for there I presume to place his education) afforded, at that
time a noted staple place of learning. As Egypt had in all ages
been famous for the choicest parts of literature, and the more
uncommon speculations of theology, so more especially Alexan-
dria, where there were professors in all arts and sciences, and
public schools of institution, not a little advantaged by that
noble library, placed here by Ptolemy Philadelphus, and so
much celebrated by the ancients. Li after-times here was a
fixed and settled succession of philosophers in the Platonic
school, begun by Ammonius Saccas, and carried on by Photinus
and Origen, and their successors for several ages. Ammianus
Marcellinus tells us,** that in his time, though not so famous as
formerly, yet in some good degree it still maintained its repu-
tation, and that all ingenuous arts and methods of recondite
learning, and celebrated professors of all sorts flourished here,
and that it was enough to recommend a physician to public
notice, if he had studied at Alexandria. Nay, many ages after
" Vales. Amint. in Faisob. p. 9li. 'i Lib. xxii. c. 16. non longe a fin.
SAINT PANT^NUS. 289
him, Benjamin the Jew,® at his being there, found near twenty-
several schools of Aristotelians, (the only men that then ruled
the chair,) whither men flocked from all parts of the world to
learn the Peripatetic philosophy.
III. Among all the sects of philosophy he principally applied
himself to the Stoics,^ with whose notions and rules of life he
was most enamoured ; and no wonder, seeing (as St. Hierom
observes^) their dogmata in many things come nearest to the
doctrines of Christianity : as indeed they do, especially as to the
moral and practic part of their principles. They held that
nothing was good but what was just and pious, nothing evil but
what was vicious and dishonest ; that a bad man could never be
happy, nor a good man miserable, who was always free, generous,
and dear to heaven ; that the Deity was perpetually -concerned
for human affairs, and that there was a wise and powerful Pro-
vidence that particularly superintended the happiness of man-
kind, and was ready to assist men in all lawful and virtuous
undertakings ; that therefore this God was above all things to
be admired, adored, and worshipped, prayed to, acknowledged,
obeyed, praised, and that it is the most comely and reasonable
thing in the world, that we should universally submit to his will,
and acT'rrdcraadaL e^ 0X179 t?}? '^vX'l^ ''"" o'v^^alvovra Trdvra,
cheerfully embrace with all our souls all the issues and deter-
minations of his providence ; that we ought not to think it
enough to be happy alone, but that it is our duty diro KapSlaf
^tXeiv, to love men from the very heart, to relieve and help
them, advise and assist them, and contribute what is in our
power to their welfare and safety, and this not once or twice,
but throughout the whole life, and that unbiassedly, without any
little designs of applause, or advantage to ourselves ; that nothing
should be equally dear to a man as honesty and virtue ; and that
this is the first thing he should look at, whether the thing he is
going about be good or bad, and the part of a good or a wicked
man ; and if excellent and virtuous, that he ought not to let any
loss or damage, torment, or death itself, deter him from it. And
whoever runs over the writings of Seneca, Antoninus, Epictetus,
Arrian, &c. will find these, and a great many more, claiming a
very near kindred with the main rules of life prescribed in the
e Itiner. p. 106. ed. 1575. ' Eiiseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 10.
K Com. in Esai. c. xi. voL iii. p. 101,
VOL. I. V
290 THE LIFE OF
Christian faith. And what wonder if Pantsenus was in love with
such generous and manly principles, which he liked so v/ell, that
as he alwaj's retained the title of the Stoic Philosopher, so for
the main he owned the profession of that sect, even after his
being admitted to eminent offices and employments in the Chris-
tian church.
IV. By whom he was instructed in the principles of the
Christian religion, I find not ; Photius tells us,'' that he was
scholar to those who had seen the apostles ; though I cannot
allow of what he adds, that he had been an auditor of some of
the apostles themselves, his great distance from their times
rendering it next door to impossible. But whoever were his
tutors, he made such vast proficiencies in his learning, that his
singular eminency quickly recommended him to a place of great
trust and honour in the church, to be master of the catechetic
school at Alexandria. For there were not only academies and
schools of human literature, but an ecclesiastical school for the
training persons up in divine knowledge and the first principles
of Christianity : and this e^ ap')(aiov eOov^, says Eusebius," " of
very ancient custom,"" from the very times of St. Mark, (says
St. Hieroin,'') the first planter of Christianity and bishop of that
place : from whose time there had been a constant succession of
catechists in that school, which, Eusebius tells us, continued in
his time, and was managed by men famous for eloquence and
the study of divine things. The fame and glory of Pantsenus
did, above all others at that time, design him for this place, in
which he accoixlingly succeeded, and that (as Eusebius inti-
mates') about the beginning of Commodus"'s reign, when Julian
entered upon the see of Alexandria, for about that time (says he)
he became governor of the school of the faithful there. And
whereas others before him had discharged the place in a more
private way, he made the school more open and public, freely
teaching all that addressed themselves to him. In this employ-
ment he continued without intermission the whole time of Julian,
(who sat ten years,) till under his successor he was despatched
upon a long and dangerous journey, whereof this the occasion.
V, Alexandria was iroXvavOpwiroraTrj 'iraawv ttoXl^, (as the
orator styles it,"') one of the most populous and frequented cities
*■ Coi. CXVIII. i Hist. Eccl. 1. V. c. 10. •< De Script, in Pant^n.
' Hist. Eccl. 1. V. c. 9, 1 0. >" Dion. Chrysost. Orat. xxxii. p. 375. vid. p. 373.
SAINT PANT.ENUS. 2.91
in the world, whither there was a constant resort, not only of
neighbour nations, but of the most remote and distant countries ;
yEthiopians, Arabians, Bactriaus, Scythians, Persians, and even
Indians themselves. It happened that some Indian ambassadors
(whether sent for this particular purpose is not certain) entreated
Demetrius," then bishop of Alexandria, to send some worthy and.
excellent person along Avith them to preach the faith in those
countries. None appeared qualified for this errand like Pantaenus,
a grave man, and a great philosopher, incomparably furnished
both with divine and secular learning. Him Demetrius persviades
to undertake the embassy ; and though he could not but be
sufficiently apprehensive, that he quitted a pleasant and delight-
fnl country, a place where he was beloved and honoured by all
with a just esteem and reverence, and that he ventured upon a
journey where he must expect to encounter with dangers and
hardships, and the greatest difficulties and oppositions, yet were
all these easily conquered by his insatiable desire to propagate
the Christian religion, even to the remotest corners of the world.
For there were many evangelical preachers even at that time, (as
Eusebius adds upon this occasion,") who, inflamed with a divine
and holy zeal, in imitation of the apostles, were willing to travel
up and down the world for enlarging the bounds of Christianity,
and building men up on the most holy faith. What India this
was to which Pantsenus, and after him Frumentius, (for that
they both went to the same country, is highly probable,) was
despatched, is not easy to determine. There are, and they men
of no inconsiderable note, that conceive it was not the Oriental,
but African India, conterminous to ^Ethiopia, or rather a part of
it. These Indians were a colony and plantation derived at first
out of the East. For so Eusebius tells us,p that in the more early
ages the Ethiopians, quitting the parts about the river Indus,
sat down near Egypt. Whence Philostratus expressly styles
the Ethiopians a colony of Indians, "^ as elsewhere he calls them
<yevo<i 'Iv8ik6v,'' an Indian genei-ation. The metropolis of this
country was Axumis, of which Frumentius is afterwards said to
be ordained bishop by Athanasius: an opinion which I confess
myself very inclinable to embrace, and should without any
" Hieron. de Script, in Pantaen. ° Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 10.
I' Chron. ad An. Abrah. 404. i Vit. Apollnn. 1. vi. c. «.
■■ Ibid. 1. iii. c. 6.
u 2 '
292 THE LIFE OF
scruple comply with, did not Eusebius expressly say,' that
Pantaenus preached the gospel to the Eastei-n nations, and came
as far as to India itself: a passage, which how it can suit with
the African India, and the countries that lie so directly south of
Egypt, I am not able to imagine. For which reason we have
elsewhere fixed it in the East. Nor is there any need to send
them as far as India intra Gangem ; there are places in Asia
nearer hand, and particularly some parts of Arabia, that anciently
passed under that name, whence the Persian Gulf is sometimes
called the Indian Sea. But let the judicious reader determine
as he please in this matter.
VI. Being arrived in India, he set himself to plant the Chris-
tian faith in those parts, especially conversing with the Brach-
mans,' the sages and philosophers of those countries, whose prin-
ciples and way of life seemed more immediately to dispose them
for the entertainment of Christianity." Their children as soon
as born they committed to nurses ; and then to guardians, ac-
cording to their different ages, who instructed them in principles
according to their capacities and improvements : they were edu-
cated with all imaginable severity of discipline, not suffered so
much as to speak, or spit, or cough, while their masters were
discoursing to them, and this till they were seven and thirty
years of age. They were infinitely strict and abstemious in
their diet, eat no flesh, drunk no wine or strong drink ; feeding
only upon wild acorns, and such roots as nature furnished them
withal, and quenching their thirst at the next spring or river;
and as sparing of all other lawful pleasures and delights. They
adored no images, but sincerely worshipped God, to whom they
continually prayed : and instead of the custom of those Eastern
nations of turning to the east, they devoutly lift up their eyes
to heaven ; and while they drew near to God, took a peculiar
care to keep themselves from being defiled with any vice or
wickedness, spending a great part both of night and day in
» Hist. Eccl. 1. V. c. 10.
• Ilieron. Epist. Ixxxiii. ad Magn. Orat. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 656.
" De Brachman. Morib. et instit. vid. inter alios Alexand. Polyb. de Reb. Indie, ap.
Clem. Alex. Stromat. 1. iii. c. 7. Strab. Geogr. 1. xv. p. 1038. Bardesan. Syr. 1. de fat.
ap. Euseb. Praep. Evang. 1. vi. c. 10. Plutarch, de vit. Alexand. p. 701. Porphyr. Ufp.
awoxris, 1. iv. s. 17, 18. Pallad. de Bragman. p. 8, 9, 15, 16, 17. Tract, de Orig. et
Morib. Brachman. inter Arabrosii oper. ad Calc. vol. v. ed. 1585. Suid. in voc. Bpox-
SAINT PANT^NUS. 293
hymns and prayers to God. They accounted themselves the
most free and victorious people, having hardened their bodies
against all external accidents, and subdued in their minds all
irregular passions and desires. Gold and silver they despised,
as that which could neither quench their thirst nor allay their
hunger, nor heal their wounds, nor cure their distempers, nor
serve any real and necessary ends of nature ; but only minister
to vice and luxury, to trouble and inquietude, and set the mind
upon racks and tenters. They looked upon none of the little
accidents of this world to be either good or evil ; frequently dis-
coursed concerning death, which they maintained to be yeveaiv
619 Tov 6Vt(U9 ^lov, a being born into a real and happy life ; and
in order whereunto they made use of the present time only as a
state of preparation for a better life. In short, they seemed in
most things to conspire and agree with the Stoics, whom there-
fore of all other sects they esteemed to be \oylov<i (])t\oa6(f)ov<;,''
the most excellent philosophers : and upon that account could
not but be somewhat the more acceptable to Pantsenus, who
had so thoroughly imbibed all the wise and rational principles of
that institution.
VII. What success he had in these parts, we are not par-
ticularly told. Certainly his preaching could not want some
considerable effect, especially where persons were, by the rules
of their order and the course of their life, so well qualified to
receive it ; and that too where Christianity had been heretofore
planted, though now overgrown with weeds and rubbish for
want of due care and culture. For he met with several^ that
retained the knowledge of Christ, preached here long since by
St. Bartholomew the apostle, (as we have elsewhere shewed in
his Life ;) whereof not the least evidence was his finding St.
Matthew's Gospel written in Hebrew, which St. Bartholomew
had left at his being there, and which Pantsenus (as St. Hierom
informs us, though I question whether it be any more than his
own conjecture) brought back with him to Alexandria, and
there no doubt laid it up as an inestimable treasure. And as
our philosopher succeeded in the labours of St. Bartholomew in
these Indian plantations, so another afterwards succeeded in his ;
an account whereof, to make the story more entire, the reader, I
" Pallad. de Brachman. p. 52.
y Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 10. Hier. de Script, in Pantaen.
294 THE LIFE OF
presume, will not think it impertinent, if I here insert, ^de-
sius and Frumentius,^ two yonths of Tyre, accompanied Me-
ropius the philosopher into India ; where being taken by the
natives, they were presented to the king of the country, who,
pleased Avitli their persons and their parts, made one of them
his butler, the other (Frumentius) the keeper of his records, or,
as Sozomen will have it, his treasurer and major-domo, com-
mitting to his care the government of his house. For their great
diligence and fidelity, the king at his death gave them their
liberty ; who thereupon determined to return to their own
country, but were prevailed with by the queen to stay, and
superintend affairs during the minority of her son : which they
did, the main of the government being in the hands of Frumen-
tius; who, assisted by some Christian merchants that trafficked
there, built an oratory, where they assembled to worship God
according to the rites of Christianity, and instructed several of
the natives, who joined themselves to their assembly. The
young king now of age, Frumentius resigned his trust, and
begged leave to return ; which being with some difficulty ob-
tained, they presently departed : JEdesius going for Tyre, while
Frumentius went to Alexandria; where he gave Athanasius,
then bishop of that place, an account of the whole affair, shew-
ing him what hopes there were that the Indians would come
over to the faith of Christ ; withal begging of him to send a
bishop and some clergymen among them, and not to neglect so
fair an opportunity of advancing their salvation. Athanasius
having advised with his clergy, persuaded Frumentius to accept
the office, assuring him he had none fitter for it than himself:
which was done accordingly, and Frumentius being made bishop,
returned back into India, where he preached the Christian faith,
erected many churches, and being assisted by the divine grace
wrought innumerable miracles, healing both the souls and bodies
of many at the same time : an account of all which Rufinus
professes to have received from ^desius''s own mouth, then
presbyter of the church of Tyre. But it is time to look back to
Pantfcnus.
VIII. lieing returned to Alexandria, he resumed his catechetic
office : which I gather partly from Eusebius,^ who again mentions
« Socrat. Mist. Eccl. 1. i. c. 1 9. Sozom. 1. ii. c. 24. Theodor. Hist. Eccl. 1. i. c. 23.
» Hist. Eccl. 1. V. c. 10.
SAINT PANT^NUS. 295
it just after his Indian expedition ; and adds reXevTMV rjjetTat,
that after all, or when he drew near to his latter end, he governed
the school of Alexandria : partly from St. Hierom,'' who says
expressly, that he taught in the reigns of Severus and Caracalla,
his first regency being under Commodus. He died in the time
of Antoninus Caracalla, who began his reign anno 211, though
the exact date and manner of his death be lost ; his memory is
preserved in the Roman calendar on the seventh of July. And
certainly a just tribute of honour is due to his memory for his
admirable zeal and piety, his indefatigable pains and industry,
his exquisite abilities, rcoy airo TratSeia? avrjp e7rt8o^6TaTO<i, as
Eusel)ius truly characters him, a man singularly eminent in all
kinds of learning ; and Origen,*^ who lived nearer to him, and
was one of his successors, commends him for his great usefulness
and ability both in philosophical speculations and theological
studies ; in the one able to deal with philosophers, in the other
to refute heretics and seducers. In his school he displayed (as
Eusebius tells us) both by word and writing the treasures of the
sacred doctrines ; though he taught (says St. Hierom) rather
viva voce than by books ; who mentions only his commentaries
upon the holy scripture, and of them not the least fragment is
remaiuing at this day.
I* De Script, in Pantsen. « Apud Euseb, Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 19,
THE LIFE OF SAINT CLEMENS
OF ALEXANDRIA.
His country. The progress of his studies. His instruction in the Christian doctrine.
His several masters. His impartial inquiry after truth. The elective sect, what. Its
excellent genius. Clemens of this sect. His succeeding Pantaenus in the catechetic
school. He is made presbyter of Alexandria. His Stromata published, when. Law-
fulness of flying in time of persecution. His journey into the East. What tracts he
wrote there. His going from Jerusalem to Antioeh, and return to Alexandria. Hia
death. The elogia given of him by the ancients. His admirable learning. His
writings. His Hypotyposes: Photius's account of them ; corrupted by the Arians.
His books yet extant, and the orderly gradation of them. His Stromata, what the
design of it. His style, what in this, what in his other books. A short apology for
some unwary assertions in his writings. His writings enumerated.
TiTus Flavius Clemens was, probably, born at Athens. For
when Epiphanius tells us,^ that some affirmed him to be an
Alexandrian, others an Athenian, he might well be both ; the
one being the place of his nativity, as the other was of his con-
stant residence and employment. Nor can I imagine any other
account upon which the title of Athenian should be given to
him. And the conjecture is further countenanced from the
course and progress of his studies; the foundations whereof were
laid in Greece, improved in the East, and perfected in Egypt.
And indeed his incomparable abilities in all parts of science
render it a little more probable, that his early 3^ears commenced
in that great school of arts and learning. But he stayed not here ;
his insatiable thirst after knowledge made him traverse almost
all parts of the world, and converse with the learned of all
nations, that he might furnish himself with the knowledge of
whatever was useful and excellent, especially a thorough ac-
quaintance with the mysteries of the Christian doctrine. He
tells us of those lively and powerful discourses,'' which he had
» Haercs. xxxii. c. 6. •> Stroraat. l.i. c. 1. etap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 11.
LIFE OF ST. CLEMENS OF ALEXANDRIA. 297
the happiness to hear from blessed and truly worthy and memo-
rable persons, who preserving that sincere and excellent doctrine,
which, like children from the hands of their parents, they had
immediately received from Peter, James, John, and Paul, the
holy apostles, were by God's blessing come down to his time,
sowing those ancient and apostolic seeds of truth : a passage
which I doubt not Eusebius'^ intended, when he says, that
Clemens, speaking concerning himself in the first book of his
Stromata, affirms himself to have been of the next succession to
the apostles.
II. Of these venerable men to whose tuition he committed
himself, he himself has given us some,'' though but obscure ac-
count. The first was lonicus, a Crelo-Syrian, whom he heard
in Greece, and whom Baronius conjectures to have been Caius,^
or Dionysius bishop of Corinth ; a second an Egyptian, under
whose discipline he was, in that part of Italy called Magna
Graecia, and since Calabria. Hence he travelled into the East,
where the first of his masters was an Assyrian, supposed by
some to have been Bardesanes, by others Tatian, the scholar of
Justin Martyr : the next originally a Jew, of a very ancient
stock, whom he heard in Palestine ; whom Baronius will have to
have been Theophilus bishop of Caesarea, (though for his Hebrew
descent there be no evidence among the ancients ;) others more
probably Theodotus,' whence the excerpta out of his Hypotyposes
still extant are styled e« tcov &eoh6rov avaro\LKrj<i 8iBa(TKa\,La<;^
" the Epitome of Theodotus''s Oriental doctrine," that is, the
doctrine which he learnt from Theodotus in the East. The last
of the masters whom he met with, Swafxei 8e apa Trpwro?, as he
says of him, but the first and chief in power arid virtue, was one
whom he inquisitively sought out, and found in Egypt, and in
whose institution he fully acquiesced, and sought no further.
This person is generally supposed to have been Pantsenus, whom
Clemens elsewhere expressly afiirms to have been his master,^
and whom in the forementioned epitome he styles our Pantsenus.'*
III. But though he put himself under the discipline of so many
several masters, yet was it not out of any vain desultory light-
ness, or fantastic curiosity, but to make researches after truth
<= Ibid. 1. vi. c. 13. <• Loc. citiit. « Ad Ann. 185. n. 4.
f Vales. Annot. in Euseb. p. 95. s In lib. Ilypot. ap. Euseb. 1. v. c. II.
'' In Scriptt. Prophet, eclog. s. 5(j.
298 THE LIFE OF
with an honest and inquisitive mind. He loved what was manly
and generous, wherever he met it : and therefore tells us,' he
did not simply approve all philosophy, but that of which Socrates
in Plato speaks concerning their mysterious rites,
vap07}KO<p6poi, /j,ev ttoWol' jBuKyoi he re Travpoi;
intimating, as he expresses it in the style of the scripture, that
" many are called, but few elect," or who make the right choice.
And such (adds Socrates) and such only, in my opinion, are
those who embrace the true philosophy. Of which sort (says
Clemens) through my whole life I have to my power approved
mj^self, desiring and endeavouring by all means to become one
of that number. For this purpose he never tied himself to any
particular institution of philosophy, but took up in the aipeatf
€KXeKTiKr]^ the "elective sect," who obliged not themselves to
the dictates and sentiments of any one philosopher, but freely
made choice of the most excellent principles out of all. This
sect (as the philosophic historian informs us ^) was begun by
Potamon, an Alexandrian too, who out of every sect of philo-
sophy selected what he judged best. He gave himself liberty
impartially to inquire into the natures of things, and what was
the true standard and measure of truth ; he considered, that no
man knows every thing ; that some things are obvious to one
that are overseen or neglected by another ; that there are whole-
some herbs and flowers in every field ; and that if the thing be
well said, it is no matter who it is that says it ; that reason
is to be submitted to before authority ; and though a fair
regard be due to the opinions and principles of our friends, yet
that it is oacov irpoTi/jbdv Tr)v a\.7]d€iav, (as Aristotle himself
confesses,') more pious and reasonable to honour and esteem the
truth. And thus he picked up a system' of noble principles, like
so many flowers out of several gardens, professing this to be the
great end of all his disquisitions,'" ^toj/v Kara rraa-av aperrjv
reXeiav, a life perfected according to all the rules of virtue.
Of this incomparable order was our divine philosopher : " I
espoused not (says he") this or that philosophy; not the Stoic,
nor the Platonic, nor the Epicurean, or that of Aristotle ; but
whatever any of these sects had said, that was fit and just, that
' Sti-oniat. 1. i. c. 19. k Diog. Laert. prooem. ad vit. PLilos. s. 21.
' Ethic. 1. i. c. 4. "» Diog. Lacit. loc. citiiU " Stromat. L i. s. 7.
\
ST. CLEMENS OF ALEXANDRIA. 299
taught righteousness with a divine and religious knowledge,
TOVTO avfiTrav to €K\6KTtfcbv, all that being selected, I call phi-
losophy." Though it cannot be denied, but that of any sect
he came nearest to the Stoics, as appears from his discoursing
by way of paradoxes, and his aifected novelty of words, two
things peculiar to the men of that way, as a very learned and
ingenious person has observed." And 1 doubt not but he was
more peculiarly disposed towards this sect by the instructions of
his master Pantfenus, so great and professed an admirer of the
Stoical philosophy.
IV. Pantsenus being dead, he succeeded him in the schola
KaT7}'^r]a€a)v, the catechetic school at Alexandria, though ques-
tionless he taught in it long before that, and probably during
Pantffinus"'s absence in India, supplying his place till his return,
and succeeding in it after his death ; for that he was Panta^nus's
successor, the ancients are all agreed. p Here he taught with
great industry and fidelity, and with no less success, some of the
most eminent men of those times ; Origen, Alexander bishop of
Hierusalem, and others being bred under him. And now (as
himself confesses'') he found his philosophy and Gentile-learning
very useful to him : for as the husbandman first waters the soil
and then casts in the seed, so the notions he derived out of the
writings of the Grentiles, served first to water and soften to
<ye(oSe<i avTcov^ the gross and terrestrial parts of the soul, that
the spiritual seed might be the better cast in, and take vital
root in the minds of men. Besides the office of a catechist, he
was made pi'esbyter of the church of Alexandria, and that at
least about the beginning of Severus's reign, for under that ca-
pacity Eusebius takes notice of him, anno 195 : about which
time, prompted by his own zeal, and obliged by the iniquity of
the times, he set himself to vindicate the cause of Christianity
both against heathens and heretics; which he has done at large,
with singular learning. and dexterity, in his book called Stro-
niata, published about this time ; for drawing down a chrono-
logical account of things, ■" he ends his computation in the death
of the emperor Commodus. Whence it is evident, as Eusebius
° H. Dodwell Prolegom. Apol. ad lib. D. Stoarn de Obstin. p. 115.
P Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. G. llicron. de Script, in Clement. Phot. Cod. CXVIII.
1 Stromat. 1. i. c. 1. "■ Ibid. 1. i. c. 21.
SOO THE LIFE OF
observes/ that he compiled that volume in the reign of Severus
that succeeded him.
V. The persecution under Severus raged in all provinces of
the empire, and particularly at Alexandria, which made many
of the Christians for the present willing to retire, and Clemens
probably among the rest, whom we therefore find particularly
discoursing the lawfulness of withdrawing in a time of persecu-
tion : ' that though we may not cowardly decline a danger or
death, when it is necessary for the sake of religion, yet in other
cases we are to follow the direction of our Saviour, " when they
persecute you in one city, flee ye into another;"" and not to
obey in such a case, is to be bold and rash, and unwarrantably
to precipitate ourselves into danger; that if it be a great sin
against God to destroy a man, who is his image, that man
makes himself guilty of the crime, who offers himself to the
public tribunal ; and little better does he, that, when he may,
declines not the persecution, but rashly exposes himself to be
apprehended, thereby to his power conspiring with the wicked-
ness of his persecutors. And if further he irritate and provoke
them, he is unquestionably the cause of his own ruin ; like a man
that needlessly rouses and enrages a wild beast to fall upon him.
And this opportunity I doubt not he took to visit the Eastern
parts, where he had studied in his younger days. We find him
about this time at Jerusalem with Alexander, shortly after bi-
shop of that place, between whom there seems to have been a
peculiar intimacy, insomuch that St. Clemens dedicated his book
to him," called the Ecclesiastical Canon, y) irpo'i Tov<i 'lovBai-
^ovra<i, or " against them that Judaize." During his stay here, he
preached constantly, and declined no pains, even in that evil time;
and with what success, we may see by a piece of a letter written
by Alexander, then in prison, and sent by our St. Clemens to
Antioch, which we here insert : " Alexander, a servant of God,
and a prisoner of Jesus Christ, to the blessed church at Antioch,
in the Lord greeting. Our Lord has made my bonds in this time
of my imprisonment light and easy to me, while I understood
that Asclepiades, a person admirably qualified by his eminency
in the faith, was by the divine providence become bishop of your
holy church of Antioch." Concluding, " These letters, worthy
* Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 6. « Stromal. 1. iv. c. 10. " Matt. x. 23.
•" Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 14. Hieron. de Script, in Clement.
ST. CLEMENS OF ALEXANDRIA. 301
brethren, I have sent you by Clemens, the blessed presbyter, a
man virtuous and approved, whom ye both do, and shall yet
further know : who, having been here with us, according to the
good will and providence of God, has greatly established and
increased the church of Christ.'*"' " By which epistle we may by
the way remark the error of Eusebius,^ who places Asclepiades's
coming to the see of Antioch in the first year of Caracalla, anno
212, whereas we see it was while Alexander was yet in prison
under Severus, which he himself makes to be anno 205. From
Jerusalem then Clemens went to Antioch, where we cannot
question but he took the same pains, and laboured with the same
zeal and industry. After which he returned to Alexandria, and
the discharge of his office, where how long he continued, or by
what death he died, antiquity is silent. Certain it is, that for
some considerable time he outlived Pantaenus, who died in the
time of Caracalla ; and when he wrote his Stromata, he tells us
that he did it that he might lay up things in store against old
age : a plain intimation that he was then pretty far from it. I
add no more but what Alexander of Hierusalem says,^ in a letter
to Origen, where having told him, that their friendship which
had commenced under their predecessors should continue sacred
and inviolable, yea, grow more firm and fervent, he adds, " For
we acknowledge for our fathers those blessed saints who are
gone before us, and to whom we shall go after a little time :
Pantaenus, I mean, the truly happy, and my master ; and the
holy Clemens, my master, and one that was greatly useful and
helpful to me."
VI. To commend this excellent man after the great things
spoken of him by the ancients, were to hold a candle to the sun.
Let us hear the character which some of them give of him.
" The holy and the blessed Clemens, a very virtuous and ap-
proved,"" as we have seen Alexander bishop of Jerusalem, who
knew him best, testifying of him. Indeed his zeal and piety,
modesty and humility, could not but endear him unto all. For
his learning he was, in St. Hierom"'s judgment,'' the most learned
of all the ancients. " A man admirably learned and skilful, and
that searched to the very bottom of all the learning of the
" Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 10. y In Chron. ad Ann. 212.
* Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 14.
* Epist. Ixxxiii. ad Magn. Orat. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 656.
302 THE LIFE OF
Greeks with that exactness that perhaps few before hira ever
attained to," says St. Cyril of Alexandria.*^ " An holy man,
(says Theodoret,*") koI TrdXvireipLa aiTavTa<i airoXiTrMV, and one
that, for his vast and difliisive learning-, incomparahly surpassed
all other men." Nor was he less accurate in matters of theology
than human learning ; an incomparable master in the Christian
philosophy, as Eusebius styles him. Witness his many books,
crowded, as Eusebius tells us,'' with variety and plenty of useful
knowledge, derived (as St. Hierora adds ") both from the holy
scriptures and secular learning, wherein there is nothing un-
learned, nothing that is not fetched out of the very centre and
bowels of philosophy. The titles of them, those two authors
have preserved, the far greatest part of the books themselves
having perished : among which the most memorable was the
Hypotyposes, or books of institution, so often cited by Eusebius,
which contained short and strict explications of many passages
of holy scriptures : wherein, Photius tells us,* there were many
wild and impious opinions ; as, that matter was eternal, and that
ideas were introduced by certain decrees ; that there is a trans-
migration of souls, and were many worlds before Adam ; that
the Son is among the number of created beings, and that the
Word was not really made flesh, but only appeared so ; and
many more l3\d(T(f)riiu,ot TeparoXoytai, monstrous blasphemies:
but withal insinuates, that probably these things were inserted
by another hand, as Rufinus expressly assures us,^ that heretics
had corrupted Clemens's writings. Certainly had these books
been infected with these profane and poisonous dogmata in
Eusebius's time, we can hardly think but that he would have
given us at least some obscure intimations of it. And consider-
able it is what Photius observes, that these things are not coun-
tenanced by his other books, nay many of them plainly contra-
dicted by them.
VII. The books yet extant, (besides the little tract, entitled
Tt9 6 (Tto^o/jievo'i 7rXovaco<i,) are chiefly three ; which seem to
have been written in a very wise and excellent order : the ^0709
JI/30Tpe7rTi/co9, or " Exhortation to the Grentiles ;" the " Pteda-
•> Contr. Julian. 1. vu. vol. vii. p. 231. vid. 1. vi. p. 205. ^ Haeret. Fabul. 1. i. c. 6.
•> Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 13.
^ De Script, in Clement, ct Kpist. ad Magn. Orat. loo. citat.
' Cod. CIX. s Apol. pro Orig. inter 0pp. Hier. vol. v. p. 2,50.
ST. CLEMENS OF ALEXANDRIA. .303
o-ogus," or Christian Instructor ; and the " Stromata,"" or various
discourses : in the first he very rationally refutes the follies and
impieties of the Gentile religion, and strongly persuades men to
embrace Christianit}^ ; in the second he tutors and instructs new
converts, and by the most admirable rules, and pathetical in-
sinuations, prepares and forms them to an holy and truly Chris-
tian life ; in the third he administers " strong meat to them
that are of a more full age ;" a clearer explication of the Chris-
tian doctrine, and a more particular confutation both of Grentile
and heretical opinions, admitting the disciple, after his first pur-
gation and initiation, into a more immediate acquaintance with
the sacred mysteries of religion. His Stromata ^ are nothing but
miscellaneous discourses composed out of the holy writings, and
the books of the Gentiles, explaining and (as occasion is) con-
futing the opinions of the Greeks and Barbarians, the sentiments
of philosophers, the notions of heretics; inserting variety of stories,
and treasures out of all sorts of learning; which, as himself tells
xis,' he therefore styled Stromata, that is, a " variegated contex-
ture of discourses,'"" and which he compares not to a curious
garden, "^ wherein the trees and plants are disposed according to
the exactest rules of method and order, but to a thick shady
mountain, whereon trees of all sorts, the cypress and the plantain,
the laurel and the ivy, the apple, the olive, and the fig-tree, pro-
miscuously grow together. In the two former of his books (as
Photius observes ') his style is florid, but set off with a well-pro-
portioned gravity, and a becoming variety of learning : in the
latter he neither designed the ornaments of eloquence, nor would
the nature of his design well admit it, as he truly apologizes for
himself; "' his main care was so to express things that he might
be understood," and further eloquence than this he neither
studied nor desired. If in these books of his there be what
Photius affirms," some few things here and there, ov'x^ vji(o<i,
not soundly or warily expressed ; yet not, as he adds, like those
of the Hypotyposes, but capable of a candid and benign inter-
pretation ; not considerably prejudicial either to the doctrine and
practice of religion, and such as are generally to be met with in
the writers of those early ages. And it is no wonder, if the
h Vid. Euseb. Hist. Eccl.
. \'i. c. 13.
• Stromat. 1. i. e. 1. 1. iv. c. 2.
k Lib. vii. c. 18.
' Cod. CIX.
"' Stromat. 1. vii. c. 18.
" Ibid. 1. i. c. 10.
• " Cod. CIX.
304 LIFE OF ST. CLEMENS OF ALEXANDRIA.
good and pious men of those times, who were continually en-
gaged in fierce disputes with Heathens on the one side, and Jews
and heretics on the other, did not always opOoTo/xelv, " divide
the truth aright," in some nicer lines and strokes of it. The
best is, their great piety and serviceableness in their generations,
while they lived, and the singular usefulness of their writings
to posterity since they are dead, are abundantly enough to
weigh down any little failures or mistakes that dropped from
them.
His Writings.
Extant. Canon Ecclesiasticus, seu Adversus Ju-
Protrepticon ad Gentes. daizantes.
Paedagogi, Libri tres. De Paschate.
Stromateoii', Libri octo. De obtrectatione.
Orat. Quisnam dives ille sit, qui salve- Disputationes de jejunio.
tur. Exhortatio ad Patientiam ad Neophytos.
Epitome doctrinae Orientalis Theodoti, &c.
Suppositiiiotis.
Not Extant. Commentariola in Prim. Canonicam S. Petri,
Hypotyposectfc, seu Institutionum, Libri in Epistolam Judae, et tres Epistolas
octo. S. Joannis Apostoli.
THE LIFE OF TERTULLIAN
PRESBYTER OF CARTHAGE.
His names, whence. His father, who. His education in all kinds of learning. His skill
in the Roman Laws. Different from Tertylian the lawyer. His way of life before
his conversion, inquired into. His married condition. His conversion to Christianity,
when. The great cruelty used towards the Christians. Severus's kindness to them.
Tertullian's excellent apology in their behalf. His address to Scapula, and the ten-
dency of that discourse. Severus's violent persecuting the Christians. His prohibi-
tion of the HetericB. TertuUian's book to the Martyrs, and concerning Patience. His
zeal against heresies, and wi-i tings that way. His book De Pallio, when written, and
upon what occasion. His becoming presbyter, when. His book De Corona, and
what the occasion of it. His declining from the Catholic party. Montanus, who and
whence. His principles and practices. Tertullian's owning them, and upon what
occasion. His morose and stubborn temper. How far he complied with the Mon-
tanists, and acknowledged the Paraclete. How he was imposed upon. His writings
against the Catholics. The severity of the ancient discipline. Episcopus Episcoporum,
in what sense meant by TertuUian concerning the bishop of Rome. His separate
meetings at Carthage. His death. His character. His singular parts and learning.
His books. His phrase and style. What contributed to its perplexedness and ob-
scurity. His unorthodox opinions. A brief plea for him.
QuiNTUs Septimius Florens Tertulliaims, was (as the ancients
affirm," and himself implies when he calls it his country'') born
at Carthage, the metropolis of Africa, famous above all others
for antiquity, sovereignty, and power, insomuch that for some
ages it contended for glory and superiority even with Rome itself.
He was called Septimius, because descended of the Gens Sep-
timia, a tribe of great account among the Romans, being first
regal, afterwards plebeian, and last of all consular and pa-
trician. Florens, from some particular family of that house so
called, and Quintus (a title common among the Romans) pro-
bably because the fifth child which his parents had ; and Ter-
" Hieron. de script, in Tertul. Niceph. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 34.
"* De Pall. c. 1 . et Apolog. c. 9.
VOL. I. X
306 THE LIFE OF
tulHan, a derivative from Tertullus, it is like from his immediate
parent. His father was a soldier, a centurion under the procon-
sul of Africa, (called therefore by St. Hierom and others Centurio
Proconsularis,) not a man of proconsular dignity, as some make
him ; he was a Gentile, in which religion Tertullian also was
brought up, as himself confesses.'' He was educated in all the
accomplishments which the learning either of the Greeks or
Romans could add to them ; he seems to have left no paths un-
traced ; to have intimately conversed with poets, historians,
orators, not to have looked only, but to have entered into the
secrets of philosophy and the mathematics ; not unseen in physic
and the curiosities of nature ; and, as Eusebius notes,'' a man
famous for other things, but especially admirably skilled in the
Roman laws ; though they who would hence infer him to have
been a professed lawyer, and the same with him whose Excerpta
are yet extant in the Pandects, are guilty of a notorious mis-
take, the name of that lawyer being Tertylianus ; besides that
dissonancy that is in their style and language. Or suppose with
others that this Tertylian was one of Papinian's scholars in the
reign of Alexander Severus, he must by this account be at least
thirty years after the other''s conversion to Christianity. The
original of the error doubtless arose from the nearness and simili-
tude -of the names, and the character of his skill in the Roman
laws given by Eusebius, which indeed is evident from his works,
and especially his Apology for the Christians.
II. What Avas his particular course of life before he came over
to the Christian religion, is uncertain. They that conceive him
to have been an advocate, and publicly to have pleaded causes,
because after his conversion he says of himself,^ that he owed
nothing to the /orum, took up no place among the rostra, made
no noise among the benches, did not toss about the laws, nor
clamour out causes, as if he had done all this before, might by
the same reason conclude him to have been a soldier, because he
adds in the same place, that he owed nothing to the camp, with
some other offices there mentioned by him. That he was mar-
ried is evident, though whether before or after his embracing the
Christian faith, I cannot positively determine ; probably before.
However, according to the severity of his principles, he lived
with his wife a great part of his life in a state of continency,
« Apol. c. 1«. << Hist. Eccl. I ii. c. 2. « De Pall. c. 5.
TERTULLIAN. S07
conversing with her as his sister, exhorting her to perpetual
celibacy, and the utmost strictnesses, of a single life, as appears
by his two books written to her upon that subject. ''
III. His conversion to Christianity we may conceive to have
happened not long after the beginning of Severus's reign, and a
little before the conclusion of the second century. Being a man
of an inquisitive and sagacious mind, he had observed the power-
ful and triumphant efficacy of the Christian faith over the minds
and lives of men, its great antiquity, the admirable consent and
truth of the predictions recorded in the books of the Christians,
the frequent testimonies which the heathen deities themselves
gave to its truth and divinity, the ordinary confessions of their
demons, when forced to abandon the persons they had possessed,
at the command of a Christian, all which he shews at large '^
(at least as we may probably guess) to have been the main in-
ducements of his conversion. In the very entrance of the fol-
lowing seculum, Severus being gone to make war upon the Par-
thians, the magistrates at Rome, and proportionably the governors
of provinces, began to bear hard upon the Christians, beholding
them as infamous persons, and especially traitors to the empire.
Among whom the most principal person, I doubt not, was
Plautianus, a man in great favour with the emperor, whose
daughter was married to Antoninus, the emperor's eldest son,
and whom Severus, at his going into the East, had made prefect
of Rome ; of him we read,^ that in the emperor's absence he put
to death an infinite number both of the nobility and common
people : among whom we cannot question but the Christians
had theirs, and it is like the far greatest share. And so no-
torious was the cruelty, that Severus at his return was forced to
apologize for himself,'' that he had no hand in it. And indeed
Severus, in the first part of his reign, was (as Tertullian informs
us') very benign and favourable to the Christians; for having
been cui*ed of a dangerous distemper by one Proculus, a Chris-
tian, who anointed him with oil, he kept him at court with him
ever after. Nor did his kindness terminate here ; for when he
knew that several both men and women of the Seuatorian order
were Christians, he was so far from persecuting them upon that
' Vid. Apol. c. 19, 20. c. 23. et alibi passim.
e Dio. Cass. Hist. Rom. 1. Ixxv. et Xiphil. in vit. Sever, p. 328. ed. 1592.
•> Spartian in vit. Sever, c. 15. 'Ad Scapul. c. 4.
X 2
308 THE LIFE OF
account, that he gave them an honourable testimony, and re-
strained the people, when they were raging against the Chris-
tians. This I suppose to have been done at his return from the
Parthian expedition, when he found both governors and people
engaged in so hot and severe a persecution of the Christians.
IV. The barbarous and cruel usage which the Christians ge-
nerally met with, engaged Tertullian to vindicate and plead their
cause, both against the malice and cruelty of their enemies. For
which purpose he published and sent abroad his Apology, dedi-
cating it to the magistrates of the Roman empire, and especially
the senate at Rome, (for that he went to Rome himself, and
personally presented it to the senate, I confess I see no con-
vincing evidence ;) wherein with incomparable learning and elo-
quence, with all possible evidence and strength of reason, he
pleads their cause, complains of the iniquity and injustice of their
enemies, and the methods of their proceedings ; particularly de-
monstrates the vanity and falsehood of those crimes that were
commonly charged upon the Christians, arguing their meekness
and innocency, their temperance and sobriety, their piety to
God, and obedience to their prince, the reasonableness of their
principles, and the holiness of their lives, beyond all just excep-
tion : an Apology which undoubtedly contributed towards the
cooling and qualifying of the present calentures, especially at
Severus''s return. And, indeed, it appears not by the whole series
of that discourse, that the emperor had given any particular coun-
tenance to those severities; nay, on the contrary, he expressly
styles him the " most constant prince."'' Not long after this, Ter-
tullian found work nearer home ; Scapula, the president and pro-
consul of Africa, (the same probably with Scapula Tertyllus, a
provincial president, to whom there is a rescript of Marcus and
Commodus,') treating the Christians much at the same rate that
Plautianus had done at Rome. To him, therefore, he addresses
himself in a neat and pathetical discourse ; representing the
honesty and simplicity of Christians, and their hearty prayers
and endeavours for the prosperity of the empire, and those par-
ticular instances of severity which the Divine Providence had
lately inflicted upon it, which could not be reasonably supposed
to have been sent upon any other errand, so much as to revenge
^ Apol. c. 4. 1 L. 14. flf. de Offic. Praesid. lib. i. Tit. 18.
TERTULLIAN. 809
the innocent blood that had been shed ; laying before him the
clemency and indulgence of former princes and presidents, yea,
and of the present emperor himself, so great a friend to Chris-
tians : a plain evidence that this book was written at this time,
before Severus broke out into open violence against them.
V. The Christians now enjoyed a little respite : but, alas ! it
was but like the intermitting fits of a fever, which being over,
the paroxysm returns with a fiercer violence ; Ann, Chr. 202,
Severi 10, the persecution revived,'" and was now carried on by
command of the emperor. For Severus, in his journey through
Palestine, forbad any, under the heaviest penalties, to become
Jews ; " and the same ordei'S he issued out concerning Christians.
The general pretence, it is like, was the prohibiting lieterice^ or
unlawful societies, (which we have elsewhere described,) for such
a rescript Ulpian mentions," whereby Severus forbad the " illegal
colleges," commanding the persons frequenting them to be ac-
cused before the prefect of the city, in which number they
usually beheld the Christians ; though I doubt not but there
were (as Spartianus plainly affirms) particular edicts issued out
against them. The people, who could hardly be held in before,
having now the reins thrown upon their necks, and spurred on
by the imperial orders, ran apace upon the execution, so that
the churches in all places were filled with martyrdoms and the
blood of the saints ;P and it grew so hot, that Jude,"! a writer of
those times, drawing down his chronology of DaniePs seventy
weeks, to this year, broke off his computation, supposing that
the so much celebrated coming of Antichrist was now at hand :
so exceedingly (says the historian) were the minds of many
shaken and disturbed with the present persecution. Tertullian,
that he might speak a word in season, took hold of the present
opportunity, and wrote to the martyrs in prison, to comfort them
under their sufferings, and exhort them to constancy and final
perseverance ; as also for the same reason, and about the same
time, he published his Discourse concerning Patience, wherein he
very elegantly describes the advantages and commendations of
that virtue, and especially urges it from the example of God,
our blessed Saviour, and speaks therein more favourably than he
■" Euseb. Chron. ad eundem An. " jEl. Spartian. in vit. Sever, c, 17.
o L. i. ff. de Offic. Prtefect. iirb. §, 14. Tit, 12. lib. i.
P Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. I. i Ibid. c. 6.
310 THE LIFE OF
(lid afterwards of retiring in a time of persecution. Nor was he
less watchful to defend and preserve the church from error and
heresy, writing his " Prescription against Heretics," (for that it
was written about this time is evident from several passages,
especially where he mentions the time of persecution, the place
of the tribunal, the person of the judge, the bringing forth of
lions, and the like,) wherein he enumerates and insists upon the
several heresies which had infested the church till that time ;
censuring and confuting their absurd opinions, and promising a
more distinct and particular confutation of them afterwards : ""
which accordingly he performed in his discourses against the
Jews, against Hermogenes, the Valentinians, Marcion, Praxeas,
and some others of their proselytes and disciples, and some of
the Montanists themselves, writing a particular tract concerning
Baptism, and the use of water in it, and its necessity to salva-
tion, against Quintilla, a woman of great note and eminency
among the followers of Montanus, what value soever he after-
wards seemed to put upon that sect,
VI. About the fifteenth of Severus, Ann. Chr. 207, he published
his book De Pallio upon this occasion. He had lately left off
the gown, the garment ordinarily worn in all parts of the
Roman empire, and had put on the cloak, the usual habit of
philosophers, and of all those Christians that entered upon a
severer state of life, as we have shewn in the Life of Justin
Martyr. Hereupon he was derided by them of Carthage for
his lightness and vanity, in so wantonly skipping a Toga ad
Pallium^ from the gown to the cloak, satirically taxing his in-
constancy in turning from one course of life to another. To
vindicate himself he writes this discourse, wherein he puts forth
the keenness of a sarcastic wit, and spreads all the sails of his
African eloquence, retorts the case upon his accusers, shews the
antiquity, simplicity, easiness, and gravity of this habit, and
smartly upbraids that luxury and prodigality that had overrun
all orders and ranks of men And that this Avas done about this
time, and not at his first taking upon him the profession of
Christianity, is judiciously observed and urged by Baronius,^ and
more fully proved by the learned Salmasius, in his notes upon ,
that book. Indeed the circunistances mentioned by Tertullian*
' De Praescript. Haeret. c. 45. ' Ad Ann. 197. n. 3, et scq.
' De PaU. c. 2.
TERTULLIAN. 311
do not well suit with any other time, as the prcesentis imperii
triplex virtus, which cannot reasonably be meant of any, but
Severus and his two sons, Antoninus and Geta, whence in seve-
ral ancient inscriptions they are put together under the title
of AuGusTi, and emperors ; the present happiness, security, en-
largement, and tranquillity of the Roman state, which these three
powers of the empire had made like a well-cultivated field,
eradicato omni aconito hostilitatis, every poisonous weed of hos-
tility and sedition being rooted up, with a great deal more to the
game purpose : which evidently refers both to his conquest of Pes-
cennius Niger, who usurped the empire, and whom he overthrew
and killed at Cyzicum in the East, and to his last year's victory
(as Eusebius" places it) over Clodius Albinus and his party, whom
he subdued and slew at Lyons in France, for attempting to
make himself emperor; as afterwards he came into Britain,
(maximum ejus imperii decus, as the historian styles it," "the
greatest honour and ornament of his empire,") where he con-
quered the natives, and secured his conquests by the famous
Picfs wall which he built : by which means he rendered the
state of the Roman empire pacate and quiet. At the same time
we may suppose it was that Tertullian was made presbyter of
Carthage, and that that was the particular occasion of altering
his habit, and assuming the philosophic pallium ; the clergy of
those times being generally those who took upon them an ascetic
course of life, and for which reason doubtless the cloak is called
by Tertullian in his dialect,^ sacerdos supgestus, the priestly
habit. Accordingly Eusebius^ takes notice of him this very
year as becoming famous in the account and esteem of all Chris-
tian churches.
VII. Before Severus left Rome, in order to his Britannic ex-
pedition, were solemnized the Decennalia of Antoninus Caracalla,
when besides many magnificent sports and shows, and a largess
bestowed upon the people, the emperor gave a donative to the
soldiers, which every one that received, was to come up to the
tribune with a laurel crown upon his head : among the rest there
was one a Christian,'' who brought his crown along with him in his
hand, and being asked the reason why like others he wore it
not upon his head? answered, he could not, for that he was a
" Euseb. Chron. ad eiind. Ann. " Spartian. in vit. Sever, c. 18.
y De Pall. c. 4. ' Chron. ad An. 208. ^ De Coron. Milit. c. 1.
318 THE LIFE OF
Christian. A council of war was presently called, and the man
accused before the general, stripped of his military ornaments,
his cloak, shoes, and sword, unmercifully beaten, till he was
dyed in his own blood, and then cast into prison, there, expect-
ing martyrdom, and a better donative and reward from Christ.
The rest of the Christians, who were fellow-soldiers in the same
army, took offence at his over-nice scrupulosity. What was
this but needlessly to betray their liberty, and to sacrifice the
general quiet and peace of Christians to one man's private
humour? to give the common enemy too just a provocation to
fall upon them ? where did the laws of their religion forbid such
an innocent compliance, nay, rather not only give leave, but com-
mand us prudently to decline a danger, by withdrawing from it ?
what was this but a sturdy and an affected singularity, as if he
had been the only Christian ? Tertullian, whose mighty zeal en-
gaged him to be a patron to whatever had but the shadow of
strictness and severity, presently set himself to defend the fact,
and wrote his book De Corona Militis, wherein he cries up the
act as an heroic piece of zeal and Christian magnanimity, not
only warrantable, but honourable ; not only lawful, but just and
necessary ; fortifying his assertion with several arguments, and
endeavouring to disable the most specious objections that were
made against it. This military act, and Tertullian"'s vindication
of it, happened (as we have here placed it) Ann. Chr. 208,
Sever. 16; while others refer it to the year 199, Sever. 7, when
the emperor, by the decree of the senate, created his elder son
Antoninus emperor, and his younger Geta, Csesar ; in testimony
whereof he entertained the people with various shows and so-
lemnities, and bestowed a donative upon the soldiers. If the
reader like this period of time better, I will not contend with
him, it being what I myself, upon second thoughts, do not think
improbable.
VIII. But "let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest
he fall."'' Tertullian, who had hitherto stood firm and right in
the communion of the Catholic church, began now, about the
middle of his age, says St. Hierom,*^ (which I am inclinable rather
to understand of his age as a Christian, than the current of his
life,) to incline towards the errors of the Montanists. Of which
before we give an account, it may not be amiss a little to in-
*> 1 Cor. X. 12. c De Script, in TertuU.
J
TERTULLIAN. 313
quire into the author and principles of that sect. Montanus ^
was born at Ardaba, a little village in Mysia in the confines of
Phrygia, where about the latter times of Antoninus Pius, but
especially in the reign of his successor, he began to shew himself.
Pride and an immoderate ambition betrayed the man into the
snare and condemnation of the devil : at which breach Satan
having entered, took possession of the man ; who, acted by the
influence of an evil spirit, was wont on a sudden to fall into
enthusiastic fits and ecstatic raptures, and while he was in them,
in a furious and a frantic manner he poured out wild and un-
heard-of things, prophesying of what was to come in a way and
strain that had not been used hitherto in the church. Prose-
lytes he wanted not, that came over to his party. At first only
some few of his countrymen, the Phrygians (whence his sect
derived the title of Oataphryges) were drawn into the snare,
whom he instructed in the arts of evil speaking, teaching thera
to reproach the whole Christian church for refusing to entertain
and honour his pseudo-prophetic spirit ; the same spirit on the
contrary pronouncing them blessed that joined themselves to this
new prophet, and swelling them with the mighty hopes and pro-
mises of what should happen to them, sometimes also gently
reproving and condemning them. Among the rest of his disci-
ples two women were especially remarkable, Prisca and Maxi-
milla, whom having first corrupted, he imparted his demon to
them, whereby they were presently enabled to utter the most
frantic, incoherent, and extravagant discourses. The truth is, he
seemed to lay his scene with all imaginable craft and subtlety;
in the great and foundation-principles of religion he agreed with
the Catholics, embraced entirely the holy scriptures, and pre-
tended that he must receive the gifts of divine grace extra-
ordinarily conferred upon him, which he gave out were more
immediately the Holy Ghost : he made a singular show of some
uncommon rigours and severities in religion ; gave laws for more
strict and solemn fasts, and more frequently to be observed than
were among the orthodox ; taught divorces to be lawful, and for-
bade all second marriages ; called Pepuza and Tymium, two little
towns of Phrygia, Jerusalem, that so he might the more plausi-
bly invite simple and unwary proselytes to flock thither. And
'^ Vet. Script, ap. Euseb. 1. v. c. 16. ApoUon. ibid. c. 18. Epiph. Haeres. xlviii. s. 1.
Tertull. de Prffiscript. liseret. c, 52.
314 THE LIFE OF
because he knew no surer way to oblige such persons as would
be serviceable to him, than by proposals of gain and advantage,
he used all methods of extorting money from his deluded
followers, especially under the notion of gifts and offerings; for
which purpose he appointed collectors to receive the oblations
that were brought in, with which he maintained under-officers,
and paid salaries to those that propagated his doctrines up
and down the world. Such were the arts, such the principles
of the sect first started by Montanus ; what additions were
made by his followers in after-ages, I am not now concerned to
inquire.
IX. Allured with the smooth and specious pretences of this
sect, Tertullian began to look that way, though the particular
occasion of his starting aside, St. Hierom tells us,*^ was the envy
and reproaches which he met with from the clergy of the church
of Rome. They that conceive him to have sued for the see of
Carthage, vacant by the death of Agrippinus, and that he was
opposed and repulsed in it by the clergy of Rome, and so highly
resented the affront, as thereupon to quit the communion of the
Catholic church, talk at random, and little consider the morti-
fied temper of the man, and his known contempt of the world.
Probable it is, that being generally noted for the excessive and
over-rigorous strictness of his manners, he had been charged by
some of the Roman clergy for compliance with Montanus, and,
it may be, admonished to recant, or disown those principles ;
which his stubborn and resolute temper not admitting, he was,
together with Proclus and the rest of the Cataphrygian party,
cut off by the bishop of Rome from all communion with that
church. For there had been lately a disputation held at Rome
between Caius, an ancient orthodox divine, and Proclus, one of
the heads of the Montanist party, (as Eusebius,^ who read the
account of it published by Caius, informs us,) wherein Proclus
being worsted, was together with all the followers of that sect
excommunicated, and Tertullian himself among the rest, as he
sufficiently intimates.'' This, a man of morose and unyielding
disposition, and who could brook no.moderation that seemed to
intrench upon the discipline and practice of religion, could not
bear, and therefore making light of the judgment and censures
f De Script, in Tertull. Vid. Niceph. 1. iv. c. 12.
e Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 20. 1. ii. c. 25. Hicron. de Script, in Caio. •• De Jejim. c. I.
TERTULLIAN. 315
of that church, flew off, and joined himself to Montanus's party,
whose pretended austerities seemed of all others most agreeable
to his humour and genius, and most exactly to conspire with the
course and method of his life. But as it cannot be doubted that
he looked no further than to the appearances and pretensions of
thajt sect, (not seeing the corrupt springs by which the engine was
managed within,) so it is most reasonable and charitable to con-
ceive, that he never understood their principles in the utmost
latitude and extent of them. If he seems sometimes to acknow-
ledge Montanus to be the Paraclete that was to come into the
world, probably he meant not something distinct from the Holy
Spirit bestowed upon the apostles, but a mighty power and ex-
traordinary assistance of the Holy Ghost shed upon Montanus,
whom God had sent into the world, more fully and perfectly to
explain the doctrines of the gospel, and to urge the rules and
institutions of the Christian life, which our Lord had delivered
when he was upon earth, but did not with the greatest accuracy
the things were capable of, the minds of men not being then duly
qualified to receive them. That for this end he thought Mon-
tanus invested with miraculous powers and a spirit of prophecy,
(a thing not imusual even in those times,) and might believe his
two prophetesses to be acted with the same spirit : all which
might consist with an honest mind, imposed upon by crafty and
plausible pretences. And plain it is that for some considerable
time Montanus maintained the reputation of great piety, zeal,
sanctity, and extraordinary gifts, before he was discovered to the
world. And Tertullian in all likelihood had his accounts con-
cerning him, not from himself, but from Proclus, or some others
of the party, who might easily delude him, especially in matters
of fact, with false informations. However nothing can be more
evident, than that he looked upon these new prophets as inno-
vating nothing in the principles of Christianity;' that Montanus
preached no other God, nor asserted any thing to the prejudice
of our blessed Saviour, nor subverted any rule of faith or hope,
but only introduced greater severities than other men : that he
was not the author, but the restorer of discipline, and only reduced
things to that ancient strictness, from which he supposed they had
degenerated, especially in the cases of celibacy, single marriages,
and such like, as he more than once particularly tells us.'' Not
' De Jcjun. c. 1. '' Vid. 1. de Monogam. c. 1, 3, 4. et passim de Jejun. c. 12.
316 THE LIFE OF
to say, that Montanus''s followers (as is usual with the after-brood
of every sect) asserted many things which their master himself
never dreamt of, which yet without distinction are laid at his
door ; and Tertullian too, because a favourer of the party, drawn
into the guilt, and made liable to many improvements, to the hay
and stubble which the successors of that sect built upon it.
X. But however it was, he stomached his excommunication,
and was highly offended at the looseness and remissness of the
discipline among the Catholics, whom with great smartness he
persecutes under the name of psycMci, or animal persons, as
those that took too much liberties in their manners and practices
of devotion ; styling his own party spiritales, as whom he
thought more immediately guided by the Spirit, more plenti-
fully endowed with the gifts of it, and conversant in a more
divine and spiritual life. Against these ps^chici he presently
published a tract De Jejuniis, wherein he defends the Monta-
nists in the observation of their fasts, their abstinence from flesh,
and feeding only upon dried meats ; their stationary days, and
the keeping them till the very evening; while the orthodox
broke up theirs about three of the clock in the afternoon ; in
all which respects he makes many tart and severe reflections
upon them. Indeed the devotions of those times were brisk
and fervent, their usages strict and punctual, their ecclesiastic
discipline generally very rigid and extreme, seldom admitting
persons that had lapsed after baptism to penance and the com-
munion of the church. But this was looked upon by moderate
and sober men as making the gate too straight, and that which
could not but discourage converts from entering in. Accord-
ingly it began to be relaxed in several places, and particularly
the bishop of Rome^ had lately published a constitution, wherein
he admitted persons guilty of adultery and fornication (and
probably other crimes) to a place among the penitents. Against
this Tertullian storms, cries up the severity of the ancient
disci})line, writes his book De Piidicitia, wherein he considers
and disputes the case, and aggravates the greatness of those
oftences, and undertakes the arguments that pleaded for re-
mission and indulgence. And if in the mentioning this decree
the bishop of Rome be styled episcopus episcoporum, the cham-
pions of that church, before they make such advantage of it,
' Tertiill. de Pudicit. c. 1.
TERTULLIAN. 817
should do well to prove it to have been a part of the decree, or,
if it was, that it was mentioned by Tertullian as his just right
and privilege, and not rather (which is infinitely more probable)
Tertullian's sarcasm, intended by him as an ironical reflection,
and a tart upbraiding the pride and ambition of the bishops of
that church, who took too much upon them, and began (as ap-
pears from pope Victor's carriage towards the Asian churches
in the case of Easter) to domineer over their brethren, and usurp
an insolent authority over the whole Christian church. And
that this was his meaning, I am abundantly satisfied from
Cyprian's" using the phrase in this very sense in the famous
synod at Carthage, where reflecting upon the rash and violent
proceedings of the bishops of Rome (whom though he particu-
larly names not, yet all who are acquainted with the story
know whom he means) against those who were engaged in the
cause of rebaptizing heretics, he adds, " that as for themselves
(the bishops then in the synod) none of them made himself
bishop of bishops, or by a tyrannical threatening forced his
colleagues into a necessity of compliance : since every bishop, ac-
cording to the power and liberty granted to him, had his proper
jurisdiction, and could no more be judged by another, than he
himself could judge others.""
XL Whether ever he was reconciled to the catholic com-
munion, appears not ; it is certain that for the main he forsook
the Cataphrygians," and kept his separate meetings at Carthage,
and his church was yet remaining till St, Augustine's time, by
whose labours the very relics of his followers, called Tertullian-
ists, were dispersed, and quite disappeared. How long he con-
tinued after his departure from the church, is not known ; St.
Hierom says,° that he lived to a very decrepit age, but whether
he died under the reign of Alexander Severus, or before, the
ancients tell us not, as neither whether he died a natural or
violent death. He seems indeed to have been possessed with a
passionate desire of laying down his life for the faith ; though
had he been a martyr, some mention would without perad-
venture have been made of it in the writings of the church.
XII. He was a man of a smart and acute wit, though a little
too much edged with keenness and satirism, acris et vehenientis
■" Concil. Carth. ap. Cypr. p. 229. " August, de Haeres. c. 86. vol. viii. p. 24,
° De Script, in Tertull.
318 THE LIFE OF
ingsnii, as St. Hierom characters him,P one that knew not how
to treat an adversary without salt and sharpness. He was of a
stiff and rugged disposition ; a rigid censor, inclined to choler,
and impatient of opposition ; a strict observer of rites and disci-
pline, and a zealous asserter of the highest rigours and most
nice severities of religion. His learning was admirable, wherein
though many excelled, he had no superiors, and few equals in
the age he lived in : Tertulliano quid eruditius, quid acutius ?
says St. Hierom,'' who adds that his Apology, and book against
the Gentiles, took in all the treasures of human learning. Vin-
centius"" of Lire gives him this notable eulogium : " he is justly
(says he) to be esteemed the prince among the writers of the
Latin church. For what more learned? who more conversant
both in divine and human studies I who by a strange largeness
and capacity of mind had drawn all philosophy, and its several
sects, the authors and abettors of heresies with all their rites
and principles, and the whole circumference of history and all
kind of study, within the compass of his own breast. A man of
such quick and weighty parts, that there Avas scarce any thing
which he set himself against, which he did not either pierce
through with the acumen of his wit, or batter down with the
strength and solidity of his arguments. Who can sufficiently
commend his discourses, so thick set with troops of reasons,
that whom they cannot persuade, they are ready to force to an
assent ? who hath almost as many sentences as words, and not
more periods than victories over those whom he hath to deal
with."
XHL For his books, though time has devoured many, yet a
great number still remain, and some of them written after his
withdrawment from the church. His style is for the most part
abrupt and haughty, and its face full of ancient wrinkles, of
which Lactantius^ long since gave this censure : that though he
himself was skilled in all points of learning, yet his style was
rugged and uneasy, and very obscure ; as indeed it requires a
very attentive and diligent, a sharp and sagacious understand-
ing ; yet is it lofty and masculine, and carries a kind of majestic
eloquence along with it, that gives a pleasant relish to the ju-
dicious and inquisitive reader. It is deeply tinctured with the
P De Script, in Tertull. i Epist. kxxiii. ad Magn. Orat vol. iv. par. ii. p. 656.
' Commonit. .id v. Haeres. c. 24. » Lib. v. cap. 1.
TERTULLIAN. 319
African dialect, and owes not a little of its perplexedness
and obscurity to his conversing so much in the writings of the
Greeks, whose forms and idioms he had so made his own, that
they naturally flowed into his pen ; and how great a master he
was of that tongue is plain, in that himself tells us,' he wrote a
book concerning Baptism, and some others, in Greek : which
could not but exceedingly vitiate and infect his native style, and
render it less smooth, elegant, and delightful ; as we see in Am-
mianus Marcellinus, who, being a Greek born, wrote his Roman
History in Latin, in a style rough and unpleasant, and next door
to barbarous. Besides, what was in itself obscure and uneven,
became infinitely worse by the ignorance of succeeding ages,
who changed what they did not understand, and crowded in
spurious words in the room of those which were proper and
natural, till they had made it look like quite another thing
than what it was when it first came from under the hand of its
author.
XIV. His errors and unsound opinions are frequently noted
by St. Augustine and the ancients, (not to mention later cen-
sors,) and Pamelius has reduced his paradoxes to thirty one,
which, together with their explications and antidotes, he has
prefixed before the editions of his works. That of Montanus^s
being the Paraclete we noted before ; and for other things re-
lating to that sect, they are rather matters concerning order
and discipline, than articles and points of faith. It cannot be
denied but that he has some unwarrantable notions, common
with other writers of those times, and some more peculiar to
himself. But he lived in an age when the faith was yet green
and tender; when the church had not publicly and solemnly de-
fined things by explicit articles and nice propositions ; when the
philosophy of the schools was mainly predominant, and men ran
immediately from the stoa and the academy to the church ;
when a greater latitude of opining was indulged, and good men
were infinitely more solicitous about piety and a good life than
about modes of speech, and how to express every thing so
critically and exactly, that it should not be liable to a severe
scrutiny and examination.
' De Baptism, c. 15. De Coron. c. 6.
320
THE LIFE OF TERTULLIAN.
Genuine,
Apologeticus.
Ad Nationes, Libri duo.
De Testimonio Animse.
Ad Scapulam.
De Spectaculis.
De Idololatria.
De Corona.
De Pallio.
De Pcenitentia.
De Oratione.
Ad Martyras.
De Patieiitia.
De cultu fojininarum, Libri duo.
Ad Uxorem, Libri duo.
" De Virginibus Velandis.
Adversus Judaeos.
De Praescriptione HEereticorum.
De Baptismo.
Adversus Hermogenem.
Adversus Valentinianos,
De Anima.
De Came Christi.
De Resurrectione Camis.
Adversus Marcionem, Libri quinque.
Scorpiace.
Adversus Praxeam.
His Writings.
Libri post Lapsu7n in. Montanismum scripti.
De Exhortatione Castitatis.
De Monogamia.
De fuga in Persecutione.
De Jejuniis.
De Pudicitia.
Supposilitiotis.
Poemata.
Adversus Marcionem, Libri quinque.
De judicio Domini.
Genesis.
Sodoma.
Not Extant.
De Paradiso.
De Spe Fidelium.
De Ecstasi.
Adversus Apollonium.
Adversus Apellecianos.
De Vestibus Aaron.
De Censu Animae.
Grace.
De Corona.
De Virginibus Velandis.
De Baptismo.
THE LIFE OF ORIGEN,
PRESBYTER, CATECHIST OF ALEXANDRIA.
Origen, where and when bom. Several conjectures about the original of his name. His
father, who. His juvenile education, and great towardliness in the knowledge of
the scriptures. His philosophical studies under Clemens Alexandrinus. His in-
stitution under Ammonius. Ammonius, who. His fame and excellency confessed by
the Gentile philosophers. Another Origen, his contemporary. These two heedlessly
confounded. His father's martyrdom, and the confiscation of his estate. Origen's re-
solute encouragement of his father. His own passionate desire of martyrdom. His
maintenance by an honourable matron of Alexandria. His zeal against heretics. His
setting up a private school. His succeeding Clemens in the catechetic school at
eighteen years of age. The frequency of his auditors. Many of them martyrs for
the faith. Origen's resolution in attending upon the. martyrs. His danger. His
courageous act at the temple of Serapis. His emasculating himself, and the reasons of
it. The eminent chastity of those primitive times. Origen's journey to Rome, and
return to Alexandria. His taking in a colleague into the catechetic office. His
learning the Hebrew tongue. The prudent method of his teaching. Ambrosius con-
verted. Who he was. His great intimacy with Origen. Origen sent for by the
governor of Arabia. His journey into Palestine, and teaching at Caesarea. Remanded
by the bishop of Alexandria. Alexander Severus, his excellent virtues, and kindness
for the Christian religion. Origen sent for by the empress Mammsea to Antioch.
He begins to write his Commentaries. How many notaries and transcribers employed,
and by whom maintained. Notaries, their original and office : their use and institution
in the primitive church. His journey into Greece. His passage through Palestine,
and being ordained presbyter at Caesarea. Demetrius of Alexandria, his envy and
rage against him, Origen condemned in two synods at Alexandria, and one at Rome.
The resignation of his catechetic school to Heraclas. Heraclas, who. The story of
his offering sacrifice. The credit of this story questioned, and why. His departure
from Alexandria, and fixing at Caesarea. The emiuency of his school there, Gregorius
Thaumaturgus, his scholar. His friendship with Firmilian. Firmilian, who. The per-
secution under Maximinus. Origen's book written to the martyrs. His retirement,
whither. His comparing the versions of the Bible. His Tetrapla, Hexapla, and
Octapla, what, and how managed : a specimen given of them. His second journey to
Athens. His going to Nicomedia, and letter to Africanus about the History of Su-
sanna. His confutation of Beryllus in Arabia. His answer to Celsus. Celsus, who.
Origen's letters to Philip the emperor. The vanity of making him a Christian.
Origen's journey into Arabia to refute heresies. The Helcesaitae, who : what
their principles. Alexander's miraculous election to the see of Jerusalem ; his
coadjutorsliip, government, sufferings, and martyrdom. Origin's grievous sufferings
VOL. I. Y
322 THE LIFE OF
at Tyre under the Decian persecution. His deliverance out of prison : age and
death. His character. His strict life. His mighty zeal, abstinence, contempt of the
world, indefatigable diligence, and patience noted. His natural parts ; incomparable
learning. His books, and their several classes. His style, what. His unsound
opinions. The great outcry against him in all ages. The apologies written in his
behalf. Several things noted out of the ancients to extenuate the charge. His asser-
tions not dogmatical. Not intended for public view. Generally such as were not
determined by the church. His books corrupted, and by whom. His own complaints
to that purpose. The testimonies of Athanasius, and Theotimus, and Haymo, in his
vindication. Great errors and mistakes acknowledged. What things contributed to
them. His great kindness for the Platonic principles. St. Hierom's moderate censure
of him. His repenting of his rash propositions. His writings enumerated, and what
now extant,
Origen, called also Adamantius, (either from the unwearied
temper of his mind, and that strength of reason wherewith he
compacted his discourses, or his firmness and constancy in reli-
gion, notwithstanding all the assaults made against it,) was born
at Alexandria, the known metropolis of Egypt ; unless we will
suppose, that upon some particular tumult or persecution raised
against the Christians in that city, his parents fled for refuge to
the mountainous parts thereabouts, where his mother was deli-
vered of him, and that thence he was called Origenes, quasi iv
opet <y€VV7]d€l<i, (which most conceive to be the etymology of his
name,) " one born in the mountains."' " But whether that be
the proper derivation of the word, or the other the particular
occasion of its imposition, let the reader determine as he please.
However, I believe the reader will think it a much more probable
and reasonable conjecture, than what one supposes,'' that he was
so called because born of holy parents ; the saints in scripture
being (as he tells us) sometimes metaphorically styled Moun-
tains. The first and the last, I dare say, that ever made that
conjecture. A learned man ^ supposes him rather (and thinks no
doubt can be made of it) so called from Orus, an Egyptian word,
and with them the title of Apollo or the sun, (from *^^^i, no
question, which signifies light or fire,) one of their principal
deities. Hence Orus, the name of one of the Egyptian kings, as
it has been also of many others. And thus, as aTro rov Aio^
comes Diogenes^ one born of Jupiter, so airo rov "Ilpov is de-
rived Origenes, one descended of Or or Orus, a deity solemnly
worshipped at Alexandria : a conjecture that might have com-
» Suid. in voc. Orig. b ii;,iioix not. ad Orig. defens. c. 1. ,
* Voss. de Idol. 1. ii. c. 10.
ORIGEN. S2y
manded its own entertainment, did not one prejudice lie against
it, that we can hardly conceive so good a man, and so severe a
Christian as Origen's father, would impose a name upon his child
for which he must be beholden to an heathen deity, and whom
he might see every day worshipped with the most sottish
idolatry, that he should let him perpetually carry about that re-
membrance of pagan idolatry in his name, which they so pai--
ticularly and so solemnly renounced in their baptism. But to
return.
II. He was born about the year of our Lord 186, being se-
venteen years of age at his father's death, "^ who suffered Ann.
Ohr. 202, Severi 10. His father was Leonides, whom Suidas^
and some others (without any authority, that I know of, from
the ancients) make a bishop : to be sure he was a good man,
and a martyr for the faith. In his younger years he was
brought up under the tutorage of his own father,^ who instructed
him in all the grounds of human literature, and, together with
them, took especial care to instil the principles of religion,'^sea-
soning his early age with the notices of divine things, so that
like another Timothy, " from a child he knew the holy scrip-
tures," ^ and was thoroughly exercised and instructed in them.
Nor was his father more diligent to insinuate his instructions,
than the subject lx.e managed was capable to receive them. Part
of his daily task was to learn and repeat some parts of the holy
scriptures, which he readily discharged. But not satisfied with
the bare reading or recital of them, he began to inquire more
narrowly into the more profound sense of them, often impor-
tuning his father with questions, what such or such a passage of
scripture meant. The good man, though seemingly reproving
his busy forwardness, and admonishing him to be content with
the plain obvious sense, and not to ask questions above his age,
did yet inwardly rejoice in his own mind, and heartily bless
God that he had made him the father of such a child. Much
ado had the prudent man to keep the exuberance of his love
and joy from running over before others, but in private he gave
it vent, frequently going into the chamber where the youth lay
asleep, and reverently kissing his naked breast, the treasury of
an early piety and a divine spirit, reflected upon himself how
'' Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 2. «^ In voc. 'npiyeviqs.
f Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 2. s 2 Tim. iii. 1.5.
Y 2
324 THE LIFE OF
happy he was in so excellent a son. So great a comfort, so in-
valuable a blessing is it to pious parents to see their children
setting out betimes in the way of righteousness, and sucking in
religion almost with their mother's milk.
Ill/Having passed over his paternal education, he was put
to perfect his studies under the institution of Clemens Alexan-
drinus, then regent of the catechist school at Alexandria, where,
according to the acuteness of his parts and the greatness of his
industry, he made vast improvements in all sorts of learning.
From him he betook himself to Ammonius, who had then newly
set up a Platonic school at Alexandria, and had reconciled those
inveterate feuds and differences that had been between the
schools of Plato and Aristotle,*' and which had reigned among
their disciples till his time ; which he did, (says my author,)
iv6ovacdaa<; 7rpb<; to t?}? (f)i\oao(j)La<; aXrjOtvbv, " out of a divine
transport for the truth of philosophy;" despising the little
opinions and wrangling contentions of peevish men, and pro-
pounding a more free and generous kind of philosophy to
his auditors : among whom was our Origen, as Porphyry,
besides other witnesses,' who saw Origen when himself but a
youth. This Ammonius was called Saccas, (from his carrying
sacks of corn upon his back,'' being a porter by employment,
before he betook himself to the study of philosophy,) one of the
most learned and eloquent men of those times, a great philoso-
pher, and the chief of the Platonic sect ; and, which was above
all, a Christian, born and brought up among them, as Porphyry
himself is forced to confess : ' though when he tells ns, that
afterwards, upon maturer consideration, and his entering upon
philosophy, he renounced Christianity, and embraced Paganism
and the religion of the empire, he is as little to be credited, and
guilty of as notorious a falsehood, (as Eusebius observes,) as
Avlien he affirms that Origen was born and bred up a Gentile,
and then turned oft' to Christianity ; whenas nothing was more
evident, than that Origen was born of Christian parents, and
that Ammonius retained his Christian and divine philosophy to
the very last minute of his life, Avhereof the books which he left
behind him were a standing evidence. Indeed, Eutychius, pa-
»> Hierocl. 1. i. <lc provid. et fat. ap. Phot. Cod. CCXIV. et Cod. CCLL
' Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. e. 1.0. vid.Tlicod. adv. Gentil. Disput. vi. vol. iv. p. 869.
" Vid. Thcod. loco citat. ' Ap. Eiisob. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 19.
ORIGEN. 325
triarch of Alexandria,'" (if he means the same,) seems to give some
countenance to Porphyry ""s report, and further adds, that Am-
monius was one of the twenty bishops which Heraclas, then
bishop of Alexandria, constituted over the Egyptian churches,
but that he deserted his religion ; which Heraclas no sooner
heard of, but he convened a synod of bishops, and went to the
city, where Ammonius was bishop, where having thoroughly
scanned and discussed the matter, he reduced him back again
to the truth. Whether he found this among the records of that
church, or took it from the mouth of tradition and report, is un-
certain, the thing not being mentioned by any other writer.
But however it was, it is plain that Ammonius was a man of
incomparable parts and learning; Hierocles himself" styles him
OeoStSaKTov, one " taught of God ;" and when Plotinus the
great Platonist had found him out, he told his friend in a kind
of triumph, that this was the man whom he had sought after."
Under him Origen made himself perfect master of the Platonic
notions, being daily conversant in the writings of Plato, Nume-
nius, Cronius, Apollophanes, Longinus, Moderatus, Nicomachus,
and the most principal among the Pythagoreans, as also of
Chseremon and Cornatus, Stoics ; from whom (as Porphyry truly
enough observes) he learned that allegorical and mystical way of
interpretation which he introduced into the Christian doctrine. /
IV. Besides our Adamantius, there was another Origen, his
contemporary, a Gentile philosopher, honourably mentioned by
Longinus, f Porphyry,'' Hierocles,"" Eunapius, ' Proclus,* and
others ; a person of that learning and accurate judgment, that
coming one day into Plotinus's school," the grave philosopher
Avas ashamed, and would have given place : and when entreated
by Origen to go on with his lecture, he answered, with a compli-
ment, that a man could have but little mind to speak there,
where he was to discourse to them who understood things as
well as himself; and so, after a very short discourse, broke up
the meeting. I am not ignorant that most learned men have
™ Annal. vol. i. p. 332. vid. etiam Selden. not. in Eutych. sect. 23.
n Lib. de Pro vid. et fat. ap. Phot. Cod. CCXIV.
" Porphyr. in vit. Plotin. p. 2. Plotin. Oper. Praif. Porphyr. ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl.
1. vi. c. 19.
P Lib. Trepl reKovs apud Porphyr. in vit. Plotin. 1 Ibid.
■• Lib. de Provid. et fat. ap. Phot. Cod. CCXIV. • In vit. Porphyr. p. 19.
' In Plat. Theol. 1. ii. c. -t. " Ap. Porphyr. loe. citat.
326 THE LIFE OF
carelessly confounded tins person with our Origen : whence Hol-
stenius wonders," why Eunapius should make him school-fellow
with Porphyry, who was much his junior, whom Porphyry says,
indeed, he knew, being himself then very young, and this pro-
bably not at Alexandria but at Tyre, where he was born, and
where Origen a long time resided. So that his wonder would
have ceased, had he considered, what is plain enough, that
Eunapius meant it of this other Origen, Porphyry's fellow-pupil,
not under Aramonius at Alexandria, but under Plotinus at Rome.
Indeed, were there nothing else, this were enough to distinguish
them, that the account given of Origen, and what he wrote, by
Longinus, by Porphyry in the Life of Plotinus, and others, does
no ways agree to our Christian writer.
V. The persecution under Severus, in the tenth j^ear of his
reign, was now grown hot at Alexandria, Lstus the governor daily
adding fuel to the flames ; where, among the great numbers of
martyrs, Leonides,^ Origen's father, was first imprisoned, then
beheaded, and his estate confiscate and reduced into the public
exchequer. During his imprisonment, Origen began to discover
a most impatient desire of martyrdom,^ from Avhich scarce any
entreaties or considerations could restrain him. He knew the
deplorable estate wherein he was like to leave his wife and chil-
dren, could not but have a sad influence upon his father's mind,
whom therefore, by letters, he passionately exhorted to persevere
unto martyrdom, adding this clause among the rest, " Take heed,
sir, that for our sakes you do not change your mind." And
himself had gone, not only to prison, but to the very block with
his father, if the divine providence had not interposed. His
mother perceiving his resolutions, treated him with all the charms
and endearments of so affectionate a relation, attempted him
with prayers and tears, entreating him, if not for his own, that
at least for her sake, and his nearest relatives, he would spare
himself: all which not prevailing, especially after his father's
apprehension, she was forced to betake herself to little arts,
hiding all his clothes, that mere shame might confine him to the
house : a mighty instance, as the historian notes, of a juvenile
forwardness and maturity, and a most hearty affection for the
true religion.
» De Vit. et Script. PorphjT. c. 2. y Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 1.
» Id. ibid. c. 2.
ORIGEN. 827
VI. His father being dead, and the estate seized for the em-
peror's use," he and the family were reduced to great straits.
When, behold, the providence of God (who peculiarly takes care
of widows and orphans, and especially the relicts of those that
suffer for him) made way for their relief. A rich and honourable
matron of Alexandria, pitying his miserable case, liberally con-
tributed to his necessities, as she did to others, and among them
maintained one Paul of Antioch, a ringleader of all the heretics
at Alexandria, who by subtle artifices had so far insinuated him-
self into her, that she had adopted him to be her son. Origen,
though he held his livelihood purely at her bounty, would not
yet comply with this favourite, not so much as to join in prayer
with him ; no, not when an innumerable multitude, not only of
heretics but of orthodox, daily flocked to him, taken with the
eloquence of his discourses. ~ For from his childhood he had
religiously observed the rule and canon of the church, and
abominated (as himself expresses it) all heretical doctrines.
Whether this noble lady upon this occasion withdrew her
charity, or whether he thought it more agreeable to the Ohiis-
tian rule to live by his own labour, than to depend wholly upon
another's bounty, I know not : but having perfected those studies
of foreign learning-, the foundations whereof he had laid under
the discipline of his father, he now began to set up for himself,
opening a school for the profession of the learned arts, M'here,
besides the good he did to others, he raised a considerable main-
tenance to himself. And though then but a very youth, yet did
not the grave and the learned, the philosophers, and greatest
masters of heresy, disdain to be present at his lectures, whose
opinions he impartially weighed and examined, as himself informs
us : '' many of whom of auditors became his converts,^ yea, and
martyrs for the faith, as we shall see by and by.
VII. By this time his fame had recommended him to public
notice, and he was thought fit, though but eighteen years of age,
to be made master of the catechetic school at Alexandria, whe-
ther as colleague with his master Clemens, or upon resignation
his successor, is uncertain : the latter seems most probable, be-
cause Eusebius reports,*^ that Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria,
committed the instruction of the catechumens to him only, un-
» Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 2. ^ Epist. ap. Euseb. 1. vi. c. 19.
<= Ibid. c. 3. "^ Ibid.
328 THE LIFE OF
less we will understand it of some private and particular school,
distinct from the ordinary catechetic school, till Clemens's death,
whose successor the ancients generally make him, ^Scholars in
very great numbers daily crowded in upon him, so that finding
he had enough to do, and that his different employments did not
well consist together, he left off teaching the arts and sciences,
and gave up himself entirely to the instructing his disciples in
the rudiments of Christianity.^ Being settled in this office, he
followed it with infinite diligence, and no less success. For he
not only built up those who were already Christians, but gained
over a great number of Gentile philosophers to the faith, "^ who
embraced Christianity with so hearty and sincere a mind, as
readily to seal it with their blood. Among which of most note
were Plutarch whom Origen attending to his martyrdom was
like to have been killed by the people for being the author of his
conversion ; Serenus, who was burnt for his religion, Heraclides
and Heron, both beheaded, the one while but a catechumen,
the other a novice ; next came a second Serenus, who, after he
had endured infinite torments, lost his head, and gained a crown.
Nay, the weaker sex also put in for a share : one Herais, a cate-
chumen, and Origen"'s scholar, being, as himself expresses it, to
fiaTTTia-fia to Sea 7rvpb<; XajBovaa, " baptized by fire," left this
world, and in those flames mounted up to heaven. Nor was
Origen so wholly swallowed up with the care of his school, as
not to perform duties of piety and humanity towards others, *^
especially martyrs, and those that were condemned to die. For
Aquila, Lsetus"'s successor in the government of Alexandria, that
he might do something singular in the entrance upon his place,
renewed the persecution, which was so severe, that every one
consulted his own safety, and kept close ; so that when the
martyrs were in prison, or led to trial or execution, there was
none to comfort them, or minister unto them. This office Origen
boldly took upon him, attending the martyrs to the very place
of execution, embracing and saluting them as they were led
along, till the enraged multitude pelted him with showers of
stones, and an hundred times was he in danger of his life, had
not the divine providence immediately interposed to rescue
him. At labt they resolved to find him out, great multitudes
* Euscb. lib. vi. c. 4. f ibid. c. 3.
ORIGEN. 329
besetting his house ; and because he had vast nnmbers of
scholars, they brought a guard of soldiers along with them, who
hunted him from house to house, so that no place could afford
him a quiet refuge. And to this period of time I find some
learned men (and I think very probably) ascribing that passage
which Epiphanius reports concerning him,^ that he was haled
up and down the city, reviled and reproached, and treated with
insolent scorn and fury. Once having shaved his head after
the manner of the Egyptian priests, they set him upon the
steps of Serapis's temple, commanding him to give branches of
palm-trees, as the priests used to do, to them that went up to
perform their holy rites. He, taking the branches with a ready
and unterrified mind, cried out aloud, " Come hither, and take
the branch, not of an idol-temple, but of Christ " A piece of
courage which I suppose did not contribute to mitigate their rage
against him.
VIII. About this time he made that famous attempt upon
himself, so much commended by some, but condemned by others,
his making himself an eunuch ; which (as appears from Epipha-
nius'') some of the ancients conceived to have been done by
medicinal applications, which enervated the powers and tenden-
cies of nature that way, though others, and St. Hierom' ex-
pressly, say it was done with the knife. But however it was, he
did it partly out of a perverse interpretation of our Saviour"'s
meaning, "^ when he says, " there be some which make themselves
eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake,"^ which he would needs
literally understand ; partly out of a desire to take away all
suspicion of wantonness and incontinency, which the Gentiles
might be apt enough to cast upon him, when they saw him admit
not men only, but women into his discipline ; besides that here-
by he himself was secured from any temptations to immodest
and irregular embraces. How strict and severe was the chastity
of those primitive times, we have shewed at large in another
place ; so great, that Justin the Martyr tells us of a young man
of Alexandria,™ who to convince the Gentiles of the falsehood of
that malicious charge of incontinency and promiscuous mixtures,
which they usually laid upon the Christians, presented a petition
§ Hasres. Ixiv. s. ]. '' Ibid. s. 3.
' Ad Pammach. ct Ocean, de Error. Orig. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 346.
^ Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. fi. ' Matt. xix. 12. '" Apolog. i. f. 2,0.
m*
330 THE LIFE OF
to Felix the president of Alexandria, desiring his leave that the
physicians might make him an eunuch, which the president
refused, as prohihited by the laws of the Roman empire ; as it
was afterwards by several provisos and canons of the church.
This fact though Origen endeavoured to conceal from some of
his friends, yet did it quickly break out ; and Demetrius the
bishop, who now admired it as an heroic act of temperance, and
an instance of a great and a daring mind, did afterwards load it
w^ith all its aggravations, and bring it in as an inexcusable charge
against him. I add no more concerning this, than that whatever
Origen might do now in the vigour of his youth, and through the
sprightliness of his devout zeal, yet in his more considerate and
reduced age he was of another mind, condemning such kind of
attempts,*^ soberly enough expounding that passage of our Saviour
which before he had so fatally misunderstood,
IX, Severus the emperor, that violent enemy of Christians,
being dead Ann, Chr. 211, Origen had a great desire to see the
church of Rome," so venerable for its antiquity and renown, and
accordingly came thither, while pope Zephyrin sat bishop of that
see; whei-e he stayed not long, but returned back to Alexandria,
and to his accustomed catechetic office, Demetrius earnestly im-
portuning him to resume it. But finding the employment grow
upon him,P and so wholly to engross his time, as not to allow him
the least leisure for retirement and contemplation, and the study
of the scriptures, so fast did auditors press in upon him from
morning to night, he took in Heraclas, who had been his scholar,
a man versed both in divine and human studies, to be his partner,
dividing the work between them : the younger and more un-
tutored catechumens he committed to him ; the maturer, and
those who had been of a longer standing, he reserved to be in-
structed by himself. And now he gave up himself to a closer
and more accurate study of the holy scriptures, which that he
might manage with the better success, he set himself to learn
the* Hebrew tongue, the true key to unlock the door, (wherein,
as St. Hierom probably intimates,*^ he was assisted by the help
of Huillus the Jewish patriarch at that time, at least in the
rabbinic exposition of the scripture,) a thing little understood in
those times, and the place he lived in, and to him who was now
" Vid. Comm. in Matt. torn. xv. s. 1 — 5. " Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. e. 14.
I' Ibid. c. 15. "I Apolog. adv. Rufin. lib. i. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 363.
ORIGEN. s:n
in the prime of his age, and the flower of more pleasing and
delightful studies, no doubt very difficult and uneasy. But no-
thing is hard to an industrious diligence, and a willing mind.
X. Nor did his pains in this interrupt his activity in his other
employments ; where he perceived any of his scholars of more
smart and acute understandings, "" he first instructed them in
geometry, arithmetic, and other preparatory institutions, and
then brought them through a course of philosophy, discovering
the principles of each sect, and explaining the books of the
ancients, and sometimes himself writing comments upon them,
so that the very Gentiles cried him up for an eminent philoso-
pher. The ruder and more unpolished part of his auditory he
would often exhort to the study of human arts, assuring them
that they would not a little conduce to the right understanding
of the holy scriptures. Many flocked to him to make trial of
his famed skill and learning ; others to be instructed in the pre-
cepts both of philosophy and Christianity. Great numbers of
heretics were his auditors, some of whom he converted from the
error of their way ; and among the rest Ambrosius,^ a man of
nobility and estate at Alexandria, having been seduced into the
errors of Marcion and Valentinus, being convinced by Origen's
discourses, renounced his former heresies, and returned to the
catholic doctrine of the church, and ever after became his inti-
mate friend, his great patron and benefactor. He was a man of
neat elegant parts, and was continually prompting Origen to
explain and interpret some part of the scripture ; as oft as they
were together, (as Origen himself informs us*) he suiFered not
a supper-time to pass without discourses to this purpose, nor
their very walks and recreations to be without them : a great
part of the night, besides their morning studies, were spent upon
these pious exercises ; their meals and their rest were ushered
in with continual lectures ; and both night and day, where prayer
ended reading began, as after reading they again betook them-
selves to prayer. Indeed this Ambrose was a pious and good
man, and though so great a person, did not disdain to take upon
him the office of a deacon in the church, nay to undergo great
hardships and sufferings, becoming an eminent confessor for the
<• Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 18.
' Euseb. ibid. Ilier. de Script, in Ambros. Suid. in Voc. Orig. Hseres. Epiph. Ixiv. s. 3.
' Epist. ap. Suid. ubi supr. Vid. Hicron. Ep. xlv. ad Marcell. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 552.
332 THE LIFE OF
faith. And there is only this blot," that I know of, that sticks
upon his memory, that when he died rich, he remembered not
his dear and ancient friend, whose low and mean condition might
well have admitted, as his pains and intimacy might deservedly
have challenged, a bountiful legacy to have been bequeathed to
him.
XI./ About this time came a messenger" from the governor of
Arabia with letters to Demetrius the bishop, and to the prefect
of Egypt, desiring that with all speed Origen might be sent to
impart the Christian doctrine to him : so considerable had the
fame of this great man rendered him abroad in foreign nations.
Accordingly he went into Arabia, where having despatched his
errand, he came back to Alexandria./ Not long after whose re-
turn, the emperor Caracalla drew his army into those parts,
intending to fall severely upon that city. To avoid whose rage
and cruelty, Origen thought good to withdraw himself, and not
knowing any place in Egypt that could afford him shelter, he
retired into Palestine, and fixed his residence at Csesarea :
where his excellent abilities being soon taken notice of, he was
requested by the bishops of those parts, though but then in the
capacity of a laic, publicly in the church, and before themselves,
to expound the scriptures to the people.^ The news hereof was
presently carried to Alexandria, and highly resented by Deme-
trius, who by letters expostulated the case with Theoctistus,
bishop of Csesarea, and Alexander of Jerusalem, as a thing
never heard of before in the Christian church ; who in their
answer put him in mind, that this had been no such unusual
thing, whereof they give him particular instances. All which
satisfied not Demetrius, who by letters commanded Origen to
return, and sent deacons on purpose to urge him to it, where-
upon he came back and applied himself to his wonted charge.
XII. Alexander Severus, the present emperor, in order to his
expedition against the Persians, was come to Antioch, attended
with his mother Mammsea, a wise and prudent, and (says Eu-
sebius-^) a most pious and religious princess ; a great influence
she had upon her son, whom she engaged in a most strict and
constant administration of justice, and the affairs of the empire,
that he might have no leisure to be debauched by vice and
" IIieron.de Script, in Ambros. '^ Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 19.
y Ibid. c. 21. Vid. excerpt, ex Job. Antioch. per Valesiuni, p. 830.
ORIGEN. 333
luxury. Indeed he was a prince of incomparable virtues ; his-
torians representing him as mild and gentle, compassionate and
charitable, sober and temperate, just and impartial, devout and
pious, one advanced to the empire for the recovery and happiness
of mankind. He was no enemy to Christians, whom he did not
only not persecute, but favour at every turn ; and in his pi"ivate
oratory he had, among other heroes, the images of Abraham and
of Christ, and was once minded to have built a temple to him,
and publicly admitted him into the number of their gods. He
highly admired some precepts of the Christian religion, and
from their discipline learned some rites which he made use of in
the government of the empire. But to return to Mammsea :
being a Syrian born, she could not be unacquainted with the
affairs both of Jews and Christians ; and having heard of the
great fame of Origen^ was very desirous to see him, and hear
hira discourse concerning religion, that she might know what it
was, for which the whole world had him in such veneration.
And for this purpose she sent for him, ordering a military guard
to conduct him to Antioch, where he stayed some considerable
time ; and having fully opened the doctrines of our religion, and
given her many demonstrations of the faith of Christians, to the
great honour of God and of religion, he was dismissed, and per-
mitted to return to his old charge at Alexandria.
Xni. Henceforward he set upon writing commentaries on
the holy scripture,'' at the instigation of his dear friend Am-
brosius, who did not only earnestly importune him to it, but
furnish him with all conveniences necessary for it ; allow-
ing him, besides his maintenance, seven (and, as occasion
was, more) notaries to attend upon him, who by turns might
take from his mouth what he dictated to them ; and as many
transcribers, besides virgins employed for that purpose, who
copied out fair, what the others had hastily taken from his
mouth. These notaries were very common both among the
Greeks and Romans, making use of certain peculiar notes and
signs, either by way of occult or short-writing, being able by
the dexterity of their art to take not words only, but entire
sentences. The original of it is by some ascribed to Tyro,
Cicero*'s servant; by others to Aquila, servant to Mecfenas ; by
'■ Euscb. loc. citat. * Ibid. c. 23.
334 THE LIFE OF
others to Ennius ; and that it was poUshed and enlarged after-
wards, first by Tyro, then by Aquila and some others. It may
be in its first rudeness it was much more ancient, and improved
and perfected by degrees, every new addition entitling itself to
the first invention, till it arrived to that accuracy and perfection,
that (as appears from what ]\Iartial says in the case,'' and
Ausonius reports of his amanuensis") they were able not only to
keep pace with, but many times to outrun the speaker. That
they were of frequent use in the primitive church, is without all
doubt, being chiefly employed to write the acts of the martyrs :
for which end they were wont to frequent the prisons, to be
present at all trials and examinations ; and if the thing was
done intra velum, within the secretarium, they used by bribes
to procure copies of the examinations and answers from the
proconsul's register; thence they followed the martyrs to the
place of execution, there to remark their sayings and their
sufferings. This was done in the most early ages, as is evident
from Tertullian's mentioning the fasti ecclesice,^ and from what
St. Cyprian says in his epistle to the clergy of his church,'
and Pontius the deacon in his Life ; ^ where he tells us, that
their forefathers were wont to register whatever concerned
the martyrdom of the meanest Christian, the Acts whereof de-
scended down to his time. Thus Eusebius, speaking of the mar-
tyrdom of ApoUonius in the reign of Commodus, tells us,^ that
all his answers and discourses before the president's tribunal, and
his brave apology before the senate, were contained in the Acts
of his martyrdom, which, together with others, he had collected
into one volume. So that the original of the institution is not
without probability referred to the times of St. Clemens bishop
of Rome : all which I the rather note because it gives us a rea-
sonable account how the answers and speeches of the martyrs,
the arguments and discourses of synods and councils, and the
extempore homilies of the fathers, came to be transmitted so
entire and perfect to us. But I return to Origen, whom we left
dictating to his notaries, and they delivering it to those many
transcribers that were allowed him ; all which were maintained
at Ambrosius's sole expense. Photius indeed makes this charge
b Lib. xiv. Epigr. 208. <= Epigram. 36. "^ De Coroii. c. 1 .3.
« Epist. xii. ad Presb. et Diac. p. 28.
f In vit. Cypr. non long, ab init. ? Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 21.
ORIGEN. 335
to have been allowed by Hippolytus,'' deriving his mistake, it is
plain, from the Greek interpreter of St. Hierom's Catalogue,'
who did not rightly apprehend St. Hierom's meaning, and who
himself, speaking of Hippolytus, inserts this passage concerning
Ambrose I know not how, and for no other reason that I can
imagine, but because in Eusebius's history he found it imme-
diately following the account that was given of Hippolytus's
woi'ks. Epiphanius'' will have these commentaries written, and
the expenses allowed to that purpose, by Ambrosius at Tyre, and
that for that end he resided there twenty-eight years together :
an intolerable mistake, not only disagreeing with Eusebius's
account, but plainly inconsistent with the course of Origen's life.
And indeed Epiphanius alleges no better an author than w? 6
^,0709 €'^^1, having picked up the story from some vulgar tra-
dition and report. His industry and diligence in these studies
was incredible, few parts of the bible escaping his narrow and
critical researches : wherein he attained to so admirable an ac-
curacy and perfection, that St. Hierom himself,' (not always
over civil to him,) professes he could be content to bear that
load of envy that was cast upon his name, so that he had but
withal his skill and knowledge in the scriptures : a passage which
Rufinus afterwards smartly enough returns upon him.'"
XIV. But a stop for the j^resent was put to this work by
some aftairs of the church, which called him into Achaia, then
disturbed with divers heresies that overran those churches. And
at this time doubtless it was that he stayed a while at Athens,
where, (as Epiphanius tells us,") he frequented the schools of the
philosophers, and conversed with the sages of that place. ' In his
journey to Achaia he went through Palestine," and took Csesarea
in his way ; where, producing his letters of recommendation
from Demetrius, he was ordained presbyter by Alexander of Je-
rusalem, and Theoctistus bishop of Coesarea. Not that this was
done by any sinister arts, or the ambitious procurement of Origen
himself, but was entirely the act of those two excellent persons,
who designed by this means to furnish him with a greater au-
thority for the management of his embassy, and to render him
'' Cod. CXXI. ' Vid. Hieron. de Script, in Ilippol. ^ Hseres. Ixiv. s. 3.
' Hieron. Praef. in QuKst. in Genes, vol. ii. p. 507.
■" Invectiv. ii. in Hier. inter opp. Hieron. vol. v. pr291.
" Haeres. Ixiv. s. 1. " Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. '23. Hier. de Script, in Alex.
336 THE LIFE OF
more serviceable to the affairs of the church. However the
thing- was infinitely resented by Demetrius, as an affront against
his jurisdiction, and a contempt of his authority •/ and now the
wind is turned into a blustering quarter, and nothing but ana-
themas ai'e thundered out against him from Alexandria. De-
metrius had for some time borne him a secret grudge, and he
takes this occasion to fall upon him. The truth is, he envied
the honour and reputation which Origen's learning and virtue
had raised him in the thoughts and mouths of all men ; p and
wanting hitherto an opportunity to vent his emulation, he had
now one put into his hand, and accordingly charges him with
all that spite and spleen can invent, publicly accusing him (what
before he admired in him) for making himself an eunuch, and
severely reflecting upon the bishops that ordained him. Nay, so
high did he raise the storm, that he procured Origen to be con-
demned in two several S3'nods : "^ one of bishops and presbyters,
who decreed that he should be banished Alexandria, and not
permitted either to live, or teach there ; the other under De-
metrius, who, with some bishops of Egypt, pronounced him to
be degraded from his priesthood, his greatest favourers subscrib-
ing the decree. St. Hierom adds,"^ that the greatest part of the
Christian world consented to this condemnation, and that Rome
itself convened a synod against him, not for heresy or innovations
in doctrine, but merely out of envy, as not able to bear the
glory and renown of his learning and eloquence ; seeing, while
he taught, they were looked upon as mute and dumb, as the
stars disappear at the presence of the sun. And yet all this
combustion vanished into smoke, Origen still retaining his priest-
hood, publicly preaching in the church, and being honourably
entertained,, wherever he came, by the wiser and more moderate
party of the church.
XV. Wearied out with the vexatious assaults of his enemies,
he resolved to quit Alexandria, where the sentence of the synods
would not suffer him long to abide, having first resigned the
government of his catechetic school entirely to his colleague
Heraclas." This Heraclas was a Gentile born, brother to Plu-
tarch, who (as before we noted) suffered martyrdom for the
P Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 8. <\ Pamphil. Apolog. ap. Phot. Cod. CXVIII.
■■ Apud Rufin. Invcct. ii. in Ilieron. inter opp. Ilier. vol. v. p. 290.
« Eusel). Hist. Ecfl. 1. vi. c. 2().
M.-
ORIGEN. 337
faith, together with whom he became Origan's scholar, by whom
he was converted, and built up in the faith, then taken in as his
usher, or partner in the catechetic office, afterwards his successor,
and last of all bishop of Alexandria : a man of unwearied dili-
gence and a strict life ; learned and eloquent, a great master in
philosophy and all human, but especially versed in divine studies.
He retained his philosophic habit even after he was made pres-
byter of Alexandria, and ceased not with a mighty industry
still to read over and converse with the writings of the Gentiles ;
indeed arrived to that singular fame and reputation, that Julius
Africanus, one of the most learned men of those times, came on
purpose to Alexandria to see and hear him.* No wonder, there-
fore, if Origen committed this great care and trust to him, whose
personal merit, and particular obligation as his scholar, might
seem to challenge it. Before his departure, (for they that refer
it to the time of Decius, speak at random, Origen not being then
at Alexandria,) an accident fell out, which (if true) hastened
his flight with more shame and sorrow than all the malice of his
bitterest enemies could create him. Thus then we are told,"
some Gentiles that were his mortal enemies, seized upon him,
and reduced him to this strait, that either he should abuse his
body with a J31ackamoor, or do sacrifice to an idol. Of the two
he chose to sacrifice, though it was rather their act than his, for
putting frankincense into his hand, they led him up to the altar,
and forced him to throw it into the fire : which yet drew so
great a blot upon his name, and derived so much guilt upon his
conscience, that not able to bear the public reproach, he im-
mediately left the city. The credit of this story is not a little
shaken by the universal silence of the more ancient writers in
this matter, not so much as intimated by Eusebius, Pamphilus,
or Origen's own contemporary, Dionysius of Alexandria; not
objected by his greatest adversaries, as is plain from the Apolo-
gies written in his behalf; not mentioned by Porphyry, who
lived in those times, and whom we cannot suppose either to
have been ignorant of it, or willing to conceal it, when we find
him falsely reporting of Ammonius, that he apostatized from
Christianity, and of Origen himself, that he was born and bred
an heathen. In short, not mentioned by any before Epiphanius,
I Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 31.
" Epiph. Hseres. Ixiv. s. 2. Leont, de Sect. Act. x. p. 531. vol. i. Bibl. Patr. ed. 1624,
VOL. I. Z
388 THE LIFE OF
and besides him, not by any else of that time, not St. Hierom,
Rufinus, Vincentius Lerinensis, or Theophihis of Alexandria,
some of whom were enemies enough to Origen. So that it was
not without some plausibility of reason that Baronius suspected
this passage to have been foisted into Epiphanius," and not to
have been the genuine issue of his pen. Though in my mind
Epiphanius himself says enough to make any wise man ready to
suspend his belief; for he tells us,^ that many strange things
were reported concerning Origen, which he himself gave no
credit to, though he thought good to set down the reports ; and
how often he catches up any common rumours and builds Tipon
them, none need to be told, that are acquainted with his writ-
ings. Nor is it likely he would balk any story that tended
to Origen's disgrace, who had himself so bitter a zeal and spleen
against him. I might further argue the improbability of this
story from hence, that this being a long time after his famous
emasculating of himself, which by this time was known all
abroad, it is not reasonable to suppose, that the heathens should
make the prostituting himself in committing adultery one part
of his choice, which his self-contracted impotency and eunuchism
had long since made impossible to him. However, supposing
the matter of fact to be true, it sounds not more (especially con-
sidering how much there was of force and compulsion in it) to
his disparagement, than his solemn repentance afterwards made
for his honour, and when the desire to preserve his chastity in-
violable is laid in the scale with his offering sacrifice.
XVI. Anno 233, Origen left Alexandria,^ and directing his
course for Palestine, went to his good friend and patron Theoc-
tistus, bishop of Csesarea ; and from thence to Jerusalem, to
salute Alexander, bishop of it, and to visit the venerable an-
tiquities of that place. And here Epiphanius, in pursuance of
the foregoing story, tells us, that being mightily importuned to
preach, he stood up in the congregation, and having pronounced
those words of penitent David, "But unto the wicked God
saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, and that thou
shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth?"'* he could go on no
further, but shut the book, and laid it down, and sitting down
burst out into sighs and tears, the whole congregation bearing
" Ad. ann. 253. n. 123. y Eseres. Ixiv. s. 3.
» Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 26, » Ps. 1. 1(5.
I
ORIOEN. 889
part with him in that mournful ecene. And to carry on the
humour, and make tlie story more complete, after-ages present
us with a discourse under his name,'' called Origen's Complaint,
wherein he passionately resents and laments his fall, as a
desperate wound to himself, a grief to good men, and an uncon-
ceivable dishonour to God, and to religion. And pity it is, if
the story be true, that this lamentation were not genuine ; but
as it is, the best ground it has to support itself, is, that it is
calculated to gratify a pious fancy, and a melting passion ; there
being nothing in it otherwise worthy of this great man, and I fear
was first designed by him that made it, as a reflection upon him,
and to give countenance to the report that was raised concerning
him. From Jerusalem he not long after returned back to
Casarea, where (as before he had done at Alexandria) he set up
a school both for divine and human learning,*^ and his great
name quickly procured him scholars from all parts, not only of
the country thereabouts, but from the remotest provinces :
among which, of most remark, were Gregory, called afterwards
Thaumaturgus, and his brother Athenodorus, who leaving the
study of the law, as being more delighted with philosophy and
human arts, committed themselves to his conduct and tutorage,
who first instructed them in philosophy, and then trained them
up to a more accurate knowledge of the Christian faith. Five
years they remained under his discipline, when being sufficiently
enriched Avith the knowledge of religion, they returned into
Pontus, their own country, where they both became bishops,
and proved eminent lights and governors of the church. During
his residence at Osesarea, there was a firm intimacy and league
of friendship contracted between Origen and Firmilian,'' bishop
of Csesarea in Cappadocia, who had so great a kindness for him,
that sometimes he would prevail with him to come over into
that province for the edification of the churches in those parts ;
sometimes he himself would go into Judea to visit him, and stay
a considerable while with him, to perfect himself by his society
and converse. This Firmilian was a gentleman of Cappadocia,
afterwards made bishop of Ciesarea in that country ; a person
of great name and note, and who held correspondence with most
of the eminent men of those times : few considerable affairs of
'' Extat inter 0pp. Orig. vol. i. p, 752. edit, Erasm.
<= Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 30. '' Id. ibid. c. 27.
z 2
340 THE LIFE OF
the church, wherein he was not concerned either hy his presence
or advice. Great contests were between him and Stephen, bi-
shop of Rome, concerning the baptism of heretical persons,
wherein he took part with Cyprian. He was twice at Antioch,
to examine the case of Paul of Samosata, bishop of that church ;
and coming a third time to a synod convened there for that pur-
pose, died at Tarsus by the way. Nor was Origen admired and
courted only by foreigners and young men who had been his scho-
lars, but by the grave and the wise at home : both Alexander and
Theoctistus, though ancient bishops, did not disdain in a manner
to become his disciples, committing to his single care the power
of interpreting the holy scriptures, and whatever concerned the
ecclesiastical doctrine.
XVn. It was now about the year 235, when Maximinus
the Thracian succeeded in the empire : a man fierce and ill-na-
tured, and, according to his education, brutish and cruel. He
hated whatever had relation to his predecessor ; and because
the Christians had found some favourable entertainment in his
family,® he began first with them, and especially the bishops, as
the chief pillars and promoters of their religion, whom he every
where commanded to be put to death. To contribute toward
the consolation of Christians in this evil time, Origen wrote his
book concerning martyrdom, which he jointly dedicated to
his dear Ambrosius,' and to Protoctetus, presbyter of Csesarea,
as who had undergone a joint share of imprisonment and suffer-
ings under the present persecution, and had made a glorious
and illustrious confession of the Christian faith. As for Origen
himself, he is said to have taken sanctuary in the house of
Juliana, a wealthy and charitable lady, who courteously enter-
tained him, and furnished him with books useful for him ; par-
ticularly with Symmachus's version of the Old Testament,^ and
his Commentaries in defence of the Ebionites, particularly
levelled against St. Matthew"'s gospel : books which Juliana en-
joyed as by right of inheritance devolved upon her.
XVIII. While he enjoyed the happy opportunity of this re-
tirement, he more directly applied himself to what he had long
since designed, the collecting and collating the several editions
and versions of the Old Testament with the original text, which
• Euscb. Ilist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 28. ' Exhort, ad Martyr, s. 1. vol. i. p. 274.
« Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 17.
ORIGEN. 341
he finished by three several parts,** the Tetrapla, the Hexapla,
and the Octapla. In the first (which, considered as a distinct
part, was made last) were four translations, set one over against
another ; that of Aquila, Symraachus, the Septuagint, and Theo-
dotion ; these made up the Tetrapla. In the second were these
four versions disposed in the same order, and two other columns
set before them, thus : first the Hebrew text in its own letters ;
then in a column next adjoining, the same Hebrew text in Greek
characters, that they who were strangers to the one, might be
able to read the other: next followed the several versions of
Aquila, Symmachus, the Septuagint, and Theodotion. And
these constituted the Hexapla. Where the Septuagint, being
placed after that of Aquila and Symmachus, gave some ignorant
undiscerning persons occasion to think, that it had been made
after the two former : whereas it was placed in the middle (as
Epiphanius informs us') only as a standard, by which the good-
ness and sincerity of the rest were to be tried and judged. In
the third, which made the Octapla, were all that were in the
former, and in the same manner, and two more versions added at
the end of them ; one called the fifth edition, found by a student
at Jerusalem, in a hogshead at Jericho, in the time of the em-
peror Caracalla ; and another, styled the sixth edition, found
by one of Origen's scholars, at Nicopolis near Actium, in the
reign of Alexander Severus : all which in the Octapla were dis-
posed in several columns in this order : in the first column was
the original Hebrew, in its native characters, in the next the
Hebrew in Greek letters, in the third the translation of Aquila,
then that of Symmachus, next the Septuagint, in the sixth that
of Theodotion, and in the two last that of Jericho, and the other
of Nicopolis. Indeed plain it is from what St. Hierom tells us,*"
that these two last were not complete and entire translations,
but contained only some parts of the Old Testament, especially
the prophetical books. But whether from hence we may con-
clude the Hexapla and the Octapla to have been but one and
the same work, only receiving its different title according to
those parts that had these two last versions annexed to them, I
will not say. Besides these there was a seventh edition ; but
•■ Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 16. Epiph. Hteres. Ixiv. s. 3. De pond, et mensur. s. 7. 19.
Hier. de Script, in Orig. et Suid. in voc. Orig.
' De pond, et mensur. s. 19. '' Comm. in Tit. iii. vol. iv. par. i. p. 437.
342 THE LIFE OF
this belonging only to the book of Psalms, made no alteration
in the title of the whole. The frame and order of this excellent
contrivance, the reader will better apj^rehend by this following
scheme, formed according to a specimen of the Hexapla extant
in cardinal Barberine''s very ancient manuscript of the minor
prophets, upon these words, " When Israel was a child, then I
loved him, and called my son out of Egypt."" '
* Ho8. xi 1.
ORIGEN.
Si{
OCTAPLA.
HEXAPLA.
TETBAPLA.
a
- a
a _,
^ 3f
H
X vi a
_, 5 ?
??
><
w
fd a
hi
H
ffi
s^
a
o
o
O
S -^ -^ to q o S
S^ ^ -S -2 ^ a
r «5 p o B m •
?2 O
2 a H
o^ T
§■3
^t^^^
"^ H t; d >-<
~ S O ?; o C1
S O wO << 5^- «l
' ^
5: fi- ^ 2'^ Q ^
o S H g. q -f;
3 3 *^ O ?5
c 3 ° s s
2 a
-?: ?
3 s a
o
a
s as
C. :^ S H
a "^
g ?i .-
S 3 3
344 THE LIFE OF
And to make the work more complete and useful, he distin-
guished the additions and deficiencies by several marks,"" where
any thing had been added by the Septuagint, besides the faith
of the original text, he prefixed an obelus before it ; where any
thing was wanting, which yet was in ihe Hebrew, he inserted
the words with an asterisk, to distinguish them from the rest of
the Septuagint translation. Where various lections were con-
firmed by the greater number of translations, he added a note
called lemniscus, where two of them only concurred, an hypolem-
niscus: by which means he did right to truth, without doing
wrong to any : a work of infinite labour and admirable use, and
which was therefore peculiarly styled by the ancients Opus Ec-
clesiw, " the work of the church," upon the account whereof St.
Hierom calls him immortale illucl ingenium;" as, indeed, had
there been nothing else, this alone had been sufficient to have
eternized his name, and to have rendered him memorable to
posterity : and how happy had it been, had it been preserved,
the loss whereof I can attribute to nothing more than the pains
and charge, the trouble and difficulty of transcribing it. Though
some part of it, viz. the Septuagint, was taken out, and published
more exact and correct from the faults which had crept into it
by transcribing, by Eusebius and Pamphilus afterwards. It was
a work of time, and not finished by Origen all at once ; begun
by him at Csesarea, and perfected at Tyre, as Epiphanius plainly
intimates.
XIX. From Csesarea, Origen, upon what occasion I know not,
seems to have taken a second journey to Athens. For during
his stay there, we find him finishing his commentaries upon Eze-
kiel,° and beginning his exposition upon the Canticles, five
books whereof he there perfected, making an end of the rest at
his return to Casarea. The opportunity of this journey, it is
conceived by some, he took to go to Nicomedia, to visit his friend
Ambrosius, who, with his Avife and children, at that time resided
there. While he continued here (which was not long) he re-
turned an answer to the letter which he had lately received from
Julius Africanus, concerning the history of Susanna ; which
" Vid. pr.xtur script, citat. Orig. Comm. in Matt. torn. xv. s. 14. et Epist. ad African,
e. 4. vol. i. p. 16. Vid. Rufin. Invect. ft. in Hieron. inter opp. Hier. vol. v. p. 298.
" Comm. in Tit. iii. vol. iv. par. i. p. 437,
" Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 32.
ORIGEN. 345
Africanus, by short Init very forcible arguments, maintained to
be a fictitious and spurious relation. Origen undertakes the case,
and justifies the story to be sincere and genuine, but by argu-
ments which rather manifest the acuteness of his parts than
the goodness of his cause, and clearly shew how much men of
the greatest learning and abilities are put to it, when engaged to
uphold a weak side, and which has no truth of its own to sup-
port itself. It happened about this time that Beryllus, bishop
of Bostra in Arabia, p fell into absurd and dangerous errors;
asserting, that our Lord, before his incarnation, had no proper
subsistence, no personal deity, but only a derivative divinity from
his Father. The bishops of those parts met about it, but could
not reclaim the man ; whereupon Origen"'s assistance was re-
quested, who went thither, and treated with him both in private
conferences and in public synods. His greatest difficulty was to
know what the man meant, which, when he had once found out,
he plied him so hard with cogent reasonings and demonstrations,
that he w^as forced to let go his hold, recant his errors, and return
back into the way of truth : Avhich done, Orjgen took his leave,
and came back for Palestine. And Beryllus,i as became a true
convert, in several letters gave thanks to Origen for his kind
pains in his conviction, kissing the hand that brought him back.
XX. Origen was now advanced above the age of three-score,'"
and yet remitted nothing of his incredible industry, either in
preaching or writing. At Ambrosius''s entreaty he took to task
Celsus's book against the Christians. This Celsus was an Epi-
curean philosopher, contemporary with Lucian, the witty atheist,
who dedicated his Pseudomantis to him, as indeed there seems
to have been a more than ordinary sympathy of humour and
genius between these two persons. Celsus was a man of wit and
parts, and had all the advantages which learning, philosophy,
and eloquence could add to him ; but a severe and incurable
enemy to the Christian religion, against which he wrote a book
entitled '-4A,r/^>)<f A-6709, or " The true Discourse ;" wherein he
attempted Christianity "with all the arts of insinuation, all the
witty reflections, virulent aspersions, plausible reasonings, where-
with a man of parts and malice was capable to assault it. To
this Origen returns a full and solid answer in eight books;
P Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 33. 1 Hieron. de Script, in Bcryll.
' Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 36.
346 THE LIFE OF
wherein, as he had the better cause, so lie managed it witli that
strength of reason, clearness of argument, and convictive evidence
of truth, that, were there nothing else to testify the abilities of
this great man, this book alone were enough to do it. It was
written probably about the beginning of the reign of Philip the
emperor, with whom Origen seems to have had some acquaint-
ance, who wrote one letter to him, and another to the empress :*
from whence, and some other little probabilities, Eusebius first,
and after him the generality of ecclesiastic writers, have made
that emperor to have been a Christian, and the first of the im-
perial line that was so. The vanity of which mistake, and the
original from whence it sprung, we have shewed elsewhere. Nor
is the matter mended by those who say, that Philip was pri-
vately baptized by Fabian, bishop of Rome, and so his Christian
profession was known only to the Christians, but concealed from
the Gentiles ; which being but a conjecture, and a gratis dictum,
without any authority to confirm it, may with the same ease and
as much justice be rejected, as it is obtruded and imposed upon
us. Nor has the late learned publisher of some tracts of Origen'
(who, in order to the securing the " Dialogue against the ]\Iar-
cionites" to belong to Origen, has newly enforced this argument)
said any thing that may persuade a wise man to believe a story
so improbable in all its circumstances, and which must have
made a louder noise in the world, and have had more and better
witnesses to attest it, than an obscure and uncertain report, the
only authority which Eusebius, who gave the first hint of it, pre-
tends in this matter.
XXI. The good success which Origen lately had in Arabia
in the cause of Beryllus made him famous in all those parts, and
his help was now again desired upon a like occasion." For a
sort of heretics were start up, who affirmed, that at death both
body and soul did expire together, and were resolved into the
same state of corruption, and that at the resurrection they should
revive and rise together to eternal life. For this purpose a
general synod of those parts was called, and Origen desired to
be present at it ; who managed the cause witli such weighty ar-
guments, such unanswerable and clear convictions, that the ad-
« Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 36.
/ Rod. Wetstcinius Praefat. in Orig. Dial, contr. Marc. etc. a se edit. Basil 1674.
" Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 37.
ORIGEN. 347
verse party threw down their weapons, and relinquished the
sentiments which they maintained before. Another heretical
crew appeared at this time in the East, the impious and abo-
minable sect of the Helcesaitre, against whom also Origen seems
to have been engaged, concerning whom himself gives us this ac-
count." They rejected a great part both of the old and new
canon, making use only of some few parts of scripture, and such
without question as they could make look most favourably upon
their cause. St. Paul they wholly rejected, and held, that it
was lawful and indifferent to deny the faith ; and that he was
the wise man, that in his words would renounce Christianity in
a time of danger and persecution, but maintain the truth in his
heart. They carried a book about with them which they affirmed
to have been immediately dropped down from heaven, which who-
ever received or gave credit to, should receive remission of sins,
though different from that pardon which our Lord Jesus be-
stowed upon his followers. But how far Origen was concerned
against this absurd and senseless generation, is to me unknown.
The best on it is, this sect, like a blazing comet, though its in-
fluence was malignant and pestilential, suddenly arose, and as
suddenly disappeared.
XXII. Philip the emperor, being slain by the soldiers, Decius
made a shift, by the help of the army, to step into the throne ;
a mortal enemy to the church,^ in whose short reign more
martyrs, especially men of note and eminency, came to the stake,
than in those who governed that empire ten times his reign.
In Palestine, Alexander the aged and venerable bishop of Jeru-
salem was thrown into prison, where, after long and hard usage,
and an illustrious confession of the Christian faith before the
public tribunal, he died. This Alexander (whom we have often
mentioned) had been first bishop in Cappadocia,"" where, out of a
religious curiosity, he had resolved upon a pilgrimage to Jeru-
salem, to visit the holy and venerable antiquities of that place;
whereto he was particularly excited by a divine revelation,
intimating to him that it was the will of God that he should be
assistant to the bishop of that place. It happened at this time, that
Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem, being some years since returned
to his see, (which he had deserted many years before,) was
* Homil. in Psal. Ixxxii. ap. Euseb. Hist, Eccl. 1. vi. c. 38.
y Euseb. Hist. Ecel. 1. vi. c. 39. "■ Id. ibid. c. 11.
348 THE LIFE OF
become incapable, through his great age and infirmity, (being 116
years old,) duly to manage that place. Alexander approaching
near Jerusalem, they were warned by a vision and a voice from
heaven, to go out of the city, and there receive him whom heaven
had designed to be their bishop. They did so, and finding
Alexander, entertained and introduced him, with all possible
kindness and respect ; where by the importunity of the people,
and the consent of all the neighbour bishops, he was constrained
to become colleague with Narcissus in the government of that
church. This, I suppose, is the first express instance that we
meet with in church-antiquity of two bishops sitting at once
(and that by consent) in one see. But the case was warranted
by an extraordinary authority ; besides that, Narcissus seems
rather to have resigned and quitted the place, retaining nothing
but the title, nor intermeddling any further, than by joining in
prayers and devotions for the good of the church, surviving not
above three or four years at most. Alexander succeeding in the
sole presidency, governed his church with singular prudence and
fidelity; and among other memorable acts, erected a library at
Jerusalem, '' which he especially stored with ecclesiastical epistles
and records, from whence Eusebius confesses he furnished him-
self with many considerable memoirs and materials for the com-
posing of his history. He sat bishop thirty-nine years ; and after
several arraignments, and various imprisonments and suflferings,
died now in prison at Caesarea, to the unconceivable loss and re-
sentment of the M'hole church, and especially of Origen, who had
been ordained by him, and whom he had ever found a fast
friend and patron. Nor did Origen himself, who was at this
time at Tyre, escape without his share. Eusebius does but
briefly intimate his sufferings, having given a larger account of
them in another book, long since lost ; he tells us that the Devil
mustered up all his forces against him,** and assaulted him with
with all his arts and engines, singling him out above all others
of that time, to make him the object of his utmost rage and
fury. He was cast into the bottom of a loathsome and uncom-
fortable dungeon, loaded with irons, a chain about his neck, his
feet set in the stocks, with his legs stretched four holes distant from
each other many days together ; he was threatened with fire,
and tried with all the torments that a merciless enemy could
a Euseb. Hist. Eccl, 1. vi. c. 20. b ij_ ibj^, c. 39.
ORIGEN. 349
inflict : which, meeting with a person of his age, and a hody
broken with such and so many cares and labours, must needs
render it a very heavy burden. And yet he bore all with a
generous patience, and was ready to submit to the last fatal
stroke, but that the judge, to give all possible accents to his
misery, ordered them so to torment him, that they should not
kill him.
XXIII. Human councils and resolutions, when most active
and violent, yet " he that is higher than the highest " can over-
rule them, and " there be that are higher than they." His enemies
had hitherto exercised him only with prepai'atory cruelties, re-
serving him for a more solemn execution. But God, " to whom
belongs the issues from death," prevented their malice, and made
way for him to escape, which in all probability was effected by
the death of Decius, who was cut off, when he had reigned two
years and a half. Being delivered out of prison, he improved his
time to pious purposes,*^ comforting the weak and the disconsolate,
and writing letters to that end up and down the world. Some
few years he out-lived the Decian persecution, and died at Tyre,
about the first year of Valerian, Indeed, Eusebius intimates
that he departed this life about the beginning of Gallus''s reign.
But I cannot see how that can stand : for seeing elsewhere, he
positively affirms that he was seventeen years old at the time of
his father's martyrdom, anno 202, his death must happen the
first of Valerian, Ann. Ohr. 254, which falls in with the sixty-
ninth year of his age, in which Eusebius tells us he left this
world. Otherwise he could not be more than sixty-seven years old ;
whereas none make him less than sixty-nine. Pamphilus the mar-
tyr,*^ and some others, from the relation of those that had seen him,
report that an honourable martyrdom put a period to his life,
when Decius raised the persecution at Csesarea. But besides
that Epiphanius expressly denies that he died a martyr,* others
(as Photius adds, and among them Eusebius ^ and St. Hierom ^)
tell us, that he continued till the time of Gallus and Volusian, and
being sixty-nine years old died, and was buried at Tyre : which,
as he observes, must needs be so, seeing he wrote many epistles
after the Decian persecution. And probable it is, that Pamphilus
meant it, or at least his mistake thence arose, of that great and
« Id. ibid. <> Apud Phot. Cod. CXVIII. « De pond, et mensur. s, 18.
f Hist. Eccl. 1. vii, c, 1. « De script, in Origcn,
350 THE LIFE OF
glorious confession, a preparatory martyrdom, which he made
under the reign of Decius, which he survived two or three years,
peaceably ending his days at Tyre, where his body foimd a place
of rest, and where, in a great church dedicated to the memory of
our Saviour's sepulchre, behind the high altar, his remains were
laid up, as the tradition of the last age informs us.*" Nay, long
before that, Brocard the monk tells us that when he was there,'
he saw his tomb, and read his epitaph ; and before both,
William,'' who was himself archbishop of Tyre, reckons Origen''s
tomb among the monuments and venerable antiquities of that
city, his marble monument being adorned with gold and precious
stones.
XXIV, Having brought this great man to his grave, let us a
little look back upon him, and we shall find him a more than
ordinary person. His life was truly strict and philosophical,'
and an admirable instance of discipline and virtue ; such as his
discourses were, such were his manners, and his life the image of
his mind : that wise and good man, whom he was wont to de-
scribe in his lectures to his scholars, (as one of the most eminent
of them assure' us,"') he himself had first formed, and drawn in
the example of his own life. He had a mighty regard to the
glory of God, and the good of souls, whose happiness he studied
by all ways to promote, and thought nothing hard, nothing
mean or servile, that might advance it. 'He was modest and
humble, chaste and temperate : so exemplary his abstinence and
sobriety, that he lived upon what was next door to nothing ; for
many years abstaining from wine," and every thing but what
was absolutely necessary for the support of life, till by too much
abstinence he had almost ruined his health, and endangered the
weakening of nature past recovery. Singular his contempt of
the world, literally making good that precept of our Lord to his
disciples, not to have " two cloaks," to provide " no shoes,"" nor
to be anxiously careful for to-morrow. When many, out of con-
sideration of his unwearied diligence, would have communicated
'■ Cotovic. itiner. 1. i. c. 1 9. ' Dcscript. Terr. Sanct. c. 2.
'' Guiliel. Tyr. H. sacr. 1. xiii. non longe ab init. vid. etium Adricom. Thcatr. Terr. S.
in Trib. Aser. n. 84. in fin.
1 Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 3.
•" Greg. Neocres. Orat. Pauegyr. in Orig. p 67.
" Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 3.
ORIOEN. ^51
part of what they had towards his necessities, he would not, but,
rather than be needlessly burdensome to any, sold his library,
agreeing with the buyer to allow him four oholi^ or five pence,
for his daily maintenance. His diligence in study, in preaching,
writing, travelling, confuting heathens and heretics, composing
schisms and differences in the church, was indefatigable ; upon
which account the titles of Adamantius and Chalcenterus are
supposed by the ancients to have been given to him, nothing but
an industry of brass and iron being able to hold out under such
infinite labours. The day he spent part in fasting, part in other
religious exercises and employments ; the night he bestowed
upon the study of the scripture, reserving some little portion for
sleep and rest, which he usually took, not in bed, but upon the
bare ground. This admirably exercised and advanced his pa-
tience, which he improved by further austerities ; fasting, and
enduring cold and nakedness, studying standing, and for many
years together going barefoot ; remitting nothing of his rigours
and hardships, notwithstanding all the counsels and persuasions
of his friends, who were troubled at the excessive severities of
his life : whereby, notwithstanding he gained upon men, and
converted many of the Gentile philosophers, famous for learning
and philosophy, not only to the admiration but imitation of
himself.
XXV. View him in his natural parts and acquired abilities,
and he had a quick piercing apprehension, a strong and faithful
memory, an acute judgment, a ready utterance : all which were
adorned and accomplished with a prodigious furniture of learn-
ing, and all the improvements which Rome or Greece could
aiford ; being incomparably skilled (as St. Hierom° and Suidas^
observe) both in Gentile and Christian learning, logic, geometry,
arithmetic, music, philosophy, rhetoric, and the several senti-
ments and opinions of all the sects of philosophy, and who always
entertained his auditors with something above common observa-
tion. So great the force and acuteness of his parts, (says
Vincentius Lerinensis,'') so profound, quick, and elegant, that
none could come near him : so vast his stock of all sorts of
learning, that there were few corners of divine, and perhaps none
of human philosophy, Avhich he had not accurately searched into ;
and when the Greeks could lead him no further, with an uu-
" De script, in Orig. p In Grig. i Contr. Hseres. c. 23.
352 THE LIFE OF
paralleled industry he conquered the language and learning of
the Jews. But no other character need be given him than what
Porphyry/ who knew him, (though a learned man/ who from
that passage in Eusebius makes him to have been his scholar,
proceeds doubtless upon a great mistake,) and was an enemy,
bestows upon him, that he was held in very great esteem in
those times, and had purchased a more than ordinary glory and
renown from the greatest masters which Christianity then had
in the world, and that under the discij)line of Ammonius he
attained to an admirable skill in learning and philosophy. The
monuments and evidences whereof (as he there observes) were
the books and writings which he left behind him, considerable
not for their subjects only, but their multitude, arising to that
vast number, that Epiphanius tells us,' it was commonly re-
ported that he wrote six thousand volumes : the greatest part of
which being understood of epistles, and single homilies, the
accoimt will not be above belief, nor give any just foundation
for Rufinus and St. Hierom to wrangle so much about it, the
latter of whom point-blank denies, that ever himself read, or
that Origen himself wrote so many. Vincentius affirms," that
no man ever wrote so much as he, and that all his books could
not only not be read, but not so much as be found out by any.
So that it was not without reason that antiquity fastened the
title of Syntacticus, or the Composer, upon him, his innumerable
discourses upon all sorts of subjects justly appropriating that
title to him. His books were of old enumerated by many, and
digested into their proper classes, whether scholia, short stric-
tures upon obscure difficult places, homilies and tomes, as the
ancients divided them ; or exegetica and syntagmata, under which
rank some modern writers comjjrehend them ; the greatest part
whereof, though they have long since perished through the care-
lessness and ill will of succeeding times, yet does a very large
portion of them still remain. His phrase and way of writing is
clear and unaffected, fluent and copious. Erasmus^ gives a high
encomium of it, preferring it before most other writers of the
church, that it is neither turgid and lofty, like that of St. Hilary,
flying above the reach of ordinary readers ; nor set off with
>■ Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 19. • L. Holsten. de Tit. et script. PorphjT. c. 6.
* Haercs. Ixiv. s. 63. vid. Rufin. Apol. pro Orig. inter 0pp. Hier. vol. v. p. 254.
" Contr. Hseres. c. 23. " Censur. de Oper. Orig.
ORIGEN. 353
gaudy and far-fetched ornaments, like that of St. HIerom ; nor
abounding with flowers of rhetoric, and smart witty sentences,
like that of St. Ambrose ; nor over-seasoned with tart and
satirical reflections, and obscured with obsolete and antiquated
terms, as that of Tertullian ; not superstitious in the curious and
accurate structure of its several parts, like that of St. Gregory ;
nor running out into large digressions, nor affecting a chiming
cadency of words, like that of St. Augustine ; but always brisk
and lively, easy and natural. But when he commends it for its
conciseness and brevity, he certainly forgot himself, or mistook ;
(and what wonder he should, when it is like he took his mea-
sures not so much from the original as translations.) For his
style, though it be generally plain and perspicuous, yet it is
diffusive and luxuriant, flowing with plenty of words, which
might be often spared, and therefore charged by some of his
critical adversaries that he did infinita verba multipUcare,'^
" multiply an infinite crowd of words :" and that KovcpoXoyia
'rrepLr)')(fiaa<i aireipo'TrXrjdel rov Kocrfiov,^ " he filled the world with
a company of needless and idle words," which he unmeasurably
poured out, and that he did <j>\,vap[a ttoWt} ravroXoyeiv,
" exceedingly trifle with vain tautologies and repetitions:"
a censure wherein envy and emulation must be supposed to
have had the predominant and overruling stroke. For though
abounding with words, he was always allowed to be eloquent,
for which Vincentius highly commends him,^ affirming his phrase
to be so sweet, pleasant, and delightful, that there seemed to
him to have dropped not words so much as honey from his
mouth.
XXVI. But that, alas, which has cast clouds and darkness
upon all his glory, and buried so much of his fame in ignominy
and reproach, is the dangerous and unsound doctrines and prin-
ciples which are scattered up and down his writings, for which
almost all ages, without any reverence to his parts, learning,
piety, and the judgment of the wisest and best of the times he
lived in, have without any mercy pronounced him heretic, and
his sentiments and speculations rash, absurd, pernicious, blas-
phemous, and indeed what not. The alarm began of old, and
-'' Epiph. Ep. ad Joan. Ilierosol. ap. Ilieron. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 824.
y Eustath. Antioch. dissert, de Engastrym. adv. Orig. inter. Crit. S. vol. viii. p. 441.
453. ^ Contr. Hferes. c. 23.
VOL. I. 2 A
854 THE LIFE OF
was pursued with a mighty clamour aud fierceness, especially
by Methodius bishop of Olympus, Eustathius of Antioch, Apol-
linaris, Theophilus of Alexandria, and Epiphanius ; and the cry
carried on with a loud noise in after-ages, insomuch that the
very mention of his name is in the Greek church abominable at
this day. I had once resolved to have considered the chief of
those notions and principles for which Origen is so heavily
charged by the ancients, but superseded that labour, when I
found that the industry of the learned Monsieur Huet, in his
Origeniana, had left no room for any to come after him, so fully,
so clearly, so impartially, with such infinite variety of reading
has he discussed and canvassed this matter, and thither I remit
the learned and capable reader. And for those that cannot or
will not be at the pains to read his large and excellent dis-
courses, they may consult nearer hand the ingenious author of
the " Letter of Resolution concerning Origen, and the chief of
his opinions;'"'' where they Avill find the most obnoxious of his
dogmata reckoned up, and the apologies and defences which a
sincere lover of Origen might be supposed to make in his be-
half, and these pleas represented with all the advantages with
which wit, reason, and eloquence could set them off.
XXVII. Nor wanted there of old those who stood up to
plead and defend his cause, especially Pamphilus the martyr,
and Eusebius, who published an^ Apology in six books in his
behalf; the first five whereof were written by Pamphilus Avith
Eusebius''s assistance, while they were in prison, the last
finished and added by Eusebius after the other's martyrdom.
Besides which, Photius tells us ^ there were many other famous
men in those times, who wrote apologies for him ; he gives us a
particular account of one,*^ though without a name, where in five
books the author endeavours to justify Origen as sound and or-
thodox, and cites Dionysius, Demetrius, and Clemens, all of
Alexandria, and several others, to give in evidence for him. The
main of these apologies are perished long ago, otherwise, pro-
bably, Origen's cause might appear with a better face, seeing we
have now nothing but his notions dressed up aud glossed by his
professed enemies, and many things ascribed to him which he
never owned, but were coined by his pretended followers. For
my own part, I shall only note from the ancients some general
« Edit. Lond. \aCA. '' Cod. CXVIII. Cod. CXVII.
ORIGEN. ' S65
remarks, which may be pleaded in abatement of the rigour and
severity of the sentence usually passed upon him. And first,
many things were said and written by him, not positively and
dogmatically, but yvf^vacria^ ■^dptv, sa3^s the author of his
apology in Photius,'' " by way of exercitation ;" and this he
himself was wont to plead at every turn, and to beg the reader's
pardon, and profess that he propounded these things not as doc-
trines, but as disputable problems, and with a design to search
and find out the truth, as Pamphilus assures us,* and St. Hierom
himself cannot but confess : ^ and if we had the testimony of
neither, there is enough to this purpose in his books still extant,
to put it beyond all just exception. Thus discoursing concerning
the union of the two natures in the person of our blessed Saviour,
he affirms it to be a mystery which no created understanding
can sufficiently explain ; ^ concerning which, (says he,) not from
any rashness of ours, but only as the order of discourse requires,
we shall briefly speak rather what our faith contains, than what
human reason is wont to assert, producing rather our own con-
jectures, than any plain and peremptory affirmations. And to
the same purpose he expresses himself at every turn. Not to
say that he wrote many things in the heat of disputation, which,
it may be, his cooler and more considering thoughts would have
set right. So the apologist in Photius pleads, *" that whatever he
said amiss in the doctrine of the Trinity, proceeded merely from
a vehement opposition of Sabellius, who confounded the number
and difference of persons, and whose sect was one of the most
prevailing heresies of that time : the confutation whereof made
him attempt a greater difference and distinction in the persons,
than the rules of faith did strictly allow. Secondly, those books
of his,' wherein he betrays the most unsound and unwarrantable
notions, were written privately, and with no intention of being
made public, but as secrets communicable among friends, and
not as doctrines to disturb the church. And this he freely ac-
knowledged in his letter to Fabian bishop of Rome,'' and cast
the blame upon his friend Ambrosius, quod secrefo edita in pub-
licum protulerit, that he had published those things which he
d Cod, CXVII. '^ Apolog. ap. Hicron. vol. v. p. 221.
f Epist. xciv. ad Avit. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 76.3. s Uepl apx- 1. ii. c 6.
h Cod. CXVII. ' Paraph. Apol. ap. Hier. vol. v. p. 223. 227.
^ Ap. Hieron. in. Epist. xli. ad Pammach. de err. Oiig. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 347.
2 A 2
356 THE LIFE OF
meant sliouM go no further than the breasts or hands of his
dearest friends. And there is always allowed a greater freedom
and latitude in debating things among friends, the secrets whereof
ought not to be divulged, nor the public made judges of that
innocent liberty which is taken within men''s private walls.
Thirdly, the disallowed opinions that he maintains, are many of
them such as were not the catholic and determined doctrines of
the church, not defined by synods, nor disputed by divines ; but
either philosophical, or speculations which had not been thought
on before, and which he himself at every turn cautiously di&-
tinguishes from those propositions which were entertained by the
common and current consent and approbation of the Christian
church. Sure I am he lays it down as a fundamental maxim,
in the very entrance upon that book,' wherein his most dan-
gerous assertions are contained, that those ecclesiastic doctrines
are to be preserved, which had been successively delivered from
the apostles, and were then received, and that nothing was to
be embraced for truth that any ways differed from the tradition
of the church.
XXVIII. Fourthly, divers of Origen"'s works have been cor-
rupted and interpolated by evil hands, and heretics, to add a
lustre and authority to their opinions by the veneration of so
great a name, have inserted their own assertions, or altered his,
and made him speak their language : an argument which, how-
ever laughed at by St. Hierom,'" is yet stiffly maintained by
Rufinus," who shews this to have been an old and common art
of heretics, and that they dealt thus with the writings of Cle-
mens Romanus, of Clemens and Dionysius of Alexandria, of
Athanasius, Hilary, Cyprian, and many more, Dionysius, the
famous bishop of Corinth, ° who lived many years before Origen,
assures us he was served at this rate ; that at the request of the
brethren he had written several epistles, but that the apostles
and emissaries of the Devil had filled them with weeds and
tares, expunging some things, and adding others. The apologist
in Photius tells us,'' Origen himself complained of this in his
lifetime ; and so indeed he does in his letter to them of Alex-
' Praef. ad lib. Hep] apx- s. 2. m Epist. xH. ad Pammach. ubi supr.
» ApoL pro Orig. apud Hier. vol. v. p. 249, 250, etc. et Prsef ad lib. Uepl apx- ibid.
p. 254.
» Ap. Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 23. P Cod. CXVII.
ORIGEN. 357
andria,'' where he smartly resents that a charge of blasphemy had
been ascribed to him and his doctrine, of which he was never
guilty, and that it was less wonder if his doctrine was adulte-
rated, when the great St. Paul could not escape their hands ;
he tells them of an eminent heretic, that having taken a copy
of a dispute which he had had with him, did afterwards cut off
and add what he pleased, and change it into another thing,
carrying it about with him, and glorying in it. And when some
friends in Palestine sent it to him, then at Athens, he returned
them a true and authentic copy of it. And the same foul play
he lets them know he had met with in other places, as at
Ephesus and at Antioch, as he there particularly relates. And
if they durst do this while he was yet alive, and able (as he did)
to right himself, what may we think they would do after his
death, when there were none to control them? And upon this
account most of those assertions must especially be discharged,
wherein Origen is made to contradict himself, it being highly im-
probable (as Rufinus well urges') that so prudent and learned a
person, one far enough from being either fool or madman, should
write things so contrary and repugnant to one another : and that
not only in divers, but in one and the same book.
XXIX. I might further observe his constant zeal against
heretics ; his opposing and refuting of them wherever he came,
both by word and writing; his being sent for into foreign
countries to convince gainsayers ; his professing to abominate all
heretical doctrines ; and his refusing so much as to communicate
in prayer with Paul, the heretic of Antioch, though his whole
maintenance did depend upon it. And, methinks, it deserves to
be considered, that Athanasius, in all the heat of the Arian con-
troversies, (than whom certainly none was ever more diligent to
search out heretical persons and opinions, or more accurate in
examining and refuting the chief of those doctrines that are laid
at Origen's door,) should never charge him upon that account.
Nay, he particularly quotes him,^ to prove our Lord's co-eternity
and co-essentiality with the Father, exactly according to the
decisions of the Nicene synod, dismissing him with the honour-
able character of davfjiaa-To^ koI <lit\o7rov(OTaTo<;, " the most ad-
1 Apol. Rufin. pro Orig. ap. Ilier, vol. v. p. 251. ' Ibid. p. 249.
• Athanas. de Decret. Synod. Nic. s. 27. Vid. Quaest. IxxiL ad Antioch. vol. ii. p. 284-
inter Spuria, et Socr. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 13.
358 THE LIFE OF
mirable, and infinitely industrious person." Nor is there any
heterodox opinion of his, that I know of, once taken notice of in
all his works, but only that concerning the duration of future
torments, and that too but obliquely mentioned.' Whence I ara
apt to conclude, either that Origen''s writings were not then so
notoriously guilty, or that this great man, and zealous defender
of the church's doctrine, (who, being bishop of Alexandria, could
not be ignorant of what Origen had taught or written, nay,
assures us he had read his books,) did not look upon those
dangerous things that were in them, as his sense. And indeed,
60 he says expressly ; that what things he wrote by way of con-
troversy and disputation, are not to be looked upon as his own
words and sentiments, but as those of his contentious adversaries
whom he had to deal with, which accordingly, in the passages
he cites, he carefully distinguishes from Origen''s own words and
sense. To all which I may add, that when the controversy
about the condemnation of his books was driven on most furiously
by Theophilus and Epiphanius," Theotimus, the good Scythian
bishop, plainly told Epiphanius, that for his part he would never
so much dishonour a person so venerable for his piety and anti-
quity, nor durst he condemn what their ancestors never rejected,
especially when there were no ill and mischievous doctrines in
Origen's works ; therewithal pulling out a book of Origen*'s,
■which he read before the whole convention, and shewed it to
contain expositions agreeable to the articles of the church.
With these two excellent persons let me join the judgment of a
writer of the middle ages of the church, Haymo, bishop of
Halberstadt," who speaking of the things laid to Origen's charge :
*' For my part, (says he,) saving the faith of the ancients, I
affirm of him, either that he never wrote these things, but that
they were wickedly forged by heretics, and fathered upon his
name ; or if he did write them, he wrote them not as his own
judgment, but as the opinion of others. And if, as some would
have it, they were his own sentiments, we ought rather to deal
compassionately with so learned a man, who has conveyed so vast
a treasury of learning to us. What faults there are in his writings,
those orthodox and useful things which they contain are abund-
antly sufficient to over-balance."
' Athanas. dc Com. essent. Patr. Fil. et S. S. s. 49.
» Socrat. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 12. x Breviar. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 3.
ORIGEN. 359
XXX. This, and a great deal more, is and may be pleaded in
Origen's defence. And yet after all it must be confessed, that
he was guilty of great mistakes, and rash propositions, which
the largest charity cannot excuse. He had a natural warmth
and fervour of mind, a comprehensive wit, an insatiable thirst
after knowledge, and a desire to understand the most abstruse
and mysterious speculations of theology, which made him give
himself an unbounded liberty in inquiring into, and discoursing
of the nature of things ; he wrote much, and dictated apace, and
was engaged in infinite variety of business, which seldom gave
him leisure to review and correct his writings, and to let them
pass the censure of second and maturer thoughts ; he traded
greatly in the writings of the heathens, and was infinitely soli-
citous to make the doctrines of Christianity look as little unlike
as might be to their best and beloved notions. And certainly,
what Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra,^ long since objected against
him, is unquestionably true, (notwithstanding what Eusebius has
said to salve it,) that coming fresh out of the philosophic schools,
and having been a long time accurately trained up in *the prin-
ciples and books of Plato, he applied himself to divine things,
before he was sufficiently disposed to receive them, and fell upon
writing concerning them, while secular learning had yet the pre-
dominancy in his mind, and so unwarily mingled philosophic
notions with Christian principles, further than the analogy of the
Christian faith would allow. And I doubt not but whoever
would parallel his and the Platonic principles, would find that
most of the Kvpiat 86^ac he is charged with, his master-notions,
were brought out of the schools of Plato, as the above-mentioned
Huetius has in many things particularly observed. St. Hierom
himself (whom the torrent of that time made a severe enemy to
Origen) could but have so much tenderness for him, even in that
very tract wherein he passes the deepest censures upon him,^
after he had commended him for his parts, zeal, and strictness of
life ; " Which of us (says he) is able to read so much as he has
written ? who would not admire the ardent and sprightly temper
of his mind towards the holy scriptures l But if any envious
zealot shall object his errors to us, let him freely hear what was
said of old :
y Ap. Euseb. contr. Marcell. 1. i. c. 4. p. 23.
^ Epist. xli. ad Pammach. de err. Orig. vol. iv. par. ii. p. 346.
360 THE LIFE OF
' Quandoque bonus dormitat Ilomerus.
Verum operi longo fas est obrepere somnum.'
' In a long work each slip the censor's rod
Does not deserve. Homer does sometimes nod.'*
Let us not imitate his faults, whose virtues we cannot reach.
Others, both Greeks and Latins, have erred in the faith as well
as he, whom it is not necessary to name, lest we might seem to
defend him, not by his own merit, but by the mistakes of other
men,'" To all that has been hitherto said, I may add this, that
suppose him guilty of as pestilent and dangerous errors as the
worst of his enemies lay to his charge, yet he afterwards re-
pented of what he had rashly and unadvisedly written, as appears
by his epistle to Fabian, bishop of Rome.'' And is it not in-
tolerable rudeness and incivility at least, perpetually to upbraid
and reproach a man with the faults of his past life, and which
he himself has disowned ? Sorrow for Avhat is past in some
measure repairs the breach, and repentance must be allowed
next door to innocence.
" Horat. 'de Art. Poet. v. 359, 360.
'' Ap. Hier. voL iv. par. ii. vid. Rufin. Invect. i. p. 349. in Hieron. inter opp. Hier.
vol. V. p. 282. Primus felicitatis gradus est, non delinquere : secundus, delicta cognoscere.
Illic currit innocentia integra et illibata quae servet, hie succedit medela quae sanet, Cypr.
Ep. lix. ad Cornel, p. 135.
His writings mentioned by the ancients, and which of them extant at this day.
Homiliamm mysticarum in Genes, libri duo. Extant Latine in Psalm xxxvi. Homiliae
Commentar. in Genes, libri 13. quinque ; in Psalm xxxvii. Homiliae
Extant Latine Homiliae 17. duae ; in Psalm xxxviii. Homiliaa '
Commentar. Tomi in Exodum. duae.
Extant Latine Homiliae 12. In Proverbia Salom. Commentar.
Scholia in Leviticum. Explicatio Ecclesiastis.
Extant Homiliffi 1 6. In Canticum Cantic. Commentarii.
In Numeros extant Latine Homiliae 28. Extant Latine Homilia; dua;.
In Deuteronomium Homiliae. / Commentar. libri 30.
In Libr. Jesu Nave extant Homiliae 26, In Esaiam ] Homilia 25.
Latine. ( Scholia.
In Libr. Judicum extant Homiliae 9, Latine. Extant Latine Homiliae 9.
In 1 Lib. Regum Homiliae quatuor. In Jeremiam Homiliai 45.
In Lib. 2 extat Homilia una. Extant Gr. Lat. Homiliae 17.
In Lib. Paralipom. Homilia una. In Threnos tomi 9.
In duos Esdrae Libros Homiliae. In Ezechielem tomi 25.
In Libr. Job Tractatus. Extant Latine Homilia 14.
! Commentarii. In Danielem Expositio.
Homiliae. lu 12 Prophetas tomi 25.
Scholia.
ORIGEN.
361
Comment, libri 25.
In Matthaeum ^ Homiliae 25.
SehoHa.
Extant Gr. Lat. tomi septem.
In Lucam Commentar. tomi quinque.
Extant Latine Homiliae 39.
In Joannem Commentar. tomi 32.
Extant Gr. Lat. tomi 9.
In Acta Apostolorum Homiliae aliquot.
In Epistolam ad Romanes Explanationum
libri 20.
Extant Latine libri decern.
In 1 ad Corinthios Commentarii.
I Commentarii.
In Epist. ad Galatas < Homiliae.
' Scholia.
In Epist. ad Ephes. Comment, libri tres.
In Epist. ad Coloss. Commentarii.
In 1 ad Thess. voll. (ut minimum) tria.
In Epist. ad Titum.
( Commentarii.
I Homiliae.
Tetrapla. Hexapla. Octapla.
Commentarii in Veteres Philosophos.
De Resurrectione libri duo.
De Resurrectione Dialogi.
StromaTeccv libri decem.
Disputationes cum Beryllo.
Tlepl a.px'H'i'! seu de Principiis libri quatuor ;
Extant Latine.
In Epist. ad Hebraeos.
Contra Celsum libri octo, extant Gr. Lat.
De Martyrio. Extant Gr. Lat.
Homil. de Engastrimytho. Extant Gr. Lat.
De Oratione. Extant Gr. MS.
Philocalia de aliquot praecipuis Theologiae
locis et quaestionibus ex Origenis scrij>-
tis a S. Basilio et Gregor. Naz. excerp-
tis, cap. 27. extant Gr. Lat.
Epistolae fere infinitae : ex his hodie extant,
Epistola ad Jul. Africanum de Histor. Su-
sannse, Gr. Lat.
Epistola ad Gregorium Thaumaturgum. Ex-
tant Gr. Lat. in Philocalia.
Dovhtful.
Dialogus contra Marcionitas, de recta in
Deum fide. Extant. Gr. Lat.
Supposititious.
In Libri Job Tract, tres et Comment, in
eundem.
Commentarius in Evangel. S. Marci.
Homiliae in diversos.
De Philosophorum Sectis et dogmatibus.
Lamentum Origenis.
Scholia in Orationem Dominicam, et in
Cantica B. Virgiuis, Zachariae, et
Simeonis.
THE LIFE OF SAINT BABYLAS,
BISHOP OF ANTIOCH.
Ilis originals obscure. His education and accomplishments inquired into. Made bishop
of Antioch, when. Antioch taken by the king of Persia. Recovered b}^ the Roman
emperor. Babylas's fidelity in his charge. The Decian persecution, and the grounds
of it : severely urged by the emperor's edicts. Decius's coming to Antioch. His
attempt to break into the Christian congregation. Babylas's bold resistance. This
applied to Numerianus, and the ground of the mistake. The like reported of Philip
the emperor. Decius's bloody act related by St. Chrysostom. His rage against
Babylas, and his examination of him. The martyr's resolute answer. His imprison-
ment and hard usage. The different accounts concerning his death. Three j-ouths, his
fellow-sufferers, in vain attempted by the emperor. Their martyrdom first, and why.
Babylas beheaded. His command that his chains should be buried with him. The
translation of his body under Constantius. The great sweetness and pleasantness of
the Daphne. Apollo's temple there. St. Babj'las's bones translated thither by
Gallus Caesar. The oracle immediately rendered dimib. In vain consulted by Julian.
The confession of the Demon. Julian's command for removing Babylas's bones. The
martyr's remains triumphantly carried into the city. The credit of this story suffi-
ciently attested. The thing owned by Libanius and Julian. Why such honour
suffered to be done to the martjT. Julian afraid of an immediate vengeance. His
persecution against the Christians at Antioch. The sufferings of Theodoras. The
temple of Apollo fired from heaven.
So great and general is the silence of church-antiquity, in the
Acts of this holy martyr, especially the former part of his life,
that I should wholly pass him over, did not his latter times
furnish us with some few memorable passages concerning him.
His country, parents, education, and way of life, are all unknown,
as also, whether he was born and bred a Gentile, or a Christian.
No doubt he was trained up under the advantages of a liberal
and ingenuous education, living in places that opportunely mi-
nistered unto it, and in times, when none but men of known
parts and eminency, both for learning and piety, were advanced
to the government of the church : and when great measures of
arts and learning were not only commendable, but necessary.
THE LIFE OF SAINT BABYLAS. 363
both to feed and preserve the flock of God, to resist and convince
gainsayers, and to defend Christianity against the attempts both
of secret and open enemies. For as the Christian church never
wanted professed adversaries from without, who endeavoured,
both by sword and pen, to stifle and suppress its growth, nor
pretended friends from within, who by schisms and heresies,
disturbed its peace, and tore out its very bowels ; so never were
these more predominant than in those times and parts of the
world wherein this good man lived.
II. Ann. Chr. 239, Gordian. Imp. 1, died Zebinus bishop of
Antioch," in whose room Babylas succeeded. He was a stout and
prudent pilot, who (as St. Chrysostom says of him '') guided the
holy vessel of that church in the midst of storms and tempests,
and the many waves that beat upon it. Indeed, in the be-
ginning of his presidency over that church, he met not with much
trouble from the Roman powers, the old enemies of Christianity,
but a fierce storm blew from another quarter : for Sapor, king of
Persia,*^ had lately invaded the Roman empire, and having over-
run all Syria, had besieged and taken Antioch, and so great a
dread did his conquests strike into all parts, that the terror of
them flew into Italy, and startled them even at Rome itself.
He grievously oppressed the people of Antioch, and what treat-
ment the Christians there must needs find, under so merciless
and insolent an enemy, (at no time favourable to Christians,) is
no^ hard matter to imagine. But it was not long before God
broke this yoke from off their necks. For Gordian the emperor,
raising a mighty army, marched into the East, and having
cleared the countries as he went along, came into Syria, and
went directly for Antioch, where he totally routed the Persian
army, recovered Antioch and the conquered cities, and gained
some considerable places belonging to Sapor, whom he forced to
retire back into his own country : of all which he gives an
account in a letter to the senate,'' who joyfully received the
news, and decreed him a triumph at his return to Rome.
III. The church of Antioch being thus restored to its former
tranquillity, Babylas attended his charge with all diligence and
fidelity, instructing, feeding, and governing his flock, preparing
both young and old to undergo the hardest things which their
« Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 20. ^ Horn, de S. Babyl. s. 1. vol. ii. p. 531.
•= Capitol, in Gordian. iii. c. 2fi. ^ Ibid. c. 27.
364 THE LIFE OF
religion miglit expose them to, as if he had particularly foreseen
that black and dismal persecution that was shortly to overtake
them. Having quietly passed through the reign of Philip, (who
was so far from creating any disturbance to the Christians, that
he is generally, though groundlessly, supposed to have been a
Christian himself,) he fell into the troublesome and stormy times
of Decius, who was unexpectedly advanced, and in a manner
forced upon the empire. One, whose character might have
jiassed among none of the worst of princes, if he had not so in-
delibly stained his memory with his outrageous violence against
the Christians : the main cause whereof the generality of writers,
taking the hint from Eusebius,^ make to have been hatred to his
predecessor Philip, a Christian, as they account him, and whom
he resolved to punish in his spleen and malice against them.
But methinks much more probable is the account Avhich Gregory
Nyssen^ gives of this matter, viz. the large spread and trium-
phant prevalency of the Christian faith, which had diffused itself
over all parts, and planted every corner, and filled not cities
only, but country villages ; the temples were forsaken, and
churches frequented, altars overthrown, and sacrifices turned
out of doors. This vast increase of Christianity, and great
declension of Paganism, awakened Decius to look about him :
he was vexed to see the religion of the empire trodden under
foot, and the worship of the gods every where slighted and
neglected, opposed and undermined by a novel and upstart sect
of Christians, which daily multiplied into greater numbers. This
made him resolve with all possible force to check and control
this growing sect, and to try by methods of cruelty to weary
Christians out of their profession, and to reduce the people to
the religion of their ancestors. Whereupon he issued out edicts
to the governors of provinces, strictly commanding them to pro-
ceed with all severity against Christians, and to spare no manner
of torments, unless they returned to the obedience and worship
of the gods. Though I doubt not but this was the main-spring
that set the rage and malice of their enemies on work, yet
Cyprian,^ like a man of great piety and modesty, seeks a cause
nearer home, ingenuously confessing, that their own sins had set
open the flood-gates for the divine displeasure to break in upon
e Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 39. f Dc vit. Greg. Thaum. vol iii. p. 567.
8 Epist. xi. ad Presb. et Drac. p. 23.
SAINT BABYLAS. 365
them, while pride and self-seeking, schism and faction, reigned
so much among them, the very martyrs themselves, who should
have been a good example unto others, casting off the order and
discipline of the church ; and being swelled with so vain and
immoderate a tumor, it was time God should send them a thorn
in the flesh to cure it.
IV. The provincial governors, forward enough to run of them-
selves upon such an errand, made much more haste, when they
were not only encouraged, but threatened into it by the imperial
edicts, so that the persecution was carried on in all parts with
a quick and a high hand, concerning the severity whereof we
shall speak more elsewhere. At present it may suffice to remark,
that it swept away many of the most eminent bishops of the
church, Fabian bishop of Rome, Alexander bishop of Hierusalem,
and several others. Nor was it long before it came to St. Baby-
Ias*'s door. For Decius, probably about the middle of his reign,
or some time before his Thracian expedition, wherein he lost
his life, came into Syria, and so to Antioch, to take order about
his affairs that concerned the Persian war. I confess his coming
into these parts is not mentioned in the Roman histories, and no
wonder, the accounts of his life either not having been written
by the Historiae Angustse Scriptores, or if they were, having
long since perished, and few of his acts are taken notice of in
those historians that yet remain. However, the thing is plainly
enough owned by ecclesiastical writers. While he continued
here,*" either out of curiosity, or a design to take some more
plausible advantage to fall upon them, he would needs go into
the Christian congregation, when the public assembly was met
together. This Babylas would by no means give way to, but
standing in the church porch, with an undaunted courage and reso-
lution opposed him, telling him, that, as much as lay in his power,
he would never endure that a wolf should break in upon Ohrisfs
sheepfold. The emperor urged it no further at present, either
being unwilling to exasperate the rage and fury of the people,
or designing to effect it some other way. This passage there are,
and Nicephorus among the rest, (with whom accord exactly the
Mensea ancJ Menologies of the Greek church,) that ascribe not to
Decius, but Numerianus, (whom Suidas, his translator, corruptly
'' Chrysost. lib. de S. Babyl. s. 6. vol. ii. p. 545. et passim. Philost. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii.
c. 8. Suid. in voc, Ba0vAui. Niceph. Hist. Eccl. 1. x. c. 28.
S66 THE LIFE OF
styles Marianus,) who reigned at least thirty years after: a mis-
take, Avithout any pillar or ground of truth to support it ; there
being at that time no Babylas bishop of Antioch, whom all
agree to have suffered under the Decian persecution. And it is
not improbable, what Baronius conjectures,' but the mistake
might at first arise from this, that there was under Decius one
Numerius, one of the generals of the army, a violent persecutor
of the Christians, whom it is not to be doubted the first mistakers
of the report confounded with Numerianus, and applied to him
what belonged to the emperor under whom he served.
V. Eusebius relates a like passage to this, but attributes it to
the emperor Philip,'' Decius"'s predecessor, telling us, that when,
on the Vigils of Easter, he would have gone with the rest of
the Christians into the church, to be present at their prayers,
the bishop of the place would by no means suffer him, unless
he would make public confession of his sins, and pass through
the order of the penitents, for that he had been guilty of many
heinous and enormous crimes, which he readily submitted to.
But besides that, this is laid as the main foundation of Philip's
falsely supposed Christianity, Eusebius justifies it by no better
authority than fame and mere report, and indeed stands alone
in this matter. For though some of the ancients referred it to
Numerian, yet none but he entitled Philip to it. St. Chrysostom,
in a large encomiastic,' (vrherein he describes this act of Babylas
in all the colours wherein wit and eloquence could represent it,
particularly equalling it with the spirit and freedom of Elias and
John the Baptist,) tells us, that when the emperor made this
attempt, he had newly washed his hands in innocent blood,
having barbarously, and against the faith of his most solemn
oath, and the laws of nations, put to death the little son of a
certain king, whom his fatlier had given in hostage to secure a
peace made between them. This probably was either the son
of some petty prince in those parts, who entered into a league
with him while he was at Antioch, or some young prince of
Persia, pawned as a pledge to ensure the peace between those
two crowns, and whom he had no sooner received, but, either
to gratify his cruelty, or else pretending some fraud in the
articles, he inhumanly butchered. The author of the Alexan-
' Ad Ann. InS. n. 126. vid. S. Metaphr. in MartjT. S. Isidor. apud S^ir. Feb. .5.
^ Hist. Kccl.l. vi. c. .34. 1 Lib. de S. Babyl. s. 5. vol. ii. p. 543.
SAINT BABYLAS. 867
drine Chroiiicon™ tells us, ami vouches Leontius bishop of Antioch
for the relation, that Phillip, (in the Greek is added 6 'lovv^cop,
probably for 6 ^IovXlo<;, the sirname of that emperor, and not
junior, the younger, as the translator renders it, and elsewhere
corrects it by Upea^vrepo^, the elder,) being governor of a pro-
vince in the reign of Grordianus, Gordian had committed the care
of his young son to him, whom after his father^s death he slew,
and usurped the empire : that being thus guilty of murder,
though he was a Christian, yet St. Babylas would not admit him
or his wife into the church ; for which affront, offered to so
great persons, and not merely because he was a Christian him-
self, Decius afterwards put St. Babylas to death : a strange
medley of true and false, as indeed it is the custom of that
author to confound times, things, and persons. However, most
evident it is from Chrysostom, that it was the same emperor by
whom this young prince was murdered, and St. Babylas put to
death, which could be no other than Decius ; who, with hands
thus reeking in the blood of the innocent, Avould have irreverently
rushed into the holy place of the Christian sanctuaiy, where
none but pure hands were lift up to heaven.
YI. Decius, though for the present he dissembled his anger
and went away," yet inwardly resented the affront, and being
returned to the palace, sent for Babylas, and having sharply ex-
postulated with him for the boldness and insolency of the fact,
commanded him to do sacrifice to the gods, assuring him that
this was the only expedient to expiate his crime, divert his
punishment, and to purchase him honour and renown. The
martyr answered to all his inquiries with a generous confidence,
despised his proffers, and defied his threats, told him, that as to
the offence wherewith he charged him, he was obliged as a
pastor readily to do whatever was conducive to the benefit of
his flock ; and for his command, he was resolved never to apos-
tatize from the service of the true God and sacrifice to devils,
and those who falsely usurped the name and honour of deities.
The emperor finding his resolutions firm and inflexible, gave
order that chains and fetters should be clapped upon him, with
which he was sent to prison, where he endured many severe
m Olmyp. 257. 4. Decii 1. Indict. 14. p. 630. vid. ibid. p. 628.
" Philost. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 8. et Suid. in voc. BafivKas.
868 THE LIFE OF
hardships and sufferings," but yet rejoiced in his bonds, and was
more troubled at the misery that attended him that sent him
thither, than at the weight of his own chains, or the sharpness
of those torments that were heaped upon him. So naturally
does Christianity teach us, " to bless them that curse us, to pray
for them that despitefully use and persecute us," and " to over-
come evil with good."
VII. There is some little difference in the accounts of the
ancients, concerning the manner of his martyrdom. Eusebius^
and some others make him, after a famous confession, to die in
prison ; while Chrysostom,'' (whom I rather incline to believe in
this matter, as more capable to know the traditions and examine
the records of that church) and Suidas affirm, that, being bound,
he was led forth out of prison to undergo his martyrdom, the one
plainly intimating, the other positively expressing it, that he was
beheaded. The fatal sentence being passed, as he was led to
execution, he began his song of triumph, " Return unto thy rest,
O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with me." To-
gether with him were led along three youths, brothers, (whose
names, the Roman Martyrology tells us,*" were Urbanus, Prili-
dianus, and Epolonius,) whom he had carefully instructed in the
faith, and had trained up for so severe a trial. The emperor,
not doubting to prevail upon their tender years, had taken them
from their tutor, and treated them with all kinds of hardship
and cruelty, as methods most apt to make impression upon
weak and timorous minds. But perceiving them immovably de-
termined not to sacrifice, he commanded them also to be be-
headed. Being arrived at the place of execution, Babylas placed
the children first, giving them the precedency of martyrdom,
lest the spectacle of his bloody fate should relax their constancy,
and make them desert their station. As the officer was taking
off their heads, he cried aloud, " Behold, I and the children
which the Lord hath given me ;" and after that laid down his
own neck upon the block, having first given order to his friends,^
to whom he had committed the care of his body, that his chains
and fetters should be buried in the same grave with him,
° Chrysost. lib. de S. Babyl. s. 10. vol. ii. p. 552. MartjT. Rom. ad Januar. 24.
P Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 39. q Lib. de S. Babyl. s. 11. vol. ii. p. 554.
■■ Ad Jan. 24. » Chrysost. Suid. Martyr. Rom. xibi supra.
SAINT BABYLAS. 369
that they might there remain as ensigns of honour, and the
badges of his sufferings, and as evidences how much he accounted
those things which seem most ignominious among men, to be for
Christ's sake most splendid and honourable : imitating therein
the great St, Paul, who took pleasure in bonds, chains, imprison-
ments, reproaches, professing to rejoice and glory in nothing so
much as in his sufferings, and in the cross of Christ. Accord-
ingly his chains were laid up with him in the grave, where
Chrysostom assures us they remained in his time,
VIII, Where his body was first buried, we are not told ; but
wherever it was, there it rested till the reign of Constantius,
when it had a more magnificent interment, which proved the
occasion of one of the most remarkable occurrences that church-
antiquity has conveyed to us. There was a place in the suburbs
of Antioch called Daphne,' a place that seemed to be contrived
by nature on purpose, as the highest scene of pleasure and
delight. It was a delicate grove, thick-set with cypress and
other trees, which, according to the season, affoi-ded all manner
of fruits and flowers : furnished it was with infinite variety of
shady walks; the trees, joining their bushy heads, forbad the
approaches of the sun to annoy and scorch them ; watered with
plenty of chrystal fountains and pleasant rivulets, the air cool
and temperate, and the wind playing within the boughs of the
trees, added a natural harmony and delightful murmur. It was
the usual scene of the poets' amorous and wanton fancies, and
indeed so great a temptation to intemperance and riot, that it
was accounted scandalous for a good man to be seen there. But
that which was the greatest glory of the place was a stately and
magnificent temple, said to be erected there by Seleucus, father
to Antiochus, who built Antioch, and by him dedicated to
Apollo Daphnseus, who also had a very costly and ancient image
placed within the temple, where oracles were given forth, which
gave not the least addition to the renown and honour of it. And
in this condition it remained, till Callus, Julian's elder brother,
being lately created Cresar by his cousin Constantius, was sent
to reside at Antioch, to secure those frontier parts of the empire
against the incursions of the enemy. He, having a singular
veneration for the memories of Christian martyrs, resolved to
purge this place from its lewd customs and Pagan superstitions ;
' Chrysost. de S. Babyl, s. 12. vol. iii. p. 55C. Sozom. 1. vi. c. 1.^. Niceph. 1. x. c. 28,
VOL. I. 2 u
870 THE LIFE OF
which he tliought he could not more effectually compass than
by building a church over against Apollo's temple ; Avhich was
no sooner finished and beautified, but he caused St. Babylas"'8
coffin to be translated thither.
IX. The Devil, it seems, liked him not for so near a neighbour,
his presence striking him dumb, so that henceforth, not one
syllable of an oracle was given out. This silence was at first
looked upon as the effect only of neglect," that the sullen Demon
would not answer, because he had not his usual tribute of sacri-
fices, incense, and other ritual honours paid to him ; but was
found afterwards to arise from the neighbourhood of St. Babylas\s
ashes, which caused their second removal upon this occasion.
Julian having succeeded Constantius in the empire, came to
Antioch, in order to his expedition into Persia, and being in-
tolerably overgrown with superstition, presently went up to
Apollo's temple, to consult the oracle about the success of the
war,'' and some other important affairs of the empire, offering the
choicest sacrifices, and making very rich and costly presents.
But, alas, all in vain ; his prayers, and gifts, and sacrifices
availed nothing, the Demon giving him to understand, that the
dead kept him from speaking, and that till the place was cleared
from the corpse that lay hard by, he could return no answers by
the oracle. Julian quickly perceived his meaning ; and though
many dead bodies had been buried there, he suspected it was
Babylas's remains that were particularly aimed at, and therefore
commanded the Christians to remove them thence : who there-
upon assembled in infinite numbers, persons of all ages and sexes,
and laying the coffin upon an open chariot, brought it into the
city, with the most solemn triumph, singing psalms of joy all
the way they went ; and at the end of every period, adding this
tart stinging versicle, "Confounded be all they that worship
carved images."
X. The reader, it is like, may be apt to scruple this story, as
savouring a little of superstition, and giving too much honour
to the relics of saints : to which I shall say no more, than that
the credit of it seems unquestionable, it being reported not only
" Chrysost. de S. Babyl. s. 13. vol. iii. p. 557. et scriptores supra citat.
" Chrysost. Horn, dc S.Babyl. s. 2. vol. iii. p. 5.'53. et lib. de S. Babyl. s. 15. p. 560, etc.
Sozom. Niceph. ubi supr. Socrat. 1. iii. c. 18. Theodor. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. 10. Conf. Philost
Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 8.
I
SAINT BABYLAS. 871
by Socrates, Sozomeii, and Theodoret, (who all lived very near
that time,) but by Chrysostom, who was born at Antioch, and
was a long time presbyter of that church, and was scholar there
to Libanius the Sophister, at that very time when the thing was
done, and an eye-witness of it ;^ and who not only preached the
thing, but wrote a discourse against the Gentiles, upon this very
subject, wherein he appeals to the knowledge both of young and
old then alive,^ who had seen it, and challenges them to stand
up and contradict, if they could, the truth of what he related.
Nay, which further puts the case j^ast all peradventure, Libanius
the orator evidently confesses it,"* when he tells us, that Apollo
Daphnseus, though before neglected and forgotten, yet, when
Julian came with sacrifices and oblations to kiss his foot, he ap-
peared again in his rites of worship, after that he had been
freed from the unwelcome neighbourhood of a certain dead man,
who lay hard by, to his great trouble and disturbance. And
Julian himself tells the Christians,'' that he had sent back tov
veKpov TT]'? Ad(f}VT]<;, " their dead man that had been buried in
Daphne." Nor is it improbable that God should suffer such an
extraordinary passage to happen, especially at this time, to
demonstrate the vanity of the Gentile religion, to correct the
infidelity of the emperor, and to give testimony to that rehgion,
which he scorned with so much insolence and sarcasm, and
pursued with so much vigour and opposition. If any inquire
why Julian should so far gratify the Christians, as to bestow the
martyr's bones upon them, and suffer them to convey them with
so much pomp and honour into the city, and not rather scatter
the ashes into the air, throw them into the fire, or drown the
coffin in the river? Chrysostom answers,'' that he durst not; he
was afraid lest the divine vengeance should overtake him, lest
a thunderbolt from heaven should strike him, or an incurable
disease arrest him, as such kind of miserable fates had overtaken
some of his predecessors, in the height of their activity against
the Christians ; and he had lately seen sad instances of it that
came very near him: his uncle Julian, prefect of the East, a
petulant scorner and apostate derider of Christians, who, having
y Vid. lib. citat. s. 4. p. 542. et Horn, de S. BaLyl. s. 1. vol. iii. p. 531.
» Lib. de S. Babyl. s. 14. p. 560.
* Monod. sup. ApoU. fanum igni exust. vol. ii. p. 185.
^ Misopog. p. 3()1. *' Lib. de S. Babyl. s. 17. vol. iii. p. 5G3.
872 THE LIFE OF
broken into the great clmrch at Antioch, had treated their
communion plate with the greatest irreverence and contempt,
throwing it upon the ground, spurning, and sitting upon it, and,
after all, carrying it away into the emperor's exchequer, was
immediately seized with a loathsome disease, which I am not
willing to mention, which within a few days, in spite of all the
arts of physic, put an end to his miserable life : and Felix the
treasurer, a man of the same spirit and temper, and engaged
with him in the same design, coming up to the palace, on a
sudden fell down upon the top of the steps and burst asunder;
Ammianus Marcellinus himself confessing that he died of a
sudden flux of blood.*^ Others there were, who about that time
came to wretched and untimely ends, but these two only are
particularly noted by Chrysostom: examples which, it is probable,
had put an awe and restraint upon him.
XI. But "evil men wax worse and worse."" Julian, however
awed at present, yet his rage quickly found a vent, which all
his philosophy could not stop. Vexed to see the Christians pay
so solemn a veneration to the martyr,* and especially stung with
the hymns which the Christians sung, the very next day he gave
order, against the advice of his privy council, to Sallust the prefect,
to persecute the Christians, many of whom were accordingly ap-
prehended, and cast into prison. And among the rest, one
Theodorus, a youth, was caught up in the streets, and put upon
the rack, his flesh torn off with iron pincers, scourged and
beaten ; and when no tortures could shake his constancy, or so
much as move his patience, he was at length dismissed. Rufinus
afterwards met with this Theodorus, and asking him whether in
the midst of his torments he felt any pain, he told him, at first
he was a little sensible, but that one in the shape of a young
man stood by him, who gently wiped off the sweat from his face,
refreshed him with cold Avater, and supported his spirit with
present consolations, so that his rack was rather a pleasure than
a torment to him. But to return.
XII. Heaven shewed itself not well pleased with the pro-
ceedings of the emperor. For, immediately, the temple of
Apollo in the Daphne took fire, Avhich in a few hours burnt the
famed image of the god, and reduced the temple, excepting only
the walls and pillars, into ashes. This the Christians ascribed to
•^ Lib. xxiii. c. 1. e Socrat. 1. iii. c. 19. Sozom. 1. vi. c. 19. Theodor. 1. iii. c. 10.
SAINT BABYLAS. 873
the divine vengeance, the Gentiles imputed it to the malice of
the Christians ; and though the priests and warders of the temple
were racked to make them say so, yet could they not be brought
to affirm any more, than that it was fired by a light from heaven.
This conflagration is mentioned not only by Christian writers,
but by Ammianus Marcellinus,'^ and by Julian himself,^ but es-
pecially by Libanius the orator, who in an oration on purpose
made to the people, elegantly bewails its unhappy fate ; whose
discourse St. Chrysostom takes to task, and makes witty and
eloquent remarks upon it. If the reader ask what became of
Babylas's remains after all this noise and bustle, they were
entombed within the city, in a church dedicated to his name
and memory, and in after-ages are said to have been translated
by some Christian princes (probably during their wars in the
holy land) to Cremona in Italy,'' where, how oft they have been
honourably reposed, and with how much pomp and ceremonious
veneration they are still entertained, they who are curious after
such things may inquire.
f Lib, xxiL c, 13. e Misopog. p. 361. '' Vid. Bolland. ad Jan. 24.
THE LIFE OF SAINT CYPRIAN,
BISHOP OF CARTHAGE.
His birth-place. The nobility of his family exploded. The confounding him with
another Cyprian, bishop of Antioch. These two vastly distinct. St. Cj-prian's edu-
cation. His professing rhetoric. His conversion to Christianitj' by the persuasions of
Caecilius. Their mutual endearment. His great charity to the poor. His baptism.
Made presbyter, and bishop of Carthage. His modest declining the honour. His
proscription, recess, and care of his church during that retirement. The case of the
Lapsed A brief account of the rise of the Novatian sect. The fierceness of the
persecution at Carthage under Decius. The courage and patience of the Christians.
Cyprian's return. A synod at Carthage about the case of the Lapsed, and the cause
of Novatian. Their determination of these matters. Ratified by a synod at Rome :
and another at Antioch. A second synod about the same affair. Moderation in the
ecclesiastic discipline used in the time of persecution. The great pestilence at Carthage.
The miserable state of that city. The mighty charity of St. Cyprian and the Chris-
tians at that time. These evils charged upon the Christians. St. Cyprian's vindica-
tion of them. The time of baptizing infants detennined in a synod. Another synod
to decide the case of the Spanish bishops that had lapsed in the time of persecution.
The controversy concerning the rebaptizing those who had been baptized by heretics.
This resolved upon in a synod of eigthy-seven African bishops. The immoderate heats
between C}T)rian, Firmilian, and Stephen bishop of Rome, about this matter. Cyprian
arraigned before the proconsul. His resolute carriage. His banishment to Curubis.
Hi- martyrdom foretold him by a vision. His letters during his exile. The severe usage
of the Christians. His withdrawment, and why. His apprehension, and examination
before the proconsul. The sentence passed upon him. His martj-rdom, and place of
burial. His piety, fidelity, chastity, humility, modesty, charity, &c. His natural
parts. His learning, wherein it mainly consisted. The politeness and elegancy of his
style. His quick proficiency in Christian studies. His frequent converse with Tcr-
tuUian's writings. His books. The excellency of those ascribed to him. The great
honours done to his memory.
Thascius Osecilius Cyprian was born at Carthage, in the dechning
part of the foregoing swculum, though the particular year cannot
be ascertained. AVho or what his parents were is unknown.
Cardinal Baronius^ (not to mention others) makes him descended
" Ad Ann, 250. n. 5. vid. not. ad Martyrol. Rom. Sept. 26.
THE LIFE OF SAINT CYPRIAN. S75
of a rich honourable family, and himself to have been one of the
chief of the senatorian order ; and this upon the authority of
Nazianzen,'' who indeed affirms it; but then certainly forgot
that in very few lines before he had exploded, as a fabulous
mistake, the confounding our Cyprian with another of the same
name, of whom Nazianzen unquestionably meant it. For besides
our Carthaginian Cyprian, there was another born at Antioch, a
person of great learning and emineucy, who travelled through
Greece, Phrygia, Egypt, India, Chaldsea, and where not 1 famous
for the study and the arts of magic, by which he sought to com-
pass the affections of Justina, a noble Christian virgin at Antioch,
by whose prayers and endeavours he was converted, baptized,
made first sexton, then deacon of that church, was endued with
miraculous powers, and afterwards consecrated bishop of that
church, (though, I confess, I find not his name in the catalogue
of the bishops of that see, drawn up by Nicephorus of Con-
stantinople,) and at last, havings been miserably tormented at
Antioch, was sent to Dioclesian himself, then at Nicomedia, by
whose command, together with Justina, sent thither also at the
same time from Damascus, he was beheaded : the history of all
which was largely described in three books in verse, written by
the noble empress Eudocia, the excerpta whereof are still extant
in Photius.*^ This account Simeon the Metaphrast, Nicephorus,
and the later Greeks, without any scruple attribute to St. Cyprian
of Carthage, nay, some of them make him to suffer martyrdom
under the Decian persecution : though in the whole mistake the
more to be pardoned, in that not only Prudentius, but Nazianzen
had long before manifestly confounded these two eminent per-
sons, who, finding several passages of the Antiochian Cyprian
very near akin to the other, carried all the rest along with them,
as two persons very like are oft mistaken the one for the other.
To prove that our Cyprian was not him described by Nazianzen,
were a vain and needless attempt, the accounts concerning them
being so vastly different, both as to their country, education,
manner of life, episcopal charge, the time, place, and companions
of their death, that it is plainly impossible to reconcile them.
But of this enough.
11. St. Cyprian's education was ingenuous,'' polished by study
b Orat. ill laud. S. Cypr. vol. i. p. 277. «= Cod. CLXXXIV.
''• Pont. Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. 1.
376 THE LIFE OF
and the liberal arts, thouL>li he prlucipally addicted himself io
the study of oratory and eloquence, wherein he made such vast
improvements, that publicly and with great applause he taught
rhetoric at Carthage :^ all which time he lived in great pomp and
plenty, in honour and power, his garb splendid, his retinue
stately ; never going abroad (as himself tells us ^) but he was
thronged with a crowd of clients and followers. The far greatest
part of his life he passed among the errors of the Gentile reli-
gion, and was at least upon the borders of old age when he was
rescued from the vassalage of inveterate customs, the dark-
ness of idolatry, and the errors and vices of his past life, as him-
self intimates in his epistle to Donatus.^ He was converted to
Christianity by the arguments and importunities of Csecilius a
presbyter of Carthage,"" a person whom ever after he loved as a
friend, and reverenced as a father : and so mutual an endear-
ment was there between them, that Cyprian in honour to him
assumed the title of Cascilius ; and the other at his death made
him his executor, and committed his wife and children to his
sole care and tutelage. Being yet a catechumen,' he gave early
instances of a great and generous piety ; professed a strict and
severe temperance and sobriety, accounting it one of the best
preparations for the entertainment of the truth, to subdue and
tread down all irregular appetites and inclinations. His estate,
at least the greatest part of it, he sold, and distributed it among
the necessities of the poor ; at once triumphing over the love of
the world, and exercising that great duty of mercy and charity,
which God values above all the ritual devotions in the world.
So that by the speedy progress of his piety, (says Pontius, his
friend and deacon,) he became almost a perfect Christian, before
he had learnt the rules of Christianity.
ni. Being fully instructed in the rudiments of the Christian
faith, he was baptized ; "* when the mighty assistances which he
received from above, ])erfectly dispelled all doubts, enlightened
all obscurities, and enabled him with ease to do things which
before he looked upon as impossible to be discharged. Not long
after, he was called to the inferior ecclesiastic offices, and then
advanced to the degree of presbyter ; wherein he so admirably
behaved himself, that he was quickly summoned to the highest
e Hier. de script, in Cypriano. f Ad Donat. p. 3. e Ibid.
*> Pont. Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. 3. '' Id. ibid. p. 2. ^ Cypr. ad Donat. p. 3.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 877
order and honour in the church. Donatus, his immediate pre-
decessor in the see of Carthage, (as his own words seem to
imply,') being dead, the general vogue both of clergy and people
(Felicissimus the presb3'ter and some very few of his party only
dissenting"") was for Cyprian to succeed him. But the great
modesty and humility of the man made him fly from the first
approaches of the news;" he thought himself unfit for so weighty
and honourable employment, and therefore desired that a more
worthy person, and some of his seniors in the faith, might possess
the place. His declining it did but set so much the keener an
edge upon the desires and expectations of the people ; his doors
were immediately crowded, and all passages of escape blocked
up ; he would indeed have fled out at the window, but finding
it in vain, he unwillingly^ yielded : the people in the mean while
impatiently waiting, divided between hope and fear, till seeing
him come forth, they received him with an universal joy and
satisfaction. This charge he entered upon anno 24-8, as himself
plainly intimates," when in his letter to Cornelius he tells him
he had been four years bishop of Carthage ; which epistle was
M'ritten not long after the beginning of Cornelius's pontificate,
anno 251. It was the third consulship of Philip the emperor;
a memorable time, it being the thousandth year ah Urhe condita^
when the liidi swcidares were celebrated at Rome with all
imaginable magnificence and solemnity : though indeed it was
then but the declining part of the Annus 3Iillesimus, which
began with the paliUa, about April 21 of the foregoing year,
and ended with the ^>a^<7«a of this : whence in the ancient coins
of this emperor these secular sports are sometimes ascribed to
his second, sometimes to his third consulship, as commencing in
the one, and being completed in the other.
IV. The entrance upon his care and government was calm
and peaceable, but he had not been long in it before a storm
overtook him, and, ui)on what occasion I know not, he was pub-
licly proscribed by the name of " Csecilius Cyprian bishop of the
Christians," P and every man commanded not to hide or conceal
his goods : and not satisfied with this, they frequently called out,
' Epist. lix. ad Cornelium, p. 130. ■" Epist. xliii. ad Plebeni. p. 82.
" Pont. Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. 3. " Epist. lix. ad Cornelium, p. 130.
•' Epist. Ixvi. ad Flor. Pupianum, p. IGG. Ep. lix. ad Conicliuni, p. 130. vid. Pont,
in vit. Cypr. p. 4.
378 THE LIFE OF
that he might be tlirown to the lions. So that being warned
by a divine admonition and command from (lod, (as he pleads
for himself,'') and lest by his resolute defiance of the public
sentence he should provoke his adversaries to fall more severely
upon the whole church/ he thought good at present to withdraw
himself, hoping that malice would cool and die, and the fire go
out when the fuel that kindled it was taken away. During
this recess, though absent in body yet was he present in spirit ;
supjilying the want of his presence by letters, (whereof he wrote
110 less than thirty-eight,) by pious counsels, grave admonitions,
frequent reproofs, earnest exhortations, and especially by hearty
prayers to heaven for the welfare and prosperity of the church.
That which created him the greatest trouble, was the case of
the lapsed, whom some presbyters, without the knowledge and
consent of the bishop, rashly admitted to the communion of the
church upon very easy terms. Cyprian, a stiff asserter of eccle-
siastic discipline, and the rights of his place, would not brook
this, but by several letters not only complained of it, but en-
deavoured to reform it, not sparing the martyrs themselves; who,
presuming upon their great merits in the cause of religion, took
upon them to give libels of peace to the lapsed, whereby they
were again taken into communion, sooner than the rules of the
church did allow.
Y. This remissness of discipline, and easy admission of
penitents, gave occasion to Novatus, one of the presbyters of
Carthage, to start aside, and draw a faction after him, denying
any place to the lapsed, though penitent, in the peace and com-
munion of the church ; not that they absolutely excluded them
the mercy and pardon of God, (for they left them to the sentence
of the divine tribunal,) but maintained that the church had no
power to absolve them that once lapsed after baptism, and to
receive them again into communion. Having sufficiently em-
broiled the church at home, (where he Avas in danger to be
excommunicated b}^ Cyprian for his scandalous, irregular, and
unpcaceable practices,) over he goes, with some of his party, to
Rome ; where, by a pretence of uncommon sanctity and severity,
besides some confessors lately delivered out of prison, he se-
duced Novatianus, (who by the Greek fathers is almost per-
petually confounded with Novatus,) a presbyter of the Ivoman
'I Kpist. XX. ad Presb. et Diac. lloin. p. 42. • "■ Id. ibid.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 879
church, a man of an insolent and ambitions temper, and who
had attempted to thrust himself into that chair. Him the party
procures, by clancular arts and uncanonical means, to be conse-
crated bishop, and then set him up against Cornelius, lately or-
dained bishop of that see, whom they peculiarly charged with
holding a communion with Trophimus and some others of the
tlmrificati^ who had done sacrifice in the late persecution :
which, though plausibly pretended, was yet a false allegation ;
Trophimus and his party not being taken in, till by great hu-
mility and a public penance they had given satisfaction to the
church,' nor he then suifered to communicate any otherwise than
in a lay-capacity. Being disappointed in their designs, they now
openly shew themselves in their own colours ; sejiarate from the
church, which they charge with looseness and licentiousness in
admitting scandalous offenders, and by way of distinction,
styling themselves Cathari^ the pure and undefiled party, those
who kept themselves from all society with the lapsed, or them
that communicated with them. Hereupon they were on all
hands opposed by private persons, and condemned by public
synods, and cried down by the common vote of the church ;
probably not so much upon the account of their different senti-
ments and opinions in point of pardon of sin and ecclesiastical
penance, (wherein they stood not at so wide a distance from
the doctrine and practice of the early ages of the church,) as
for their insolent and domineering temper, their proud and
surly carriage, their rigorous and imperious imposing their way
upon other churches ; their taking upon them, by their own
private authority, to judge, censure, and condemn those that
joined not with them, or opposed them ; their bold divesting the
governors of the church of that great power lodged in them, of
remitting crimes upon repentance, which seem to have been the
very soul and spirit of the Novatian sect.
VI. In the mean while the persecution under Decius raged
Avith an uncontrolled fury over the African provinces, and espe-
cially at Carthage, concerning which Cyprian every where gives
large and sad accounts," whereof this is the sum. They were
scourged, and beaten, and racked, and roasted, and their flesh
' Vid. Epist. Iv. ad Antonian. p. 101. ' Ibid. p. 105.
" Epist. Ivi. ad Fortunat. etc. p. 115. Epist. xiii. ad Rogatian. etc. p. 30. Epist. xi.
ad Presbyt. et Diac. p. 23. Lib. ad Denictr. p. 18J5.
380 THE LIFE OF
pulled off with burning- pincers, beheaded with swords, and run
through with spears ; more instruments of torment being many
times employed about the man at once, than there were limbs
and members of his body : they were spoiled and plundered,
chained and imprisoned, thrown to wild beasts, and burnt at
the stake. And when they had run over all their old methods
of execution, they studied for more, excogitat novas poenas inge-
niosa crudelitas, as he complains. Nor did they only vary, but
repeat the torments, and where one ended another began ; they
tortured them without hopes of dying, and added this cruelty
to all the rest, to stop them in their journey to heaven ; many
who w^ere importunately desirous of death, were so tortured
that they might not die, they were purposely kept upon the
rack, that they might die by piece-meals, that their pains might
be lingering, and their sense of them without intermission, they
gave them no intervals, or times of respite, unless any of them
chanced to give them the slip and expire in the midst of tor-
ments : all which did but render their faith and patience more
illusti'ious, and make them more earnestly long for heaven.
They tired out their tormentors, and overcame the sharpest
engines of execution, and smiled at the busy officers that were
raking in their wounds ; and when their flesh was wearied, their
faith was unconquerable. The multitude beheld with admira-
tion these heavenly conflicts, and stood astonished to hear the
servants of Christ, in the midst of all this, with an unshaken
mind making a free and bold confession of him, destitute of any
external succour, but armed with a divine power, and defending
themselves with the shield of faith.
VII. Two full years St. Cyprian had remained in his retire-
ment, when the persecution being somewhat abated by the
death of Decius, he returned to Carthage, anno 251 ; where he
set himself to reform disorders, and to compose the differences
that disturbed his church. For which purpose he convened a
synod of his neighbour-bishops to consult about the cause of the
lapsed : who were no sooner met, but there arrived messengers
with letters from Novatian," signifying his ordination to the see
of Rome, and bringing an accusation and charge against Cor-
nelius. But the men no sooner appeared, but were disowned,
and rejected from communion, especially after that Pompeius
" Epist. xliv. ;id Cornel, p. 85.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 381
and Stephanns were arrived from Rome, and brought a true ac-
count and relation of the case. The synod therefore advised and
charged them to desist from their turbulent and schlsmatlcal pro-
ceedings, not to rend the church by propagating a pernicious fac-
tion ; that it was their best way, and the safest counsel they could
take, to shew themselves true Christians, by returning back to
the peace of the church. As for the lapsed, having discussed
their case according to the rules of the holy scripture,^ t^iey con-
cluded upon this wise and moderate expedient, that neither all
hopes of peace and communion should be denied them, lest look-
ing upon themselves as in a desperate case, they should start
back into a total apostacy from the faith ; nor yet the censures
of the church be so far relaxed, as rashly to admit them to com-
munion : but that the causes being examined, and regard being
had to the will of the delinquents, and the aggravations of par-
ticular cases, their time of penance should be accordingly pro-
longed, and the divine clemency be obtained by acts of a great
sorrow and repentance. Their meaning is, that the lapsed being
of several sorts, should be treated according to the nature of
their crimes ; the libellatici, who had only purchased libels of
security and dismission from the heathen magistrate, to excuse
them from doing sacrifice in time of persecution, should have a
shorter time of penance assigned them ; the sacri/icafi, who
had actually sacrificed to idols, should not be taken in till they
had expiated their offence by a very long penance, and (as they
sometimes call it) satisfaction. This synodical determination
was presently sent to Rome,"" and ratified by Cornelius and a
council of sixty bishops, and above as many presbyters and
deacons, concluding (and the decree examined, assented to, and
published by the bishops in their several provinces) that Novatus
and his insolent party, and all that adhered to his inhuman and
merciless opinion, should be excluded the communion of the
church ; but that the brethren who had fallen into that calamity
should be gently dealt with, and restored by methods of repent-
ance. About the same time there was a synod also held at
Antioch by the Eastern bishops, about the same affair. For
so Dionysius,^ bishop of Alexandria, in his letter to Cor-
nelius of Rome, tells him, that he had been summoned by He-
y Epist. Iv. ad Anton, p. 102. ^ Id. ibid. p. 103. et Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 43.
® Ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 46.
382 THE LIFE OF
leiins bishop of Tarsus, Firmilian of Cappadocia, and Theoctistus
of Cresarea In Palestine, to meet in council at Antiocb, to sup-
press the endeavours of some, who sought there to establish the
Novatian schism.
VIII. The next year, May 15, anno 252, began another
council at Carthage about this matter,'' and wherein they steered
the same course they had done before, being rather swayed to
moderate counsels herein, because frequently admonished by
divine revelations of an approaching persecution, and therefore
did not think it prudent and reasonable, that men should be left
naked and unarmed in the day of battle, but that they might be
able to defend themselves with the shield of Chrisfs body and
blood. For how should they ever hope to persuade them to
shed their own blood in the cause of Christ, if they denied them
the benefit of his blood i how could it be expected they should
be ready to drink of the cup of martyrdom, whom the church
debarred the privilege to drink of the cup of Christ ? While peace
and tranquillity smiled upon the church, they protracted the time
of penance, and allowed not the sacrificati to be readmitted, but
at the hour of death. But that now the enemy Avas breaking in
upon them, and Christians were to be prepared and heartened on
for suffering, and encouragement to be given to those who by
the sincerity of their repentance had shewed themselves ready
to resist unto blood, and to contend earnestly for the faith. This
they did not to patronise the lazy, but excite the diligent; the
church's peace being granted not in order to ease and softness,
but to conflict and contention. And if any improved the in-
dulgence to worser purposes, they did but cheat themselves, and
such they remitted to the divine tribunal. At this synod ap-
peared one Privatus,'' who, having some years since been con-
demned for heresy and other crimes by a council of ninety
bishops, desired that his cause might be heard over again, but
was rejected by the synod, whereupon gathering a party of the
lapsed, or the schismatics, he ordained at Carthage one Fortu-
natus bishop, giving out that no less than five and twenty
bishops were present at the consecration. But the notorious
falsehood and vanity of their pretences being discovered, they
left the place and fled over to Home.
•' Epist. Synod, ail Cornel, ap. Cypr. Epist. Ivii. p. IIG. ot Epist. lix. ad Cornel, p. \?>-.
' Ibid. p. \:yi.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 383
IX. About this time ha])pene(l that miserable plague, that
so much afflicted the Roman world, wherein Carthage had a very
deep share. Vast multitudes were swept away every day,'' the
fatal messenger knocking as he went along at every door. The
streets were filled with the carcases of the dead, which seemed
to implore the assistance of the living, and to challenge it as a
right by the laws of nature and humanity, as that which shortly
themselves might stand in need of. But, alas, all in vain ; every
one trembled, and fled, and shifted for himself, deserted his
dearest friends and nearest relations ; none considered what
might be his own case, nor how reasonable it was that he should
do for another what he Avould another should do for him ; and
if any stayed behind, it was only to make a prey. In this
calamitous and tragic scene, St. Cyprian calls the Christians to-
gether, instructs them in the duties of mercy and charity, and,
from the precepts and examples of the holy scripture, shews
them what a mighty influence they have to oblige God to us ;
that it was no wonder if their charity extended only to their
own party ; the way to be perfect, and to be Christians indeed,
was to do something more than heathens and publicans, "to over-
come evil with good," and, in imitation of the divine benignity, to
" love our enemies," and, according to our Lord"'s advice, to pray
for the happiness of them that persecute us ; that God constantly
makes his sun to rise and his rain to fall upon the seeds and
plants, not only for the advantage of his own children, but of
all other men ; that therefore they should act as became the
nobility of their new birth, and imitate the example of such a
Father, who professed themselves to be his children. Per-
suaded by this, and much more that he discoursed to the same
effect, enough to convince the very Gentiles themselves, they
presently divided their help according to each one''s rank and
quality. Those who by reason of poverty could contribute
nothing to the charge, did what was infinitely more, personally
laboured in the common calamity, an assistance infinitely beyond
all other contributions. Indeed every one was ambitious to
engage under the conduct of such a commander, and in a service
wherein they might so eminently approve themselves to God the
Father, and Christ the Judge of all, and in the mean time to so
pious and good a bishop. And by this large and abundant
'' Pont. Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. .>.
384 THE LIFE OF
charity great advantage refloundecl not to themselves only, who
were "of the household of faith," but universally to all. And that
he might not be wanting to any, he penned at this time his
excellent discourse concerning Mortality; wherein he so elo-
quently teaches a Christian to triumph over the fears of death,
and shews how little reason there is excessively to mourn for
those friends and relations that are taken from us.
X. This horrible pestilence, together with the wars which of
late had, and even then did, overrun the empire, the Gentiles
generally charged upon the Christian religion, as that for which
the gods were implacably angry with the world. To vindicate
it from this common objection, Cyprian addresses himself in a
discourse to Demetrian the proconsul ; wherein he proves that
these evils that came upon the world could not be laid at the
door of Christianity, assigning other reasons of them, and among
the rest their wild and brutish rage against the Christians,*
which had provoked the Deity to bring these calamities upon
them, as a just punishment of their folly and madness in per-
secuting a religion so innocent, and dear to heaven. The perse-
cution being over, a controversy arose concerning the time of
baptizing infants, started especially by Fidus,*^ an African bishop;
who asserted that baptism was not to be administered on the
third or fourth, but, as circumcision under the Jewish state, to be
deferred till the eighth day. St. Cyprian, in a synod of sixty-
six bishops, determined this question, that it was not necessary
to be deferred so long, nor the grace and mercy of God to be
denied to any as soon as born into the world ; that it was their
universal sentence and resolution, that none ought to be pro-
hibited baptism and the grace of God ; which as it was to be
observed and retained towards all, so much more towards infants
and new-born children. Not long after which, another council
was held by Cyprian," (importuned thereunto by the bishops of
Spain,) to consult concerning the case of Basilides bishop of
Asturica, and Martial of Emerita in Spain, who had lapsed
into the most horrible idolatry in the late persecution, and yet
still retained their places in the church. The synod resolved,
that they were fallen from their episcopal order, and the very
* Vid. P. Orosius Hist. adv. Pagan. 1. vii. c. 21.
f Vid. Epist. Synod, ad Fid. Ep. Ixiv. p. 159.
8 Epist. Synod, ad Fidicem, etc. Ep. Ixviii. p. 1 70. ct s?q.
SAINT CYPRIAN. , 385
lowest degree of the ministry, and that upon their repentance
they were to be restored to no more than the capacity of laics
in the communion of the church.
XI. In this synod, or another called not long after, the famous
contest about rebaptizing those who had been baptized by here-
tics, received its first approbation. It had been, some time since
by occasion of the Montanists and Novatians, canvassed in the
Eastern parts, thence it flew over to Numidia, by the bishops
whereof it had been brought before Cyprian and the council at
Carthage, who determined that the thing was necessary to be
observed, and that this was no novel sentence, but had been so
decreed by his predecessors, and the thing constantly practised
and observed among them, as he assures them in the synodical
epistle about this matter.** Among others to whom they sent
their decrees, the synod especially wrote to Stephen bishop of
Rome,' (who had so far espoused the contrary opinion, as to ex-
communicate the synod at Iconium for making the like de-
termination,) him they acquaint with the sentence they had
passed, and the reasons of it, which they hoped he also would
assent to, however did not magisterially impose it upon him,
every bishop having a proper authority within the jurisdiction of
his own church, whereof he is to render an account to God.
Pope Stephen (with whom stood a great part of the church)
liked not their proceedings ; whereupon a more general council
was summoned, where no less than eighty-seven bishops, from all
parts of the African churches, met together, who unanimously
ratified the former sentence, whose names and particular votes
are extant in the Acts of the council.'' But numbers made the
cause never the better resented at Rome, and indeed the con-
troversy arose to that height between these two good men, that
Stephen gave Cyprian very rude and unchristian language,'
styling him " false Christ, false apostle, deceitful worker," and
such-like : while, on the other hand, Cyprian treated him with
more than ordinary sharpness and severity, charging him with
pride and impertinence,™ and self-contradiction, with ignorance
and indiscretion, with childishness and obstinacy, and other ex-
'' Epist. Ixx. p. 189. ' Epist. Ixxii. p. 196,
'' Apud Cypr. p. 229. et Concill. vol. i. p. 508. ed. reg.
' Finnil. Epist. ad Cypr. Ep. kxv. p. 229.
•" Ad Pompeium Epist. Ixxiv. p. 210.
VOL. I. 2 C
S86 THE LIFE OF
pressions, far enough from that reverence and regard, which St.
StejDhen's successors claim at this day. And no better usage did
he find from FirmiHan bishop of Cfesarea in Cappadocia, as may
be seen in his letter to Cyprian," charging Stephen with sacri-
ficing the church's peace to a petulant humour, where inhumanity,
audaciousness, insolence, wickedness, are some of the characters
bestowed upon him : a great instance how far passion and pre-
judice may transport wise and good men beyond the merits of
the cause, and what the laws of kindness and charity do allow.
I note no more concerning this, than that Cyprian and his party
expressly disowned anabaptism,° or rebaptization ; they freely
confessed that there was but one baptism, and that those who
came over from heretical churches, where they had had their
baptism, were not rebaptized, but baptized, their former baptism
being ipso facto null and invalid, and they did then receive what
(lawfully) they had not before.
XII. It was now the year 257, when Aspasius Pateruus, the
proconsul of Africa, sent for Cyprian to appear before him,P telling
him, that he had lately received orders from the emperors,
(Valerian and Gallienus,) commanding that all that were of a
foreign religion should worship the gods, according to the Roman
rites, desiring to know what was his resolution 1 Cyprian an-
swered, " I am a Christian and a bishop ; I acknowledge no other
gods, but one only true God, who made heaven and earth, and
all that therein is. This is he whom we Christians serve, to
whom we pray day and night, for ourselves and for all men, and
for the happiness and prosperity of the emperors." " And is this
then thy resolution ?" said the proconsul. "That resolution,""
replied the martyr, " which is founded in God, cannot be altered."
Then he told him, that he was to search out the presbyters as
well as bishops, requiring him to discover them. To which
Cyprian gave no other answer, than that according to their own
laws, they were not bound to be informers. The proconsul then
acquainted him, that he was commanded to prohibit all private
assemblies, and to proceed with capital severity against them
that frequented them. Whereat the good man told him, that
his best way was to do as he was commanded. The proconsul,
finding it \vas in vain to treat with him, commanded him to be
" Apud Cypr. Ep. Ixxv. p. 220. o y.^i^t. Ixxi. ad Quint, p. 193.
I* Act. Pass. S. Cypriani. ap. Cypr. p. II, etc.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 887
banished, and accordingly he Avas transported to Curubis, a little
city standing in a peninsula within the Libyan Sea, not far
from Pentapolis ; a place pleasant and delightful enough,'' and
where he met with a kind and a courteous usage, was frequently
visited by the brethren, and furnished with all conveniences ne-
cessary for him.
XIII. But the greatest entertainment in this retirement were
those divine and heavenly visions with which God was pleased
to honour him ; by one whereof, the very first day of his coming
thither, he was particularly forewarned of his approaching
martyrdom, whereof Pontius the deacon,"^ who accompanied him
in his banishment, gives us this account from the martyr's own
mouth. There appeared to him, as he was going to rest, a young
man of a prodigious stature, who seemed to lead him to the
pra^torium, and to present him to the proconsul then sitting upon
the bench : who, looking upon him, began to write something in
a book, which the young man, who looked over his shoulder,
read, but not daring to speak, intimated by signs what it was :
for extending one of his hands at length, he made a cross-stroke
over it with the other, by which Cyprian presently guessed the
manner of his death. Whereupon he importunately begged of
the proconsul but one day's respite to dispose his affairs ; and
partly by the pleasingness of the judge's countenance, partly by
the signs which the young man made of what the proconsul
was noting in his book, he immediately gathered that his request
was granted. And just so it accordingly came to pass, both
as to the time and manner of his martyrdom, that very day
twelve-month, whereon he had this vision, proving the period of
his life.
XIV. How active and diligent he was to improve his oppor-
tunities to the best advantage, appears from the several letters
he wrote during his confinement, especially to the martyrs in
prison, whose spirit he refreshed by proper consolations, and
pressed them to persevere unto the crown. While he was here,
he had news brought him of the daily increase of the persecu-
tion ;' the emperor Valerian having sent a rescript to the senate,
that bishops, presbyters, and deacons should be put to death
without delay ; that senators, and persons of rank and quality,
1 Pont. Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. 7. '' Ibid.
' Epist. Ixxx. ad Success, p. 237.
388 THE LIFE OF
should lose their honours and preferments, forfeit their estates,
and, if still they continued Christians, lose their heads; and that
matrons, having had their goods confiscated, should he banished :
that Xystus and Quartus had alread}" suffered in the cemetery,
where their solemn assemblies were held ; and that the go-
vernors of the city carried on the persecution with might and
main, spoiling and putting to death all that they could meet
with. This sad and uncomfortable news gave the good man
just reason to expect and provide for his own fate,* which he
waited and wished for every day. Indeed, some persons of the
highest rank and quality, his ancient friends, came to him, and
persuaded him for the present to withdraw, oifering to provide
a secure place for his retreat. But the desire of that crown
which he had in his eye had set him above the world, and
made him deaf to their kind offers and entreaties. True it is,
that when news was brought that the officers were coming for
him, to carry him to Utica, to suffer there, by the advice of his
friends he stepped aside, being unwilling to suffer any where but
at Carthage, in the eye of the people, where he had so long and
so successfully preached the Christian faith, the truth whereof
he was desirous to seal with his blood ; it being very fit and
congruous, that a bishop should suffer for our Lord in that place
where he had governed his church, and by that eminent con-
fession edify and encourage the flock committed to him, as he
tells the people of his charge in the last letter that ever he
wrote." As for themselves, he advised them to peace and unity;
not to create trouble to one another, not to offer themselves to
the Gentiles, but if any was apprehended, to stand to it, and
freely confess, as God shoidd enable him to declare himself,
XV. Galerius Maximus, the new proconsul, being returned to
Carthage," Cyprian (who resolved but till then to conceal him-
self) came home, and took up his residence in his own gardens :
where officers were presently sent to apprehend him, who putting
him into a chariot, carried him to the place where the proconsul
was retired for his health ; who commanded him to be kept till
the next day, which was done in the house of one of the officers
that secured him, the people alarmed with the news of his
return and apprehension, flocking to the doors, and watching
« Pont. Diac, in vit. Cypr. p, 8, " Epist, Ixxxi. ad Presb. et Diac, p. 238.
"« Pont. Diac. in vit, Cypr, p, 8. Act. Pass. ap. Cypr. p. 12, etc.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 389
there all night. The next morning, being Septemb. 14, Ann.
Chr. 258, he was led to the proconsurs palace, who not being
yet come forth, he was carried aside into a by-place, where he
rested himself upon a seat, which by chance was covered with
a linen cloth, that so (says my author) even in the hour of his
passion he might enjoy some part of episcopal honour. The
length and hurry of his walk had put the infirm and aged man
into a violent sweat, which being observed by a military mes-
senger, who had formerly been a Christian, he came to him, and
oiFered to accommodate him with dry linen, instead of that wet
and moist that was about him : this he did in a pretended
civility, but really with design to have secured some monument
of the martyr's last agony and labour ; who returned no other
answer, than " We seek to cure complaints and sorrows which,
perhaps, to-day shall be no more for ever." By this time the
proconsul was come out, who, looking upon him, said, " Art thou
Thascius Cyprian, who hast been bishop and father to men of an
impious mind I the sacred emperors command thee to do sacri-
fice. Be well advised, and do not throw away thy life." The
holy martyr replied, " I am Cyprian ; I am a Christian, and
I cannot sacrifice to the gods ; do as thou art commanded ; as
for me, in so just a cause there needs no consultation." The
proconsul was angry at his resolute constancy, and told him,
that he had been a long time of this sacrilegious humour, had
seduced abundance into the same wicked conspiracy with him-
self, and shewn himself an enemy to the gods and religion of the
Roman empire, one whom the pious and religious emperors could
never reduce to the observance of their holy rites : that therefore,
being found to be the author and ringleader of so heinous a
crime, he should be made an example to those whom he had
seduced into so great a wickedness, and that discipline and
severity should be established in his blood. Whereupon he read
his sentence out of a table-book, " I will that Thascius Cyprian
be beheaded." To which the martyr only answered, " I heartily
thank Almighty God, who is pleased to set me free from the
chains of the body."
XVI. Sentence being passed, he was led away from the tri-
bunal with a strong guard of soldiers, infinite numbers of jieople
crowding after ; the Christians weeping and mourning, and
crying out, " let us also be beheaded with him." The place of
390 THE LIFE OF
execution was Sextus's field, a large circuit of ground, where
the trees (whereof the place was full) were loaded with persons
to behold the spectacle. The martyr presently began to strip
himself, first putting off his cloak, which he folded up, and laid
at his feet, and falling down upon his knees, recommended his
soul to God in prayer ; after which, he put off his Dalmatic, or
under-coat, which he delivered to the deacons, and so standing
in nothing but a linen vestment, expected the headsman, to
whom he commanded the sum of about six pounds to be given,"
the brethren spreading linen cloths about him to preserve his
blood from being spread upon the ground. His shirt-sleeves
being tied by Julian, (or, as one of the Acts calls him, Tullian,)
the presbyter, and Julian the sub-deacon, he covered his eyes
with his own hand, and the executioner did his office. His
body was by the Christians deposited not far off, but at night,
for fear of the Gentiles, removed, and with abundance of lights
and torches solemnly interred in the cemetery of Macrobius
Candidus a procurator, near the fish-ponds in the Mappaliari
way. This was done anno 258, Valeriani et Gallieni 5 ; so
extravagantly wide is the account of the Alexandrine Chronicle,^
(if it means the same person,) when it tells us that St. Cyprian
suffered martyrdom, Ann. Alexandri Imp. ] 3, that is, Ann. Chr.
234 ; though the consuls under which he places it (and this
agrees better with his other accounts, both of the Olympiads
and of Christ's ascension) assign it to the last year of Maximinus,
Ann. Chr. 237; for so he says, that it was 205 3-ears after our
Lord's ascension into heaven : which was, however,*^ far enough
from truth. Indeed, elsewhere he places St. Cyprian's mar-
tyrdom/ Valeriani 2, which (as appears by the consuls) should
be 5 ; that is, Ann. Chr. 258. But it is no new thing with that
author to confound times and persons, and assign the same
events to different years. Thus died this good man, the first
bishop of his see that suffered martyrdom, as Pontius his deacon
informs us ; ^ who was a true lover of him, and followed him to
the last, and professes himself not to rejoice so much at the
glory and triumph of his master, as to mourn that he himself
was left behind.
y Act. Pass. Cypr. ap. Cypr. p. 13. et vid. Brierw. de Num. c. 14.
» Ann. 4 Olympiad. 253. Indict. 13. » An. 1. Olymp. 259. Ind. 4. Valer. 2;
'• In vit. Cypr. p. 10.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 391
' XVII. St. Cyprian, though starting late, ran apace in the Chris-
tian race. He had a soul inflamed with a mighty love and zeal
for God, whose honour he studied by all ways to promote, A wise
and prudent governor, a great asserter of the church''s rights, a
resolute patron and defender of the truth, a faithful and vigilant
overseer of his flock, powerful and diligent in preaching, prudent
in his determinations, moderate in his counsels, grave and severe
in his admonitions, pathetical and affectionate in his persuasives,
indulgent to the penitent, but inflexible to the obstinate and con-
tumacious.*^ Infinite pains he took to reclaim the lapsed, and to
restore them to the church by methods of penance and due hu-
miliation:'* he invited them kindly, treated them tenderly; if
their minds were honest, and their desires sincere, he would not
rigorously examine their crimes by over-nice weights and mea-
sures ; so prone to pity and compassion, that he was afraid lest
he himself offiended in remitting other men's offences. He valued
the good of souls above the love of his own life ; constant in the
profession of i-eligion, from which neither by hopes nor fears
could he be drawn aside. How strictly chaste and continent
he was, even in his first entrance upon Christianity, we have
noted in the beginning of his life. His humility eminently ap-
peared in his declining the honour of the episcopal order, and
desire that it might be conferred upon a more deserving person ;
and when some factious and schismatical persons traduced him
as taking too much upon him, because he controlled their wild
and licentious courses, he vindicates his humility at large in a
letter to Pupianus,*' who had made himself head of the party
that appeared against him. So modest, that in all great trans-
actions concerning the church, he always consulted both his col-
leagues and his flock, himself assuring us,*^ that from the very
entrance upon his bishopric, he determined not to adjudge any
thing by his own private order, without the counsel of the clergy
and the consent of the people. His behaviour was composed and
sober,s JiJg countenance grave, yet cheerful, neither guilty of a
frowning severity, nor an over-pleasant mirth, but an equal de-
corum and temperament of both, it being hard to say, whether
he more deserved to be loved or feared, but that he equally de-
•= Vid. Nemes. etc. Martyr. Epist. ad Cypr. Ixxvii. opp. Cj-pr. p. 234.
<• Vid. Epist. lix. ad Cornel, p. 138. « Epist. Ixvi. p. 1Q5.
7 Epist. V. ad Presb. at Diac. p. 10. « Pont. Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. 4.
392 THE LIFE OF
served both. And the very same he was in his garb, sober and
moderate, observing a just distance both from slovenliness and
superfluity, such as neither argued him to be swelled with pride
and vanity, nor infected with a sordid and penurious mind. But
that which set the crown upon the head of all his other virtues,
was his admirable and exemplary charity; he was of a kind and
compassionate temper, and he gave it vent. Upon his first em-
bracing the Christian religion he sold his estate, (which was not
mean and inconsiderable,) and gave almost all of it to the poor,
from which he suffered no considerations to restrain him. His
hand, and tongue, and heart were open upon all occasions ; we
find him at one time not only earnestly pressing others to con-
tribute towards the redemption of Christians taken captive by
the Barbarians,*' but himself sending a collection of a great many
thousand crowns. Nor was this a single act done once in his
life, but his ordinary practice : his doors were open to all that
came, the widow never returned empty from him ; ^ to any that
were blind, he would be their guide to direct them ; those that
were lame, he was ready to lend his assistance to support them ;
if any were oppressed by might, he was at hand to rescue and
protect them : which things, he was wont to say, they ought
to do, who desired to render themselves truly acceptable and
dear to God.
XVIII. His natural parts seem to have been ready and acute
enough, which how far he improved by secular and Gentile
learning, is unknown. He seems to have laid no deep founda-
tions in the study of philosophy, whereof few or no footsteps are
to be seen in any of his writings : his main excellency was elo-
quence, rhetoric being his proper profession before his conversion
to Christianity ; wherein he attained to so great a pitch, that
Erasmus, a competent judge of these matters, sticks not to
affirm,"* that among all the ecclesiastics he is the only African
writer that attained the native purity of the Latin tongue.
Tertullian is difficult and obscure, St. Augustine strangely per-
plexed and dry; but Cyprian, (as St. Hierom long since truly
censured,') like a pure fountain, is smooth and sweet : and Lac-
tantius, long before him, passed this judgment,"' that Cyprian
*• Epist. Ixii. ad Episc. Numid. p. 147. ' Diac. in vit. Cypr. p. 4.
'' Pra;f. in Cypr. inter Erasm. Ep. 1. xxviii. Epist. 6. p. 1616.
' Epist. xlix. ad Paulin. voL iv. par. ii. p. 567. ■" De Justit. I. v. c. 1.
SAINT CYPRIAN. 898
alone was the chief and famous writer, eminent for his teaching
oratory, and writing books admirable in their kind ; that he had
a facile, copious, pleasant, and (which is the greatest grace of
speech) clear and perspicuous wit, that a man can hardly discern,
whether he be more eloquent in his expressions, easy in his ex-
plications, or potent in his persuasives. Indeed his style is very
natural and easy, nothing elaborate or affected in it, or which
savours of craft and ostentation, but such every where the tenor
of his language, (I speak Erasmus's sense as well as my own,")
that you will think you hear a truly Christian bishop, and one
designed for martyrdom speaking to you. His mind was in-
flamed with piety, and his speech was answerable to his mind :
he spake elegantly, and yet things more powerful than elegant,
nor did he speak powerful things so much as live them. After
his coming over to the church, he made such quick and vast pro-
ficiencies in Christian theology, that Baronius thinks it not im-
probable to suppose," either that before his conversion he had
been conversant in the books of Christians, or that he was mira-
culously instructed from above. It is certain that afterwards
he kept close to TertuUian's writings, without which he scarce
ever passed one day, often saying to his notary, "reach hither
my master," meaning Tertullian : a passage which St. Hierom
tells us,P he received from Paulus of Concordia in Italy, who
had it from the mouth of Cyprian's own amanuensis at Rome.
And certainly it sounds not a little to the commendation of his
judgment, that he could drink so freely at that great man's
fountain, and suck in none of his odd and uncouth opinions; that
he could pick the flowers, and pass by the useless or noxious
weeds ; as a wise man many times is so far from being cor-
rupted, that he is the more warned and confirmed in the right
by another man's errors and mistakes. As for his writings,
St. Hiei-om passes them over with this character, '^ that it was
superfluous to reckon them up, being clearer and more ob-
vious than the sun. Many of them are undoubtedly lost ; the
greatest part of what remain are epistles, and all of them such
as admirably tend to promote the peace and order of the church,
and advance piety and a good life. A great number of tracts,
either dubious or evidently supposititious, are laid at his door,
" Loc. supra citat. " Ad ann. 250. n. 1 1.
P De Script, in TertuU. ^ De Script, in Cypr.
394 THE LIFE OF
some of tliem very ancient, and most of them useful; it being his
happiness, above all other writers of the church, (says Erasmus,"")
that nothing is fathered upon him but what is learned, and
what was the issue of some considerable pen.
XIX. He was highly honoured, while he lived, not only by
men, consulted and appealed to in all weighty cases by foreign
churches, but by frequent visions and divine condescensions, (as
he was wont to call them,) whereby he was immediately warned
and directed in all important affairs and exigences of the church.
After his death his memory was had in great veneration, the
people of Carthage erecting two eminent churches to it,^ one in
the place of his martyrdom, the other in the Mappalian way,
where he was buried. The former was styled Mensa Cypriani^
Cyprian*'s table, because there he had been offered up a sacrifice
acceptable unto God. And here they had their anniversary
commemorations of him. Whether this was the church men-
tioned by Procopius,' I cannot tell ; who informs us, that the
Carthaginians, above all people in the world, honoured St. Cy-
prian, building a magnificent church to his memory without the
city walls near the sea side ; and besides other expressions of
honour done to him, they kept a yearly festival, which they
called Cypriana. This church Honoricus, king of the Vandals,
afterwards took from the Catholics, casting out the orthodox
clergy with disgrace and contempt, and bestowed it upon the
Arians, which ninety-five years after was recovered by the em-
peror Justinian, under the conduct of Belisarius, who besieged
and took Carthage, and drove the Vandals out of all those
parts.
■" Loco supra citat.
" Vict, de Persec. Vandal. 1. i. p. 801. vol. ii. inter Patr. Orthodox, per Grjoiaeum.
' De Bell. Vandal. 1. i. c. 21. vid. Niceph. 1. xvii. c. 12.
His writings.
Genuine. Epistolse sub Pontificatu Stephani, et de re-
Epistola ad Donatiun statim a Baptismo baptizandis Ha;reticis 10.
conscripta. Epistolre in exilio scriptae sub finem vit£6 7.
Kjjistolae in Secessu toto biennio conscriptae De disciplina et habitu Virginum.
3B. De Lap sis.
Epistolse sub Pontificatu Cornelii et Lucii De Unitate Ecclesiae Catholicae.
18. De Oratione Donuuica.
EpistoUe Misccllanc;u in pace variis tempo- Ad Demetrianuni.
ribus conscripta; 8. De Idolorum vanitate.
SAINT CYPRIAN.
395
De Mortalitate.
De Opere et Eleemosynis.
De Bono Patientiae.
De Zelo et Livore.
De exhortatione Martyri'i ad Fortunatum.
Testimonionini Advorsus Judteos libri tres.
Concilium Carthaginense, de baptizandis
Haereticis.
Supposititious.
De Spectaculis.
De Disciplina et bono pudicitise.
De Laude Martyrii ad Mosen, etc.
Ad Novatianum, quod Lapsis spes veniaj
non sit deneganda.
De Cardinalibus Christi operibus.
De Nativitate Christi.
De ratione Circumcisionis.
De Stella et Magis, ac innocentium nece.
De baptismo Christi, et uianifestatione
Trinitatis.
De jejunio et tentationibus Christi,
De Coena Domini.
De Ablutione pedum.
De unctione Chrismatis, et aliia Sacramen-
tis.
De Passione Christi.
De Resurrectione Christi.
De Ascensione Christi.
De Spiritu Sancto.
De Aleatoribus.
De montibus Sina et Sion contr. Juditos.
Carmen, Genesis.
Carmen, Sodoma.
Carmen, ad Senatorem Apostatam.
Hymnus de Pascha Domini.
Oratio pro Martyribus.
Oratio in die Passionis suae.
De singiilaritate Clericorum.
In Symbolum Apostolorum Expositio.
De Judaica incredulitate.
Adv. Judteos, qui Christum insecuti sunt.
De revelatione Capitis B. Joan. Baptistse.
De duplici Martj^rio, ad Fortunatum.
De 12 Abusionibus Saeculi.
Dispositio Coenae.
THE LIFE OF SAINT GREGORY,
BISHOP OF NEOCiESAREA.
St. Gregory, where bom. His kindred and relations. The rank and quality of his
parents. His youthful studies. His study of the laws. His travels to Alexandria.
The calumny there fixed upon him, and his miraculous vindication. His return
through Greece. His studying the law at Berytus, and upon what occasion. His
fixing at Caesarea, and putting himself under the tutorage of Origen. The course of
his studies. His panegyric to Origen at his departure. Origen's letter to him, and
the importance of it. His refusal to stay at Neocsesarea, and retirement into the
Avildemess. His shunning to be made bishop of Neocaesarea. Consecrated bishop of
that city during his absence. His acceptance of the charge, and the state of that place
at his entrance upon it. His miraculous instruction in the great mysteries of Chris-
tianity. His creed. The miracles wrought by him in his return. His expelling
demons out of a Gentile temple, and the success of it. His welcome entrance into the
city^, and kind entertainment. His diligent preaching to the people. His erecting
a church for divine worship, and its signal preservation. An horrible plague stopped
by his prayers. The great influence of it upon the minds of the people. His judging
in civil causes. His drying up a lake by his prayers, which had been the cause of an
implacable quarrel between two brothers ; and his restraining the overflowings of the
river Lycus. The signal vengeance inflicted upon two Jews, counterfeit beggars. The
fame and midtitude of his miracles, and the authorities to justify the credibility of
them. The rage and cruelty of the Decian persecution in the regions of Pontus and
Cappadocia. His persuading the Christians to withdraw. His own retirement. The
narrow search made for him, and his miraculous escape. His betrayer converted. His
return to Neocaesarea, and instituting solemnities to the memories of the martyrs, and
the reasons of it. The inundations of the Northern nations upon the Roman empire.
His canonical epistle to rectify the disorders committed by occasion of those inroads.
His meeting with others in the synod at Antioch, about the cause of Paulus S;unose-
tanus. His return home, age, and death. His solemn thanks to God for the flourish-
ing state of his church, and command concerning his burial. The excellent character
given of him by St. Basil. His writings. The charge of Sabellianism. St. Basil's
Apology for him in that behalf. Modesty to be used in censuring the ancient fathers,
and why.
St. Gregory, called originally Theodorus, was born at Neocae-
sarea," the metropolis of Cappadocia, situate upon the river Lycus.
His parents were Gentiles, but eminent for their birth and for-
* Greg. Nyss. in vit, Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 537.
THE LIFE OF SAINT GKEGORY. 397
tunes. He had a brother called Athenodorus, his fellow-pupil,
i and afterwards colleague in the episcopal order in his own
I country ; and one sister, at least, married to a judge under the
governor of Palestine. His father was a zealot for his religion,''
I wherein he took care to educate him, together with the learning
I of the Gentile world. When he was fourteen years of age his
I father died, after which he took a greater liberty of inquiring
!; into things; and as his reason grew more quick and manly, and
j was advantaged by the improvements of education, he saw more
j plainly the folly and vanity of that religion wherein he had
I been brought up, which presently abated his edge, and turned
his inclinations towards Christianity. But though he had lost
his father, his mother took cai*e to complete his breeding,^ placing
him and his brother under masters of rhetoric and eloquence :
by one of which, who was appointed to teach him the Latin
tongue, as a necessary piece of noble and ingenuous education,
he was persuaded to the study of the Roman laws, as what
would be a mighty advantage to him in what way soever he
should make use of his rhetorical studies afterwards ; and the
man himself, being no inconsiderable lawyer, read lectures to him
with great accuracy and diligence, which he as sedulously at-
tended to, rather to gratify his humour and his fancy, than out
of any love to those studies, or design to arrive at perfection in
them : which however sufficiently commends his industry, those
laws (as himself observes*^) being vast and various, and not to
be learned without trouble and difficulty : and which above all
increased the labour, was, that they were all written in Latin,
a language (as he confesses) great indeed and admirable, and
suited to the majesty of the empire ; but which he found trouble-
some enough to make himself but a competent master of.
II. Having laid the foundations of his first and most necessary
studies at home, he designed yet further to accomplish himself
by foreign travels, going probably first for Alexandria, grown
more than ordinarily famous by the Platonic school lately erected
there. Indeed, I am not confident of the precise assigning this
period of his life, but know that I cannot be much wide the
mark, Gregory of Nyssa assuring us,* that he came thither in his
youth, where, by the closeness of his studies, but especially by
'' Greg. Thaum. Panegyr. ad Orig. p. 55. <^ Ibid. p. 56. ^ Ibid. p. 49.
* In vit, Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 540.
398 THE LIFE OF
the admirable sobriety and strictness of his life, he visibly re-
proached the debaucheries of his fellow-students, who were of
more wanton and dissolute manners. They presently fall a me-
ditating revenge, confederating with a common strumpet to put
an abuse and affront upon him. Accordingly, dressed in a loose
wanton garb, she came to him one day as he was engaged in a
serious and grave discourse with some learned and peculiar
friends, impudently charging him with over-familiar converses,
relating what she thought good to affirm had either been said, or
had passed between them ; charging him moreover with cheating
her of the reward of their lewd embraces. The company, who
knew him to be a person of quite another temper, stormed at
the boldness and impudence of the woman, while he, regardless
of the affront, said nothing to it, calmly desiring a friend to give
her the money that she asked, that they might be no longer in-
terrupted in their discourses. But behold how ready heaven is
to vindicate the cause of injui'ed innocence. The money was no
sooner paid into her hand, but, as if acted by a furious demon,
she fell into fits of the most wild and extravagant madness,
roaring out the most horrid noise, throwing herself upon the
ground, pulling and tearing of her hair, distorting her eyes, and
foaming at the mouth ; nor could she be freed from the rude
treatments of the merciless demon, till he whom she had wronged
had forgiven her, and interceded to heaven for her.
III. Departing from Alexandria, he came back, as we may
probably suppose, through Greece, and stayed awhile at Athens,
where Socrates tells us he studied,^ and thence returned to his
own country, applying himself to his old study of the law, which
he had now a great opportunity to improve by going to Berytus,
a city of Phoenicia, and a famous university for the profession of
the Roman laws ; whence Eunapius says of Anatolius," it was no
wonder if he was incomparably skilled in the laws, being born
at Berytus, the mother of those studies. Hither he came upon
this occasion.'' The president of Palestine had taken his brother-
in-law, an eminent lawyer, along with him to be his assessor and
assistant in governing the affairs of that province, who, not long
after, sent for his wife, and a request that he also would come
along with her. All things conspired to make him willing to
( Hist. Eccl. 1. iv. c. 27. s In vit. Proa?res. p. 1.51.
'' Greg. Thauni. PanegjT. ad Orig. p. 58.
SAINT GREGORY. 399
undertake this journey ; the gratifying- his sister with his com-
pany, the importunity and persuasion of his friends, the conve-
niency of residing at Berytus for the study of the law, and the
advantage of conveyance, and the pubHc carriages that were
sent to fetch his sister and her retinue into those parts. Whe-
ther he actually studied at Berytus, cannot be gathered from any
account that he himself gives of it, nay, rather the contrary,'
though St. Hierom and others expressly affirm it. If he did, he
stayed not long, quickly growing weary of his law-studies, being
tempted with the more pleasant and charming speculations of
philosophy. The fame of Origen, who at that time had opened
a school at Caesarea in Palestine, and whose renown no doubt he
had heard sufficiently celebrated at Alexandria, soon reached
him, to whom he immediately betook himself; where meeting
accidentally with Firmilian,a Cappadocian gentleman,'' and after-
wards bishop of Cffisarea in that country, and finding a more than
ordinary sympathy and agreeableness in their tempers and
studies, they entered into a league of friendship, and jointly put
themselves, together with his brother Athenodorus, under the
tutorage of that so much celebrated master : where Erasmus's
mistake must be pardoned,' making our Gregory and Theodoras
two distinct scholai's of Origen, when it is so notoriously known
they were but two names of the same person : though herein the
more easily to be excused, that Nicephorus Oallistus,"" long before
him, had, besides ours, made another Theodoras scholar also to
Origen at that same time at Caesarea, who was, as he tells us, an
eminent bishop in Palestine. But herein there is an universal
silence in all other writers; not the least intimation of it in
Eusebius, from whom he derives his accounts of things. So
plain it is, that of two several names he made two different
persons.
IV. Glad he was to have fallen under so happy an institution;
Origen, by the most apt and easy methods, leading him through
the whole region and circumference of philosophy. By how
many stages he brought him through the several parts of dis-
cipline, logic, physics, mathematics, ethics, metaphysics, and
how he introduced him into the mysteries of theology, St. Gregory
"' Greg. Thaum. Panegyr. ad Orig. p. 59.
'' Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 542.
' Vit. Orig. Prsef. Orig. Oper. "> Hist. Eccl. 1. v. c. 20.
400 THE LIFE OF
himself has given us large and particular accounts," which it
is not material here to insist upon. Above all, he endeavoured
to settle him in the full belief and persuasion of the Christian
religion, whereinto he had some insight before, and to ground
him in the knowledge of the holy scriptures, as the best system
of true wisdom and philosophy. Five years he continued
Origen's disciple, when he was recalled into his own country.
Being to take his leave, he made an oration before his master,
and in a numerous auditory; wherein, as he gives Origen his just
commendations, so he particularly blesses God for the happy
advantages of his instructions," and returns thanks to his tutelar
and guardian angel, which, as it had superintended him from his
birth, so had especially conducted him to so good a master :
elegantly bewailing his departure from that school, p as a kind of
banishment out of Paradise, a being turned, like the prodigal,
out of his fathei-'s house, and a being carried captive as the Jews
were into Babylon : concluding, that of all things upon earth,
nothing could give so great an ease and consolation to his mind,
as if his kind and benign angel would bring him back to that
place again.
V. He was no sooner returned to Neocsesarea, but Origen
followed him with a letter, "i commending his excellent parts,
able to render him either an eminent lawyer among the Romans,
or a great philosopher among the Greeks, but especially per-
suading him to improve them to the ends of Christianity, and
the practice of piety and virtue : for which purpose he lets him
know, that he instructed him mainly in those sciences and parts
of philosophy which might be introductory to the Christian
religion, acquainting him with those things in geometry and
astronomy which might be useful for the understanding and
explaining the holy scriptures ; these things being as previously
advantageous to the knowledge of the Christian doctrine, as geo-
metry, music, grammar, rhetoric, and astronomy are preparatory
to the study of philosophy : advising him, before all things, to
read the scripture, and that with the most profound and diligent
attention, and not rashly to entertain notions of divine things,
or to speak of them without solemn premeditation ; and not
only to seek but knock, to pray with faith and fervency, it being
" Panegyr. ad Orig. p. 63, 64. « Ibid. p. 55, 57.
p Ibid. p. 74, 75. q Extat. in Orig. Philocal. c. 13.
SAINT GREGORY. 401
in vain to think that the door should be opened where prayer
is not sent beforehand to unlock it. At his return, all men's
eyes were upon him/ expecting that in public meetings he should
shew himself, and let them reap some fruit of all his studies ;
and to this he was universally courted and importuned, and es-
pecially by the wise and great men of the city, entreating him
to reside among them, and, by his excellent precepts and rules of
life, to reform and direct the manners of men. But the modest
young man, knowing how unfit they generally were to entertain
the dictates of true philosophy, and fearing lest by a great con-
course and applause he might be insensibly ensnared into pride
and vain-glory, resisted all addresses, and withdrew himself into
the wilderness, where he resigned up himself to solitude and
contemplation, conversing with God and his own mind, and
delighting his thoughts with the pleasant speculations of nature,
and the curious and admirable works of the great artificer of the
world.
*
VI. Neocsesarea was a place large and populous, but misera-
bly overgrown with superstition and idolatry, so that it seemed
the place where Satan's seat was, and whither Christianity
had as yet scarce made its entrance, to the great grief and
resentment of all good men, who heartily wished that reli-
gion and the fear of God were planted in that place. PhaBdimus,*
bishop of Amasea, a neighbour city in that province, a man
endued with a prophetic spirit, had cast his eye upon our young
philosopher, as one whose ripe parts and piety did more than
weigh down his want of age, and rendered him a person fit to
be a guide of souls to the place of his nativity, whose relation
to the place would more endear the employment to him. The
notice hereof being intimated to him, he shifted his quarters, and,
as oft as sought for, fled from one desert and solitary shelter to
another, so that the good man, by all his arts and industry,
could not lay hold of him, the one not being more earnest to find
him out, than the other was vigilant to decline him. Phsedimus
at last despairing to meet with him, resolved however to go on
with his design ; and being acted op^fj tivc Oeiorepa^ by a divine
and immediate impetus, betook himself to this pious stratagem,
(the like precedent probably not to be met with in the anti-
quities of the church,) not regarding Gregorius's absence, (who
■■ Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thauin. vol. iii. p. 543. ' Id. ibid. p. 544.
vol.. I. 2d
402 THE LIFE OF
was at that time no less than three days'* journey distant from
him,) he made his address and prayer to God, and having de-
clared that both himself and Gregory were at that moment
equally seen hy God, as if they M'ere present, instead of im-
position of hands, he directed a discourse to St. Gregory,
wherein he set him apart to God, and constituted him bishop of
that place ; and God, who steers the hearts of men, inclined him,
how averse soever before, to accept the charge, when, probably,
he had a more formal and solemn consecration.
VII. The province he entered upon was difficult, the city and
parts thereabouts being wholly given to the worship of demons,'
and enslaved to the observance of diabolic rites, there not being
above seventeen Christians in those parts, so that he must found
a church before he could govern it ; and, which was not the least
inconvenience, heresies had spread themselves over those coun-
tries, and he himself, though accomplished with a sufficient
furniture of human learning, yet altogether unexercised in
theological studies, and the mysteries of religion. For remedy
whereof, he is said to have had an immediate assistance from
heaven. For while one night he was deeply considering of these
things, and discussing matters of faith in his own mind, he had
a vision, wherein two august and venerable persons (whom he
understood to be St. John the Evangelist and the blessed
Virgin) appeared in the chamber where he was, and discoursed
before him concerning those points of faith, which he had been
before debating with himself: after whose departure, he imme-
diately penned that canon and rule of faith which they had
declared, and which he ever after made the standard of his doc^
trine, and bequeathed, as an inestimable legacy and depositmu, to
his successors, the tenor whereof we shall here insert, together
with the original Greek ; which, being very difficult to be exactly
rendered into our language, the learned reader (if he likes not
mine) may translate for himself
Eh ©€6<i Trarrjp Xojov ^wv- " There is one God, the Fa-
T09, ao(f)La<; v^eaTooaiTi kuI ther of the living Word, and of
Svvdfieox;, koI 'xapaKTrjpo'; ai- the subsisting Wisdom and
Blov T€\€io<i,T€X€iov y€vv7]TQ)p- Powcr, and of Him who is his
Trarrjp viov /jLovo'yevov<;. Eh Eternal Image, the perfect be-
' Greg. Nyss. in ^dt. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 545.
SAINT GREGORY.
403
icvpio<;, fjb6vo<i iK fjiovov, 0eo9 eV
Oeov' '^apuKTyp Kol ecKoyv T779
6e6T7]To<;, \6yo<; evepyo^, crocfyla
Tr]<i Tcov b\u>v (Tv<Trd(Teo)<i irepi-
eKTCKi], Koi 8vva/j,L<i Trj<i 6\ri<i
KTL(reco'i'7roi7]TiK7}, vl6<;aXr)6tv6'i
oXtjOlvov rrarpo';' aoparo'^ a-
opdrov, Koi a(pdapTO<i d(f)ddp-
Tov, Kol dddvaro<i ddavdrov,
Kol dthio^ aihiov. Kal €V TTvev-
fia ciyiov, ck ©eov ttjv virap-
^iv e'^ov, Kal Si" vlov 7re(f)r)vb'i,
Br]\aSr] Tot<i dv6pco7roc<;' eiKoov
rod vlov, rekeiov rekela ^corj,
^(ovTcov alrla' Trrjyrj dyla, dyc-
6rri<i, dyiacTfjUov ')(op'r}y6<;' ev S
(^avepovrat Qeo<i 6 Trarrjp, 6
iirl TrdvTOiv, Kal ev Trdac' Kal
0609 6 vio^, 6 Sid TrdvTcoV
Tpid<i Tekela, So^rj Kal diSto-
TrjTt Kal ^aaiKela, firj fjuepu-
^o/jbiuT], /jt,r)Se diraWoTpLov-
fjbevr).
getter of Him that is perfect,
the Father of the only begotten
Son. There is one Lord, the
only [Son] of the only [Fa-
ther] God of God, the cha-
racter and image of the God-
head, the powerful Word, the
comprehensive Wisdom, by
which all things were made,
and the Power that gave being
to the whole creation, the true
Son of the true Father, the
Invisible of the Invisible, the
Incorruptible of the Incorrupti-
ble, the Immortal of the Im-
mortal, and the Eternal of
Him that is Eternal. There
is one Holy Ghost, having its
subsistence of God, which ap-
peared through the Son to
mankind, the perfect Image of
the perfect Son, the Life-giving
Life, the holy Fountain, the
Sanctity, and the Author of
sanctification : by whom God the Father is made manifest, who
is over all, and in all; and God the Son, who is through all.
A perfect Trinity, which neither in glory, eternity, or dominion
is divided, or separated from itself."
To this creed he always kept himself; the original whereof, writ-
ten with his own hand, my author assures us was preserved in
that church in his time.
VIII. Thus incomparably furnished, he began to apply him-
self more directly to the charge committed to him, in the happy
success whereof he was infinitely advantaged by a power of
working miracles (so much talked of among the ancients) be-
stowed upon him. As he was returning home from the wilder-
ness," being benighted, and overtaken with a storm, he, together
with his company, turned aside to shelter themselves in a Gen-
" Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thauni. vol. iii. p. 548.
2 D 2
404 THE LIFE OF
tile temple, famous for oracles and divinations, where they spent
the night in prayers and hymns to God. Early in the morning
came the Gentile priest to pay the accustomed devotions to the
demons of the place, who had told them, it seems, that they
must henceforth relinquish it by reason of him that lodged
there ; he made his lustrations, and offered his sacrifices, but all
in vain, the demons being deaf to all importunities and invoca-
tions. Whereupon he burst out into a rage and passion, ex-
claiming against the holy man, and threatening to complain of
him to the magistrates and the emperor. But when he saw
him generously despising all his threatenings, and invested with
a power of commanding demons in and out at pleasure, he
turned his fury into admiration, and entreated the bishop, as a
further evidence of that divine authority that attended him, to
bring the demons once more back again into the temple : for
whose satisfaction he is said to have torn oif a piece of paper, and
therein to have written these words, " Gregory to Satan, enter."
Which schedule was no sooner laid upon the altar, and the
usual incense and oblations made, but the demons appeared
again as they were wont to do. Whereby he was plainly con-
vinced that it was an authority superior to all infernal powers,
and accordingly resolved to accompany him ; but being unsatis-
fied in some parts of the Christian doctrine, was fully brought
over, after he had seen St. Gregory confirm his discourses by
another evident miracle ; whereupon he freely forsook house
and home, friends and relations, and resigned up himself to the
instructions of his divine wisdom and philosophy.
IX. The fame of his strange and miraculous actions had pre-
pared the people of Neocaesarea to entertain him with a prodigious
reverence and regard," the people generally flocking out of the
city to meet him, every one being ambitious to see the person
of whom such great things were spoken. He, unconcerned in
the applause and expectations of all the spectators that were
about him, without so much as casting his eye on the one side
or the other, passed directly through the midst of the crowds
into the city : whither being come, his friends that had accom-
panied him out of his solitudes, were very solicitous where and
by whom he should be entertained. But he, reproving their
anxiety, asked them, whether they thought themselves banished
" Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 551.
SAINT GREGORY. 405
the divine protection? whether God's providence was not the
best and safest refuge and habitation? that whatever became
of their bodies, it was of infinitely more importance to look after
their minds, as the only fit and proper habitations, which were
by the virtues of a good life to be trimmed and prepared, fur-
nished, and built up for heaven. But there wanted not many,
who were ready enough to set open their doors to so welcome
a guest ; among which especially was Musonius, a person of
greatest honour, estate, and power in the city, who entreated
him to honour his house with his presence, and to take up his
lodging there : whose kindness, as being first offered, he ac-
cepted, dismissing the rest with a grateful acknowledgment of
that civility and respect which they had offered to him.
X. It was no little abatement to the good man's joy, to think
in what a profane and idolatrous place his lot was fallen, and
that therefore it concerned him to lose no time. Accordingly,
that very day, he fell to preaching,^ and with so good success,
that before night he had converted a little church. Early the
next morning the doors were crowded, persons of all ranks, ages,
infirmities, and distempers flocking to him, upon whom he
wrought two cures at once, healing both soul and body, in-
structing their minds, convincing their errors, reclaiming and re-
forming their manners, and that with ease ; because at the same
time strengthening the infirm, curing the sick, healing the dis-
eased, banishing demons out of the possessed ; men greedily em-
bracing the religion he taught, while they beheld such sensible
demonstrations of its power and divinity before their eyes, and
heard nothing reported but what was verified by the testimony
of their own senses. Having thus prepared a numerous congre-
gation, his next care was to erect a church, where they might
assemble for the public solemnities of religion, which by the cheer-
ful contributions of some, and the industrious labour of others,
was in a little time both begun and finished. And the founda-
tions of it seem to have been laid upon a firmer basis than other
buildings, seeing it out-stood not only earthquakes, frequent in
those parts, but the violent storm of Dioclesian's reign, who
commanded the churches of the Christians in all places to be
demolished ; and was still standing in Gregory Nyssen's time,
who further tells us, that when a terrible earthquake lately
y Greg. Nyss. in vit, Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 555.
406 THE LIFE OF
happened in that place, wherewith almost all the buildings both
public and private were destroyed and ruined, this church only
remained entire, and not the least stone was shaken to the
ground.
XI. St. Gregory Nyssen reports one more memorable passage
than the rest ; ^ which at his first coming to the place made his
conversion of the people much more quick and easy. There
was a public festival held in honour of one of the gods of that
country, whereto not only the Neocsesareans, but all the inha-
bitants of the neighbour-country came in, and that in such in-
finite numbers, that the theatre was quickly full, and the crowd
so great, and the noise so confused and loud, that the shows
could not begin, nor the solemn rites be performed. The people
hereupon universally cried out to the demon, " Jupiter, we be-
seech thee, make us room.'' St. Gregory, being told of this, sent
them this message, that their prayer would be granted, and that
greater room would be quickly made them than they desired.
Immediately a terrible plague brake in upon them, that turned
their music into weeping, and filled all places with cries and
dying groans. The distemper spread like wild-fire, and persons
were sick and dead in a few moments. The temples, whither
many fled in hopes of cure, were filled with carcases ; the
fountains and the ditches, whither the heat and fervour of the
infection had led them to quench their thirst, were dammed up
with the multitudes of those that fell into them ; some of their
own accord went and sat among the tombs, securing a sepulchre
to themselves, there not being living enough to j)erform the last
offices to the dead. The cause of this sad calamity being under-
stood, that it proceeded from their rash and foolish invocation of
the demon, they addressed themselves to the bishop, entreating
him to intercede with his God (whom they believed to be a more
potent and superior Being) in their behalf, that he would re-
strain that violent distemper that raged amongst them. He
did so, and the pestilence abated, and the destroying angel took
his leave. And the issue was, that the people generally deserted
their temples, oracles, sacrifices, and the idolatrous rites of their
religion, and took sanctuary in Christianity, as the securest
refuge, and the best way to oblige heaven to protect them.
XII. His known prudence, and the reputation of his mighty,
^ Greg. Nyss, in vit. Greg. Tkaum. vol. iii. p. 575.
SAINT GREGORY. 407
and (as my author calls them") apostolical miracles, advanced
him into so much favour and veneration with the people, that
they looked upon whatever he said or did, as the eftect of a
divine power. And even in secular causes, where the case was
any thing knotty and difficult, it was usually brought to him,
whose sentence was accounted more just and impartial, more
firm and valid, than any other decision whatsoever. It hap-
pened that two brothers were at law about a lake, which both
challenged as belonging to that part of their inheritance their
father had left them. The umpirage of the case was left to
him ; who, by all the persuasive arts of insinuation, first endea-
voured to reconcile them, and peaceably to accommodate the
difterence between them. But his pains proved fruitless and
ineffectual, the young men stormed, and resolved each to main-
tain his right by force of arms ; and a day was set when they
were to try their titles by all the power which their tenants of
each side could bring into the field. To prevent which, the holy
bishop went the night before to the place, where he continued
all night in the exercises of devotion, and by his prayers to
heaven procured the lake to be turned into a parcel of dry and
solid ground ; removing thereby the bone of contention that was
between them, the remains of which lake were shewed many
ages after. Thus also he is said to have miraculously restrained
the violence of the river Lycus,'' which coming down from the
mountains of Armenia with a swift rapid torrent, and swelled
by the tributary concurrence of other rivers, fell down into a
plain champaign country, where over-swelling, and sometimes
breaking down its banks, it overflowed the country thereabouts,
to the irreparable damage of the inhabitants, and very often to the
hazard and loss of their lives. Unable to deal with it any other
way, tliey apply themselves to St. Gregory, to improve his in-
terest in heaven, that God, who alone " rules the raging of the
sea," would put a stop to it. He goes along with them to the
place, makes his address to him who has " set a bound to the
waters, that they may not pass over, nor turn again to cover the
earth,'" thrusts his stalf down into the bank, and prayed that
that might be the boundary of the insolent and raging stream,
and so departed. And it took effect, the river ever after man-
^ Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. .554. ^ Id. ibid. p. 558.
408 THE LIFE OF
nerly keeping within its banks ; and the tradition adds, that the
staff itself grew up into a large spreading tree, and was shewed
to travellers, together with the relation of the miracle in my
author"'s days. In his return from Comana,*^ (whither he had
been invited and importuned both by the magistrates and people,
to constitute a fit person bishop of that city,) he was espied by
two Jews, who, knowing his charitable temper, either out of
covetousness, or a design to abuse him, agreed to put a trick
upon him. To that purpose, one of them lies along upon the
ground and feigns himself dead, the other deplores the miserable
fate of his companion, and begs of the holy bishop, as he passed
by, to give somewhat towards his burial ; who taking off his coat
that was upon him, cast it upon the man, and went on his way.
No sooner was he gone out of sight, but the impostor came
laughing to his fellow, bad him rise, and let them make them-
selves merry with the cheat. He called, pulled, and kicked
him, but, alas, in vain; the comical sport ended in a real tragedy,
the man was dead indeed, his breath expiring that very moment
the garment was cast upon him, and so the coat really served
for what he intended it, as a covering to his burial.
XIII. In an age so remote fi-om the miraculous ages of the
church, and after that the world has been so long abused by the
impostures of a church pretending to miracles as one of the
main notes and evidences of its Catholicism and truth, these
passages may possibly seem suspicious, and not obtain a very
easy belief with the more scrupulous reader : to which perhaps
it may be enough to say, at least to justify my relating them,
that the things are reported by persons of undoubted credit and
integrity ; especially St. Basil and his brother Gregory, both of
them wise and good men, and who lived themselves within less
than ah hundred years after our St. Gregory ; and what is more
considerable, were capable of deriving their intelligence from a
surer hand than ordinary; their aged grandmother Macrina,
who taught them in their youth, and superintended their educa-
tion, having in her younger years been scholar and auditor of
our St. Gregory ; and from her, I doubt not, they received the
most material passages of his life, and the account of his mira-
cles, of many whereof she herself was capable of being an eye-
witness, and wherewith she acquainted them, as she also did
•^ Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 565.
SAINT GREGORY. 409
with the doctrine that he taught, wherein St. Basil particularly
tells us she instructed them/ and told them the very words
which she had heard from him, and which she perfectly re-
membered at that age. Besides that, his brother solemnly pro-
fesses, in recounting this great man's miracles,' to set them down
in a plain and naked relation, without any rhetorical arts to am-
plify and set them off, and to mention only some few of those
great things that had been done by him, and purposely to sup-
press many yet in memory,'^ lest men of incredulous minds should
disbelieve them, and count all fables which were above the
standard of their sentiments and apprehensions. Indeed, as to
the main of the thing, I might challenge the faith of all ages
ever since, who have unanimously believed, and conveyed the
report of it down to us; and upon this account the title of Thau-
maturgus, the wonder-Avorker, is constantly aud uncontrollably
ascribed to him in the writings of the church. And St. Basil
assures us,^ that upon this very account the Gentiles were wont
to call him a second Moses ; and that in his time he was had in
such universal admiration among the people of that country, and
his memory so fresh among them, that no time would be able
to blot it out.
XIV. In this faithful and successful management of his place,
he quietly continued till about the year 250 ; when the emperor
Decius,'' vexed to see the Christian religion so much get the
ground of declining Paganism, published very severe edicts
against the Christians, commanding the governors of provinces,
as they valued their heads, to put them into a strict and rigorous
execution ; wherein Pontus and Cappadocia shared, if not deeper,
to be sure equal wiih the rest. All other business seemed to
give way to this : persecuting the Christians was the debate of
all public councils, and the great care of magistrates, which did
not vent itself in a few threatenings and hard words, but in
studying methods of cruelty, and instruments of torment, the
very apprehension whereof is dreadful and amazing to human
nature ; swords and axes, fire, wild beasts, stakes, and engines
to stretch and distend the limbs; iron chairs made red hot; frames
^ Ad Neocaesar. Epist. cciv. (al. Ixxv. ) s. 6. vol. iii. p. 30(5.
^ Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. .553. ' Ibid. p. 577.
s De Spir. Sanct. c. 29. s. 74. vol. iii. p. 62.
'' Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 567.
410 THE LIFE OF
of timber set up strait, in wliicli the bodies of tlie tormented, as
they stood, were raked with nails that tore off the flesh ; and in-
numerable other arts daily invented, every great man being
careful that another should not .-leem to be more fierce and cruel
than himself. Some came in as informers, others as witnesses;
some searched all private corners, others seized upon them that
fled; and some, who gaped for their neighbours"' estates, took hold
of the opportunity to accuse and persecute them for being Chris-
tians. So that there was a general confusion and consternation,
every man being afraid of his nearest relatives ; the father not
consulting the safety of his child, nor the child regarding its
duty to its parents ; the Gentile son betraying his Christian
father, and the infidel father accusing his son for embracing
Christianity ; and the brother accounting it a piece of piety to
violate the laws of nature in the cause of religion, and to con-
demn his OM^n brother, because a Christian. By this means the
woods became full, and the cities empty ; and yet no sooner were
many houses rid of their proper owners, but they were turned
into common gaols, the public prisons not being able to contain
the multitudes of Christians that were sent to them. You could
not go into the markets, or places of usual concourse, but you
might have seen some apprehended, others led to trial or execu-
tion, some weeping, others laughing and rejoicing at the common
misery : no regard had to age, or sex, or virtue, or merit; but, as
in a city stormed by a proud and potent conqueror, every thing
was without mercy exposed to the rage and rudeness of a bar-
barous and inhuman enemy.
XV. St. Gregor}', beholding the sad and calamitous state of
the present time, and having considered seriously with himself
the frailty and imbecility of human nature,' and how few (of his
new converts especially) would be able to bear up under those
fierce conflicts which the cause of religion would eno-ag-e them in,
timely advised his church a little to decline the force of the
present storms, telling them it Avas better by flying to save their
souls, than by abiding those furious trials to hazard their falling
from the faith. And to let them see that this might be done,
and that herein there was no prejudice to their souls, he re-
solved to shew them the way by his example, himself first
retiring out of danger, retreating to a desert mountain, accom-
' Greg. Nyss. in vit, Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 569.
SAINT GREGORY. 411
panied with none but the Gentile priest whom he had converted,
and who ministered to him in the capacity of a deacon. And it
was but time he should withdraw, the enemy chiefly aiming at
him as the head of the party, and laying all possible snares to
take him. Being informed where he lay concealed, they went
in vast numbers to hunt him out ; some besetting round the foot
of the mountain, that he might not escape ; others going up,
searched every place till they came very near him. He, per-
suading his deacon to a firm confidence of the divine protection,
presently fell to prayer, as the other also did by his example,
with eyes and hands lift up to heaven. The persecutors in the
meantime pried into all places, examined every bush and shrub,
every crevice of a rock, every nook and hole, but finding nothing,
returned back to their companions at the bottom, hoping that
by this time he might be fallen into their hands. And Avhen the
informer described the very place where he lay, they aflfirmed
they saw nothing there but a couple of trees a little distant from
each other. The company being gone, the informer stayed
behind, and went directly to the place ; where finding them at
their devotions, and concluding their escape to be the immediate
effect of a divine preservation, (God having blinded their eyes
that they should not see them,) fell down at the bishop's feet,
gave up himself to be a Christian, and a companion of his soli-
tudes and dangers. - ■*'
XVI. Despairing now of meeting with the shepherd,'* the
wolves fell with the fiercer rage upon the flock that stayed be-
hind ; and not there only, but ran up and down all parts of the
province, seizing upon men, women, and children, that had but
any reverence for the name of Christ, dragging them to the city,
and casting them into prison, where they were sure to be enter-
tained with variety of tortures. St. Gregory, in the mean time,
remained in his solitary retirement ; till God having mercifully
commanded the storm to blow over, and the tyranny of the
persecution to cease, he quitted his shady and melancholy walks,
and came back to Neocsesarea, and visiting his diocese all about,
established in every place anniversary festivals and solemnities,
to do honour to the memory of the martyrs that had snft'ered in
the late persecution : a great instance of his wisdom and pru-
dence at that time, not only in doing right to the memory of
^ Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. o70.
412 THE LIFE OF
the martyrs, but by this means traiulng up people to a readier
embracing of religion, when they saw that it indulged them a
little mirth and freedom in the midst of those severe yokes
that it put upon them. He had observed what advantage the
idolatry of the Gentiles made by permitting its votaries liberty
(indeed licentiousness) in their religious solemnities, and he
reasonably presumed it would be no little encouragement to
some to desert their superstitions, and come over to Christianity,
if they were suffered to rejoice, and use a little more innocent
freedom than at other times, which could not be better done
than at the memorials of the martyrs, though it cannot be
denied, but that this custom produced ill effects afterwards.
XVII. In the reign of the emperor Gallienus, about the year
260, and for some years before, God being (as Osorius truly
enough conjectures') offended with the cruel usage which the
Christians met withal from the present powers, was resolved to
punish the world : and to that end, did not only suffer Valerian
the emperor (friendly enough at first, but afterwards a bitter
persecutor of the Christians) to be betrayed into the hands of
Sapor king of Persia, (who treated him with the highest in-
stances of scorn and insolence,) but permitted the Northern
nations,"^ like a mighty inundation, to break down the banks,
and overflow most parts of the Roman empire. The Germans
betook themselves acme into Spain, others passed the Alps, and
came through Italy as far as Ravenna ; the Alemanni foraged
France, and invaded Italy ; the Quades and Sarmatse wasted
Pannonia ; the Parthians fell into Mesopotamia and Syria ; and
the Goths broke in upon Pontus, Asia, and some parts of Greece.
Intolerable were the outrages which these barbarous people com-
mitted wherever they came, but especially upon the Christians,
whose goods they plundered, ravished their wives and daughters,
tortured their persons, and compelled them to offer sacrifice and
communicate in their idol-feasts : many of the renegadoes spoil-
ing their fellow-Christians; and some, under a pretence of finding,
stole or at least kept their neighbours' goods to their own use.
In this general confusion, a neighbour bishop of those parts
writes to St. Gregory of Neocsesarea, to beg his advice what to
1 Hist 1. vii. c. 22.
•» Treb. Poll, in vit. Gallien. c. 4, 5. vid. Zosim. Hist. 1. i. c. 36. et Treb. Poll, in vit.
Claud, c. 8.
SAINT GREGORY. 413
do in this sad state of affairs : who, by" Euphrosynus, sent back
a canonical epistle (so often cited and magnified by the ancients,
and still extant) to rectify these irregularities and disorders ;
wherein he prescribes the several stations and orders of peni-
tents, but especially reproves and censures their inordinate
avarice, shewing how uncomely it is in itself, how unsuitable to
Christians, how abhorrent to God and all good men to covet and
grasp what is another man"'s ; and how much more barbarous
and inhuman in this calamitous time to spoil the oppressed, and
to enrich themselves by the blood and ruins of their miserable
brethren. And because some might be apt to plead they did
not steal, but only take up what they accidentally met with, he
lets them know, that whatever they had found of their neigh-
bours'", nay, though it were their enemies', they were bound by
God's law to restore it, much more to their brethren, who were
fellow-sufferers with them in the same condition. And if any
thought it were warrant enough to keep what they had found,
though belonging to others, having been such deep losers them-
selves, he tells them, this is to justify one wickedness with an-
other, and because the Goths had been enemies to them, they
would become Goths and Barbarians unto others. Nay, many
(as he tells us) joined in with the Barbarians in open persecuting,
captivating, and tormenting of their brethren : in all which cases
he pronounces them fit to be excluded the communion of the
saints, and not to be readmitted till by a just penance, according
to the various circumstances of the case, they had made public
and solemn satisfaction to the church.
XVIII. Not long after this, Paulus of Samosata bishop of
Antioch, began to broach very pernicious doctrines concerning
the person of our blessed Saviour. To prevent the infection
whereof, the most eminent of the bishops and clergy of all those
parts frequently met in synod at Antioch ; the chief of whom
were Firmilian bishop of Csesarea in Cappadocia,"^ our St. Gre-
gory, and his brother Athenodorus, bishop also in Pontus, and
some others. The synod being sat, and having canvassed the
matter, the crafty heretic saw it was in vain to contend ; and
therefore, dissembling his errors as well as he could, he confessed
what could not be hid, and by a feigned repentance salved his
credit for the present, and secured his continuance in that ho-
" Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 28.
414 THE LIFE OF
nourable place he held in the church. This council was held
Ann. Ohr. 2G4 ; which our St. Gregory seems not long to have
survived, dying either this, or most probably the following year.
Nicephorus makes him to have lived to a very great age," which
he must, if (as he affirms) he died under Dioclesian ; and Suidas,''
by a mistake much more prodigious, makes him to decease in
the reign of Julian. A little before his death, being sensible that
his time drew near, he sent up and down the city and the
vicinage to make a strict inquiry, "• whether there were any that
yet were strangers to the Christian faith. And being told, that
there were but seventeen in all, he sighed, and lifting up his eyes
to heaven, appealed to God how much it troubled him, that he
should leave any part of men's salvation incomplete, but that
withal it was a mercy that challenged the most grateful resent-
ment, that when he himself had found but seventeen Christians
at his first coming thither, he should leave but seventeen idolaters
to his successor. Having heartily prayed for the conversion of
infidels, and the increase and consummation of those that were
converted, he calmly and peaceably resigned up his soul to God :
having first enjoined his friends to make no trouble about his
funeral, nor procure him any proper and peculiar place of burial,
but that, as in his life-time he had carried himself as a pilgrim
and foreigner in the world, claiming nothing for himself, so after
death he might enjoy the portion of a stranger, and be cast into
the common lot.
XIX. He was a man (says St. Basil"") of a prophetical and
apostolic temper, and who, in the whole course of his life, ex-
pressed the height and accuracy of an evangelical conversation.
In all his devotions he was wont to shew the greatest reverence,^
never covering his head in prayer, as accounting that of the
apostle most proper and rational, that " every one praying or
prophesying with his head covered, dishonoureth his head."'
All oaths he avoided, making yea and nay the usual measure of
his communication. Out of regard to our Lord's threatening, he
durst never call his brother fool ; no anger, wrath, or bitterness
proceeded out of his mouth. Slandering and reproaching others
" Lib. vi. c. 17. P In voc. Tpriyipios.
1 Greg. Nyss. in vit. Greg. Thaum. vol. iii. p. 574.
"■ De Spir. Sanct. c. 29. s. 74. vol. iii. p. C2.
• Id. ad Cler. Neocaes. Epist. ccvii. (al. Ixiii.) s. 4. p. 311, 312. « 1 Cor. xi. 4.
SAINT GREGORY. 415
lie greatly hated, as a quality opposite to a state of salvation.
Envy and pride were strangers to his innocent and guileless soul.
Never did he approach the holy altar, till first reconciled to his
brother. He severely abominated lies and falsehood, and all
cunning and artificial methods of detraction ; well knowing that
every lie is the spawn and issue of the Devil, and that God will
destroy all those that speak lies.
XX. His writings are first particularly mentioned by St.
Hierom," who reckons up his Eucharistical Panegyric to Origen,
his short, and (as he calls it) very useful Metaphrase upon Eccle-
siastes, several Epistles, (in which doubtless his Canonical Epistle
had the first place,) and his Creed, or short exposition of faith,
which, though not taken notice of in some, is extant in other edi-
tions of St. Hierom's catalogue. All which (some of his epistles
excepted) are still extant, and probably are all he ever wrote : for
though there are other tracts commonly ascribed to him, yet
without any great reason or evidence to warrant their legitimacy,
whereof their strongest assertors are not very confident. It ap-
pears from St. Basil," that he was by some of old suspected as
inclining to Sabellianism, which confounded the persons in the
holy Trinity, and that many sheltered themselves under his
authority from an expression of his, affirming that " the Father
and Son are two in the consideration of the mind, but one in
person." For this St. Basil makes a large Apology, and shews
that it was spoken in the heat of disputation against ^lian, a
Gentile, ov So'yfiarLK(o<i, aXV dyoivia-TtKco^i ; not dogmatically, as
a point of doctrine, but in haste and in the fervency of disputa-
tion, when judgment and consideration is not at leisure to weigh
every thing by nice scruples ; that his earnest desire to gain the
Gentile made him less cautious and solicitous about exactness of
words, and that he indulged something to the apprehensions of his
adversary, that so he might get the better advantage upon him
in the greater and more important principles ; that this betrayed
him into some unwary expressions, which the heretics of after-
times improved to bad purposes, and strained to another sense
than what was originally intended by him that spake them : that
as to the particular charge of the Sabellian error,^ he was so far
" De Script, in Theodor.
^ Ad Prim. Eccles. NeocEesar. Epist. ccx. (al. Ixiv.) s. 3. vol. iii. p. 314.
y Id. ibid.
416 THE LIFE OF SAINT GREGORY.
from it, that it had been chiefly confuted and laid asleep by the
evidence of that very doctrine which St. Gregory had preached,
the memory whereof was preserved fresh among them. How-
ever, nothing can be more true and modest than what St. Hierom
observes in such cases ;^ that it is great rashness and irreverence
presently to charge the ancients with heresy for a few obnoxious
expressions, since it may be they erred with a simple and an
honest mind, or wrote them in another sense, or the passages
have been since altered by ignorant transcribers ; or they took
less heed and care to deliver their minds with the utmost accuracy
and exactness, while, as yet, men of perverse minds had not
sown their tares, nor disturbed the church with the clamour of
their disputations, nor infected men''s minds with their poisonous
and corrupt opinions.
* Apol. adv. Rufin. 1. ii. vol. ii. par. iL p. 401.
His writings.
Genuine. Supposititious.
Tlavi\yvpiKbv ft/xapiffrlas ad Origenem. 'H Kara fiepos niarts.
Metaphrasis in Ecclesiastem. Capita 12 de fide, cum Anathematismis.
Brevis expositio fideL In Annunciationem S. Dei Genitricis Ser- .
Epistola Canonica. mones tres.
Sermo in Sancta Theophania.
AliiB EpistoUe plureSf quce non eodant. AdTatianum de Anima \6yos Ke(pa\atcl>Sris.
THE LIFE OF SAINT DIONYSIUS,
BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA.
The place of his nativity. His family and relations. His conversion, how. His studies
under Origan. Whether a professed rhetorician. His succeeding Heraclas in the
catechetic school. His being constituted bishop of Alexandiia, and the time of it. A
preparatory persecution at Alexandria, how begun. The severity of it. The martyr-
dom of Apollonia, and the fond honours done her in the church of Rome. The perse-
cution continued and promoted by Decius's edicts. The miserable condition of the
Christians. The sudden conversion and martyrdom of a guard of soldiers. Dionysius
apprehended and carried into banishment, there to be beheaded. A pleasant account
of his unexpected deliverance by means of a drunken rout. His retirement into the
deserts. His return to Alexandria. The great number and quality of the Lapsed in
the late persecution. The contests about this matter. Dionysius's judgment and
practice herein. The case of Serapion. His dealing with Novatian about his schism,
and the copy of his letter to him. His being engaged in the controversy about rebap-
tization, and great moderation in it. His letter to pope Sixtus about a person bap-
tized by heretics. Valerianus the emperor's kindness to Christians. How turned
to cruelty. Dionysius brought before JEmilian. His discourse with him, and reso-
lute constancy. He is condemned to be banished. His transportation into the deserts
of Libya, The success of his ministry there. Linumerable Barbarians converted to
the faith. Gallienus's relaxing the persecution. His letter to Dionysius granting
liberty to the Christians. Alexandria shut up by the usurpation of ^milian. The
divisions within, and siege without. The horrible pestilence at Alexandria ; and the
singuJar kindness and compassion of the Christians there above the Heathens. Diony-
sius's confutation of Sabellius. His unwary expressions, and the charge against him.
His vindication, both by himself and by St. Athanasius. His writing against Nepos.
Nepos who, and what his principles and followers. Dionysius's encounter with the
heads of the party : his convincing and reducing them back to the orthodox church.
His engaging in the controversy against Paulus Samosetanus. The loose, extravagant,
and insolent temper and manners of that man. Dionysius's letter to the synod at
Antioch concerning him. The success of that affair. Dionysius's death. His writ-
ings and epistles. The loss of them bewailed.
Saint Dionysius was in all probability born at Alexandria, where
his parents seem to have been persons of considerable note and
quality,* and his father, and possibly his ancestors, to have
" Vid Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 11.
VOL. I. 2 E
418 THE LIFE OF
borne very honourable offices, and himself to have lived some
time in great secular pomp and power. He was born and bred
a Gentile, but by what particular occasion converted to Chris-
tianity, I know not, more than what we learn from a vision and
voice that spake to him, mentioned by himself,'' that by a dili-
gent reading whatever books fell into his hand, and an impartial
examination of the things contained in them, he was first brought
over to the faith. Having passed his juvenile studies, he put
himself under the institution of the renowned Origen,'^ the great
master at that time at Alexandria, famous both for philosophic
and Christian lectures : after which he is said by some to have
publicly professed rhetoric and eloquence ;"* as indeed there seems
a more peculiar vein of fancy and rhetoric to run through those
fragments of his discourses which do yet remain. But I can
scarce believe that the Dionysius mentioned by Anastasius and
Maximus, and by them said of a rhetorician to be made bishop
of Alexandria, to have been the same with ours, were it for no
other reason, than that he is said to have written Scholia on the
works of St. Denys the Areopagite, which we are well assured
had no being in the world till many years after his time. Anno
232, Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, being dead, Heraclas,
one of Origen's scholars, and his successor in the catechetic school,
succeeded in his room ; upon whose preferment, Dionysius, then
presbyter of that church, was advanced to his place : wherein he
discharged himself with so much care and diligence, such uni-
versal applause and satisfaction, that upon Heraclas's death, who
sat fifteen or sixteen years, none was thought so fit to be again
his successor as Dionysius ; who accordingly entered upon that
see, anno 246,* though Eusebius's Chronicon places it two years
after, Philippi Imp. Ann. 5, expressly contrary to his history,
where he assigns the third year of that emperor, for the time of
his consecration to that place.
II. The first years of his episcopal charge were calm and
peaceable, till Decius succeeding in the empire, anno 249, turned
all into hurry and combustion ; persecuting the Christians with
the utmost violence, whereof the church of Alexandria had a
^ Epist. ad Phileni. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 7.
<= Id. ibid. 1. vi. c. 2D. Hieron. do Script, in Dionys.
^ Anastas. Sinait. "OSijy. c. 22. Maxim. Schol. in c. 5. Dionys. Areop. de Coelest.
Hicrarcli. vol. ii. p. 24. <• Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 35.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 419
heavy portion. Indeed the persecution there had begun a year
before/ while Phih'p the emperor was yet alive, upon this occa-
sion : a certain Gentile priest or poet led the dance, exciting the
people of that place (naturally prone to superstition) to revenge
the quarrel of their gods. The multitude once raised, ran on
with an uncontrollable fury, accounting cruelty to the Christians
the only instance of piety to their gods. Immediately they lay
hands upon one Metras, an aged man, who refusing to blapheme
his Saviour, they beat him with clubs, pricked him in the face
and eyes with sharp reeds, and afterwards leading him into the
suburbs, stoned him. The next they seized on was a woman
called Quinta, whom they carried to the temple, where having
refused to worship the idol, she was dragged by the feet through
the streets of the city over the sharp flints, dashed against great
stones, scourged with whips, and in the same place despatched
by the same death. Apollonia, an ancient virgin, being appre-
hended, had all her teeth dashed out, and was threatened to be
burnt alive, who only begging a little respite, of her own accord
cheerfully leaped into the flames. Incredible it is, (but that the
case is evident from more instances than one,) with how fond a
veneration the church of Rome celebrates the memory of this
martyr.^ They infinitely extol her for the nobility of her birth,
the eminent piety and virtues of her life, her chastity, humility,
frequent fastings, fervent devotions, &c. (though not one syllable
of all this mentioned by any ancient writer ;) bring in a voice
from heaven styling her " the spouse of Christ," and telling her,
that God had granted her what she had asked. They make
her the tutelar goddess or guardian of all that are troubled with
the tooth or headache, and, in many solemn offices of that
church, pray that at her intercession God would cure them of
those pains ; nay, formally address their prayers to her, that she
would intercede with God for them on that behalf, and " by her
passion obtain for them" (they are the very words of the prayer)
" the remission of all the sins which with teeth and mouth they
had committed through gluttony and speaking." Innumerable
are the miracles reported of her ; and to me it seems a miracle,
and to exceed all the rest, were it true, what is related of the
vast number of her teeth. For besides those which arc preserved
f Ep. ad Fab. ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 41.
8 Vicl. Bollaud. iutcr acta sanctor. ad Feb. 9.
2e 2
420 THE LIFE OF
among the relics of foreign churches, (which are not a few,) we
are told,'' that^M'hen king Edward, then afflicted with the tooth-
ache, commanded that all St. Apollonia's teeth in the kingdom
should he sought out and sent him ; so many were brought in,
that several great tuns could not hold them. It seems they
were resolved to make her ample amends for those few teeth
she lost at the time of her martyrdom. But it is time to return
to the Alexandrian persecution, where they every where broke
open the Christians'' houses, taking away the best of their goods,
and burning what was not worth the carrying away. A Chris-
tian coiild not stir out day or night, but they presently cried
out, " Away with him to the fire."" In which manner they con-
tinued, till quarrelling among themselves they fell foul upon one
another, and gave the Christians a little breathing-time from
the pursuits of their malice and inhumanity.
III. In this posture stood affairs when Decius, having usurped
the empire, routed and killed his master Philip, his edict arrived
at Alexandria, which gave new life to their rage and cruelty.
And now they fall on afresh, and persons of all ages, qualities,
and professions are accused, summoned, dragged, tortured, and
executed with all imaginable severity ; multitudes of whom
Dionysius particularly reckons up,' together with the manner of
their martyrdom and execution. Vast numbers, that fled for
shelter to the woods and mountains,'' met with a worse death
abroad, than that which they sought to avoid at home, being
famished with hunger and thirst, starved with cold, overrun
with diseases, surprised by thieves, or worried by wild beasts,
and many taken by the Arabs and barbarous Saracens, who re-
duced them into a state of slavery more miserable than death
itself. In this evil time, though many revolted from the faith,
yet others maintained their station with a fii*m and unshaken
courage ; and several who till that moment had been strangers
and enemies to the Christian religion, on a sudden came in and
publicly professed themselves Christians, in open defiance of those
immediate dangers that attended it : whereof one instance may
suffice. One who was thought to be a Christian, and ready to
renounce his religion, being led into the place of judicature,
Ammon, Zeno, and the rest of the mihtary guard that stood at
•■ Vid. Chemnit. exam. Concil. Trid. par. iv. de reliq. SS. p. 672.
» Ep. ad Fiib. ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 41. '' Id. ibid. c. 42.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 421
the door, derided him as he was going in, gnashing upon him
with their teeth, and making such grimaces, such mimic and
antic gestures, that all men's eyes were upon them. When
behold, on a sudden, before any one laid hand upon them, they
came into open court, and imanimously professed themselves to
be Christians: an accident wherewith the governors and the
assessors upon the bench were strangely surprised and troubled.
The condemned were cheerful and courageous, and most ready
to undergo their torments, while the judges themselves were
amazed and trembled. Sentence being passed upon them, they
went out of court in a kind of pomp and state, rejoicing in the
testimony they were to give to the faith, and that God would so
gloriously triumj^h in their execution.
IV. St. Dionysius bore a part in the common tragedy, though
God was pleased to preserve him from the last and severest act,
as a person eminently useful to his church. No sooner had
Sabinus the prefect received the imperial orders,' but he imme-
diately despatched a frumentariws, or military officer, (whose
place it was to seize delinquents, and inquire out seditious
reports and practices against the state, and therefore particularly
belonged to judges and governors of provinces,) to apprehend
him. The serjeant went all about, and narrowly ransacked
every corner, searching all ways and places where he thought
he might hide himself, but in the mean time never searched his
own house, concluding he would not dare to abide at home, and
yet there he stayed four days together, expecting the officers
coming thither. At length, being warned of God, he left his
house, with his servants and some of the brethren that attended
him, but not long after fell into the hands of the soldiers ;
and having received his sentence, was conducted by a guard
under the command and conduct of a centurion and some other
officers to Taposiris, a little town between Alexandria and
Canopus, there probably to be beheaded with less noise and
clamour. It happened, in the mean while, that Timotheus, one
of his friends, knowing nothing of his apprehension, came to the
house where he had been, and finding it empty, and a guard at
the door, fled after him in a great amazement and distraction,
whom a countryman meeting upon the road, inquired of him the
cause why he made so much haste. He, probably suj)posing iiim
' Ep. Dionys. ad German, ibid, c. 40.
422 THE LIFE OF
to have heard some news of them, gave him a broken and imper-
fect relation of the matter. The man was going to a Avedding
feast, (which there they were wont to keep all night,) and en-
tering the lionse told his company what he had heard. They,
heated with wine and elevated with mirth, rose all up and ran
out of doors, and with a mighty clamour came towards the
place where he was. The guard, hearing such a noise and
confusion at that time of night, left their prisoner and ran away,
whom the rabhle coming in found in bed. The good man, sup-
posing them to be thieves, was reaching his clothes that lay by
him to give them : but they commanded him to rise presently
and go along with them ; whereat he besought them (under-
standing now the errand upon which they came) to dismiss him
and depart, at least to be so kind to him, as to take the soldiers'
office upon them, and themselves behead him. While he was
thus passionately importuning them, they forced him to rise ;
and when he had thrown himself upon the ground, they began
to drag him out by the hands and feet : but quitted him not
long after, and returned, it is like, to their drunken sports. This
tragi-comic scene thus over, Caius and Faustus, Peter and Paul,
presbyters, and his fellow-prisoners, took him up, and leaving
the town, set him upon an ass, and conveyed him away into a
desolate and uncomfortable part of the deserts of Libya ;" where
he, together with Peter and Caius, lay concealed till the storm
was over-past,
V. The persecution being in a great measure blown over,
by the death of Decius, Dionysius came out of his solitudes, and
returned to Alexandria, where he found the affiiirs of his church
infinitely entangled and out of order, especially by reason of
those great numbers that had denied the faith, and lapsed into
idolatry in the late persecution ; among which were many of the
wealthy and the honourable, and who had places of authority
and power ; some freely renouncing ; others so far degenerating
from the gallantry of a Christian spirit, that when cited to appear
and sacrifice to the gods, (as he tells us,") they trembled, and
looked as i)ale and ghastly, as if they had come not to offer, but
to be made a sacrifice, insonnich that the very Gentiles derided
and despised them. Most of these, after his return, sued to be
leadmitted to the communion of the church, which the eccle-
"' Vicl. Ep. Dionys. ad Doniit. ap. Kuscb. 1. vii. c. 11. " JLid. 1. vi. c. 41,
I
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 423
siastic discipline of those times did not easily allow of, especially
after the Novatian principles began to prevail, which denied
all communion to the lapsed, though expressing their sorrow
by never so long and great a penance. Upon what occasion
Novatus and his partner Novatian first started this rigorous and
severe opinion, how eagerly Cyprian and the African bishops
stickled against it, how far it was condemned both there and at
Rome, in what cases and by what measures of penance the lapsed
penitents were to be taken in, we have already noted in Cyprian's
Life. St. Dionysius was of the moderate party, wherein he had
the concurrence of most of the Eastern bishops, and he pleads the
general judgment and practice of the holymartyrs," many of whom
had before their death received the lapsed, upon their repentance,
again into the church, and had themselves freely communicated
with them : whose judgment he thought it not reasonable should
be despised, nor their practice controlled, nor the accustomed
order overturned. Indeed, he himself had ever observed this
course, and therefore, at the beginning of the persecution, had
given order to the presbyters of the church to restore peace,^ and
give the eucharist to penitents, especially in danger of death,
and where they had before earnestly desired it : which was
done accordingly, as appears from the memorable instance of
Serapion, an aged person, mentioned by him, who having lapsed
in the time of persecution, had often desired reconciliation, but
in that confused time could not obtain it : but being suddenly
surprised by a summons of death, and having laid three days
speechless, on the fourth had only so much use of his tongue
restored him, as to bid his nephew, a boy that attended him,
go for one of the presbyters, to give him absolution, without
which he could not die. The presbyter was at that time sick,
but pitying the man's case, gave the boy a little part of the
consecrated eucharist, which he kept by him, bidding him
moisten it, and put it into his mouth : which was no sooner
(lone, but he breathed out his soul with unspeakable comfort
and satisfaction, that he now died in communion with the
church.
VI. Nor was his care herein confined to his single diocese, but
he wrote letters about this matter to most of the eminent
bishops and governors of the church. And that he might leave.
" Ep. ad Fab. ibid. c. 42. P Ibid. c. 44.
424 THE LIFE OF
nothing unattempted, he treated with Novatian (or, as he calls
him, Novatus) himself, endeavouring, by all mild and gentle
methods, to reduce him to the peace and order of the church.
His epistle to him, being but short and very pathetical, we shall
here subjoin.''
" Dionysius to Novatus our brother, greeting :
" Forasmuch as you yourself confess, you were unwillingly
drawn into this schism, make it appear so by your willing and
ready returning to the church. For better it were to suffer any
thing, than that the church of God should be rent asunder.
Nor is it less glorious to suffer martyrdom upon this account,
than in the case of not sacrificing to idols. Yea, in my mind,
much more honourable. For in the one case a man suffers only
for his own soul, but in this he undergoes martyrdom for the
whole church of God. And if now thou shalt persuade and
reduce thy brethren to peace and concord, thy merit will out-
weigh thy crime. The one will not be charged to thy reproach,
and the other will be mentioned to thy praise. And suppose
thou shalt not be able to persuade them, yet however save thy
own soul. I pray that thou mayest live peaceably, and farewell
in the Lord."
Vn. No sooner had he well rid his hands of this, but he was
engaged in another controversy, which involved and disturbed
the whole Christian church, I mean that concerning the rebap-
tizing those who had been baptized by heretics, so hotly disputed
between St. Cyprian and Stephen bishop of Rome. Dionysius,""
together with Firmilian bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and a
great many others in the East, stood on Cyprian's side, main-
taining that they ought to be baptized ; but, however, carried
himself in it with great temper and moderation ; he distin-
guished between apostates who had received their baptism in
the catholic church, and those upon their return they did not
baptize, (as Cyprian also affirms,) but only admitted by imposi-
tion of hands ; and this rule and practice, he tells us,' he had
learned from his predecessor Heraclas : but then for pure here-
tics, who had no other baptism than what had been conferred
by heretical persons, (which in reality was null and of no effect,)
1 Ap. Euscb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. 45. ■■ Ibid. 1. vii. c. 5. » Ibid. c. 7.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 425
these he thought fit to be entered into the church by catholic
baptism. Besides that, he engaged more as a mediator than a
party, writing to pope Stephen to use moderation in the case, as
he did also to Sixtus his successor, and most other bishops of
that time. Indeed, that he was not stiff and rigorous in his
sentiments, may appear from the instance he relates in his epistle
to pope Sixtus,* wherein he begs his advice. A certain man in
his church, who went among the class of the faithful, both in
his and his predecessor's days, beholding the form and manner of
baptism as it was administered among the orthodox, came to
Dionysius, and with tears bewailed his own case ; and falling at
his feet, confessed that the baptism which he had received among
the heretics was nothing like this, but full of blasphemy and im-
piety; that for this reason he was infinitely troubled in con-
science, and durst not lift up his eyes to heaven, begging that he
might partake of the true and sincere baptism, and that grace
and acceptation that was conferred by it. This Dionysius
would not admit, telling him that his long communion with the
church was equivalent to it ; that he that had so often been pre-
sent at the giving of thanks, and said Amen to the prayers of the
congregation ; that had stood before the holy table, and had
taken the holy food into his hands, and been so very long par-
taker of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ ; that
having done thus for so many years together, he durst not
admit him to another baptism : bidding him to be of good cheer,
and with a firm faith and a good conscience approach the holy
sacrament : all which notwithstanding did not quiet the man's
mind, but that still he drooped under his fears and scruples,
durst not be present at the Lord's table, nor could hardly be
persuaded to come to the public prayers. What answer Sixtus
returned to this instance, is uncertain ; but by this it is evident,
that St. Dionysius was no zealot for the contrary opinion, though
it must be confessed, there was something particular in this, that
occurred not in ordinary cases, he presuming that so long a com-
munion with the church, so continued and open a profession of
the orthodox faith, did tantamount a being legally initiated and
baptized into it.
VIII. In these contests he passed over the short reign of
Gallus, Decius's successor ; who, not taking warning by his pre-
« Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 9.
426 THE LIFE OF
decessor's error," stumbled at the same stone. And when he
found all tliing-s quiet and peaceable, must needs fall a perse-
cuting the Christians, whose prayers with heaven secured the
peace and jn-osperity of the empire. But this, alas, was but a
preparatory storm to that which followed in the reign of Vale-
rian, whom our Dionysius " makes to be the beast in the Revela-
tion,y " to whom was given a mouth speaking great things, and
blasphemies, and power was given unto him to continue forty
and two months." He was at first extraordinarily kind to
Christians beyond any of the precedent emperors, even those
who were themselves accounted Christians : so that his whole
family was full of pious and good men, and his house a kind of
church. But this weather was too fair and benign to last long.
Being seduced and deluded by an arch-magician of Egypt, he
was prevailed with to fall from his kindness and to persecute
the Christians, whom the conjurer represented as persons who,
by wicked and execrable charms, hindered the emperor''s pros-
perity, colouring his pretence from their power over demons,
whose mischievous arts they obstructed, and whom they or-
dinarily banished with the speaking of a word ; and persuading
him that to urge the Gentile rites, to maintain lustrations, sa-
crifices, divinations by the blood and entrails of men and beasts,
was the ready way to make him happy. Whereupon edicts
were every where published against the Christians, and they
without the least protection exposed to the common rage.
IX. Orders being come to Alexandria, Dionysius,^ accom-
panied with some of his clergy, addressed himself to ^milian
the governor, who did not at first downright forbid him to hold
their solemn assemblies, but endeavoured to persuade him to
leave off that way of worship, presuming others would quickly
follow his example. The answer he returned was short and
apostolical, that " we must obey God rather than men ;"" openly
assuring him, that he would worship the true God, and none
l)ut him, from which resolution he would never start, nor ever
cease to be a Christian. The governor told them, that both by
word and writing he had acquainted them with the great cle-
mency of the emperors towards them, permitting them to be
safe, if they would but act agreeably to nature, and adore the
" Dionys. Ep. ad llcrm. ap. Euseh. 1. vii. c. 1. ^ Ibid. c. 10. > Rev. xiii. 5.
^ Ep. Dionys. ad Germ. ap. Euseb. 1. vii. c. 11.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 427
gods that were protectors of the emjjire, and he hoped they
would be more grateful than to refuse it. The bishop replied,
that every one worshipped those whom they thought to be gods;
that as for themselves, they adored and served that one Uod,
who is the Creator of the world, and who gave that government
to the emperors, and to whom they offered up daily prayers for
the permanency and stability of their empire : to which the
other rejoined, that if he were a god, none hindered them from
worshipping him together with them who were truly gods, they
being enjoined to worship [not one, but] gods, and those whom
all men owned to be so. Dionysius answered, " We cannot
worship any other." " I see,"" replied ^milian, " that you are a
company of foolish and ungrateful people, and not sensible of
the favour of our lords the emperors : wherefore you shall stay
no longer in this city, but be sent to Oephro in the parts of
Libya, for thither, according to the emperor''s command, I re-
solve to banish you. Nor shall either you, or any of your sect,
have leave to keep your meetings, or to frequent your ccemeteria ;
which if any dare to attempt, it shall be at his peril, and he
shall be punished suitably to his crime. Be gone therefore to
the place allotted you."
X. The sentence was speedily put into execution, Dionysius,
though then sick, not being allowed one day\s respite to recover
himself, or provide for his journey thither. Indeed, when he came
distinctly to understand the place of his exile, he was a little
troubled, knowing it to be a place destitute of the society of
good men, and perpetually exposed to the incursions of thieves
and robbers ; but was better satisfied when told that it was
near a great and populous city, whose neighbourhood would
furnish him with persons, both for converse and for opportunities
of conversion, Cephro was the most rude and barbarous tract
of the Libyan desert, and Colythius (which, as Nicephorus tells
us,'* was that particular part of it to which Dionysius was de-
signed) the most uncomfortable, it is like, of all the rest. Thither
therefore was he sent, whom great numbers of Christians quickly
followed, partly from Alexandria, and partly out of other parts
of Egypt. At his first arrival he was treated with rudeness and
showers of stones, but had not been long there, before he not
••' Lib. vi. c. 10.
428 THE LIFE OF
only civilized their barbarous manners, but reclaimed tliem from
idolatry, and brought them to embrace the Chi'istian faith. And
as he met with success, so he shifted his quarters, preaching up
and down those wild and disconsolate parts, and turning the
wilderness into a church. Nor could all the malice and threaten-
ings of the governor hinder, but that the Christians still assem-
bled at Alexandria, notwithstanding that their beloved bishop
was ravished from them, and that ^milian proceeded with the
utmost rigour against all that were brought before him ; killing
many with all the arts of cruelty, keeping others for the rack
and torment, loading them with chains, and thrusting them into
squalid and nasty dungeons, forbidding any of their friends to
come near them. Though even in the height of these afflictions
God supported their spirits, and animated others to venture in,
and to administer comfort and necessaries to them, not scrupling,
though with the peril of their heads, to inter the bodies of the
martyrs.
XL How long Dionysius continued in his banishment, I find
not ; probably till Valerian was taken captive by the king of
Persia, anno 259, when Gallienus his son ruled alone, who from
the unhappiness of his father took the measures of his carriage
towards the Christians: he saw that while he favoured the
Christians, heaven smiled upon his designs, and things went on
in a smooth and uninterrupted course ; but when once he began
to bear hard upon them, the tide turned, and the divine ven-
geance pursued and overtook them ; and that therefore nothing
could be more prudent and reasonable than to give a check to
the present fury, and suffer them to go on securely in the exer-
cise of their religion, which he did by this following edict : ^
" Emperor Caesar P. Licinius Gallienus, Pius, Felix, Augus-
tus, to Dionysius, Pinnas, Demetrius, and the rest of the
bishops.
" We have given order that the indulgence of our bounty
shall be extended throughout the world, that all religious places
shall be freed from force and violence. Wherefore ye also may
freely enjoy the benefit of our rescript, so as no man shall dare
to vex or molest you, and what you now may lawfully enjoy
•> Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 13.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 429
has been long since granted by us. And for this end Aurelius
Cjrenius, our high steward, shall keep the copy of this edict
which we have now granted."
The like rescript he also sent to other bishops, giving them the
free leave of their coemeteria^ the places where they buried their
dead, and often assembled for their religious solemnities, espe-
cially the memorials of the martyrs.
XII. Scarce was Dionysius quietly resettled at home, when
he was alarum'd by another accident, which forced him for a
while again, if not to retire, at least to keep so close, that he
was not capable to execute his charge. -^Emilianus the prefect,*^
partly by his own ambition, and partly forced by an unhappy
accident wherein he was involved, took the empire upon him ;
the Roman army in Egypt joining with him, partly out of dis-
like to Gallienus, partly out of affection to -^milian, who Avas
a brisk active man. Immediately he seized upon the store-
houses, that country being the common granary of the empire.
Gallienus, being acquainted with the news, ordered Theodotus,
his general, to march with an army into those parts, who besieged
Alexandria, and reduced the city to great extremity : for they
were not more vigorously assaulted by the enemy from without,
than undermined by parties and factions within ;'^ the city being
divided into two factions, one contending for Gallienus, and the
other for ^milian. So that there was no converse nor com-
merce between them ; Dionysius being compelled, in all his pri-
vate affairs and the public concernment of his church, to transact
with his friends by letters ; it being safer, as he tells us, for a
man to travel from East to West, than to pass from one part of
Alexandria to another, so barbarous and inhuman were the out-
rages committed there. The issue was, that Gallienus's party
prevailed to let in Theodotus and his army, who seized the
tyrant, and sent him to the emperor, who caused him to be
strangled in prison.
XIII. How stormy and tempestuous is the region of this lower
world ! one wave perpetually pressing upon the neck of another.
The persecution was seconded by a civil war and a cruel famine,
and that no sooner over, but a terrible plague followed close at
<= Treb. Poll, in vit. iEmil. c. 22. et in vit. Gall. c. 4.
'' Dionys, Ep. ad Hierach. ap. Euseb. Hist, Eccl. 1, vii, c. 21.
430 THE LIFE OF
the heels of it ; one of the most dreadful and amazing judgments
Avhich God sends upon mankind. It overran city and country,
sweei)ing away what the fury of the late wars had left, there
not having been known (saith the historian^) in any age so great
a destruction of mankind. This pestilence (which some say came
first out of Ethiopia^) began in the reign of Gallus and Volu-
sian, and ever since, more or less, straggled over most parts of the
Roman empire, and now kept its fatal residence at Alexandria,
where, by an impartial severit}^, it mowed down both Gentiles
and Christians, and turned the Paschal solemnity (it being then
the time of Easter^) into days of weeping and mourning; all
places were filled with dying groans, and sorrows either for
friends already dead, or those that were ready to depart, it being
now, as formerly under that great Egyptian jjlague, and something
worse, " there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not an
house where there was not only one, but many dead."'' In this
sad and miserable time, how vastly different was the carriage of
the Christians and the Heathens. The Christians, out of the
superabundance of their kindness and charity, without any re-
gard to their own health and life, boldly ventured into the
thickest dangers, daily visiting, assisting, and ministering to their
sick and infected brethren, cheerfully taking their pains and dis-
tempers upon them, and themselves expiring with them. And
when many of those whom they thus attended, recovered and
lived, they died themselves ; as if, by a prodigious and unheard-of
charity, they had willingly taken their diseases upon them, and
died to save them from death. And these, the most considerable
both of clergy and people, cheerfully embracing a death that
deserved a title little less than that of martyrdom. They em-
braced the bodies of the dead, closed their eyes, laid them out,
washed and dressed them up in their funeral weeds, took them
upon their shoulders, and carried them to their graves, it not
being long before others did the same offices for them. The Gen-
tiles, on the contrary, put oiF all sense of humanity; when any
began to fall sick, they presently cast them out, ran from their
dearest friends and relations, and either left them half dead in
•= Zosini. Hist. 1. i. c. 2(5.
f Pomp. Lset. in vit. Galli. Eutrop. Hist. Rom. 1. ix. p. 583. vol. i. inter liist. Horn,
scriptt. cd. lolii!.
« Dionys. ad Fnitr. aj). Euseb. Hist. Ectl. 1. vii. c. 22. '• Sec Exod. xii. ."JO.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 431
tlie highways, or threw them out as soon as they were dead,
dreading to fall under the same infection, which yet, with all their
care and diligence, they could not avoid,
XIV. Nor were these the only troubles the good man was
exercised with, he had contests of another nature that swallowed
up his time and care. Sabellius, a Libyan, born at Ptolemais, a
city of Pentapolis, had lately started dangerous notions and
opinions about the doctrine of the holy Trinity ;' affirming the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to be but one subsistence, one
Person under three several names : which in the time of the Old
Testament gave the law under the notion of the Father ; in the
New, was made man in the capacity of the Son ; and descended
afterwards upon the apostles in the quality of the Holy Ghost.
Dionysius, as became a vigilant pastor of his flock, presently
undertakes the man ; and while he managed the cause with too
much eagerness and fervency of disputation, he bent the stick
too much the other way, asserting not only erepoTTjra tmv vtto-
ardaewv,^ a distinction of Persons, but ovala'^ BLa(f)opav, a dif-
ference of essence, and an inequality of power and glory. For
which he is severely censured by St. Basil, and some of the an-
cients, as one of those that mainly opened the gap to those
Arian impieties that after bi-oke in upon the world. Though
St. Basil could not but so far do him right,*" as to say, that it
was not any ill meaning, but only an over-vehement desire to
oppose his adversary that betrayed him into those unwary and
inconsiderate assertions. Some bishops of Pentapolis imme-
diately took hold of this, and going over to Rome represented
his dangerous errors ; where the case was discussed in a synod,
and letters written to Dionysius about it, who in a set Apology
answered for himself, and declared his sense more explicitly in
this controversy ; as may be seen at large in Athanasius,' who
has with infinite pains vindicated our Dionysius, his predecessor,
as a man sound and orthodox, and who was never condemned
by the governors of the church for impious opinions, or that he
held those abominable tenets which Arius broached afterwards.
And certainly St. Basil might and would have passed a milder
censure, had he either perused all Dionysius's writings, or re-
' Dion. Ep. ad Steph. ap. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 6. Niceph. 1. vi. c. 2G.
i Basil, ad Maxim. Philos. Epist. ix. (al. x!i.) s. 2. vol. iii. p. 00. ^ Ibid.
' De Sentent, Dionys. vol. i. p. 243, etc. Vid. Phot. Cod. CCXXXII.
432 THE LIFE OF
membered how much he cohcerned himself to clear St. Gregory
of Neocajsarea, Dionysius's contemporary, from the very same
charge, for which he could not but confess he had given too just
occasion.
XV. No sooner was this controversy a little over, but he was
engaged in another. Nepos,"" an Egyptian bishop, lately dead,
(a man eminent for his constancy in the faith, his industry and
skill in the holy scriptures, the many psalms and hymns he had
composed, which the brethren sung in their public meetings,)
had not long since fallen into the error of the Millenaries, and
had published books, to shew that the promises made in the
scriptures to good men were ^ lovSalKcorepov, according to the
sense and opinion of the Jews to be literally understood, and
that there was to be a thousand years state upon earth,
wherein they were to enjoy sensual pleasures and delights:
endeavouring to make good his assertions from some passages
in St. John's Revelation ; styling his book "E\ey)(^o<; dXkrjryo-
ptaTwv, " A Confutation of Allegorical Expositors." This book
was greedily caught up and read by many, and advanced into
that esteem and reputation, that law and prophets, and the
writings of the evangelists and apostles, were neglected and
thrown aside, and the doctrine of this book cried up, as con-
taining /xiyd Tt KoX KeKpvfjbfxevov /jivaTrjpt,ov, some great and ex-
traordinary mystery, concealed before from the world : the more
simple and unwary being taught to disband all sublime and
magnificent thoughts of our Lord's glorious coming, the resur-
rection and final judgment, and our conformity to him in glory,
and to hope for a state in the kingdom of God wherein they
should be entertained with such little and trifling, such fading
and transitory things, as this world does aftbrd. Dionysius being
then in the province of the Arsenoitae, where this opinion had
prevailed so far as to draw whole churches into schism and
separation, summoned the presbyters and teachers, who preached
in the country villages, and as many of the people as had a mind
to come, advising them, that in their sermons they would publicly
examine this doctrine. They presently defended themselves
with this book : whereupon he began more closely to join issue
with them, continuing with them three days together, from
morning to night, weighing and discussing the doctrines contained
'" Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 24.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 433
in it : in all which time he admired their constancy and love to
truth, their great quickness and readiness of understanding, with
so much order and decency, so much modesty and moderation
were the discourses managed on both sides, doubts propounded,
and assent yielded. For they took an especial care not pertina-
ciously to defend their former opinions, when once they found
them to be erroneous, nor to shun any objections which on
either part were made against them. As near as might be they
kept to the present question, which they endeavoured to make
good ; but if convinced by argument that they were in the
wrong, made no scruple to change their minds, and go over to
the other side, with honest minds, and sincere intentions, and
hearts truly devoted to Uod, embracing whatever was demon-
strated by the holy scriptures. The issue was, that Coracion,
the commander and champion of the other party, publicly pro-
mised and protested before them all, that he would not hence-
forth either entertain, or dispute, or discourse, or preach these
opinions, being sufficiently convinced by the arguments which
the other side had offered to him : all the brethren departing,
with mutual love, unanimity, and satisfaction. Such was the
peaceable conclusion of this meeting, and less could not be ex-
pected from such pious and honest souls, such wise and regular
disputers. And happy had it been for the Christian world, had
all those controversies that have disturbed the church been
managed by such prudent and orderly debates, which, as usually
conducted, rather widen the breach than heal and mend it.
Dionysius, to strike the controversy dead, while his hand was in,
wrote a book " Concerning the Promises," (which St. Hierom,
forgetting what he had truly said elsewhere," that it was written
against Nepos, tells us*' was written against Irenseus bishop of
Lyons, mistaking the person probably for his opinion,) in the first
part whereof he stated the question, laid down his sense con-
cerning it ; in the second he treated concerning the Revelation
of St. John, (the main pillar and buttress of this opinion,) where,
both by reason and the testimony of others, he contends that it
was not written by St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, but by
another of that name, an account of whose judgment herein we
have represented in another place.''
" De Script, in Dionys. " Pr.xfat. in 1. xviii. Com. in Esai. vol. iii. p. 473.
P Antiq. Apost. Life of St. John, num. 1 4.
VOL. I. 2 F
434 THE LIFE OF
XVI. The last controversy wherein he was concerned, was
that against Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch, who had con-
fidently vented these and such-like impious dogmata ;'' that there
is but one person in the Godhead ; that our blessed Saviour was,
though a holy, yet a mere man, who came not down from hea-
ven, but was of a mere earthly extract and original, in whom
the Word (which he made not any thing distinct from the
Father) did sometimes reside, and sometimes depart from him ;
with abundance of the like wicked and senseless propositions.
Besides all which, he was infinitely obnoxious in his morals,"" (as
few men but serve the design of some lust by schism and bad
opinions,) covetous without any bounds, heaping up a vast
estate, (though born a poor man's son,) partly by fraud and sa-
crilege, partly by cruel and unjust vexatious of his brethren,
partly by fomenting differences, and taking bribes to assist the
weaker party. Proud and vain-glorious he was beyond all mea-
sure, affecting pomp, and train, and secular power, and rather to
be styled a temporal prince than a bishop ; going through the
streets and all public places in solemn state, with persons walking
before him, and crowds of people following after him. In the
church he caused to be erected a throne higher than ordinary,
and a place which he called secrefum, after the manner of civil
magistrates, who in the inner part of the prcetorimn had a place
railed in, with curtains hung before it, where they sat to hear
causes. He was wont to clap his hand upon his thigh, and to
stamp with his feet upon the bench, frowning upon and re-
proaching those who did not theatrically shout and make a noise
while he was discoursing to them ; wherein he used also to reflect
upon his predecessors and the most eminent persons that had
been before him, with all imaginable scorn and petulancy, mag-
nifying himself as far beyond them. The hymns that were or-
dmarily sung in honour of our Lord, he abolished as late and
novel, and instead thereof taught some of his proselyted females
upon the Easter solemnity to chaunt out some which he had
composed in his own commendation, to the horror and astonish-
ment of all that heard them ; procuring the bishops and pres-
byters of the neighbouring parts to publish the same things of
<> Euseb. Hist. Eccl 1. vii. c. 27. Epiph. Haeres. 1. Ixv. c. 1. Athanas. de Synod. Ariui.
tX Seleuc. 8. 43. toI. i. p. 757. Niceph. 1. vi. c. 27.
' Epist. Synod, ii. Antioch. np. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 30.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 435
him in their sermons to the people, some of his proselytes not
sticking to affirm, that he was an angel come down from heaven.
All which he was so far from controlling, that he highly encou-
raged them, and heard them himself not only with patience but
delight. He was moreover vehemently suspected of incontinency,
maintaining crvveia-aKTovi <yvvalKa<;, " subintroduced women," in
his house, and some of them persons of exquisite beauty, con-
trary to the canons of the church, and to the great scandal of
religion. And that he might not be much reproached by those
that were about him, he endeavoured to debauch his clergy, con-
niving at their vices and irregularities, and corrupting others with
pensions ; and whom he could not prevail with by evil arts, he
awed by power, and his mighty interest in the princes and
great ones of those parts, so that they were forced with sad-
ness to bewail at home, what they durst not publish and de-
clare abroad.
XVII. To rectify these enormities, most of the chief bishops
of the East resolved to meet in a synod at Antioch,^ to which
they earnestly invited our Dionysius. But, alas, age and in-
firmities had rendered him incapable of such a jom-ney, and had
given him a writ of ease, upon which account he begged to be
excused from it. But that he might not be wanting in what he
could, he sent letters, wherein he declared his sense and opinion
of those matters ; and in his epistle to the church of Antioch, to
shew his resentment of the thing, he not only wrote not to the
man, but gave him not so much as the civility of a salutation.
In this synod the crafty fox hid his head, dissembling his senti-
ments, and palliating his disorders, and confessing and recanting
what he was not able to conceal, so that for the present he still
continued in his place. How he was afterwards discovered and
laid open, convicted, condemned, and deposed in another synod
in that city, and Domnus substituted in his room ; how he re-
fused to submit to the sentence of the council, and for some time
maintained his station by the power of Zenobia, a queen in those
parts, and a Jewish proselyte, whose favour he had courted and
obtained ; and how at last, upon the bishops"* appeal, he was turned
out, and the synodical decree executed by the immediate order
of the emperor Valerian, is without the limits of my business to
inquire.
" llmeh. Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 27. et c. 30.
2 F 2
436
THE LIFE OF
XVIII. A little after this first synod at Antioch died our St.
Denys, in the twelfth year of Gallienus,' anno 265, when he had
sitten seventeen years hishop of Alexandria, dying probahly the
same year and on the same day with St. Gregory Thaumaturgus,
whose memories are accordingly celebrated September 17, in the
calendar of the Koman church. His memory was continued at
Alexandria (as we learn from Epiphanius") by a church dedi-
cated to him, but flourished much more in the incomparable vir-
tues of his past life, and those excellent writings he left behind
him, which mainly consisted of vast numbers of epistles ; and it
is probable all his writings were nothing else, his larger tracts
being written in the nature of epistles : which, were they still
extant, instead of those little fragments preserved by Eusebius,
besides other advantages, they would probably furnish us with
the most material transactions of the Christian world in those
times, than which in those early ages there was not a more
p,ctive and busy period of the church.
' Vid. Euseb, Hist. Eccl. 1. vii. c. 28.
Haeres. Ixix. c. 2.
His Writings, wliereof some fragments only are now extant
Liber de Pcenitentia ad Cononem episcopum Epistola ad Laodicenos.
Hermapolitanum.
Libellus de martyrio ad Origenem.
De Promissionibus adversus Nepotem, libri
duo.
Ad Dionysium Romanum adversus Sabel-
lium, libri quatuor.
Ad Timotheura libri de natura.
De tentationibus liber ad Euphran.
Commentarius in primam partem Eccle-
siastis.
Epistola ad Cornclium episcopum Roma-
num,
Epistola ad Stephanum episc. Rom. de Bap-
tismo.
Ad Sixtum Papam de baptismo, epistolae
tres.
Adversus Gcrmanum episc. epistola.
Epistola ad Fabium Antiochife episc.
Epistola ad Novatianuni de schismate.
Epistola de poenitcntia ad fratres per jEgyp-
tum constitutos.
Ad gregem suum Alexandrinum epistola ol)-
jurgiitoria.
Epistola ad Armenios de poenitentia.
Epistola ad Romanes StaKoviK'f}.
Alia ad eosdem de pace et poenitent.
Ad confessores Novatianos Romse, epistolae
tres.
Ad Philemonem Presbyterum Romanum de
baptismo.
Epistola itidem ad Dionysium presbyterum
Rom. de baptismo.
Epistola suo et ecclesiae suae nomine ad Six-
tum et Eccl. Rom. de eadem re.
Ad Dionysium Romanum de Luciano, epis-
tola.
Epistola ad Hermammonem.
Epistola ad Domitium et Didymum.
Epistola ad compresbyteros Alexand.
Epistola ,ad Hieracem episc. -/Egyptiac.
Epistola de sabbato.
Epistola de mortalitate.
De Exercitatione epistola.
Epistola ad Ammonem Benienicensem epis-
copum, contra Sabellium.
Alia ad Tclesphorura.
SAINT DIONYSIUS. 407
Ad Euphranorem alia. Epistola ad ecclesiam Aiitiochenam adversus
Ad Ammonem et Euporum, epistola. Paulum Samosatenum.
Ad Basilidem episcopuin Pentapolit.
EpistolfE plures. Ex his superest epistola Douhtfid, or rather Supposititious.
canonica de diversis capitibus. Extat Epistola ad Paulum Samosetanum, Gr. L.
Gr. L. vol. i. Condi, alibi et cum com- Concil. vol. i.
mentario Balsamonis. Responsiones ad Pauli Samosetani decern
Epistolae 'EopTOcm/caJ, seu Paschales plu- Qusestiones, Gr. L. ibid.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE
FIRST THREE AGES
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Ann.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
1
Augusti, 43
C. Julius Caesar Vcspa-
nianus.
L. JEmW, Paulus.
*Our Lord's circumcision. His
being presented in the temple.
His flight into Egypt.
The massacre of the infants at
Bethlehem.
The death of Herod about the time
of the passover.
2
44
P. Vinicius Nepos.
P. Alphinius Varus.
Archelaus declared tetrarch of Ju-
dea.
3
45
L. jElius Lamia.
L. Servilius Geminus.
In the beginning of this (or rather
the end of the foregoing year) owr
Lord returned out of Egypt.
His education, and abode .at Naza-
reth.
4
46
Sex. jElius Catus.
C. Sentius Saturninus.
Augustus refuses the title of Lord.
5
47
L. Valerius Messala.
Cn. Cornelius Cinna,
Great earthquakes happened.
Tiber overflows.
An eclipse of the sun, March 28.
* Our Lord is generally supposed to have been born Decern. 25, six days before
the commencement of the common era, Ann. Augusti Imp. 42. For though in strict-
ness, the 42nd year of Augustus ended Nov. 27, (accounting his reign from his en-
tering upon the Triumvirate,) yet seeing the civil Roman year expired not till the
last of December, it may be said to extend all that time. His 43rd year in common
reckoning, and the first year of the vulgar era of our Lord, commencing Jan. 1, when
the Romans began their year, and the new consuls took place.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
43.9
Ann
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Coiisrils.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
6
August!. 48
M. jEmil. Lepidus.
L. Arruntius Nepos.
About this time, the Jews and Sa-
maritans accused Archelaus to
Augustus, who banished him to
Vienne in France.
7
49
A. Licinius Nerva.
Q. Cec. Metellus Creticus.
8
50
M. Furius Camillus.
S. Nonius Quinctilianus.
9
51
(j. Sulp. Camerinus.
C. Poppseus Sabinus.
10
52
P. Corn. Dolabella.
C. Junius Silanus,
11
53
M. jTImil. Lepidus.
T. Statilius Taurus.
The Jews taxed by Quirinus the
Roman governor. In those daj-^s
rose up Judas of Galilee, and drew
away much people after him. He
is slain, and his two sons crucified.
12
13
54
T. Germanicus Csesar.
C. Fonteius Capito.
By occasion of the passover, our
Lord goes up with his parents to
Jerusalem, and there disputes with
the rabbis in the temple.
55
C. Silius Nepos.
L. Munacius Plancus.
Augustus solemnly makes his will,
and lays it up with the vestal
virgins.
14
56
Tiberius ab
Aug. 19. 1
Sex. Pompeius Nepos.
Sex. Apuleius Nepos.
Augustus dies, and is interred with
great funeral honours. Serv. Nu-
merius affirms upon his oath, that
he saw him ascend into heaven.
15
16
1
2
Drusus J. Caesar.
C. Norbanus Flaccus.
2
3
T. Statil. Sesenna.
L. Scribonius Libo.
The magicians and mathematicians
banished Rome by Tiberius.
17
3
4
C. Cffilius Rufus.
L. Pomponius Flaccus.
18
4
5
CI. Tib. Nero III.
D. German. Caesar II.
19
5
6
M. Junius Silanus.
L. Norbanus Balbus.
Josephus, called Caiaphas, made
high-priest of the Jews by the
favour of Valerius Gratus the
Roman governor.
20
6
7
L. Valerius Messala.
M. Aurelius Cotta.
21
7
8
CI. Tib. Nero IV.
Drusus J. Caesar II.
440
. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann.
Chr.
liomaii
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
22
Tiberii. 8
9
C. Sulpicius Galba.
D. Haterius Agrippa.
23
9
10
C. Asinius Pollio.
C. Antistius Vetus.
24
10
11
Sex. Gomel. Cethegus.
D. Vitellius Varro.
25
11
12
Cossus Cornel. Lentulus.
M. Asinius Agrippa.
Towards the end of this year Pon-
tius Pilate is sent to be procurator
of Judea.
26
12
13
Cn. Cornel. Lentulus. Gset.
C. Calvisius Sabinus.
Pilate commands the Roman stan-
dards, with the image of Tiberius
upon them, to be brought into the
temple, to the great offence of the
Jews.
27
13
14
M. Licinius Crassus.
L. Calphumius Piso.
Herod Antipas, putting away the
daughter of Aretas king of Arabia,
marries Herodias, his brother
Philip's wife.
28
14
15
Ap. Junius Silanus.
P. Silius Nerva.
Joseph, our Lord's reputed father, is
by some said to decease this year.
29
15
16
5;?uturi«»'"i-
John the Baptist begins to preach
and to baptize, (probably) about
Midsummer, or, as archbishop
Usher thinks, Octob. 19.
30
16
17
C. Cassius Longinus.
M. Vinucius Quartinus.
Our Lord baptized, .Tan. 6, having
completed the twenty-ninth year
of his age, and thirteen days.
His first Passover, April C.
31
17
18
Tiber. Nero Caesar. V.
L. jElius Sejanus.
His second Passover, March 28.
His cure of the paralytic at the
pool of Bethesda. His sending
out the twelve apostles.
John the Baptist beheaded.
32
33
18
19
Cn. Domitius iEnobarbus.
A. Vitellius Nepos.
S-ujr. M. Fur. Camillus
Scrib.
The third Passover, April 14, four
thousand fed with seven loaves.
Christ's transfiguration. The se-
venty disciples sent out, Zacchfeus
converted. Bartimaius cured of
his blindness.
19
20
Ser. Sulpit. Galba.
L. Cornelius Sylla.
Lazarus raised. Our Lord's tri-
uni()hant entry into Jerusalem.
The Lord's Supper instituted.
The fourth Passover. Our Lord
apprehended, arraigned, cnicified
April 3, rises again, and ascends
into heaven.
The seven deacons chosen. St.
Stephen stoned, Dec. 25.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE,
441
Chr.
Emperors.
Co7lS2ds.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
34
Tiberii. 20
p. Fabius Pcrsicus.
The persecution following St. Ste-
21
L. Vitellius Nepos.
phen's death.
St. Philip's preaching at Samaria.
His converting and baptizing the
eunuch.
Peter and John return to Jerusa-
lem.
35
21
C. Cestius Gallus Cameri-
St. Paul converted, Jan. 25.
22
nus.
St. Peter visits the churches.
M. Servilius Rufus.
Jonathan, the son of Annas, made
high-priest. Many favours con-
ferred upon the Jews by Vitellius.
36
22
Q. Plautius Piautianus.
Peter's vision.
23
al. L;elianus.
Cornelius's conversion.
Sex. Papinius Gallienus.
Peter accused for his converse with
the Gentiles at his return to Je-
rusalem.
37
23
On. Acerronius Proculus.
St. Paul comes to Jerusalem, and
24
after fifteen days is by revelation
Caligula a
commanded to depart thence. He
Mart. 16. 1
C. Pontius Nigrinus.
goes for Tarsus.
38
1
C. Cajsar Caligula II.
A cruel persecution raised against
2
L. Apronius Csesianus.
the Jews at Alexandria by Flac-
cus the prefect of Egypt.
39
2
M. Aquilius Julianus.
Pontius Pilate lays violent hands
3
P. Nonius Asprenas.
upon himself.
The great increase of the church of
Antioch. The believers first called
" Christians " there.
40
3
C. Cajsar Caligula III.
Caligula commands Petronius to set
4
Stif. L. Gellius Publicola.
up his statue in the temple at Jeru-
M. Cocceius Nerva.
salem ; but at the great instance
of the Jews it is deferred.
41
4
C. Cffisar Caligula IV.
St. James the Great, the apostle.
Sufi Q. Pompon. Secun-
beheaded by the command of
Claudius h
dus.
Herod. Peter delivered out of
1 Febr. 1
Cn. Sentius Satuminus.
prison.
42
1
Tib. Claudius Imp. II.
Barnabas and Paul set forward in
2
C. Licinius Csecina Largus.
their preaching of the gospel.
They plant the Christian faith in
Seleucia, Cyprus, and other places.
43
o
T.Claudius Imp. III.
Claudius abrogates many of the
3
L. Vitellius II.
Roman festivals.
Elion is made high-priest of the
Jews in the room of Matthias the
son of Ananus, deposed.
44
3
L. Q. Crispinus II.
Herod dies, being immediately
4 al. Vibius Priscus.
struck by an angel for his pride
T. Statilius Taurus.
and ambition.
442
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ami.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs,
45
Claudii. 4
5
M. Vicinius Quartinus.
M. Statilius Corvinus.
The Blessed Virgin said by some to
die this j'ear, by others three years
after.
The apostles disperse themselves to
preach the gospel to the several
provinces of the Gentile world.
4G
5
6
C. Valerius Asiaticus.
M. Valerius Messala.
al. M. Jun. Silanus.
Paul and Baniabas preach at Lya-
tra. Paul stoned there. Their re-
turn to Antioch.
47
6
7
T. Claudius Imp. IV.
L. Vitellius III.
Thirty thousand of the Jews, raising
a tumult in the feast of unleavened
bread, sluin by Ventidius Cumanus,
procurator of Judea.
48
7
8
A. Vitellius postea Imp.
L. Vipsaiiius Poplicola.
A council holden by the apostles
and others at Jerusalem to de-
termine the controversy about legal
rites. The decrees of the synod
sent to the churches.
49
8
9
Cn. Pompeius Gallus.
Q. Veranuius Laetus.
Barnabas preaches the gospel in
Cyprus; St. Paul in Syria, Ci-
licia, &c.
The Jews banished Rome by the
edict of Claudius.
50
9
10
C. Aiitistius Vetus.
M. Suillius Rufus Nervi-
lianus.
St. Paul, having travelled through
Macedonia, comes to Athens, dis-
putes with the philosophers, con-
verts Dionysius the Areopagite,
and thence passeth to Corinth,
where he resides eighteen months.
51
10
11
T. Claudius Imp. V.
Ser. Cornelius Orfitus.
St. Paul continues at Corinth, where
he meets with Aquila and Priscilla,
not long before banished Rome by
the decree of Claudius. Hence he
writes to the Thessalonians.
52
11
12
P. Cornelius Sj'lla Faus-
tus.
L. Salvius Otho Titianus.
Si. Paul departs from Corinth, passes
to Ephesus, thence to Jerusalem,
and returns back to Ephesus.
53
12
13
D. Junius Silanus.
Q. Haterius Antoninus.
He preaches and disputes daily in
the school of Tyrannus, convinces
the Jews, and converts great num-
bers to the faith.
54
13
14
Nero a
13 Oct. 1
M. Asinius Marcellus.
M. Acilius Aviola.
St. Paul fights with beasts, i. e. men
of evil and brutish manners, at
Ephesus. He preaches there still,
and in the parts thereabouts.
55
1
2
Nero Claudius Imp.
L. Antistius Vetus.
St. Paul's departure from Ephesus.
He passes through ISIaccdonia and
Greece, and gathers contribution
for the saints at Jerusalem.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
443
Ann.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
56
Neronis. 2
3
Q. Volusius Saturninus.
P. Cornelius Scipio.
St. Paul comes to Jerusalem, and is
apprehended in the temple, and
secured in the castle. His impri-
sonment at Cajsarea, and arraign-
ment before Felix the Roman go-
vernor.
.57
3
4
Nero Claud. Imp. II.
L. Calpurnius Piso.
St. Paul kept prisoner at Cassarca
under Felix.
58
4
5
Nero CI. Imp. III.
M. Valerius Messala.
St. Paul's arraignment before Festus.
He is sent to Rome, where he ar-
rives about the end of this, or the
beginning of the following year.*
59
5
6
C. Vipsanius Poplicola.
al. Apronianus.
C. Fonteius Capito.
St. Paul's free imprisonment at Rome.
He writes his epistles to the Ephe-
sians, Colossians, Philippians, to
Timothy, and Philemon.
60
6
7
Nero CI. Imp. IV.
Cossus Cornelius Lentu-
lus.
About the latter end of this year
St. Paul is set at liberty ; and be-
fore his departure out of Italy
writes his epistle to the Hebrews.
Gl
7
8
C. CiBsonius Paetus.
C. Petronius Turpilianus
al. Sabinus.
St. Paul, now released, travels for
the propagation of the gospel, es-
pecially in the Western parts, eTrl
rb Tep/xa rrjs Avaecus i\6a>v, Clem.
Rom. Ep. ad Corinth, p. 8. probably
into Spain, or Britain.
G2
8
9
P. Marius Celsus.
L. Asinius Gallus.
Sufi: Seneca et Trebel-
lius.
St. James the Less, the brother of
our Lord, and bishop of Jerusalem,
thrown by the Jews from the tem-
ple, and knocked on the head with
a fuller's club.
63
9
10
L. Memmius Regulus.
Paulus Vii-ginius Rufus.
Simeon chosen to be St. James's
successor in the see of Jerusalem.
Anianus succeeds St. Mark in the
bishopric of Alexandria. Euseb.
Chron.
64
10
11
C. Lecanius Bassus.
M. Licinius Crassus Frugi.
Nero bums the city of Rome, and
to wipe off the odium from him-
self, charges it upon the Chris-
tians, and raises the first per-
secution against them under that
pretext.
* The time of St. Paul's being sent to Rome, depends upon Festus's coming into
Judea to succeed in the room of Felix ; which, thougli it cannot be precisely deter-
mined, yet plain it is, that it must be while Pallas (Felix's brother, by whose media-
tion with the emperor, Felix at his return had his life spared, when accused by the
Jews for his mal-administration) was yet in some favour with Nero, wherein he was
declining some time before, and from which he seems v/holly to have fallen upon
Agrippina's death, (upon whose interest he stood at court,) who was slain, Neron. 5.
Ann. Chr. 5!), Pallas himself being poisoned, Neron. 8. anno 62.
44^
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann. Roman
Chr. Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs,
65
Neronis. 1 1
12
P. Silius Nerva.
C. Julius Atticus Vestinus.
Suff. Anicius Cerealis.
* St. Peter and Paul suffer martyr-
dom at Rome.
Several prodigies at Jerusalem fore-
shew the destruction of that church
and state.
66
12
13
C. Suetonius Paulinus.
L. Pontius Telesinus.
Nero residing in Achaia, commits
the management of the war against
the Jews to Vespasian.
67
13
14
L. Fonteius Capito.
C. Julius Rufus.
Vespasian carries on the war with
great diligence and success.
Josephus is taken prisoner.
68
Galba a
Jun. 10. 1
C. Silius Italicus.
M. Galerius Trachalus
Turpilianus.
Phanassus the son of Samuel the
last high priest of the Jews.
69
Otho^
Jan. 15.
Vitellius ab
April, 20.
Vespasianus
a 1. Julii. 1
Ser. Sulpitius Galba.
Imp. II.
T. Vinius Rufinus.
al. Crispinianus.
Vespasian, being proclaimed em-
peror, leaves Judea, goes to Alex-
andria, and thence for Rome.
70
1
2
Fl. Vespasianus Imp. II.
T. Vespasianus Cffisar.
Titus remanded by Vespasian to
prosecute the Jewish war.
Jenisalem besieged, taken, sacked,
and burnt.
Eleven hundred thousand of the
Jews perish, and ninety-seven
thousand taken prisoners.
71
2
3
Imp. Vespasianus III.
M. Cocceius Nerva, postea
Imper.
The Jewish nobility and the spoils
of the temple carried in triumph
to Rome.
St. Bartholomew, the apostle, said
to be martyred this, by others the
following year.
72
3
4
Imp. Vespasianus IV.
T. Vespasianus Ceesar. II.
Ebion, so called from an affected
poverty, bom at Cocaba, a village
in Basanitis, and Cerinthus, noted
heretics, begin more openly to
shew themselves about this time.
73
4
5
Fl. Domitianus.
M. Valerius Messalinus.
St. Thomas slain at Maliaporin India.
St. Martialis at Ravenna in Italy.
74
5
6
Imp. Vespasianus V.
T. Vespasianus III.
The last census made at Rome : se-
veral very aged persons then noted,
mentioned by Pliny, lib. vii. c. 49.
justifying the great age of several
ecclesiastic persons of those times.
* Some of the most learned chronologists of the Roman church place the martyrdom
of these two great apostles two years later, viz. Ann. Chr. 67, which if any like
better, I will not contend ; the persecution probably extending to the last of 'Nero,
though it seems most probable that they should suffer about the beginning of it.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
445
Ann.
Chr.
75
76
Roman
Emperors.
C07lStlls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Vespasian. 6
7
Imp. Vespasianus VI.
Tit. Vespasianus IV.
Sitf. Domitianus IV.
The temple of peace dedicated by-
Vespasian, and the Jewish spoils
laid up in it.
7
8
Imp. Vespasianus VII,
Tit. Vespasianus V.
Su^'. Domitianus V.
77
8
9
Imp. Vespasianus VIII.
Tit. Vespasianus VI.
Suf] Domitianus VI.
Linus, bishop of the church of the
Gentile Christians at Rome, suf-
fers martyrdom, having sat twelve
years, four months, and twelve
days ; though others allow but
eleven years, two months, and
twenty-three days.
78
9
10
L. Ceionius Commodus
Verus.
C. Cornelius Priscus.
Antipas, a faithful martyr, slain at
Pergamus. Onuphr, by others re-
ferred to anno 93,
79
10
Titus a
Jun. 24. ]
Imp. Vespasianus IX.
Tit. Vespasianus VII.
A great eruption of Vesuvius ; in
the over-curious search whereof
Pliny the Elder perished the fol-
lowing year.
80
1
2
Titus Vespaa. Imp. VIII.
Fl. Domitianus VII.
Titus commands Josephus's History
of the Jewish War to be laid up
in the library at Rome,
81
2
3
Domit. a
Sept. 13. 1
M. Plautius Sylvanus.
M. Annius Verus PoUio.
82
1
2
Imp. Domitianus VIII.
T. Flavius Sabinus.
83
2
3
Imp. Domitianus IX.
T. Virginius Rufus II.
Domitian banishes the philosophers
out of Rome and Italy, and se-
verely punishes the incest of the
vestal virgins.
84
3
4
Imp. Domitianus X.
Ap. Junius Sabinus,
85
4
5
Imp. Domitianus XI.
T. Aurelius Fulvus.
Anianus, St, Mark's successor in
the bishopric of Alexandria, dies,
and is succeeded by Avilius,
86
5
6
Imp. Domitianus XII.
Ser. Cornelius Dolabella.
87
6
7
Imp. Domitianus XIII.
A. Volusius Saturninus.
Domitian assumes divine honours,
commanding himself to be styled
Lord and God.
88
7
8
Imp. Domitianus XIV.
M, Minucius Rufus,
446
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
A7in.
Chr.
Roman
Emjterors.
Consiils.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
89
Domit. 8
9
T. Aurelius Fulvius.
A. Sempronius Atratinus.
Philosophers and mathematicians
again banished out of Rome.
90
9
10
Imp. Domitianus XV.
M. Cocceius Nerva II.
Apollonius TyanEeus, the famous
magician, set up by the Gentiles
as rival to our Saviour, is brought
before Domitian, shews tricks of
magic, and is said immediately to
vanish out of his sight.
The SECOND PERSECUTION.
91
10
11
M. Ulpius Trajanus.
M. Acilius Glabrio.
* Cletus, bishop of Rome, martyred
this (if not rather the foregoing)
year, April 26 ; he is succeeded by
Clemens, May 16.
92
11
12
Imp. Domitianus XVI.
A. Volusius Saturninus II.
About this time St. John is sup-
posed to be sent by the proconsul
of Asia to Rome, and by Domitian
to have been put into a vessel of hot
oil, and then banished into Patmos.
93
12
13
Sex. Pompeius Collega.
Cornelius Priscus.
94
13
14
L. Nonius Asprenas Tor-
quatus.
M. Arricinius Clemens.
St. John writes his book of Revela-
tions.
Josephus finishes his books of
Jewish Antiquities.
95
14
15
Imp. Domitianus XVII.
T. Flavins Clemens Mart.
Fl. Clemens, Domitian's cousin-ger-
man, and consul with him this
year, put to death for being a
Christian. Ilis wife, Fl. Domitilla,
Domitian's niece, banished for the
same cause.
D6
15
16
Nerva, a
Sept. 18. 1
C. Fulvius Valens.
C. Antistius Vetus.
Nerva revoking the acts of Domi-
tian, St. John is released of his
banishment, and returns to Ephe-
sus.
97
1
2
Coc. Nerva Imp. III.
T. Virginius Rufus III.
Suff. C. Cornelius Taci-
tus, historicus.
St. John, (this j'ear probably,) after
solemn preparation, writes his
Gospel, at the earnest request of
the Asian churches.
98
2
Trajan, a
Jan. 27. 1
Imp. Nerva IV.
M. Ulpius Trajanus II.
Avilius dying, Cerdo succeeds in the
see of Alexandria.
St. Clemens, bishop of Rome, is
banished, and condemned to the
marble quarries in the Taurica
Chersonesus.
* This Cletus is by the Greeks, and that i\-ith greatest probability, made the same
with Anacletus, which breeds a great difference in their account of years. But be-
cause the account of the Greeks is not so clear and smooth, we have chosen, in as-
signing the times of the bishops of Rome, to follow the writers of that church.
CHRONOLOaiCAL TABLE.
447
Ann.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
99
Trajani. 1
2
C. Sosius Senecio II.
A. Cornelius Palma.
100
2
3
Imp. Trajanus III.
M. Cornelius Fronto III.
SiiJ\ Plinius, junior.
St. John dies, and is buried at
Ephcsus.
St. Clemens of Rome is thrown into
the sea, with an anchor tied about
his neck, November 9, having been
sole bishop of Rome, nine years,
eleven months, and twelve days.
101
3
4
Imp. Trajanus IV.
Sex. Articuleius Paetus.
Anacletus (according to the compu-
tation of the church of Rome) suc-
ceeds in that see, April 3.
102
4
5
C. Sosius Senecio III.
L. Licinius Sura.
103
5
6
Imp. Trajanus V.
L. Appius Maximus.
Elxai, a false prophet, author of a
new sect,arises. Epiph.Haeres.xix.
104
6
7
L. Licinius Sura II.
P. Neratius Marcellus.
105
7
8
T. Julius Candidus.
A. Julius Quadratus.
Barsimaeus, bishop of Edcssa, suf-
fers martyrdom ; others place it
anno 109.
106
8
9
L. Ceionius Commodus
Varus.
L. TuUius Ccrealis.
The Greek Menology mentions
11,000 Christian soldiers banished
by Trajan into Armenia, and that
1 0,000 of them were crucified upon
mount Ararat.
107
9
10
C. Sosius Senecio IV.
L. Licinius Sura III.
The THIRD PERSECUTION, wherein
Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem, is
crucified in the oire hundred and
twentieth year of his age.
Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, con-
demned, and sent to Rome to be
thrown to wild beasts.
108
10
11
Ap. Annius Trebonius
Gallus.
M. Atilius Bradua.
Ignatius's bones are conveyed back
to Antioch, and there solemnly in-
terred.
109
11
1-2
A. Cornel. Palma II.
C. Calvisius Tullus 11.
Onesimus, St. Paul's disciple, whom
the martyrologies make bishop of
Ephesus, stoned at Rome, Feb. 16.
Primus made bishop of Alexandria.
110
12
13
Clodius Crispinus.
Solenus Orfitus Hasta.
Euaristus succeeds Anacletus, bi-
shop of Rome, though the Greeks,
who make Cletus and Anacletus
the same person, make him imme-
diately to follow Clemens.
111
13
14
L. Calpumius Piso.
Vettius Rusticus Bolanus.
Justus dying, Zacchteus succeeds in
the see of Jerusalem.
448
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann
air
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
112
Trajani. 14
Imp. Trajaniis VI.
15
C. Julius Africanus.
113
15
L. Publius Celsus.
16
C. Clodius CrispLuus.
114
16
Q. Ninnius Hasta.
17
P. Manlius Vopiscus.
115
17
M. Valerius Messala.
The Jews at Alexandria, and about
18
Vel tit al. Adrianus et
Cvrene in Egypt, rebel, who are
Salinator.
slain in great numbers.
C. Popilius Cams Pedro.
116
18
TEmilius ./Elianus.
Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, sets on
117
19
L. Antistius Vetus.
foot the Millenarian doctrine.
19
20
Adrian,
Quinctius Niger.
abAug. 9. 1
T. Vipsanius Apronianus.
118
1
Imp. Adrianus II.
The FOURTH PERSECUTION raised
2
T. Claudius Fuscus.
against the Christians, reinforcing
that which had been set on foot
by Trajan.
119
2
Imp. Adrianus III.
Pope Evaristus martyred. He sat
3
Q. Junius Rusticus.
nine years, three months, and ten
days. He was succeeded by Alex-
ander, a Roman.
Justus made bishop of Alexandria.
120
3
L. Catiliiis Severus.
The Christians severely prosecuted
4
T. Aurelius Fulvus, postea
at Rome, whereof many martyrs.
Imp. Antoninus.
and more driven to hide them-
selves in the cryptcB and ccemeteria
under ground.
121
4
M. Annius Varus II.
A great tumult at Alexandria about
5
L. Augur.
the idol Apis found there.
122
5
M. Acilius Aviola,
The persecution rages in Asia, under
6
Corellius Pansa.
the government of Arrius Antoni-
nus, the proconsul.
123
6
Q. Arrius Paetinus.
Adrian comes to Athens, and is
7
C. Ventidius Apronianus.
initiated in the Eleusinian mys-
teries.
Quadratus, bisliop of Athens, and
Aristides, present apologies to the
emperor in behalf of the Christians.
124
7
M. Acilius Glabrio.
Serenius Granianus writes to the
8
C Belliciiis Torquatus.
emperor in favour of the Chris-
tians, by whose rescript to M.
Fundanus, proconsul of Asia, (Gra-
nianus's successor,) the proceedings
against them are mitigated.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
449
Roman
Chr.
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
125
Adriani. 8
P. Cornelius Scipio Asia-
9
ticus 11.
Q. Vettius Aquilinus.
126
9
Vespronius C.indidiis Ve-
Adrian revisits Athens, finishes and
10
rus II.
dedicates the temple of Jupiter
Ambiguus Bibulus.
Ol3-mpius, and an altar to himself.
al. M. Loll. Pedius.
Q. Jun. Lepidiis.
127
10
Gallicanus.
11
C. Cffilius Titianus.
128
11
L. Nonius Asprenas Tor-
Aquila, a kinsman of the emperor's.
12
quatus.
first turns Christian, then aposta-
M. Annius Libo.
tizing to Judaism, translates the
Old Testament into Greek.
129
12
Q. Juventius Celsus.
13
Q. Julius Balbus.
130
13
Q. Fabius Catullinus.
iElius Adrianus having repaired
14
M. Flavius Aper.
Jerusalem, calls it after his own
name, ^lia.
The martyrdom of Alexander, bishop
of Rome, after he had sat ten years,
five months, and twenty days ; to
whom succeeded Sixtus, a Roman.
\-A\
14
Ser. Octavius Laenas Pon-
Hj-nienaeus made bishop of Alex-
15
tianus.
andria, being the sixth bishop of
M. Antonius Rufinus.
that see.
132
15
Sentius Augurinus.
The Jews rebel against the Romans
16
Arrius Severianus.
under the conduct of Barchochab,
an impostor.
Justin MartjT converted to Chris-
tianity about this time, or, it may
be, the following year.
133
16
Hiberus.
The Jews dispersed and overcome bj-
17
Jul. Silanus Sisenna.
the prudent arts of Julius Severus,
the Roman general, though not fully
suppressed till the following year,
when Barchochab was executed.
134
17
C. Julius Servilius Ursus
Basilides, the heresiarch, makes
18
Severianus.
C.Vibius Juventius Verus.
himself famous at Alexandria.
1 3,-)
18
Pompeianus Lupercus.
Marcus, the first of the Gentile con-
19
L. Junius Atticus Acilia-
verts, made bishop of Jerusalem,
nus.
all hithertfl having been of the cir-
cumcision.
13()
19
L. Ceionius Coiiimodus
Getulius, Amantius, Cerealis, and
20
Venis.
Sex. Vetulenus Pompeia-
several others, suffer martyrdom.
nus.
2g
450
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
137
Adriani. 20
21
L. Julius Verus Caesar II.
P. CjeUus Balbinus Vibul-
lius Pius.
Phlegon, the Trallian, formerly ser-
vant to the emperor Adrian, here
ends his book of Olympiads.
Olymp. 229. Ann. 1.
138
21
Antoninus
Pius,
July 10. 1
Sulpicius Camerinus.
Quinct. Niger Magnus.
139
1
2
Imp. Antoninus Pius II.
Bruttius Praesens.
140
2
3
Imp. Anton. Pius III.
M. Aurelius Caesar.
Upon Sixtus's martyrdom, Teles-
phonis is chosen bishop of Rome,
according to the Roman account.
Justin Martyr presents his first
(usually put second) Apology for
the Christians.
141
3
4
M.Peducaeus SylogaPris-
cinus.
T. Hoenius Sevenis.
142
4
5
L. Cuspius Rufinus.
L. Statius Quadratus.
About this time the most absurd
and senseless heretics, the Ophitae,
Cainitffi, and Sethiani, arise.
143
5
6
C. Bellicius Torquatus.
T. Claudius Atticus He-
rodes.
144
6
7
Lollianus Avitus,
C. Gavius Maximus.
Eumenes, or Hymenaeus, bishop of
Alexandria, dies ; Marcus, the se-
venth bishop of that see, succeeds.
Valentinus, the heretic, appears.
145
7
8
Imp. Anton. Pius IV.
M. Aurelius Caesar II.
146
8
9
Sex. Enicius Clarus II.
Cn. Claudius Severus.
Marcion, after his frequent recanta-
tions, again laps'es into heresy,
which he propagates more indus-
triously than before.
147
9
10
M. Valerius Largus.
M. Valerius Messalinus.
148
10
11
C. Bellicius Torquatus II,
M. Salvius Julianus II.
149
11
12
Ser. Cornel. Scipio Orfitus.
Q". Nonius Priscus.
Celadion succeeds as the eighth bi-
shop of Alexandria.
loO
12
13
Romulus Gallicanus.
Antistius Vetus.
151
13
14
Sex. Quinct. Gordianus.
Sex. Quinct. Maximus.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
451
Ann,
Chr.
152
153
154
Roman
Emperors.
Consiik.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Antonii
Pii. 14
15
Sex. Acilius Glabrio.
C. Valerius Omolkis Va-
rianus.
Pope Telesphorus martyred, having
sat eleven years, nine months, three
days. Petav. etc.
Hyginus succeeds.
15
16
Bruttius Prsesens 11.
M. Antonius Rufinus.
16
17
L. Aurelius Caesar.
Sextilius Lateranus.
* Anicetus, according to the account
of the Greeks, succeeds about this
time in the see of Rome, not long
after which St. Polycai-p comes
thither : and this no doubt much
truer than the computation of the
church of Rome.
155
156
157
158
17
18
C. Julius Severus.
M. Rufinus Sabinianus.
18
19
Plautius Sylvanus.
Sentius Augurinus.
Pope Hyginus martyred, after he
had sitten four years, wanting two
days, to whom Pius succeeds.
Petav, Ricciol. Briet. etc.
19
20
Barbatus.
Regnlus;
20
21
Q. Fl. Tertullus.
Licinius Sacerdos.
159
21
22
Plautius Quinctillus.
Statins Priscus.
160
22
23
T. Vibius Barus.
Ap. Annius Bradua.
161
23
M. Aurelius
L. JEVius
Verus, a
6 Martii. 1
M. Aurelius Caesar III.
L. jElius Verus Caesar II.
162
1
2
Q. Junius Rusticus.
Vettius Aquilinus.
Justin the Martyr presents his other
Apology to the emperor in behalf
of the Christians.
The FIFTH PERSECUTION begim.
163
2
3
L. Papirius iElianus.
Junius Pastor.
Justin suffered martyrdom (pro-
bably about this time) at Rome,
or, at most, the next year.
164
3
4
C. Julius Macrinus.
L. Cornelius Celsus.
Marcus and Timotheus martyred at
Rome.
* In the catalogue of the bishops of Rome recorded by Optatus and St. Augustine,
Anicetus is set before Pius : according to which account, Anicetus's succession in that
see, and consequently Polycarp's coming to Rome, must be placed fifteen years sooner.
See the Life of St. Polyoarp, num. 4.
2g2
452
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann.
Ckr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
165
M. Aurelii
L. Arrius Pudeiis.
Upon pope Pius's martyrdom, Ani-
L. JE\n
M. (tnivius Orfitus.
cetus is advanced into the chair:
Yen. 4
though Eusebius and the Greeks,
5
according to their account, make
his pontificate commence Ann.
Chr. 1 54, and accordingly fix the
time of Polycarp's coming to Rome.
IfiG
5
Q. Servilius Piulcns.
6
L. Fusidius Pollio.
1R7
6
L. Auielius Verus.
St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna,
7
T. Nuiiiidius Quadratiis.
suffers martyrdom there, together
with Germanicus and others.
Kia
7
T. Junius Montanus.
Theophilus made bishop of Antioch,
8
L. Vettius Paulus.
who learnedly defends the cause
of Christianity against the Gen-
tiles, Eusebius refers it to the fol-
lowing year.
\C9
8
Sosius Priscus.
Gervasius and Protasius undergo
9
Q. Cadius Apollinaris.
martyrdom aljout this time at
Milan.
17()
9
L. Julius C'larus.
Melito bishop of Sardis and Apol-
10
M. Aurelius Cethegus.
linaris bishop of Hiera polls present
their apologetics to the emperor for
171
the Christians.
10
L. Septimius Severus II.
Montanus and his accomplices, au-
11
al. T. Tibinus Sereuus.
thors of the new prophecy, begin
Herenniaiius.
now more plainly to discover them-
al. C. Sccedius Natta.
selves, having craftily broached
their errors some years before.
172
11
Claudius Maxinuis.
Tatian, heretofore Justin Martyr's
12
Cornelius Scipio Orfitus.
scholar, becomes author of the
sect called Encratitae.
Bardesanes, the Syrian, infected
173
with Valentinianism.
12
Claudius Severus.
Pope Anicetus crowned with mar-
13
T. Claudius Ponipeianus.
tyrdom, having been bishop of
Rome eight years, two months,
seven days.
Soter succeeds.
174
13
Annius Trebonius Callus.
M. Aurelius's victory over the
14
L. Flatcus.
Quadi and Marcomanni in Ger-
man}-, gained bj^ the prayers of
175
the Christian legion.
14
Calpurnius Piso.
15
M. Salvias Julianiis.
176
15
T. Vitrasius Pollio.
16
M. Flavius Aper.
1
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
453
A tin.
Roman-
Chi:
Emperors.
Consuls,
Ecclesiastical Ajjuirs.
177
M. Aurelii.
L. Aurel. Commodus Imp.
Soter, being taken away by mar-
16
Plautius Quinctillus.
tyrdom, Eleutherus, a Greek, suc-
17
ceeds in the church of Rome.
Athenagoras, the Christian philoso-
pher of Athens, is now supposed
to have presented his Apology.
178
17
Vettius Ruins.
The foregoing year, a persecution
18
Cornelius Scipio Orlitus.
raged horribly in France, wherein,
besides many others, died Po-
thinus, bishop of Lyons, to whom
succeeded Irenasus the year fol-
lowing.
179
J 8
Imp. L. Aurelius Commo-
The Cataphrygian heresy greatl^-
19
dus 11.
Vosproiiius Candidus Vc-
rus.
pre vails.
180
19
Bruttius Praesens II.
Julianus created bishop of Alex-
Commodus
Sex Quinctil. Gordianus.
andria.
a Mart. 16. 1
Pantienus, a Christian philosopher,
opens the catcchetic school at
x\lexandria.
181
1
Imp. Commodus III.
The persecution against the Cliris-
2
Antistius Burrhus.
tians much abated.
18-2
o
Petronius Mamortiiius.
Theodotion of Pontus, first a Mar-
3
Trebellius Uufus.
cionite, then a Jew, translates the
Old Testament into Greek.
The temple of Serapis at Alexan-
dria burnt down.
183
3
Imp. Commodus IV.
4
M. Autidius V^ictoi-iuus.
184
4
M. I'^gi^ius Marullus sen
Commodus introduces the worship
5
Marcelhis.
of Isis (I'urmerly prohibited) into
M. Papirius yElianus.
Rome.
185"
5
Triarius Materinis.
6
M. Atilius Mc'tilius Bni-
dua.
Ui(i
6
Imp. Commodus V.
About this time, Lucius, a prince of
7
M. Acilius Glabrio.
Britain, is said to have sent letters
to pope Eleuthcrius, to furnish
him with preachers to publish
the Christian faith in these
parts.
Origen born.
187
7
Tullius scti Clodius Cris-
Apollonius, a great philosopher .ind
8
pin us.
(as St. Hierom affirms) a senator.
Papirius TElianus.
pleads his own, and the cause of
the Christian religion before the
senate, for which he suH'ers mar-
tyrdom.
454
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ami.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
C'ofisuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
188
Commodi. 8
9
C. Allius Fuscianus.
Duillius Silanus.
The capitol burnt by lightning,
which destroyed the adjacent
buildings, especially the famous
libraries.
189
9
10
Junius Silanus.
Q. Servilius Silanus.
Demetrius ordained bishop of Alex-
andria, who sat forty-three years.
Serapion made bishop of Antioch,
this, oras others, the following year.
]f)0
10
11
Imp. Commodus VI.
Petronius Septimianus.
Commodus will have himself ac-
counted Hercules, the son of
Jupiter, and accordingly habits
himself ; with other extravagant
instances of folly.
191
11
12
Cassius Apronianus.
M. Attilius Metilius Bra-
dua II.
Julian a senator, and many others,
said to be martyred about this
time.
19-2
12
13
Imp. Commodus VII.
P. Helvius Pertinax.
Pope Eleutherius, having sat fifteen
years and twenty-three days, dies ;
in whose room, Victor, an African,
succeeds.
193
Pertinax a
1 Januar.
Did.Julianus
a Mart. 28.
Severus a
Mali 11. 1
Q. Sosius Falco.
C. Julius Claras.
194
1
2
Imp. Severas II.
Clodius Albinus Caesar II.
Clemens Alexandrinus, Pantsenus's
scholar and successor in the ca-
techetic school, was famous about
this time.
Pope Victor excommunicates Theo-
dorus the heretic.
195
2
3
Q. Fl. TertuUus.
T. Fl. Clemens.
Narcissus made bishop of Jerusalem,
He is famous for miracles and an
holy Ufe.
196
3
4
Cn. Domitius Dexter.
L.Valerius Messala Pris-
cus.
Pope Victor revives the controversy
about the celebration of Easter,
threatens to excommunicate the
Asiatic churches, for which he is
severely reproved by many, and
especially by Irensus.
Several sjmods holden to this pur-
pose.
197
4
Ap. Claudius Lateranus.
M. Marius Rufinus.
The Jews and Samaritans rebel,
and are overcome, and their re-
ligion strictly forbidden. Severus
triumphs for that victory.
198
5
Tib. Aterius Satuminus.
C. Annius Trebon. Gallus.
1
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
455
Ann.
Chr.
199
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Seven, 6
7
P. Cornelius Anulinus,
M. Aufidius Fronto.
Severus creates his son Antoninus
emperor, his son Geta Caesar, and
bestows a large donative upon the
soldiers, which gave occasion to
Tertullian to write his book De
Corona.
200
7
8
Tib. Claudius Severus.
C. Aufidius Victorinus.
The Christians at Rome severely
treated by Plautianus, prefect of
the city, and in Africa by Satur-
ninus, the proconsul.
Tertullian writes his Apologetic,
either this or the following year.
201
202
8
9
L. Annius Fabianus.
M. Nonius Mucianus.
Pope Victor, after nine years and
two months, being martyred, leaves
the place to Zephyrinus.
Tertullian presents his discourse
to the president Scapula.
9
10
Imp. Sevenis III.
Imp. Antoninus Caracalla.
The SIXTH PERSECUTION : wherein
Leonidas, Origen's father, suflFers
martyrdom at Alexandria ; Ire-
nseus, at Lyons in France.
203
10
11
P. Septimius Geta.
L. Septimius Plautianus.
Origen, a very youth, sets up a
grammar school at Alexandria,
and becomes famous.
At eighteen years of age he is pre-
ferred by Demetrius the bishop
to be instructor of the catechu-
mens.
204
11
12
L. Fabius Chilo Septi-
mius.
M. Annius Libo.
The secular games celebrated at
Rome, upon which occasion, pro-
bably, Tertullian wrote his book
De Spectactdis, and, it may be,
that De Idololatria.
205
12
13
Imp. Antoninus Caracalla
II.
P. Septimius Geta Caesar.
206
13
14
M. Nummius Annius
Albinus.
Fulvius ^milianus.
Origen makes the famous attempt
upon himself, in making himself
an eunuch.
207
14
15
M. Flavins Aper.
Q. Allius Maximus.
Tertullian writes against the Mar-
cionites, and his book De Pallia,
and was then (probably) made
presbyter of Carthage.
About this time, Minucius Felix is
supposed to publish his dialogue
called Octavius.
208
15
16
Imp. Antoninus Caracalla
III.
P. Septimius Geta Caesar
II.
4,"5()
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls. Ecclcsiuslkul Affairs.
209
Seven. 16
17
T. Claudius Pompeianus.
Lollianus Avitus.
210
17
18
M. Acilius Faustinus.
C. Caesonius Macer Ru-
finianus.
211
IfJ
Antoninus
Caracalla a
4 Febr. 1
Q. Epidius Rufus Lollia-
nus Gentianus.
Pomponius Bassus.
212
213
1
2
M. Pompeius Asper.
P. Asper.
Alexander, a Cappadocian bishop,
made bishop of Jerusalem.
o
3
Imp. Caracalla IV.
P. Cailius Balbinus.
214
3
4
Silius Messala.
Q. Aquilius Sabinus.
A disputation held at Rome be-
tween Caius and Proclus, one of
Montanus's disciples ; whereupon
pope Zephyrin excluded Proclus
and Tertullian communion with
the church of Rome, which occa-
sioned Tertullian 's starting aside
to Montanus's party.
215
4
5
jT^milius Lsetus.
Anicius Cerealis.
Tertullian writes against the or-
thodox, against whom he in-
veighs under the name of Psy-
chici.
216
5
6
Q. Aquilius Sabinus 11.
Sex. Corn. Anulinus.
217
G
7
Marcinus
et Diadu-
inen. F a
10 April. 1
Bruttius Praesens.
Extrieatus.
A Greek translation of the bible,
called the fifth edition, found in a
hogshead at Jericho, inserted by
Origen into his Octapla.
218
2
Antoninus
Elagabalus
a 7 Jun. 1
Anton. Diadumonus Ca;-
sar.
Adventus.
219
1
o
Imp. Elagabalus II.
Liciiiius Sacerdos.
Pope Zephyrin dies. He sat
twenty-two years and so many
days. Succeeded by Callistus.
220
3
Imp. Elagabalus III.
M. Aurelius Eutychianus
Comazon.
Julius Africanus, a famous Chris-
tian writer, sent upon an embassy
to the emperor, for the rebuilding
of Nicopolis (anciently Emmaus)
a city in Palestine.
221
3
4
Annius Gratus.
Claudius Seloucus.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
457
A n
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
CoTisids.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
222
Antonini. 4
Alexander
Mam. a
Martii 6. 1
Imp. ElagabaluB IV.
M. Aurelius Severus.
Alexander Caesar.
Hippolytus, bishop of Portus, com-
poses his paschal canon.
223
1
2
Maximus.
Papirius jElianus.
Among the famous men of this time
was Ulpian the lawyer, who col-
lected all the imperial edicts
formerly publislied against the
Christians.
224
2
3
Claudius Julianus.
Claudius Crispinus.
The Christians cruelly persecuted
at Rome, at the instigation of
Ulpian, the great lawyer.
Pope Callistus martyred, after he
had sat five years, one month,
twelve days. Urban chosen in
his room.
225
3
4
L. Turpilius Dexter.
M. Majcius Rufus.
226
4
5
Imp. Alexander II.
C. Quinctilius Marcel-
lus.
227
5
6
D. Caelius Balbinus 11.
M. Clodius Pupienus
Maximus.
Hippolytus, bishop of Portus, suffers
martyrdom.
228
6
7
Vettius Modestus.
Probus.
Origen ordained presbyter by Alex-
ander, bisliop of Jerusalem, and
Theoctistus of Cajsarea.
229'
7
8
Imp. Alexander III.
Dio Cassius historicus.
The sixth Greek edition found at
Nicopolis.
230
8
9
Calpumius Agricola.
Clementinus.
Oiigen prosecuted, and synodically
condemned by Demetrius, bishop
of Alexandria.
231
9
10
T. Claudius Pompeianus.
Felicianus.
Origen resigns up his catechetic
school to his scholar Heraclas,
who is soon after chosen bishop of
Alexandria.
Pope Urban beheaded. He is suc-
ceeded by Pontianus.
232
10
11
Julius Lupus.
Maximus.
Origen departs from Alexandria,
and fixes his residence at Cfusarea
in Palestine.
Plotinus becomes Ammoniiis's scho-
lar at Alexandria.
233
234
11
12
Maximus II.
Ovinius Paternus.
12
13
Maximus III,
Urbanus.
• Pontianus, bishop of Rome, banish-
ed into Sardinia.
468
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann.
Chr.
Rovum
Emjierors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
235
Alexandri.l3
14
Maximinus
a 18 Martii. 1
L. Catilius Severus.
L. Ragonius Urinatius
Quintianus.
Maximinus raises the seventh
PERSECUTION against the Chris-
tians.
Origen writes his Exhortation to
Martyrdom.
Pope Pontianus suffers martyrdom
in Sardinia.
Anterus succeeds in the chair.
236
1
2
Imp. Maximinus.
C. Julius Africanus.
Anterus, scarce ha\'ing possessed his
place one month, is slain, and
Fabian elected in his room.
237
2
3
Pupienus
Balbinus a
Maii 26. 1
P. Titius Perpetuus.
L, Ovinius Rusticus Cor-
nelianus.
238
1
Gordianus
a mense
Martii. 1
M. Ulpius Crinitus.
C. Nonius Proculus Pon-
tianus.
239
1
2
Imp. Gordianus.
M. Acilius Aviola.
Zebinus, bishop of Antioch, dies ;
Babylas is chosen to that see.
240
2
3
Vettius Sabinus.
Venustus.
About this time Origen is thought
to have taken his second journey
to Athens, where he finished his
commentai-ies upon Ezekiel.
241
3
4
Imp. Gordianus II.
T. Claudius Pompeianus
II.
242
4
5
C. Aufidius Atticus.
C. Asinius Praetexta-
tus.
243
244
5
6
C. Julius Africanus.
^Emilius Pappus.
Origen is sent for into Arabia, where
he disputes with, and converts Be-
ryllus from his unsound and er-
roneous opinions.
6
Philippus
a mense
April. 1
Fulvius jllmilianus,
Peregrinus,
245
1
2
Imp. Philippus.
Tib. Fabius Titianus.
246
2
3
Bruttius Prajsens.
Nummius Albinus.
Dionysius, one of Origen's scho-
lars and successors in the Schola
KaTTjx^ceWjmade bishop of Alex-
andria,
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
459
Ann.
Chr.
247
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Philippi. 3
4
Imp. Philippus II.
M. Philippus F. Caesar.
The Annus Millesimus ab U. C.
begun this, ended the following
year, and celebrated by the em-
peror with all imaginable solemnity
and magnificence.
248
4
5
Imp. Philippus III.
M. Julius Philippus F.
II.
Cyprian chosen bishop of Carthage.
249
5
6
Decius
a Maio. 1
Fulvius iEmilianus II.
Vettius Aquilinus.
A tumult raised at Alexandria by
an impostor, gives occasion to a
preliminary persecution against the
Christians there.
250
1
2
Imp. Messius Decius.
Annius Maximus Gratus.
The EIGHTH PERSECUTION raised
by Decius.
St. Cyprian in retirement.
Pope Fabian martyred : after whose
decease a vacancy in that see for
above a year, Novatian endeavour-
ing to thrust himself in.
251
2
3
Gallius et
Volusianus
F. a Dec. 1
Imp. Decius II.
Q. Etruscus Decius F. Cae-
sar.
Great schisms in the African church
about the lapsed.
Cornelius elected bishop of Rome.
252
1
2
Imp. Trebonianus Gallus
II.
C. Vibius Volusianus.
The Novatian doctrines condemned
in a sjTiod of sixty bishops at
Rome.
The emperors renew the persecution
begun under Decius.
A great mortality throughout the
world.
253
2
3
Valerianiis
cum Gallieno
F. a Dec. 1
C. Vibius Volusianus II.
M. Valerius Maximus.
Cornelius first banished, then re-
called, cruelly beaten, and at last
beheaded.
Lucius succeeds him.
254
255
1
2
Imp. Licinius Valerianus
II.
Imp. Gallienus.
Origen dies, and is buried at Tyre.
Valerian the emperor at first a great
patron of the Christians.
2
3
Imp. Valerianus III.
Imp. Gallienus II.
Pope Lucius, after one year and
three months, suffers martyrdom.
Stephen, a Roman, chosen to be
his successor.
256
3
4
M. Valerius Maximus.
M. Acilius Glabrio.
The great controversy about the
rebaptizing such as had been
baptized by heretics liotly venti-
lated.
The heats between Cyprian and
Stephen of Rome.
460
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
A 71/1.
Chr.
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
257
Valeriani
Imp. Valerianus IV.
The NINTH PERSECUTION begun
cum
Imp. Gallienus III,
by Valerian.
Gallieno. 4
Sabellius confounds the persons in
5
the Trinity, and spreads his he-
resy.
•2o«
5
M. Aurelius Memmius
Pope Stephen slain, Aug. 2, which
6
Fuscus.
others refer to the foregoing vear.
Pompoiiius Bassus,
Sixtus succeeds.
St. Cyprian beheaded at Carthage,
Sept. 14.
259
6
Fulvius j15miliaiius.
Pope Sixtus and his deacon Lau-
id. Gallienus IV.
rentius receive the crown of mar-
Gallienus
Pomponius IJassus 11.
tyrdom.
solus,
ul. Valerianus jun.
Dionj'sius succeeds in the see of
capto
Rome.
A'aler. 7
26'0
7
Cornelius Secularis.
Paul of Samosata made bishop of
8
Junius Donatus.
Antioch.
Gallienus stops the persecution
against the Christians.
20-1
8
Imp. Gallienus IV.
Dionysius bishop of Alexandria
9
Volusianus.
writes to pope Dionysius, to vindi-
cate himself from the suspicion
of Sabellianism charged upon
him.
2G2
9
Imp. Gallienus V.
/Emylian attempts to make him-
10
App. Pompeius Fausti-
self emperor, and besieges
nus.
Alexandria, where the Chris-
tians are reduced to great
straits.
263
10
Nummius Albinus.
11
Maximus Dexter.
264
11
Imp. Gallienus VI.
12
iEmilius Saturninus,
265
12
Valerianus Cresar II.
A synod held at Antioch against
13
L. Ca'sonius Lutillys Macer
Paulus Samosetanus, the bishop of
Rufinianus.
it.
Dionysius bishop of Alexandria,
and Gregory bishop of Neocfcsarea,
depart this life.
266
13
Imp. (iallienus VII.
llvmenanis ordained bishop of Je-
14
Sabinillus.
rusalem.
267
14
Ovinius Paternus.
1,5
Arcesilaus.
268
15
Ovinius Paternus II.
Chiudius the emperor persecutes the
Claudius
M;u-inianus.
Christians at Rome.
a Mart. 21. 1
CHRONOLOGTCAL TABLE.
461
Ann.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical jij/liirs.
269
Claudii.
1
2
Imp. Aur. Claudius.
Ovinius Paternus III.
•270
o
Aurelianus
a Mart. 1
Flavius Antiocliianus.
Furius Orfitus.
Another synod held at Antioch,
wherein Paul of Samosata is con-
demned and deposed, and Domnus
placed in his room.
Pope Dionysius dies, December
26.
271
1
2
Imp. Aurelianus.
Pomponius Bassus.
al. C. Jul. Capitolinus.
Felix chosen bishop of Rome.
272
2
3
Quietus.
Voldumianus.
Many suffer martyrdom about this
time.
273
3
4
M. Claudius Tacitus.
Furius Placidiimus.
274
4
5
Imp. Aurelianus II.
C. Julius Capitolinus,
Zenobia queen of the Palmyreni,
a Jewess, and (if some might be
credited) a Christian, overcome by
Aurelian, and carried in triumph
to Rome.
27.5
Tacitus a
25. Sept.
5
1
Imp. Aurelianus III.
T. Nonius Marcellinus.
Pope Felix crowned with martyr-
dom, after he had sitten four
years and five months. His
successor was Eutychianus, a
Tuscan.
276
Flori-
anus
April 12.
Probus a
Jul. 1.
1
1
Imp. M. CI. Tacitus
II.
Fulvius yEmilianus.
277
1
o
Imp. Aurelius Probus.
Anicius Paulinus.
al M. Furius Lupus.
The Manichaean heresy springs up,
planted by Manes a Persian,
originally called Curbicnm, the
author of that wild and execrable
sect.
278
2
3
Imp. Probus II.
M. Furius Lupus.
al. Virius.
Anatolius, bishop of Laodicea, emi-
nent for his skill in philosophj^
and human learning. He had
formerly been colleague with
Theotecnus, bishop of Caesarea in
Palestine.
Cyrillus the eighteenth bishop of
Antioch.
279
3
4
Imp. Probus III.
Ovinius Paternus.
al. C. Junius Tiberianus.
280
4
5
Junius Messala.
Gratus.
462
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
Ann.
Chr.
281
Roman
Empernrs.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Probi. 5
6
Imp. Probus IV.
C. Junius Tiberianus.
Theonas created bishop of Alexan-
dria, the fifteenth bishop of that
church.
28-2
7
Carus cum
FF. Nu-
mcriano,
Carino
Aug. 12. 1
Imp. Probus V.
Pomponius Victorinus.
283
1
2
Imp. M. Carus.
M. A. Carinus Ctesar.
284
2
Dioclc-
sianus a
Sept. 17. 1
Imp. Carinus.
Imp. Numerianus.
Eutychianus, bishop of Rome,
crowned with martjTdom, De-
cemb. 8. His successor was Caius,
a Dalmatian, and a kinsman (as
is said) of Dioclesian.
The Dioclesian era begins here.
285
1
2
Imp. Dioclesianus II.
Aristobulus.
286
2
3
Maximus Junius Priscil-
lianus.
Vettius Aquilinus.
*The Thebaean legion, under the
command of Mauricius, being sent
to attend upon Maximian in his
expedition against the Bagaudae,
and refusing to do sacrifice, are
first decimated, and then univer-
sally destroyed at Octodurus in
France.
287
3
4
Imp. Dioclesianus III.
Imp. Maximianus Her-
culeus.
Dioclesian and Maximian write to
the proconsul of Africa to punish
the Manichecs, to bum their books,
execute their persons, and confis-
cate their estates.
288
289
4
5
M. Aurelius Maximus.
Pomponius Januarius.
5
6
Annius Bassus.
L. Ragonius Quinctianus.
290
6
7
Imp. Dioclesianus IV.
Imp. Maximianus Her-
culeus II.
Tharacus, Probus, and Andronicus
suffer martyrdom at Tarsus in Ci-
licia.
291
7
8
C. Junius Tiberianus.
Cassius Dio.
* Though this seems the most proper period for the martyrdom of the Thebsean
legion, wlien Maximian was sent against the rebels in France ; yet is it said, in the
Acts of their martyrdom, that in their journey out of the East they came to Rome,
and were confinned in the faith by Marcellinus, then bishop of it. Which if so, they
could not suffer sooner than Ann. Chr. 296, when Marcellinus succeeded in that see.
CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE.
463
Ann.
Chr.
Roman
Emperors.
Consuls.
Ecclesiastical Affairs.
292
Dioclesiani. 8
9
Afranius Hannibalianus.
M. Aiir. Asclepiodotus.
293
9
10
Imp. Dioclesianus V.
Imp. Maximianus III.
Dioclesian assumes the title of Lord,
cliallenges divine honours, and
suffers himself to be adored as
God.
294
10
11
Constantius Chlorus Cffi-
sar.
Galerius Maximianus Cae-
sar.
295
11
12
Nummius Tuscus.
Annius Cornelius Anu-
linus.
296
12
13
Imp. Dioclesianus VI.
Constantius Caesar II.
Caius bishop of Rome martyred,
April 22.
Marcellinus, a Roman, succeeds in
the government of that church,
who in the Dioclesian persecution
lapsed and sacrificed to idols,
though recovering he died a martyr.
297
13
14
Imp. Maximianus Her-
culeus V.
Galerius Caesar II.
298
14
15
Anicius Faustus.
Severus Gallus.
Zabdas ordained the twenty-seventh
bishop of Jerusalem.
299
300
15
16
Imp. Dioclesianus VII.
Imp. Maximianus Her-
ciileus VI.
16
17
Constantius Chlorus Cae-
sar III.
Galerius Armentarius Cae-
sar III.
The Christians at Rome harassed
out in working at Dioclesian's
baths, most of whom, when the
work was finished, were put to
death, though the tenth per-
secution did not universally be-
gin till three years after, Ann.
Chr. 303. Diodes. 19,
M
VINCENT, PRINTER, OXFORD.
J
Date Due
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