do fo without boafting. If they boaft, they are loft: and if the man fet himself up above the Bishop, he is loft. It behoves the married to enter into that connection with the consent of the Bishop, that the marriage may be after the will of God, and not to fulfil the lufts of the flesh."

From Troas Ignatius, being brought to Neapolis, paffed by Philippi through Macedonia, and that part of Epirus, which is next to Epidamnus. Having found a fhip in one of the fea-ports, his conductors failed over the Adriatic; and thence, entering into the Tuscan fea, and paffing by feveral iflands and cities, at length they came in view of Puteoli, which being fhewn to him, he haftened to go forth, defirous to tread in the steps of the Apostle Paul; but a violent wind arifing would not permit him to accomplish this defign. His attendants, the relaters of the martrydom, say, that the wind then became favourable for one day and night; and that they were hurried on contrary to their wifhes: THEY forrowed at the thought of being feparated from him: but HE rejoiced in the profpect of foon leaving the world and departing to his Lord, whom he loved :They failed into the Roman port Oftia; and when the impure sports were at an end, the foldiers began to be offended with his flownefs; but the bishop joyfully complied with their haftinefs. Oftia was fome miles from Rome; and he was met by the Roman Chriftians, who intimated their trong defire for his prefervation. Some of them probably had influence with the great; and they were willing to try it: Ignatius, however, was inflexible. He was brought to Rome, and prefented to the Prefect of the city.

When he was led to execution he was attended by a number of the brethren, and, was allowed to

join in prayer with them. And he prayed to the Son of God in behalf of the Churches,-that he would put a stop to the perfecution, and continue the love of the brethren toward each other. He was then led into the amphitheatre, and speedily thrown to the wild beafts. He had here also his wifh: The beafts were his grave: A few bones only were left, which the deacons gathered, carefully preserved, and afterwards buried at Antioch.

The writers thus conclude. "We have made known to you both the day and the time of his martyrdom, that being affembled together according to that time, we may jointly commemorate the magnanimous martyr of Chrift, who trode under-foot the devil, and completed the courfe which he had devoutly wifhed in Chrift Jefus our Lord, by whom and with whom all glory and power be to the Father with the bleffed Spirit for ever. Amen."

Ufher has preferved, or rather restored to us alfo an epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians. It breathes the fame fpirit as thofe of his fellowdifciple, but has lefs pathos and vigour of fentiment. Citations from it will be needlefs.-He begs the Philippians to communicate to him what they knew of Ignatius, whom they had feen at Philippi, after his departure from Smyrna. We hence fee how the Churches then formed one large fraternity, abftracted from partial views of fupporting little factions and interefts, He exhorts them to obey the word of righteoufnefs, and to exercife all patience, which they had feen exemplified in Ignatius, and in others among themfelves, and in Paul himself, and the rest of the Apostles: for these loved not this prefent world, but

I ufe the expreffion of the Acts: let the reader make the obvious inference for himself.

but him, who died and was raised again by God for us. By his account it appears, that the Philippians ftill retained the Chriftian spirit.-One of the Prefbyters, Valens, together with his wife, had finned through covetoufnels.-Would to God fuch spots in the paftoral character were as fingular in our times! Polycarp beautifully expreffes his charitable concern for them, and exhorts them, in affectionate fympathy, to endeavour to restore their fpiritual health.

Thefe facts and obfervations throw fome light on the perfecution of Trajan, on the fpirit of Chriftians fo far as it can be collected at that time, on the martyrdom of Ignatius, and on the signal glory which God was pleased to diffuse around it among the Churches.

. CHA P.

СНАР. II.

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANS DURING THE

REIGNS OF ADRIAN AND

PIUS.

ANTONINUS

TRAJAN died in the year 117. The latter A. D. part of his reign had been employed in his 117. great military expedition into the Eaft, whence he lived not to return. His exploits and triumphs fall not within my province:-I have no concern with him except in that line, in which to a Chriftian he must appear to the greatest disadvantage; and out of which, it were heartily to be wifhed, that he had ever given any evidence of a defire to remove. His fucceffor, Adrian, appears not to have iffued any perfecuting edicts. But the iniquity of his predeceffor furvived; and Adrian's filent aquiefcence for a time, gave it fufficient fcope to exert itself in acts of barbarity.

In the mean time the Gofpel fpread more and more. A number of Apoftolical perfons demonftrated by their conduct, that the Spirit, which had influenced the Apoftles, refted upon them. Filled with divine charity, they diftributed their fubftance to the poor, and travelled into regions, which, as yet, had not heard the found of the Gofpel: and having planted the faith, they ordained paftors, committed to them the culture of the new ground, and then paffed into other countries, Hence, numbers through grace embraced the doctrine of falvation, at the first hearing, with much

N 4

much alacrity*. It is natural to admire here the power of the Holy Spirit of God in the production of fo pure and charitable a temper; to contraft it with the illiberal felfifhnefs too prevalent even among the best in our days; and to regret how little is done for the propagation of the Gofpel through the world, by nations whofe aids of commerce and navigation are fo much fuperior to thofe enjoyed by the antients. One advantage thofe Chriftians poffeffed indeed, which we have not: They were all one body, one Church, of one name, and cordially loved one another as Brethren: The attention to fundamentals, to real Chriftianity was not diffipated by fchifmatic peculiarities, nor was the Lody of Chrift rent in pieces by factions: There were indeed many heretics; but real Chriftians admitted them not into their communities: the line of diftinction was drawn with fufficient precifion; and a diflike of the perfon or offices of Chrift, and of the real fpirit of holiness, difcriminated the heretics and Separation from them, while it was undoubtedly the beft mark of charity to their fouls, tended to preserve the faith and love of true Chriftians in genuine purity.

Among thefe holy men Quadratus was much diftinguished. He fucceeded Publius in the bithopric of Athens, who had fuffered martyrdom either in this or in the foregoing reign. He found the flock in a difperfed and confused statet; Their publick affemblies were deferted: their zeal was grown cold and languid: their lives and manners were corrupted; and they feemed likely to apoftatize from Chriftianity. Quadratus laboured to recover them with much zeal and with equal fuccefs.

Eufeb. book iii. chap. xxxiii.

+ Eufeb. book iv. xxii.