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Jefus Chrift, to him be glory, honour, power, majefty, for ever. AMEN. Salute all the Saints; those with us falute you, particularly Evariftus the writer, with all his houfe. He fuffered martyrdom on the second day of the month Xanthicus, on the feventh day before the Calends of March, on the great fabbath, at the eighth hour. He was apprehended by Herod, under Philip the Trallian Pontifex, Statius Quadratus being proconful, but Jefus Chrift reigning for ever, to whom be glory, honour, majefty, an eternal throne from age to age! We pray that you may be ftrong, brethren, walking in the wORD Jefus Chrift, according to the Gospel, with whom be glory to God, even the Father, and to the Holy Spirit, for the salvation of his elected Saints, among whom the bleffed Polycarp hath fuffered martyrdom, with whom may we be found in the kingdom of Jefus Chrift, having followed his fteps!

These things Caius hath transcribed from the copy of Irenæus, the difciple of Polycarp, who also lived with Irenæus. And I Socrates of Corinth have transcribed from the copy of Caius. Grace be with you all. And I Pionius have transcribed from the fore-mentioned, having made fearch for it, and received the knowledge of it by a vision of Polycarp, as I fhall fhew in what follows, collecting it when now almoft obfolete. So may the. Lord Jefus Chrift collect me with his elect, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit to the ages of ages. AMEN."

I thought it not amifs for the English reader to see the manner in which books were then fucceffively preferved in the church, Of Irenæus we fhall hear more hereafter. Nor ought Pionius's account of his vision to be haftily flighted, by thofe who confider the scarcity of ufeful writings in thofe

days.

days. Whether the cafe was worthy of fuch a divine interpofition, we, who indolently enjoy books without end, can scarce be judges. However, if any chufe to add this to the number of pious frauds, which certainly did once much abound, the authenticity of the account will still, in fubftance, remain unimpeached, as very near the whole of it is in Eufebius. This hiftorian mentions Metrodorus, a Prefbyter of the fect of Marcion, who perished in the flames among others who fuffered at Sinyrna. It cannot be denied that heretics alfo have had their martyrs. Pride and obftinacy will in fome minds perfift even to death. But as all, who have been claffed among heretics, have not been fo in reality, Metrodorus might be a very different fort of a man from Marcion.

A comparative view of a found Chriftian Hero fuffering as we have seen Polycarp did, with a Roman Stoic or untutored Indian undergoing afflictions, where we could have an opportunity of furveying all circumstances, might fhew, in a practical light, the peculiar genius and fpirit of Chriftianity, and it's divine fuperiority. At the fame time, thofe who content themfelves with a cold, fpeculative, and as they term it, rational religion, may ask themfelves how it would have fuited their principles to endure what Polycarp did;-and whether fomething of what is falfely called enthufiafm, and which the foregoing epiftle breathes fo abundantly, be not really divine and truly rational in the best sense.

CHAP.

CHA P. VI.

THE MARTYRS OF LYONS AND VIENNE.

*THE

HE flame of the perfecution by Antoninus reached a country, which hitherto has afforded us no ecclefiaftical materials; I mean that of France, in thofe times called Gallia. Two neighbouring cities, Vienne and Lyons, appear to have been much favoured with evangelical light and love. Vienne was an antient Roman colony; Lyons was more modern, and her prefent bishop was Pothinus. His very name points him out to be a Grecian. Irenæus was a Prefbyter of Lyons, and seems to have been the author of the epiftle which Eufebius has preferved, and which the reader shall see presently. Other names concerned in these events are evidently of Greek extraction, and it is hence moft probable that fome Afiatic Greeks had been the founders of these Churches. Whoever cafts his eye on the map of France, and fees the fituation of Lyons, at present the largest and most populous city in that kingdom, next to Paris, may obferve how favourable the confluence of the Rhine and the Soane,- antiently called the Arar-on which it ftands, is for the purposes of commerce t. The navigation of the Mediterranean, in all probability, was conducted by merchants of Lyons and of Smyrna; and, hence, the eafy

Eufeb. IV. C. 1.

+ When will the moderns, notwithstanding all their enlightened views and improvements, learn to connect navigation and commerce with the propagation of the Gospel?

eafy introduction of the Gospel from the latter place and from the other Afiatic churches is apparent. How much God hath bleffed the work in France, the accounts of their fufferings will evince. Lyons and Vienne appear to be daughters, of whom their Afiatic mothers needed not to be afhamed.

THE EPISTLE OF THE CHURCHES OF VIENNE AND LYONS TO THE BRETHREN IN ASIA AND PHRYGIA*.

The fervants of Chrift, fojourning in Vienne and Lyons in France, to the brethren in Afia propria and Phrygia, who have the fame faith and hope of redemption with us, peace, and grace, and glory from God the Father and Christ Jefus our Lord.

We are not competent to defcribe with accuracy, nor is it in our power to express the greatnefs of the affliction fuftained here by the faints, the intense animofity of the heathen against them, and the complicated fufferings of the bleffed martyrs. The grand enemy affaulted us with all his might; and by his firft effays, exhibited intentions of exercising malice without limits and without control. He left no method untried to habituate his flaves to his bloody work, and to prepare them by previous exercifes against the fervants of God. Chriftians were abfolutely prohibited from appearing, in any houfes except their own, in baths, in the market, or in any public place whatever. The grace of God, however, fought for us, preferving the weak and expofing the ftrong; who, like pillars, were able to withstand him in patience, and to draw the whole fury of the wicked against themselves.

Eufebius does not give the whole of the epiftle at length, but omits fome parts, and interrupts the thread of the narrative. It is not neceffary to notice the particular instances.

themselves. Thefe entered into the conteft, and fuftained every species of pain and reproach. What was heavy to others, to them was light, while they were haftening to Chrift, evincing indeed, that

THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME ARE NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED WITH THE GLORY THAT SHALL BE REVEALED IN US.

The

The first trial was from the people at large; fhouts, blows, the dragging of their bodies, the plundering of their goods, cafting of ftones, and the confining of them within their own houses, and all the indignities which may be expected from a fierce and outrageous multitude, these were magnanimously fuftained. And now, being led into the Forum by the tribune and the magiftrates, they were examined before all the people, whether they were Chriftians; and, on pleading guilty, were fhut up in prifon till the arrival of the governor*. Before him they were at length brought; and he treated us with great favageness of manners. fpirit of Vettius Epagathus, one of the brethren, was roused, a man full of charity both to God and man, whofe conduct was fo exemplary, though but a youth, that he might juftly be compared to old Zacharias: for he walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless, a man ever unwearied in acts of beneficence to his neighbours, full of zeal towards God, and fervent in fpirit. He could not bear to fee so manifest a perverfion of juftice; but, being moved with indignation, he demanded to be heard in behalf of the brethren, and pledged himself to prove that there was nothing atheistic or impious among them. Those about the tribunal fhouted against

him:

It is probable, but not quite certain, that this governor was Severus, afterwards emperor. The conduct of this governor was worthy of fo inhuman a prince.

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