In some places, as in several of the provinces of Asia, notwithstanding the kind disposition of Antoninus towards the Christians, they were cruelly persecuted, for a season. The crimes they were accused of, were atheism, and impiety. Earthquakes also happened, and the pagans and being much terrified, ascribed them to the vengeance of Heaven against the Christians. These charges were abundantly refuted by Justin Martyr, who presented his first apology to the emperor, A. D. 140. This had its desired effect, for the emperor addressed the following edict to the common council of Asia, which exhibits both his justice and clemency :

THE EMPEROR TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF ASIA.

"I am clearly of opinion, that the gods will take care to discover such persons (as to whom you refer.) For it much more concerns them to punish those who refuse to worship them, than you, if they be able. But you harass and vex the Christians, and accuse them of atheism, and other crimes, which you can by no means prove. To them it appears an advantage to die for their religion, and they gain their point, while they throw away their lives, rather than comply with your injunctions. As to the earthquakes, which have happened in times past, or more recently, is it not proper to remind you of your own despondency, when they happen; and to desire you to compare your spirit with theirs, and observe how serenely they confide in God? In such seasons, you seem to be ignorant of the gods, and to neglect their worship. You live in the practical ignorance of the supreme God himself, and you harass and persecute to death those who do worship him. Concerning these same men, some others of the provincial governors wrote to our divine father Adrian, to whom he returned for answer, that they should not be molested, unless they appeared to attempt something against the Roman government.' Many, also, have made application to me, concerning these men, to whom I have returned an answer agreeable to the maxims of my father. But if any person will still persist in accusing the Christians, merely as such, let the accuscd be acquitted, though he appear to be a Christian, and let the accuser be punished."

Set up at Ephesus in the Common Assembly of Asia.

crimes were they accused of? What was said to happen on their account? Who refuted this charge? In what year did Justin present his first apology? What effect had it?

Letters of similar import were also written to the Larisseans, the Thessalonians, the Athenians, and all the Greeks, and the humane emperor took care that his edicts should be carried into effect.

Sec. 9. Antoninus Pius adopted for his successor, his son in law, Marcus Aurelius' Antoninus, who ascended the throne, A. D. 165 Like his predecessor, he is said to have been distinguished by his virtues yet during the 19 years of his reign, he was an implacable enemy to Christians. During his time, the fourth persecution took place; and in many parts of the empire it was attended by circumstances of peculiar aggravation and severity.)

It has excited no little wonder among some, that a prince so considerate, so humane, and, in general, so well disposed as Marcus is allowed to have been, should have been so unfriendly to Christians, and should have encouraged such barbarous treatment of their persons. It should be remembered, however, that he belonged to the Stoics, a sect, which, more than any other, was filled with a sense of pride and self importance. They considered the soul as divine and self-sufficient. Hence the pride of philosophy in this prince was wounded and exasperated by the doctrines of the gospel, which presented man in a fallen state, and inculcated humility and dependence. Hence, he was prepared to encourage hostility to the professors of Christianity, and to look with pleasure upon every effort to exterminate them from the earth.

On the accession of Marcus, Asia became the theatre of the most bitter persecution. We have room, however, to notice the death of only a single individual—the venerable Polycarp. He had now been pastor of a church in Smyr

Sec. 9. Who succeeded Antoninus Pius? When? For what is he said to have been distinguished? How long did he reign? Which of the ten persecutions took place during his reign? What was the character of it? How is it to be accounted for, if Marcus was so virtuous, that he should have been so hostile to Christians? What was the character of the Stoics? What country became the theatre of bitter persecution, on the accesion of Marcus? What apostolic man suffered? Give

na about 80 years, and was greatly respected and beloved, on account of his wisdom, piety, and influence. He was the companion of Ignatius, who had already received the crown of martyrdom, and with him had been the disciple of the apostle John.

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The eminence of his character and station marked out Polycarp as the victim of persecution. Perceiving his danger, his friends persuaded him to retire for a season tó a neighbouring village, to elude the fury of his enemies. The most diligent search was made for him; but being unable to discover the place of his concealment, the persecutors proceeded to torture some of his brethren, with a design of compelling them to disclose the place of his retreat. This was too much for the tender spirit of Polycarp to bear. Accordingly, he made a voluntary surrender of himself to his enemies; inviting them to refresh themselves at his table, and requesting only the privilege of an hour to pray, without molestation. This being granted, he continued his devotions to double the period, appearing to forget himself in the contemplation of the glory of God.

Having finished his devotions, he was placed upon an ass, and conducted to the city. Being brought before the proconsul, efforts were made to induce him to abjure his faith, and to swear by the fortune of Cæsar. This he peremptorily refused; upon which he was threatened with being made the prey of wild beasts. "Call for them," said Polycarp, "it does not well become us to turn from good to evil."" Seeing you make so light of wild beasts," rejoined the consul, "I will tame you with the more terrible punishment of fire." "To this, the aged disciple replied,

you threaten me with a fire that is quickly extinguished, but you are ignorant of the eternal fire of God's judgement reserved for the wicked in the other world."

Polycarp remaining thus inflexible, the populace begged the proconsul to let out a lion against him. But the spectacle of the wild beasts being finished, it was determined that he should be burnt alive. Accordingly, preparations were made, during which this holy man was occupied in prayer. As they were going to nail him to the stake"Let me re

main as I am,' "said the martyr, "for he who giveth me strength to sustain the fire, will enable me to remain unmoved." Putting his hands behind him, they bound him. some account of Polycarp, and of his death. Who presented an apol

He now prayed aloud, and when he had pronounced Amen, they kindled the fire; but after a while, fearing lest he should not certainly be dispatched, an officer standing by, plunged a sword into his body. His bones were afterwards gathered up by his friends and buried.

In the same year that Polycarp was put to death, (A. D. 166,) Justin Martyr drew up a second apology, which he addressed to the emperor Marcus, and to the senate of Rome. It seems, however, rather to have irritated, than softened the temper of the times. Crescens, a philosopher, a man of abandoned life, whom Justin had reproved, laid an information against him before the prefect of the city, and procured his imprisonment.

These

Six others were imprisoned at the same time. with Justin, being brought before the prefect, were urged to renounce their profession, and sacrifice to the gods. But standing firm in their attachment to their religion, Rusticus, the magistrate, sentenced them to be first scourged, and then heheaded, according to the laws.

In this decision, the disciples rejoiced, that they were counted worthy to suffer. Being led back to the prison they were whipped, and afterwards beheaded. Their bodies were taken by Christian friends, and interred.

Thus fell Justin (surnamed Martyr, from the manner of his death) a man of distinguished powers, and the first man of letters that had adorned the Church, since the Apostle Paul. He has, however, been censured for his attachment to philosophy, by which he seems to have been bewildered, and at times led astray. He was, however, sincerely attached to the religion of the gospel; he loved the truth, and though after he became converted, he persevered in the profession of philosophy and letters, in which perhaps he gloried too much, he nevertheless advocated the principles of Christianity when assailed; by these he lived, and by these he serenely died.

Towards the close of the reign of this emperor, A. D. 177, the flame of persecution reached a country which had hitherto furnished no materials for ecclesiastical historyviz. the kingdom of France, at that time called Gallia. The principal seat of the persecution appears to have been ogy to Marcus? What effect had this apology? What became of Justin? What was his character? What other country did this persecution reach? About what year? What two cities suffered more

Vienne and Lyons, two cities lying contiguous to each other in that province. Vienne was an ancient Roman colony; Lyons was more modern. Each had its presbyter. Pothinius stood related to the former; Irenæus to the latter.

By whom, or by what means the light of the gospel was first conveyed to this country, is uncertain-for the first intelligence that we have of the existence of a church in this province, is connected with the dreadful persecution which came upon these two cities. The conjecture of Milner, however, appears reasonable. "Whoever," says this historian, "casts his eye upon the map, and sees the situation of Lyons; at present, the largest and most populous city in the kingdom, except Paris, may observe how favourable the confluence of the Rhine and the Soane, where it stands, is for the purpose of commerce. The navigation of the Mediterranean in all probability was conducted by the merchants of Lyons and Smyrna, and hence the easy ́introduction of the gospel from the latter place, and from other Asiatic churches, is apparent."

Of the above persecution, an account was sent by Irenæus, who seems to have outlived the violent storm, in an epistle to the brethren in Asia and Phrygia, from which our information is derived.

The persecution commenced by the furious attack of the populace. Christians did not dare to appear in any public places, such as the markets, the baths, nor scarcely in the streets, much less could they assemble for worship, without the greatest danger. They were not safe in their own houses. They were plundered, dragged on the ground, stoned, beaten, and accused to the magistrates of the most abominable crimes. All the tender ties of relationship were dissolved; the father delivered up the son to death, and the son the father.

In order to make them recant, and abandon their profession, the most cruel tortures were inflicted. The inhuman ruler commanded them to be scourged with whips, to be scorched by applying heated brazen plates to the most tender parts of the body. To prepare them for a renewal of such barbarous treatment, they were remanded to prison, and again brought forth, some to a repetition of similar particularly? By what means was the gospel first carried thither? Who has given an account of this persecution? How did it com