swallowed up one woman of the number of those who had denied Christ, named Biblias, led her to the torture, to compel her to say impious things concerning us, as one now easily to be broken, and without courage. But she came to herself under the tortures, and awoke, so to speak, from a deep sleep, being reminded by temporal punishment of the eternal misery of hell; and declared, in contradiction of the blasphemies, 'How should those devour children, with whom it is not allowed even to eat the blood of animals?' And from this time she confessed herself to be a Christian, and was added to the number of the martyrs.

"The blessed Pothinius, who was entrusted with the bishopric of the Church in Lyons, above ninety years of age, and quite worn out in body, scarce able to breathe from his previous infirmity, but renewed in strength by the readiness of his spirit, in his earnest desire of martyrdom, himself also was dragged to the tribunal; his body worn out with age and disease, but his life being still kept in him, that Christ might triumph through it; who, when brought by the soldiers to the tribunal, all the authorities of the city following him, and all the crowd, as though he had been Christ himself, uttering all sorts of cries against him, bore a good testimony. And when asked by the governor who might be the God of the Christians, he said, 'If thou be worthy, thou shalt know.' After this he was dragged about without mercy, and suffered all kinds of buffeting, those who were near him insulting him with their hands and feet, without regard to his age; and those at a distance throwing at him whatever came to hand; and all thinking any one guilty of a great fault and impiety who should be wanting in insolence towards him. For they considered that they should thus avenge their

gods. And he was cast, scarce alive, into the prison, and died after two days.

"Maturus and Sanctus again went through, in the amphitheatre, every torture, as if they had absolutely suffered nothing before. Rather, as having now in several combats foiled the adversary, and engaged in the contest for the very crown, they supported again the course of scourging usually inflicted there, and the dragging about by the beasts, and whatever else the mad populace shouted and demanded, on this side or that, to have done to them; and, above all, the iron seat, on which their bodies being scorched, choked them with the smell. Blandina, hung up on a cross, was placed to be devoured by the beasts that were turned in. She thus visibly hanging in the figure of a cross, and engaged in earnest prayer, wrought great readiness in those who underwent the conflict; since they saw in the midst of their sufferings, even with the outward eye, in their sister, Him who was crucified for them, to persuade those who believe in Him, that every one who hath suffered for the glory of Christ, hath for ever communion with the living God. And none of the beasts having at that time touched her, she was taken down from the cross, and carried up again to the prison, to be kept for another conflict."

Under the apprehension of such torments, several persons were so overcome by fear as to deny Christ. We have already seen one instance of recovery from this lamentable failure; but the Christians were now to rejoice at the return of those who had forsaken their Saviour. The account proceeds:

"But Christ was greatly glorified in those who had denied before, but then confessed, contrary to the expectation of the heathen. For these were even separately examined, as in the idea that they were to be dismissed; but confessing, they were added to

the number of the martyrs. And while they were under examination, one Alexander, a Phrygian by birth, and a physician by profession, who had lived many years in the provinces of Gaul, and was known by almost all for his love to God, and boldness in declaring the word (for he was not without a share of the apostolic gift), standing by the tribunal, and encouraging them by signs in their confession, was observed by those who stood round the tribunal, and having acknowledged that he was a Christian, he was condemned to be thrown to the wild beasts. The next day he and Attalus were put to death in the amphitheatre; Alexander without uttering a groan or syllable, but conversing in his heart with God. But Attalus, when he was placed on the iron seat and scorched, when the vapour went up from his body, said to the crowd, in the Roman tongue, Behold, this is man-eating, which yourselves do; but we neither eat men, nor do any other evil thing.' And when asked what name God hath, he answered, God hath not a name as a man hath.'

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Blandina was last brought in, with a boy from Pontus, only fifteen years of age, whom she encouraged, in the midst of most dreadful and lingering tortures, to confess the name of Christ; and thus, having stirred up her children, and sent them forward victorious to the KING; and having herself gone through all the same conflicts with her children, she hastened after them, rejoicing and exulting in her departure, as if called to a marriage-supper, instead of being thrown to wild beasts. And after the scourging, after the wild beasts, after the scorching, at last she was placed in a basket, and thrown to a bull, and died, after having been much tossed about by the animal, having no feeling of her sufferings, through her hope and hold of those things which she believed, and her converse with Christ."

Space will not permit me to cite similar examples of faith and Christian heroism from the martyrdoms of the blessed Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem; St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch; Justin Martyr; Perpetua and Felicitas; St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage; and others innumerable.

CHAPTER V.

FRUITS OF FAITH EXEMPLIFIED IN THE LIVES

OF CHRISTIANS.

A.D. 30-320.

N these ages the profession of Christianity was attended with such dangers, and involved so perfect a renunciation of this world, that worldly, sinful, insincere, and even irresolute men, were rarely found in the communion of the Church. The mass of Christians were thoroughly in earnest, full of zeal, and concentrating their hopes and their labours in the service of their Creator and Redeemer. If the Church in later ages seem less pure and bright, it should be remembered that the world had then ceased to persecute; that it had even attached itself externally to religion; and thus, that a large number of professing Christians were not in reality followers of our Lord. For what the apostle says"He is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; -but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart"-may be applied equally to the case of Christians. The number of the real disciples of Christ, who constitute the soul of the

Rom. ii. 28, 29.

Church, its vital and undying members, has perhaps not been less in later ages than in the times of persecution; but the number of false brethren, and the multitude of scandals, has been greatly increased.

The lives of Christians during the first three centuries exhibited striking evidence of the power of faith, and fulfilled the divine precept, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." To the morality and virtue of their conduct, frequent appeal was made by the Christian apologists. "We," says Justin Martyr, "who formerly rejoiced in licentiousness, now embrace discretion and chastity; we who resorted to magical arts, now devote ourselves to the unbegotten God, the God of goodness; we who set our affections on wealth and possessions, now bring to the common stock all our property, and share it with the indigent; we who, owing to diversity of customs, would not share the same hearth with a different race, now, since the appearance of Christ, live together, and pray for our enemies, and endeavour to persuade those who unjustly hate us, that by leading a life conformed to the excellent precepts of Christianity, they may be filled with the good hope of obtaining like happiness with ourselves from that God who is Lord above all things." There were many instances in those times of persons selling their goods, and giving them to the poor, though the practice was not general. It was customary for all Christians to receive the sacrament of the eucharist every Sunday; in some churches, indeed, especially in time of persecution, it was administered every day; and it was considered a grievous offence to forsake the table of the Lord. The manners and duties of Christians are described by Tertullian in his argument, that Christian women ought only to marry believers like them