they might serve as torches in the night. The Church celebrates on the 24th of June, the memory of all these martyrs, the first fruits which heathen Rome sent up to heaven. Before the end of this persecution suffered the two great pillars of the Church, SS. Peter and Paul, at Rome in the year 67; the first being crucified with his head down→ wards; the second, being a Roman citizen, was put to death by the sword. In consequence of the severe edict of Nero, many Christians were sacrificed to the fury of the Pagans in the different provinces of the Roman empire. The second Persecution under Domitian. The disturbances in the Roman empire under the emperors Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, and the humane disposition of Vespasian and Titus, gave some rest to the Christians, 'till Domitian succee ding, began the second general persecution. This emperor, a second Nero in cruelty, instigated by the malice of Satan, published in the year 95 new edicts throughout the empire against the christians, by virtue of which great numbers were made victims of religion. In Rome, among others he put to death Flavius Clemens, his own cousin-german, for being a christian, and banished Clemens's wife Domitilla. SS. Nereus and Achilleus suffered also in this persecution; as likewise Antipas, mentioned in chap. ii. 13. of the Apocalypse, whom Christ calls there "his faithful witness." It was by this tyrant's order that St. John the Apostle was sent for to Rome, and was cast into a caldron of boiling oil, but coming out more vigorous than before, he was banished to the isle of Patmos. The third Persecution under Trajan. The Christian religion, by the beginning of the second century, had prodigiously increased, and -- DE DIETS of the empire TUS 4 clear instance of this appears writers, amia mate the is answer and Pliny the Fouver, overnor of Ponos Bithynia, wito bad writ to know his pleasure, hat could be done with the Christus vivere very Tumerous in the provinces of his governement. rajan's answer was Let the Christians not be sought for: but if they be accused and convicted as such, let them deposited. The chief of those vito gained the crown of martyrdom in his reign were. St-Clemens bishop of Rome: St. Simeon, bishop of Jerustiem, St. Formams, bishop of Antech whom Fraser contemned and sent to Rome, there to be com to pieces by wild beasts whose principles of religion and philosophy were so. contrary to theirs. If Aurelius issued out no new edicts, he permitted at least the governors of provinces to put in execution the laws subsisting. And that the persecution was very violent and bloody, appears from the several apologies presented to him by St. Justin, Melito, Athenagoras, and Apollinaris, intreating him to put a stop to it. The same is also evident from the number of those that were crowned with martyrdom. In Asia, St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was put to death, and many others about the same time. At Rome was beheaded St. Justin, who wrote two apologies for the Christians. Several others shared with him · the same crown. At Lyons, St. Pothinus the bishop, and many of all ages and conditions were, through the most acute and cruel torments, con veyed to heaven. At length the emperor put an end to the persecution about the year 174, prevailed upon, as is supposed, by the signal favour he and his army, in the German war, received from heaven by the prayers of the Christian legion. He was shut up in narrow defiles, and surrounded by the Quadi and Marcomanni, and his soldiers were ready to perish with excessive heat and thirst. Under these calamities, the Christian soldiers humbly addressed themselves to God, who immediately sent a plentiful shower of rain, which relieved Aurelius's army, and at the same time a violent storm of hail, with dreadful flashes of lightning, upon the enemies; which gave a complete victory to the emperor. The fifth Persecution under Severus. After the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180, the Christians enjoyed a respite of tolerable peace till the reign of Severus, a crafty, treacherous, and bloody prince, and by his nature truly answering H 6 spread itself through a great extent in Europe, Asia, and Africa; and all considerable cities were governed by their respective bishops. Trajan, the Roman emperor, according to the Pagan writers, was of a mild temper and possessed of many amiable qualities, which gained him from the senate the title of Optimus,' or good prince.' But this glorious title received a black and indelible stain from the persecutions which he permitted to be carried on against the Christians. For, though he issued out no new edicts against them, he suffered the former sanguinary laws to be executed in different parts of the empire in the years 106, 107, &c. A clear instance of this appears in his answer to Pliny the younger, governor of Pontus and Bithynia, who had writ to know his pleasure, what should be done with the Christians who were very numerous in the provinces of his government. Trajan's answer was, 'Let the Christians not be sought for; but if they be accused and convicted as such, let them be punished.' The chief of those who gained the crown of martyrdom in his reign were, St. Clement, bishop of Rome; St. Simeon, bishop of Jerusalem; St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, whom Trajan himself condemned and sent to Rome, there to be torn to pieces by wild beasts in the amphitheatre. The fourth Persecution under Marcus Aurelius. The fourth persecution finds its place in the reign of Marcus Aurelius, in the year 166, &c Many Christians indeed had been sacrificed under the emperor Adrian, by virtue of former laws remaining in force, but at last he mitigated them by an express order. Marcus Aurelius was extremely superstitious; and as he also boasted of being a philosopher, he was easily instigated by the heathen priests and philosophers against the Christians, whose principles of religion and philosophy were so contrary to theirs. If Aurelius issued out no new edicts, he permitted at least the governors of provinces to put in execution the laws subsisting. And that the persecution was very violent and bloody, appears from the several apologies presented to him by St. Justin, Melito, Athenagoras, and Apollinaris, intreating him to put a stop to it. The same is also evident from the number of those that were crowned with martyrdom. In Asia, St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, was put to death, and many others about the same time. At Rome was beheaded St. Justin, who wrote two apologies for the Christians. Several others shared with him the same crown. At Lyons, St. Pothinus the bishop, and many of all ages and conditions were, through the most acute and cruel torments, con veyed to heaven. At length the emperor put an end to the persecution about the year 174, prevailed upon, as is supposed, by the signal favour he and his army, in the German war, received from heaven by the prayers of the Christian legion. He was shut up in narrow defiles, and surrounded by the Quadi and Marcomanni, and his soldiers were ready to perish with excessive heat and thirst. Under these calamities, the Christian soldiers humbly addressed themselves to God, who immediately sent a plentiful shower of rain, which relieved Aurelius's army, and at the same time a violent storm of hail, with dreadful flashes of lightning, upon the enemies; which gave a complete victory to the emperor. The fifth Persecution under Severus. After the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180, the Christians enjoyed a respite of tolerable peace till the reign of Severus, a crafty, treacherous, and bloody prince, and by his nature truly answering H |