And having the chief officer, with his father Nicetas, met him in a chariot. taken him up to them, and set him in the chariot, they began to persuade him, saying, "What harm is there in it, to say, Lord Cæsar, and sacrifice, and so be safe?" But Polycarp, at first, answered them not: whereupon they continuing to urge him, he said, "I shall not do what you persuade me to." So being out of all hope of prevailing with him, they began first to rail at him; and then, with violence, threw him out of the chariot, insomuch that he hurt his thigh with the fall. But he, not turning back, went on readily with all diligence, as if he had received no harm at all, and so was brought to the lists, where there was so great a tumult, that nobody could be heard. As he was going into the lists, there came a voice from heaven to him— "Be strong, Polycarp, and quit thyself like a man.' Now no one saw who it was that spake to him: but for the voice, many of our brethren, who were present, heard it. And as he was brought in, there was a great disturbance when they heard how that Polycarp was taken. And when he came near, the Proconsul asked him, "Whether he was Polycarp?" who, confessing that he was, he persuaded him to deny the faith, saying, "Reverence thy old age; with many other things of the like nature, as their custom is; concluding thus, "Swear by Cæsar's fortune. Repent, and say, Take away the wicked." Then Polycarp, looking with a stern countenance upon the whole multitude of wicked Gentiles that was gathered together in the lists; and shaking his hand at them, looked up to heaven, and groaning, said, "Take away the wicked." But the Proconsul, insisting and saying, "Swear; and I will set thee at liberty: reproach Christ." Polycarp replied, "Eighty-and-six years have I now served Christ, and he has never done me the least wrong; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?" And when the Proconsul nevertheless still insisted, saying, "Swear by the Genius of Cæsar," he answered, "Seeing thou art so vainly urgent with me that I should swear, as thou callest it, by the Genius of Cæsar, seeming as if thou didst not know what I am; hear me freely professing it to thee, that I am a Christian. But if thou farther desirest an account of what Christianity is, appoint a day, and thou shalt hear it." The Proconsul replied, “Persuade the people." Polycarp answered, "To thee have I offered to give a reason of my faith: for so are we taught to pay all due honour (such only excepted as would be hurtful to ourselves) to the powers and authorities which are ordained of God. But for the people, I esteem them not worthy, that I should give any account of my faith to them." The Proconsul continued, and said unto him, “I have wild beasts ready; to those I will cast thee, except thou repent." He answered, "Call for them then; for we Christians are fixed in our minds not to change from good to evil. But for me it will be good to be changed from evil to good." The Proconsul added, "Seeing thou despisest the wild beasts, I will cause thee to be devoured by fire, unless thou shalt repent.' Polycarp answered, "Thou threatenest me with fire which burns for an hour, and so is extinguished; but knowest not the fire of the future judgment, and of that eternal punishment which is reserved for the ungodly. But why tarriest thou? Bring forth what thou wilt." Having said this, and many other things of the like nature, he was filled with confidence and joy, insomuch that his very countenance was full of grace; so that the Proconsul was struck with astonishment, and sent his crier into the middle of the lists, to proclaim three several times-" Polycarp has confessed himself to be a Christian." Which being done by the crier, the whole multitude, both of the Gentiles and of the Jews which dwelt at Smyrna, being full of fury, cried out with a loud voice, "This is the doctor of Asia, the father of the Christians, and the overthrower of our gods; he that has taught so many not to sacrifice, nor pay any worship to the gods." And saying this, they cried out, and desired Philip the Asiarch,* that he would let loose a lion against Polycarp. * Who was President of the Spectacles, the Chief Priest for that year. See Usser. Annot. Numb. 46. Vales. in Euseb. pp. 63, 64. But Philip replied, that it was not lawful for him to do so, because that kind of spectacle was already over. Then it pleased them to cry out with one consent, that Polycarp should be burnt alive. For so it was necessary that the vision should be fulfilled which was made manifest unto him by his pillow, when, seeing it on fire as he was praying, he turned about, and said prophetically to the faithful that were with him, "I must be burnt alive." This, therefore, was done with greater speed than it was spoke; the whole multitude instantly gathering together wood and faggots, out of the shops and baths: the Jews especially, according to their custom, with all readiness assisting them in it. When the fuel was ready, Polycarp, laying aside all his upper garments, and undoing his girdle, tried also to pull off his clothes underneath, which aforetime he was not wont to do; forasmuch as always every one of the Christians that was about him contended who should soonest touch his flesh. For he was truly adorned by his good conversation with all kind of piety, even before his martyrdom. This being done, when they would have also nailed him to the stake, he said, "Let me alone as I am: for he who has given me strength to endure the fire, will also enable me, without your securing me by nails, to stand without moving in the pile." Wherefore they did not nail him, but only tied him to it. But he, having put his hands behind him, looked up to heaven, and said, "O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy well-beloved and blessed Son, Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of thee; the God of angels and powers, and of every creature, and especially of the whole race of just men who live in thy presence! I give thee hearty thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to bring me to this day, and to this hour; that I should have a part in the number of thy martyrs, in the cup of thy Christ, to the resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and body, in the incorruption of the Holy Ghost. Among which may I be accepted this day before thee, as a fat and acceptable sacrifice; as thou the true God, with whom is no falsehood, hast both before ordained, and manifested unto me, and also hast now fulfilled it. For this, and for all things else, I praise thee, I bless thee, I glorify thee, by the eternal and heavenly high-priest, Jesus Christ, thy beloved Son; with whom, to thee, and the Holy Ghost, be glory, both now, and to all succeeding ages. Amen." He had no sooner pronounced aloud Amen, and finished his prayer, but they who were appointed to be his executioners lighted the fire. And when the flame began to blaze to a very great height, behold, a wonderful miracle appeared to us who had the happiness to see it, and who were reserved by heaven to report to others what had happened. For the flame, making a kind of arch, like the sail of a ship filled with the wind, encompassed, as in a circle, the body of the holy martyr; who stood in the midst of it, not as if his flesh were burnt, but as bread that is baked, or as gold or silver glowing in the furnace. Moreover, so sweet a smell came from it, as if frankincense, or some rich spices, had been smoking there. At length, when those wicked men saw that his body could not be consumed by the fire, they commanded the executioner to go near to him, and stick his dagger in him; which being accordingly done, there came forth so great a quantity of blood, as even extinguished the fire, and raised an admiration in all the people. But the wicked adversary of the race of the just took all possible care that not the least remainder of his body should be taken away by us, although many desired to do it, and to be made partakers of his holy flesh. And to that end, he suggested it to Nicetas, the father of Herod and brother of Alcé, to go to the governor, and hinder him from giving us his body to be buried. "Lest * Koμpékтopa. Vid. Annot. Usser. Num. 75.-Vales. understands by it, one of the Jance-men that were set to kill the beasts, if they grew unruly, at these kind of spectacles. Vid. in Euseb. p. 64. C. (says he), forsaking him that was crucified, they should begin to worship this Polycarp.' And this he said at the suggestion and instance of the Jews; who also watched us, that we should not take him out of the fire: not considering, that neither is it possible for us ever to forsake Christ, who suffered for the salvation of all such who shall be saved throughout the whole world, the righteous for the ungodly; nor worship any other besides him. For him indeed, as being the Son of God, we do adore: but for the martyrs, we worthily love them, as the disciples and followers of our Lord; and upon the account of their exceeding great affection towards their Master and their King. Of whom may we also be made companions and fellow-disciples. The centurion, therefore, seeing the contention of the Jews, put his body into the midst of the fire, and so consumed it. After which, we taking up his bones, more precious than the richest jewels, and tried above gold, deposited them where it was fitting: where, being gathered together as we have opportunity, with joy and gladness, the Lord shall grant unto us to celebrate the anniversary of his martyrdom, both in memory of those who have suffered, and for the exercise and preparation of those that may hereafter suffer. Such was the death of Polycarp. He suffered with eleven others, whose names, comparatively of less note, have not come down to posterity. As to the tale which is found in Eusebius, and in some other copies of the above Martyrology, that a dove issued from the wound inflicted by the executioner, (§ 16), it clearly originated in a corruption of the text, and may, without scruple, be rejected as fabulous. For περιστερὰ should be substituted ἐπ' ἀριστέραν, or Tερì σTéρva, either of which will render the passage rational and intelligible. While on this subject, the following ancient inscription in the Church of St. Stephen at Rome, may not be unacceptable to our readers : : ECCL. li. 6. In medio ignis non sum æstuatus: Phænicem si quis medio miratur in igne Emori, et exstincto se reparare rogo; Obstupeat, Polycarpe, avidas tibi parcere flammas, Mille nitent tædæ, rutilantque hinc inde favillis, The date of St. Polycarp's martyrdom is not easily determined. According to Pearson, who supposes him to have suffered under Antoninus Pius, it took place in the year 148. But Eusebius and Jerome place it in the reign of M. Antoninus, and, therefore, Tillemont and others assign it to the year 167; Usher, Basnage, and Lardner, more probably perhaps, to the year 169. The only chronological datum, which occurs in the Martyrology, is Polycarp's reply to the Proconsul—" Eighty and six years have I now served Christ; but it is so uncertain whether he refers to the duration of his life, his conversion, or his ministry, that nothing can be built upon it in relation to either. At all events, however, it is certain that he lived during a considerable period of time in the first century. According to Irenæus, Polycarp wrote several letters to the Churches bordering upon Smyrna. Some fragments also, entitled Responsiones, have been ascribed to him, but it is not probable that any of his writings were known in the time of Eusebius and Jerome, with the exception of his Epistle to the Philippians, which is still extant, almost entire, in the original Greek. The tenth, eleventh, and twelfth sections, remain only in an ancient Latin version. This Epistle was evidently written shortly after the death of Ignatius, and may therefore be assigned, without hesitation, to the year 108. Of its intrinsic genuineness there is not the slightest question with the learned, though some few interpolations may possibly have been introduced into it. It contains passages expressly quoted from it by Eusebius ; it agrees with that historian's observation, that St. Peter's First Epistle is quoted in it, but not the Second; and it answers in every respect to the apostolical character of the writer. It consists almost entirely of a series of apostolical admonitions and exhortations, delivered in a simple and comprehensive style, closely analogous to that of the sacred writings. In the subjoined compendium of practical duties the follower of St. Paul is immediately recognised. ̓Αρχὴ δὲ πάντων χαλεπῶν φιλαργυρία· εἰδότες οὖν ὅτι οὐδὲν εἰσηνέγκαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ ̓ οὐδὲ ἐξενεγκεῖν τι ἔχομεν, ὁπλισώμεθα τοῖς ὅπλοις τῆς δικαιοσύνης, καὶ διδάξωμεν ἑαυτοὺς πρῶτον πορεύεσθαι ἐν τῇ ἐντολῇ τοῦ κυρίου· ἔπειτα, καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας ὑμῶν, ἐν τῇ δοθείσῃ αὐταῖς πίστει, καὶ ἀγάπῃ, καὶ ἁγνείᾳ, στεργούσας τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἄνδρας ἐν πάσῃ ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ ἀγαπώσας πάντας ἐξ ἴσου ἐν πάσῃ ἐγκρατείᾳ, καὶ τὰ τέκνα παιδεύειν τὴν παιδείαν τοῦ φόβου τοῦ Θεοῦ· τὰς χήρας σωφρονούσας περὶ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου πίστιν, ἐντυγχανούσας ἀδιαλείπτως περὶ πάντων, μακρὰν οὖσας πάσης διαβολῆς, καταλαλιᾶς, ψευδομαρτυρίας, φιλαργυρίας, καὶ παντὸς κακοῦ, γινωσκούσας ὅτι εἰσὶ θυσιαστήρια Θεοῦ, καὶ ὅτι πάντα ἡμῶν σκοπεῖται, καὶ λέληθεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲν, οὔτε λογισμῶν, οὔτε ἐννοιῶν, οὐτέ τι τῶν κρυπτῶν τῆς καρδίας. Εἰδότες οὖν ὅτι Θεὸς οὐ μυκτηρίζεται, ὀφείλομεν ἀξίως τῆς ἐντολῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ δόξης περιπατεῖν. Ομοίως διάκονοι ἄμεμπτοι κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης, ὡς Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ διάκονοι, καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπων· μὴ διάβολοι, μὴ δίγλωσσοι, ἀφιλάργυροι ἐγκρατεῖς περὶ πάντα, εὔσπλαγχνοι, ἐπιμελεῖς, πορευόμενοι κατὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ κυρίου, ὃς ἐγένετο διάκονος πάντων· ἐὰν εὐαρεστήσωμεν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, ἀποληψόμεθα καὶ τὸν μέλλοντα, καθὼς ὑπέσχετο ἡμῖν ἐγεῖραι ἡμᾶς ἐκ νεκρῶν, καὶ ὅτι ἐὰν πολιτευσώμεθα ἀξίως αὐτοῦ, καὶ συμβασιλεύσωμεν αὐτῷ, εἴγε πιστεύομεν. Ομοίως καὶ νεώτεροι ἄμεμπτοι ἐν πᾶσι, πρὸ παντὸς προνοῦντες ἁγνείας, καὶ χαλιναγωγοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ. Καλὸν γὰρ τὸ ἀνακύπτεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. Οτι πᾶσα ἐπιθυμία κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος στρατεύεται καὶ οὔτε πόρνοι, οὔτε μαλακοὶ, οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν, οὔτε οἱ ποιοῦντες τὰ ἄτοπα. Διὸ δέον ἀπέχεσθαι ἀπὸ πάντων τούτων, ὑποτασσομένους τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις, ὡς Θεῷ καὶ Χριστῷ τὰς παρθένους, ἐν ἀμώμῳ καὶ ἁγνῇ συνειδήσει περι πατεῖν. Καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι δὲ εὔσπλαγχνοι, εἰς πάντας ἐλεήμονες, ἐπιστρέφοντες τὰ αποπεπλανημένα, ἐπισκεπτόμενοι πάντας ἀσθενεῖς, μὴ ἀμελοῦντες χή ρας, ἢ ὀρφανοῦ, ἢ πένητος· ἀλλὰ προνοῦντες ἀεὶ τοῦ καλοῦ ἐνώπιον Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἀπεχόμενοι πάσης ὀργῆς, προσωποληψίας, κρίσεως, ἀδίκου, μακρὰν ὄντες πάσης φιλαργυρίας, μὴ ταχέως πιστεύοντες κατὰ τινὸς, μὴ ἀπότομοι ἐν κρίσει, εἰδότες ὅτι πάντες ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν ἁμαρτίας. Εἰ οὖν δεόμεθα τοῦ κυρίου, ἵνα ἡμῖν ἀφῇ, ὀφείλομεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφιέναι. Απέναντι γὰρ τῶν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ Θεοῦ ἐσμὲν ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ πάντας δεῖ παραστῆναι τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἕκαστον ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δοῦναι. Οὕτως οὖν δουλεύσωμεν αὐτῷ μετὰ φόβου, καὶ πάσης εὐλαβείας, καθὼς αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο, καὶ οἱ εὐαγγελισάμενοι ἡμᾶς ἀπόστολοι, καὶ οἱ προφῆται οἱ προκηρύξαντες τὴν ἔλευσιν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν· ζηλωταὶ περὶ τὸ καλὸν, ἀπεχόμενοι σκανδάλων, καὶ τῶν ψευδαδέλφων, καὶ τῶν ἐν ὑποκρίσει φερόντων τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου, οἵ τινες ἀποπλανῶσι κενοὺς ἀνθρώπους. (Sect. 4, 5, 6.) From the purely preceptive character of the Epistle, little, if any thing, of a doctrinal tendency can be expected to be found in it. It may be observed, however, in connexion with this memoir, that the remarks with which the writers of the Epistle from the Church of Smyrna follow up the suggestion of Nicetas, are an express declaration of their belief in the divinity of the Son of God, and an impeachment of the idolatrous practice of the Church of Rome in their invocation of saints and martyrs. The Editio Princeps of Polycarp was published in folio, by James Lefevre, at Paris, in 1498, together with the works of Dionysius the Areopagite, and eleven Epistles of Ignatius. Usher's editions of 1644 and 1647, were followed by that of Maderus, in quarto, in 1653, who incorporated with his own notes those of Usher and Young on the Epistle to the Philadelphians. The Epistle, as well as the Martyrology, was also published at Oxford in 1708, independently of their forming a portion of the Patres Apostolici of Cotelerius. THE TRUE CHRISTIAN. CHRISTIANS, who are such in the genuine sense of the word (says Stilling, in the third edition of his "Theobald, or the Enthusiast,") never thrust themselves by design before the public, but lie scattered through all ranks and classes of society; they make no noise, and are sparing of words; their light shines with unceasing effulgence, by the goodness of their works; they do not seek distinction among their fellow-creatures by their attire or an external bearing, different from their neighbour's; they stand fast by their church, and do not estrange themselves from the delights of social intercourse; they appear in all places, and occasion neither ill-will nor depravity, where they mix with mankind; they avoid the outward display of holiness with the same anxiety with which they avoid the display and indulgence of vanity; and they evince themselves, in all the relations of life, the best of subjects, the best of husbands and wives, the best of parents and children, and the best of neighbours and friends.-Reader, wherever thou encounterest such as these, let thy heart rejoice within thee, for thou hast found a genuine Christian. Stop not to inquire what may be his faith. |