1 much good to it." And what Metaphrastes here tells us, we find in effect delivered by another author(k) of his acts not yet set forth; from whom he seems to have taken his story, only with the addition of some farther circumstances of his own, to make it the more complete. 16. But though I should be far from envying any thing that might make for the honour of this blessed martyr; yet are there many circumstances in the story which Metaphrastes has here put together, that make me justly call in question the truth of it. For first, it is evident beyond all doubt, that the persecution was abated at Antioch before Ignatius suffered, nay before he was yet gone out of the Lesser Asia. Insomuch that in his three last Epistles which he wrote from Troas, to the Philadelphians, the Smyrnæans, and to Polycarp himself, he particularly takes notice of the peace of the Church of Antioch, and exhorts them to send congratulatory messages thither upon the account of it. 17. Nor was this suspension of the persecution granted upon Ignatius's account, but upon the remonstrances which the emperor's own officers made to him, both of the numbers of those that died for the Christian faith, and of the innocency of their lives; and lastly, of the readiness with which they not only suffered when taken, but voluntarily came and presented themselves before those who were to condemn them. Two of these Epistles relating to this very persecution we have still remaining the one written by Tiberianus, (1) President of Palæstina prima-the other of Pliny(m) the younger, Pro-Prætor of Bithynia. And the answer of Trajan(n) to the latter of which we find to have been in the same words that Jo. Malela tells us he replied to the other, viz. "That the Christians should not be sought after; but if they were (*) Vid. Usser. Annot. in Act. Ignat. p. 55, 56. (1) Apud Usser. Annot. in Epist. ad Philadelph. Not. 82. Et in Append. p. 9. (m) Plin. Secund. Epist. lib. x. Epist. 97. (n) Ibid. Epist. 98. brought before them and convicted, should be punished unless they abjured." 18. The same is the account which not only Eusebius, (0) from Tertullian, (p) gives us of the Emperor's order as to this matter; but which Suidas, (q) after both, has left us of it. Which makes it the more strange to Tind such a different relation both in Bishop Usher's manuscript author, and in Metaphraste's acts of Ignatius before mentioned. It is true that notwithstanding these rescripts of the Emperor, the persecution still continued; nor was it so soon over in other places as it was at Antioch. This is not only evident from the history of this time left us by Eusebius, (r) but may in general be concluded from the prayer(s) which this holy Saint made at his martyrdom: where, say our acts, "He intreated the Son of God in behalf of the Churches, that he would put a stop to the persecution, and restore peace and quiet to them." But these were only local persecutions, as Eusebius(t) calls them; and proceeded rather from the fury of the people, and the perverseness of some particular Governors, than from the design or command of the Emperor. 19. As for the time of Ignatius's suffering, we are only told in his acts that it was when Syria (or Sura) and Senecius were Consuls; nor are learned men yet agreed in what year to fix it. Eusebius, in his Chronicle, places it in the year of Christ 110. Marianus Scotus 112. Bishop Usher(x) yet sooner in the year 107. And lastly, to name no more, our most exact Bishop Lloyd, (y) followed therein by the late critic upon Baronius, Antonius Pagi, yet later than any, to wit, in the year that the great earthquake fell out at Antioch, and from which Trajan himself hardly es 1 caped: which, as Jo. Malela(z) accounts it, and is followed therein by Bishop Usher in his computation, was in the year 116. 20. And this may suffice to have been observed concerning the most eminent passages that occur in the acts of the martyrdom of St. Ignatius. I shall need say nothing to the authority of the relation itselfwhich as it is written with all sincerity, and void of those additions which latter writers have made to these kind of histories, so we are told in the close of it, that it was compiled by those who went with him from Antioch, and were the eye-witnesses of his encounters. That the latter part of these acts was added to the original account of the martyrdom of this holy man, the learned Dr. Grabe has proved to be at least probable. But this does not at all affect the other parts of them; which the same judicious writer receives as true and authentic. These acts were first published from two very antient manuscripts by our most reverend Archbishop Usher, in the appendix to his edition of Ignatius, anno 1647. They have since been printed in their original Greek by a very learned man abroad, and reprinted by Dr. Grabe in his Spicilegium here in England. From this last edition they are now translated into our own language. I cannot tell whether it be worth the observing, that in the collection made by the late learned Cotelerius of the writings of the Apostolical Fathers, instead of these genuine acts there is inserted the account which Metaphrastes put together of his sufferings, several ages after. It would perhaps have made a more agreeable history to the vulgar reader, had I translated that relation, rather than this, which is much shorter, and wants many notable passages that are to be found in that order. But as I should then have departed from my design of setting out nothing but what I thought to be indeed of Apostolical antiquity; so to those who love the naked truth, (z) Apud Usser. loc. supr. cit. Comp. the Dissert. of Bp. Pearson in the late edit. of his Epistles at Oxford. ain acts will be much more satisfactory than n filled up with the uncertain, and too often s circumstances, of latter ages. CHAPTER VI. MARTYRDOM OF ST. POLYCARP, AND OF THE EPISTLE TEN BY THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA CONCERNING IT. e were heretofore several called by the name of Polycarp. e country and parentage of St. Polycarp uncertain. What before his conversion; and by whom converted. He is ishop of Smyrna by the Apostles. How he behaved himhat office. The great veneration which the Christians had . Of his journey to Rome, and what he did there. The my of St. John concerning him-Rev. ii. 8. Of the time of carp's martyrdom. What persecutions the Church then Ed under. Of the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna conhis sufferings; and the value which the antients put upon the miracle that is said to have happened at his death. nis age was when he suffered. What the day of his sufferwhat place he was put to death. Of the authority of the Epistle, and its translation into our own language. HE Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, (the next hat follows in the present collection) however it mention of some others that suffered, at the me with St. Polycarp, for the faith of Christ; isting chiefly upon the particulars of his passion, ng designed by that Church to communicate to world the glorious end of their beloved Bishop, ost worthy and constant martyr of Christ: I bserve the same method in treating of this, that n discoursing of the acts of St. Ignatius before; eak somewhat of the life of St. Polycarp first, I come to consider the account that is here giof his death. That there were several of the name of Polycarp fore, and who must therefore carefully be disshed from him of whom we are now to discourse, en evidently shewn by the late learned editor(a) of his Epistle. As for our Polycarp, the disciple of St. John, and the great subject of the present martyrology; we have little account, either what was his country, or who his parents. In general we are told that he was born somewhere in the East; as Le Moyne(b) thinks not far from Antioch; and perhaps in Smyrna itself, says our learned Dr. Cave.(c) Being sold in his childhood, he was bought by a certain noble matron whose name was Calisto; and bred up by her, and at her death made heir to all her estate; which though very considerable, he soon spent in works of charity and mercy (d) e Moyne Prol. ad Var. Sacr. 3. His Christianity he received in his younger years from Bucolus Bishop of Smyrna; by whom being made Deacon(e) and Catechist of that Church, and discharging those offices with great approbation, he was, upon the death of Bucolus made Bishop of Smyrna by the Apostles; (f) and particularly by St. John(g) whose disciple, together with Ignatius, he had before been. 4. How considerable a reputation he gained by his wise administration of this great office, we may in some measure conclude from that character which his very enemies gave of him at his death; when crying out that he should be thrown to the Lions, they laid this to him as his crime, but which was indeed his chiefest honour; (h) this say they, is the Doctor of Asia, the father of the Christians, and the overthrower of our Gods: and when he was burnt, they per. suaded the Governor not to suffer his friends to carry away any of his remains, (i) lest, say they, the Christians forsaking him that was crucified, should begin to worship Polycarp. (6) Le Moyne Prol. ad. Var. Sacr. (c) Life of St. Polycarp, p. 112. So the Roman Martyrology. (d) Le Moyne, Cave, &c. (e) Ibid. (f) Irenæus lib. iii. cap. 3. Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. cap. 14. Vid. Tentzel. Exerc, select. de Polyc. iii. § 5. (g) Tertul. de Præscr. Hæret. c. 32. Hieron. de Script. in Polyc. Vid. Martyrol. Rom. Jan. xxvi. (h) Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, num. xii. (i) Ibid. num. xvii. |