Prefident of Egypt, Paternus, and Galerius Maximus, in Africa, Paternus, Vicegerent at Rome, Nicerius and Claudius, Prefidents, and fome others. And fomething the Chriftians themselves contributed towards their own misfortunes, by the divifions now fprung up amongst them, fomented by false brethren, who, as St. John fays, profeffed themselves outwardly to be Chriftians, yet were not so, but of the Synagogue of Satan, which St. Cyprian greatly laments in his 4th Book, Epift. 4. Expreffing there at large his forrow for thofe unnatural divifions; attributing them to their lukewarmness in their holy profeffion, and particularly he tells us, that their diffentions were fuch, that they could not agree in uniting in prayer; for when it was revealed to him in a vifion, in these words, petite & impetrabitis; pray, and ye fhall obtain; afterward it was required of the congregation there prefent, to put up their prayers for certain perfons named to them; but they could not agree what perfons they should pray for, but differed in their prayers or petitions, which thing, fays he, did greatly displease him that speak unto them.

It will not be foreign to our purpose, to give fome account of a vifion that happened a little before this perfecution, which, as the Fathers interpreted it, fhould befal the Church, viz. "There "appeared an aged man fitting, and at his right "hand, a young man very difconfolate and pen"five, holding his hand on his breaft; and on the " left fat another, having in his hand a net, which "he threatened to lay to catch the people that "ftood carelessly gazing: And as he was mar

velling, that beheld the vifion, it was faid unto "him, the young man thou feeft fit on the right "hand, is thus forrowful, because his precepts

are

" are not observed; but he on the left hand, "danceth, and is merry, because an opportunity "is given him, to procure power of the aged fa"ther, to afflict men."

The crimes laid to the charge of the Chriftians, upon which this perfecution was grounded, were, that they were stubborn, obftinately refusing to worship their idols, and adore the Emperors; and because they profeffed to the name of Chrift; befides, all the calamities and evils that happened in the world; as war, famine, and peftilence, were imputed to the Chriftians, for defpifing their Gods. Against which, St. Cyprian does eloquently defend the Chriftians, in his book Contra Demetrianum, fetting forth reasons why the Christians cannot worship idols or men, but only the true God, who made Heaven and Earth, and that the evils, that happened in the world, were occafioned by the wickedness of the people, and particularly of those that shed innocent Chriftian blood, like water on the face of the earth. But for his ftanding up a Champion in this caufe, (as in confcience he was dictated) he stirred up many mortal enemies against him, and though by his words and writing, he defended his own integrity, and that of the Christian Religion, baffling and non-plufing the most learned of their Orators, after a fecond banishment, he was apprehended in his garden, by the command of Galerius Maximus, the Proconful, when refufing to facrifice to idols, the Proconful fell into a paffion, saying, paffion, faying, "Long haft "thou lived in facrilege, and gathered together "wicked confpirators, and fhewed thyself an ene"my to the Gods of the Romans, and to their ho"ly laws; neither could the God-like Emperors revoke thee to the use of their ceremonies."

And

And fo in heat, commanded him to be beheaded; to which fentence, tho' unjuft, be undauntedly fubmitted his neck; and fo fell this bleffed Martyr, to rise again in glory. In the year of our Lord, 259, Xiftus, then Bishop of Rome, as is noted by Eufebius, enriching the Church to all pofterity, with the useful writings, which he left behind him, which neither the malice of the enemy then, the corruption of Popery fince, nor the length of time could deface.

Soon after the fall of this holy Father, Xiftus, or Sixtus, the second of that name, Bishop of Rome, was accused for being a Chriftian, which he denied not, and was brought with fix Deacons, to the place of execution, where he, with Nemefius, and other Deacons, were beheaded, joyfully undergoing their martyrdoms for the fake of Chrift, who, with his rich redeeming blood, purchased for them a fure inheritance, that none are able to bereave them of.

The next ofeminent note that fell into the persecutors hands, was Lawrence, who was fo in love with martyrdom, that when he faw Xiftus, his Bithop, to whom he was a deacon, go to execution, in an oration then made, he defired to die with him; but the good old man, diffuaded him from it; yet told him prophetically, that God had fo determined, that he should fhortly have his wish, and be delivered out of this vale of tears, to forrow no more; and accordingly it fo fell out, for the Governor of Rome, fuppofing he had the Bishop's riches, and thofe of the church, tortured him in a cruel manner, to compel him to a discovery of what he knew not; and finding in this, he was frustrated in his covetous expectations, he fell upon him tuching matters concerning his religion: But

he

he fhewing them the poor, as the receivers of Chrift, to whom, he faid, the treasure of the church appertained to feed and cloath them, they fuppofing by that he had mocked them, he was fentenced to torments, and doom'd to death for the fake of Chrift, and his holy profeffion; fo that a large grid-iron, being brought forth, and fire put under it, he was ftript naked, and lead thereon, whilst the Emperor ftood in view to glut his cruel eyes with the death of this holy martyr; but fo mightily did God affift his fervant in his sufferings, that from this fharp and confuming element, it is faid, he felt no pain, but when one fide was broiled and fcorched to the bone, that his very entrails appeared, he with a chearful voice, called to his tormentors, faying, Turn Tyrants, this fide is broiled enough; and fo great was his patience and conftancy in fuffering, that he confounded even his enemies, vanquishing both the tormentors and tyrant with his invincible courage and magnanimity; whofe conftancy in dying, alfo wrought a good work, by converting a Roman tribune, who was a fpectator; fo that being baptized, he openly confeffed himself a Christian, and dyed a martyr by lofing his head.

During this perfecution, Dionyfius, Bishop of Alexandria, with his fellows, were banished after having undergone fore torments; as also, were several noble Romans. But the good Bishop, even in his banishment, converted several infidels in Cephro, where, though an exile, a great congrega tion gathered to him; and from thence he went to his church, to comfort and direct them, defiring their prayers for himself and his deacons, that the Lord would strengthen them to bear, and pafs through

through all sufferings and afflictions, of what kind fo ever that were appointed for them.

To be brief in this cruel perfecution, all ages, fexes and degrees, fell a facrifice to the rage and malice of their enemies; both men, women, virgins, infants, and youths; of whom, fome with fcourgings and fire, and fome with fwords, obtained victory, and got the crown; fo that being borne up by the fpirit of God, though they were flain for the fake of Chrift, all the day long, they became more than conquerors, through bim that loved them, and gloried to hear God fay, In the time accepted, I have beard thee, and in the day of falvation, I have helped thee, &c.

Fructuofus, Bishop of Tarracona, in Spain, was taken from his flock, in this, perfecution, and commanded to worship the God's of the Gentiles; but gravely refufing it, he proved they were no Gods,, adding, the God he worshipped, was the only true God, the Lord and mafter of all created beings; and as for their idols, they were only stocks and ftones, which fo enraged the Judge, that he fentenced him to the flames, together with his Deacons; in which they were no fooner put, but their bands and mancles fell off, and the fire for a time, retreated from them; when, as it is reported, a. foldier, one of their guard, standing by, faw the Heavens open, and many glorious Angels appeared, ready to receive the departing fouls of these bleffed Martyrs; which astonishing fight, he fhewed to the daughter of Æmilianus, the Prefident, who had condemned them. The Deacons that fuffered with this good Bishop, were Augurius and Eulogius, who being in the fire, conftantly confeffed the name of Chrift to the shedding of their

blood;