rely on the way of salvation which it teaches; and how pleasing is the prospect which it exhibits of the Church in heaven!

The reader would justly think the time ill-employed in unravelling the niceties of this trifling controversy. Besides, our attention is called to more important matter:-God prepares a scourge for his froward children: Persecution lowers again with renewed strength; and Christians are called on-to forget their idle internal squabbles,-to humble themselves before HIM,-and to prepare for fresh scenes of horror and desolation.

CENT.

III.

CHAP. XIV.

THE LAST ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OF
CYPRIAN.

tion.

A. D.

257

THE change in the disposition of Valerian to- VIIIth wards the Christians, which took place about the Persecu year of our Lord two hundred and fifty-seven, is one of the most memorable instances of the instability of human characters. In kindness to them he had surpassed all his predecessors. Even from Philip they had not experienced so much courtesy and friendship. His palace had, usually, been full of the followers of Jesus, and was looked on as a sanctuary. But now, after he had reigned three years, he was induced, by his favourite Macrianus to commence a deadly persecution. This man dealt largely in magical enchantments and abominable sacrifices; he slaughtered children, and tore out the intestines of new-born babes. The persecution of Christians was a cruel employment, worthy of a mind so fascinated with diabolical wickedness and folly; and he found in Valerian but too prompt a disciple. This fresh attack on the servants of Christ began in the year two hundred and fifty-seven, and continued during the remainder of the reign of this emperor;-namely, Dionysius of Alex.-Euseb. B. 7. C. 10.

XIV.

CHAP. three years and a half. Stephen of Rome appears to have died a natural death about the beginning of it: For, there is no evidence of his martyrdom; and, therefore, we want the proofs which might, in that case, have been afforded, whether his turbulent and aspiring spirit was really combined with genuine Christian affections.-He was succeeded by Sixtus.

Cyprian, who had escaped two persecutions, was now made the victim of the third,—though by slow degrees, and with circumstances of comparative lenity. Every thing relating to him is so interesting, that it may not be amiss to prosecute his story, in a connected manner, to his death; and to reserve the narrative of other objects of this persecution till afterwards.

He was seized by the servants of Paternus the proconsul of Carthage, and brought into his councilchamber. "The sacred emperors, Valerian and Gallienus," says Paternus, "have done me the honour to direct letters to me, in which they have decreed, that all men ought to adore the gods whom the Romans adore; and on pain of being slain with the sword if they refuse. I have heard that you despise the worship of the gods ;-whence I advise you to consult for yourself and to honour them." "I am a Christian," replied the prelate, "and know no god but the one true God, who created heaven and earth, the sea, and all things in them. This God we Christians serve: To him we pray night and day for all men, and even for the emperors.' "You will die the death of a malefactor, if you persevere in this disposition of mind *.' "That is a good disposition which fears God," answered Cyprian, "and therefore it must not be changed." "It is the will, then, of the princes, that, for the present, you should be banished." "He is no exile," replied the bishop, "who has God in his heart, for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." Paternus said,

The passion of Cyprian in Pam. Edit.-Fleury's Hist. B.7.

"Before you go, tell me,-where are your presby-
ters: They are said to be in this city?"-With much
presence of mind, Cyprian reminded him of the
edicts made by the best Roman princes against the
practice of informers: "They ought not, therefore,
to be discovered by me; and you yourselves do not
approve of men, who offer themselves voluntarily to
you. "I will make you discover them by torments.'
By me," the intrepid bishop rejoined, "they shall
not be discovered." "Our princes have ordered that
Christians should hold no conventicles; and whoever
breaks this rule shall be put to death."
"Do what
you are ordered," Cyprian calmly replied.

Paternus, however, was not disposed to hurt Cyprian. Most probably he respected the character of the man, who, by this time, must have been highly esteemed in Africa on account of a shining series of good works. After having made some ineffectual attempts to work on his fears, he sent him into banishment to Curubis, a little town fifty miles from Carthage, situate by the sea, over against Sicily. The place was healthy, the air good, and, by his own desire, he had private lodgings. The citizens of Curubis, during the eleven months which he lived among them, treated him with great kindness; and he was repeatedly visited by the Christians.-In this short interval Paternus died.

While the exiled prelate remained by the sea-side serving his divine Master in holy meditations and useful actions to the best of his power and opportunity, he was informed that the persecutors had seized nine bishops, with several priests and deacons, and a great number of the faithful, even virgins and children; and, after beating them with sticks, had sent them to work in the copper-mines among the mountains. Every one of these bishops had been present at the last council of Carthage; their names were Nemesian, Felix, Lucius, a second Felix, Litteus, Polus, Victor, Jader, and Dativus. I cannot account for the milder

CHAP.
XIV.

treatment which Cyprian received from the Roman' governors in any other way than by supposing, that an extraordinary and reverential respect was paid to his superior quality, labours, and virtues. Be that as it may, Providence certainly favoured hiin in a peculiar manner. But his sympathizing spirit could not but be with his brethren :-His sentiments and his feelings are strongly expressed in a letter to Nemesian and the rest.

"Your glory requires, blessed and beloved brethren, that I ought to come and embrace you, were it not that the confession of the same name has confined me also to this place: but if it be forbidden me to come to you in body, I am present with you in spirit and affection; and I endeavour to express my very soul to you in letters. How do I exult in your honours, and reckon myself a partner with you,-though not in suffering, yet in the fellowship of love!-How can I hold my peace, when I hear such glorious things of dearest brethren! How hath the Divine dispensations honoured you! Part of you have already finished the course of martyrdom, and are now receiving crowns of righteousness from the Lord; and the rest, as yet in prisons, or in mines and bonds, exhibit, in the tediousness of their afflictions, still greater examples of patience and perseverance, which will arm and strengthen the brethren, at the same time that these long-continued torments will advance the sufferers to a higher proficiency in Christian glory, and ensure to them a proportional

reward in heaven.

"In truth, that the Lord has thus honoured you, affords me no surprise when I reflect on your blameless lives and faithfulness; your firm adherence to the divine ordinance; your integrity, concord, humility, diligence; mercy in cherishing the poor; constancy in defence of the truth; and strictness of Christian discipline-And, that nothing might be wanting in you as patterns of good works, even now, by con

fession with the mouth and by suffering with the body,
you stir up the minds of the brethren to divine mar-
tyrdom, and distinguish yourselves as leaders of
eminent goodness; nor do I doubt, but that the
flock will imitate their pastors and presidents, and
be crowned, in like manner, by our common Lord.-
That you have been grievously beaten with clubs,
and have been initiated, by that punishment, in
Christian confession, is a thing not to be lamented.
The body of a Christian trembles not on account of
clubs: All his hope is in wooD*. The servant of
Christ acknowledges the emblem of his salvation:
Redeemed by a cross of wood to eternal life, by this
wood he is advanced to his crown. O happy feet!
shackled indeed at present with fetters; ye will
quickly finish a glorious journey to Christ!-Let
malice and cruelty bind you as they please, ye will
soon pass from earth and its sorrows to the kingdom
of heaven. In the mines ye have not a bed on which
the body may be refreshed;-nevertheless, Christ is
your rest and consolation: Your limbs are fatigued
with labour and lie on the ground: but, so to lie
down, when you have Christ with
have Christ with you, is no punish-
ment.-Filth and dirt defile your limbs, and ye have
no baths at hand; but, remember, ye are inwardly
washed from all uncleanness.-Your allowance of
bread is but scanty; be it so,-man doth not live by
bread alone, but by the word of God. Ye have no
proper clothes to defend you from the cold;-but he,
who has put on Christ, is clothed abundantly.'

He afterwards comforts them, by suitable arguments, under the loss of means of grace and of public worship; and speaks of the Lord as rewarding the patience and fortitude of his saints, which virtues

* I observe, once for all,-that the want of a just classical taste like that of the Augustan age, and the excess of false rhetorical ornaments, appear every where in Cyprian's writings. This was not the defect of the man, but of the times and the meanness of the pun in this place will be forgiven by all, who relish the preciousness of the doctrine connected with it.

CENT.

III.