he was taken; and, behold, the pillow under his head appeared to be on fire. Whereupon, turning to those who were with him, he said prophetically, "I must be burnt alive."

6. And when those who sought for him drew near, he departed into another village; and immediately his pursuers came thither. And when they found him not, they seized upon two young men, one of whom being tormented, confessed. For it was impossible he should be concealed, forasmuch as they who betrayed him were his own domestics. So the keeper of the peace, who was also magistrate elect, Herod by name, hastened to bring him into the lists: that so Polycarp might receive his proper portion, being made partaker of CHRIST and they that betrayed him might undergo the punishment of Judas.

h

7. The officers, therefore, and horsemen, taking the young lad along with them, departed about supper time, it being Friday, with their usual arms, as if they were in pursuit of a robber. And being come to the place where he was, about the close of the day they found him in a small house, lying in an upper chamber, whence he could easily have escaped into another place; but he would not, saying, "The will of the LORD be done." Wherefore, when he heard that they were come to the house, he went down and spake to them. And as they that were present wondered at his age and constancy, some of them began to say, "Was there need of all this care to take such an old man as this?" Immediately then he commanded to be set before them, the same hour, to eat and to drink, as much as they would: desiring them to give him one hour's

awoke from sleep, he immediately related what he had seen to those who stood by.” Εξυπνον δὲ ἐπὶ τούτῳ γενόμενον, εὐθὺς ὑφερμηνεῦσαι τοῖς παροῦσι τὸ φανέν.

ἡ καὶ ὁ εἰρήναρχος, ὁ καὶ κληρονόμος, τὸ αὐτῷ ὄνομα Ἡρώδης, ἐπιλεγόμενος. This is the manner, in which SMITH proposes to read and point the passage. The Proconsul was at that period the chief magistrate of the Province of Asia. But every year the names of ten principal men were sent to him out of each city, one of whom was appointed by the Proconsul to be keeper of the peace for the following year. See VALESIUS ON EUSEB. Hist. Eccles. iv. 15. ARISTIDES Orat. iv. Herod appears to have been elected also to some other permanent office, implied by the title κληρονόμος.

liberty, that he might pray without disturbance. And when they had permitted him, he stood praying, being full of the grace of GoD, so that he ceased not for two whole hours, to the admiration of all that heard him; insomuch that many (of the soldiers) began to repent, that they were come out against so godly an old man.

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8. As soon as he had finished his prayer, in which he made mention of all men who had ever been acquainted with him, whether small or great, honorable or obscure, and of the whole Catholic Church, throughout the world; the time being come when he was to depart, they set him upon an ass, and led him into the city, it being the day of the great Sabbath. And Herod, the keeper of the peace, with his father Nicetes, met him in a chariot. And having taken him up to them, and set him in the chariot, they began to persuade him, saying, What harm is there in saying, Lord Cæsar, and in offering sacrifice, and so being safe?' with other words which are usual on such occasions. But Polycarp at first answered them not: whereupon as they continued to urge him, he said, I shall not do as you advise.' They, therefore, failed to persuade him, spake bitter words against him, and then thrust him violently off the chariot, so that he hurt his thigh in the fall. But he, without turning back, went on 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 no one could be heard.

9. Now as he going into the lists, there was a voice from heaven, Be strong, Polycarp, and quit thyself like a man.' No one saw who it was that spake to him but those of our brethren who were present heard the voice. And as he was brought in, there was a great disturbance, when they heard that Polycarp was taken. And when he came near, the Proconsul1 asked him,

iSee note (o) on the Epistle of IGNATIUS to the Smyrneans, Sect. 8. p. 92.

The week in which the passion of our Saviour was celebrated was called the Great Week: and the Saturday of that week the Great Sabbath. This was the only Saturday which was observed as a fast, in the Eastern Church. BINGHAM, Eccles. Ant. xx. c. 3. 1. Other opinions on this point are stated by VALESIUS, in his notes on EUSE BIUS, Eccles. Hist. iv. 15.

Statius Quadratus, who was consul, a. D. 142.

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whether he were Polycarp. And, when he acknowledged (that he was), he persuaded him to deny (the faith), saying, Reverence thy old age;' with many other exhortations of a like nature, as their custom is, saying, "Swear by the fortune of Cæsar; Repent, and say, Away with the wicked.' Then Polycarp, looking with a severe countenance upon the whole company of ungodly Gentiles who were in the lists, stretched forth his hand to them, and said, groaning and looking up to heaven, 'Away with the wicked." But the Proconsul urging him, and saying, 'Swear, and I will release thee reproach CHRIST,' Polycarp answered, 'Fourscore and six years have I continued serving him, and he hath never wronged me at all; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?'

10. And when the Proconsul nevertheless still insisted, and said, 'Swear by the genius of Cæsar,' he answered, If thou art so vainly confident as to expect that I should swear by what thou callest the genius of Cæsar, pretending to be ignorant of what I am, hear

Atheists. See note on Sect. 5.

It appears from the celebrated letter of PLINY to Trajan, that one of the customary trials, to which those accused of Christianity were exposed, was to urge them to sacrifice to the gods, or to the statue of the Emperor, to swear by the genius or fortune of Cæsar, and to reproach CHRIST. "Propositus est libellus, sine auctore, multorum nomina continens, qui negarent se esse Christianos, aut fuisse, quum, præeunte me, deos appellarent, et imagini tuæ, quam propter hoc jusseram cum simulachris numinum afferri, thure ac vino supplicarent, præterea maledicerent CHRISTO: quorum nihil cogi posse dicuntur, qui sunt revera Christiani." PLIN. Ep. x. 97.

TERTULLIAN'S Apology, c. 32. shows that the Christians in his time were exposed to the same trial, and gives the reasons why they would swear neither by the fortune or by the genius of Cæsar.

CHRYSOSTOM founds one of his eloquent appeals to the consciences of his hearers upon this well known fact. "Wherefore let us bear witness to CHRIST: for we, as well as the martyrs of old, are called upon to bear testimony to him. They obtained that appellation, because, when they were called upon to abjure, they endured every torment, sooner than deny the truth. Let us then be unsubdued, when various passions invite us to abjure our faith. Gold commands you, 'Say that CHRIST is not CHRIST.' Hear it not then, as if it were the voice of GOD, but set at nought its counsel. Evil lusts pronounce the same command. But be not thou persuaded by them, but stand firmly, that it be not said of us, "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him.' (Tit. i. 16.) For this becomes not martyrs, but the reverse." CHRYSOST. Hom. 47. on the Acts of the Apostles, (Opp. Tom IV. p. 872. Savil.)

me freely professing unto thee, I am a Christian. And if thou further desirest to know what Christianity really is, appoint a day, and thou shalt hear it.' The Proconsul replied,Persuade the people.' Then said Polycarp, To thee have I freely offered to give even a reason of my faith; for we are taught to pay to the powers and authorities, which are ordained of GOD, the honor which is due, provided it be not injurious to ourselves. But for the people, I esteem them not worthy that I should give any account of my faith to them.'

11. The Proconsul said unto him, I have wild beasts ready; to those I will cast thee, unless thou repent.' He answered, Call for them, then for we Christians are fixed in our minds, not to change from good to evil. But it will be good for me to be changed from my grievous (sufferings) to their just reward.'

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The Proconsul added, 'Seeing thou despisest the wild beasts, I will cause thee to be devoured with fire, unless thou shalt repent.' Polycarp answered, Thou threatenest me with fire, which burns for an hour, and in a little while is extinguished for thou 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.'

12. 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 not only he was serene and undisturbed at what was spoken to him, but, on the contrary, the Proconsul was astonished, and sent his own herald to proclaim thrice, in the midst of the lists, " Polycarp hath confessed himself to be a Christian." When this was proclaimed by the herald, 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 teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, who

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It will be observed that the punishment of being burnt alive is here considered more severe than that of being exposed to wild beasts.

The original words are, brñs doeßɛías didáσkados,, But EUSEBIUS, Hist. Eccles. iv. 15. RUFINUS, and the old Latin version agree in putting 'Acías for doeßsías. JEROME, in his Catalogue of Ecclesias

hath overthrown our gods, and teaches so many not to sacrifice, nor to pay any worship to the gods.' And so saying, they cried out and desired Philip the president of the spectacles, P that he would let loose a lion against Polycarp. But Philip replied, that it was not lawful for him to do so, since 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 to him by his pillow, when he saw it on fire, as he prayed, and said prophetically to the faithful that were with him, I must be burnt alive.

13. This then was done with greater speed than it was spoken; the whole multitude instantly gathering together wood and faggots, out of the work-shops and baths the Jews especially, according to their custom, with all readiness assisting them in doing it. When the pile was ready, Polycarp laying aside all his upper garments, and loosing his girdle, endeavored also to loosen his sandals, which aforetime he was not wont to do; forasmuch as always every one of the faithful, that was about him, contended who should soonest

tical Writers, calls Polycarp, "Totius Asia princeps," [Chief (or primate) of all Asia.]

» Ασιάρχης. The Asiarch was chief priest of the whole province of Asia. He is called apxepes in Sect. 21. Every year, about the period of the Autumnal equinox, an assembly was held in the several cities, in which one person of that city was nominated to the office. The common council of all Asia afterward elected about ten, out of those nominated by the several cities. It is doubtful whether all the ten filled the office during the year, or whether the Proconsul appointed one of the ten, as in the case of the Irenarch, or keeper of the peace. See note (h), Sect. 6.

VALESIUS (on EUSEB. Hist. Eccles. iv. 15.) is of opinion, from the conclusion of this Epistle, in which the martyrdom of Polycarp is said to have taken place "when Philip was chief priest," that one only was appointed. In Acts xix. 31. mention is male of "certain of the chiefs of Asia," ('Aoiapxwv) whence Abp. USHER concludes there were more than one. But those who had once discharged the office might still be called by the name, as was sometimes the case with the Jewish High Priests.

The office was accompanied with great expense. For which reason STRABO says that the Asiarch was often chosen, as in this instance, (Sect. 21.) from the opulent citizens of Tralles. Kai deí rives iš avtŵ» (Τραλλιανῶν) εἰσιν οἱ πρωτεύοντες κατὶ τὴν ἐπαρχίαν οὓς Ασιάρχας καλοῦσι. STRABO, Lib, xiv,