and composed a presence; and what needed all this stir to hunt and take this poor old man? He nothing concerned, ordered a table to be spread, and provisions to be set upon it, inviting them to partake of them, and only requesting for himself, that in the mean while he might have one hour for prayer. Leave being granted, he rose up, and betook himself to his devotions, wherein he had such mighty assistances of divine grace, that he continued praying nearly two hours together, heartily recommending to God the case of all his friends and acquaintances, whether great or little, honorable or ignoble, and the state of the catholic church throughout the world; all that heard him being astonished at it, and of them now repenting that so divine and venerable an old man should be put to death. 8. His prayer being ended, and they ready to depart, he was set upon an ass; and (it being then the great sabbath; though what that great sabbath was, learned men, I believe, will hardly agree till the coming of Elias) conducted him into the city. As they were upon the road, they were met by Herod and his father Nicetes, who indeed were the main springs of the persecution, and had put the tumult into motion. This Herod was an irenarcha, one of those, ad quos tuendæ publicæ pacis vigilantia pertinebat, as St. Augustine describes them: their office was much the same with that of our modern justices of the peace, they being set to guard the provinces, and to secure the public peace and quietness within their several jurisdictions; to prevent and suppress riots and tumults, robberies and rapines, and to enquire into the companions and receivers of all such persons, and to transmit to the magistrates the examinations and notices which they had received of such matters. They were appointed either by the emperor himself, or the præfecti prætorio, or the decurious; and at this time the custom in the provinces of the lesser Asia was, that every city did yearly send ten of the names of their principal persons to the governor of the province, who choose out one to be the irenarcha, the keeper or justice of the peace. Being afterwards found grievous and troublesome to the people, they were taken away by a law of the younger Theodosius, though the office remained under another name. This office at Smyrna was at this time managed by this Herod, whom Baronius conjectures to be Herodes Atticus, a man of consular dignity, and of great learning and eloquence, and who had been tutor to the present emperor. Certain it is, that that Herod governed in the free cities of Asia, and resided sometimes at Smyrna: though it cramps the conjecture, that the name of that Herod's father was Atticus, of this Nicetes; unless we will suppose him to have had two names. But whoever he be, a great enemy he was to Polycarp, whom meeting upon the way, he took him up into his chariot, where both he and his father, by plausible insinuations, sought to undermine his constancy; asking him what great harm there was in saying, My lord the emperor, and in sacrificing, by which means he might escape. This was an unusual way of attempting the Christians; not that they made any scruple to acknowledge the emperor to be their lord, (none were so forward, so earnest to pay all due (24) 101 subjection and reverence to princes,) but because they knew that the Romans, too apt to flatter the ambition of their emperors into a fondly usurped divinity, by that title usually understood God, as Tertullian tells them; in any other notion of the word, they could as freely as any call him Lord; though, as he adds, even Augustus himself modestly forbade that title to be ascribed to him. 9. St. Polycarp returned no answer to their demand, till importunately urging him, he replied, that he would not at any rate comply with their persuasions. Frustrated of the ends which they had upon him, they now lay aside the vizor of their dissembled friendship, and turn their kindness into scorn and reproaches; thrusting him out of the chariot with so much violence, that he bruised his thigh with the fall. Whereat nothing daunted, as if he had received no hurt, he cheerfully hastened on to the place of his execution, under the conduct of his guard; whither when they were come, and a confused noise and tumult was arisen, a voice came from heaven, (heard by many, but none seen who spake it,) saying, "Polycarp, be strong, and quit thyself like a man." Immediately he was brought before the public tribunal, where a great shout was made; all rejoicing that he was apprehended. The proconsul (whose name was L. Statius Quadratus,) this very year, as Aristides, the orator, who lived at this time at Smyrna, informs us, the proconsul of Asia, (as not long before he had been consul at Rome,) asked him, whether he was Polycarp; which being confessed, he began to persuade him to recant. "Regard," said he, "thy great age; swear by the genius of Cæsar; repent, and say with us, Take away the impious." These were a ovundes aurois, as my authors truly observe, their usual terms and proposals to Christians, who stoutly refused to swear by the emperor's genius; upon which account the heathens generally traduced them as traitors and enemies to the state; though, to wipe of that charge, they openly professed, that though they could not swear by the fortune of the emperor, (their genii being accounted deities, whom the Christians knew to be but demons, and cast out at every turn,) yet they scrupled not to swear by the emperor's safety, a thing more august and sacred than all the genii in the world. 10. The holy martyr looking about the Stadium, and with a severe and angry countenance beholding the crowd, beckoned to them with his hand, sighed and looked up to heaven, saying, (though quite in another sense than they intended,) "Take away the impious.' The proconsul still persuaded him to swear, with promise to release him; withal urging him to blaspheme Christ; for with that temptation they were wont to assault Christians, and thereby to try the sincerity of their renegados; a course which Pliny tells us he observed towards apostate Christians; though he withal confesses, that none of them that were really Christians could ever be brought to it. The motion was resented with a noble scorn, and drew from Polycarp this generous confession: "Fourscore and six years I have served him, and he never did me any harm; how then shall I now blaspheme my King and my Saviour?" But nothing will satisfy a malicious misguided zeal: the proconsul still importuned him to swear by Cæsar's genius; to whom he replied, "Since you are so vainly ambitious that I should swear by the emperor's genius, as you call it, as if you knew not who I am; hear my free confession: I am a Christian. If you have a mind to learn the Christian religion, appoint me a time, and I will instruct you in it." The proconsul advised him to persuade the people he answered, "To you I rather choose to address my discourse; for we are commanded by the laws of our religion, to give to princes and the powers ordained by God, all that due honor and reverence that is not prejudicial and contrary to the precepts of religion. As for them, (meaning the common herd,) I think them not competent judges, to whom I should apologize, or give an account of my faith." let a lion upon the malefactor. Which he told them he could not do, having already exhibited the hunting of wild beasts with men, one of the famous shows of the amphitheatre. Then they unanimously demanded, that he might be burnt alive: a fate which he himself from the vision in his dream, had prophetically foretold should be his portion. The thing was no sooner said than done, each one striving to bear a part in this fatal tra gedy, with incredible speeed fetching wood and faggots from several places; but especially the Jews were peculiarly active in the service; malice to Christians being almost as natural to them as it is for the fire to burn. The fire being prepared, St. Polycarp untied his girdle, laid aside his garments, and began to put off his shoes; ministries which he before was not wont to be put to; the Christians ambitiously striving to be admitted to do them for him, and happy he that could first touch his body. So great a reverence even in his younger years had he from all for the admirable strictness and regularity of his holy life. 11. The proconsul now saw it was in vain to use any further persuasives and entreaties; and therefore betook himself to severer arguments. "I have wild beasts at hand," said he, "to which I will cast thee, unless thou recant." "Call for them," cried the martyr, "for we are immutably resolved not to change the better for the worse; 13. The officers that were employed in his exeaccounting it fit and comely only to turn from cution having disposed all other things, came acvice to virtue." "Since thou makest so light of cording to custom to nail him to the stake; which wild beasts," added the proconsul, "I have a fire he desired them to omit, assuring them, that he that shall tame thee, unless thou repent." "Thou who gave him strength to endure the fire, would threatenest me with a fire," answered Polycarp, enable him, without nailing, to stand immovable "that burns for an hour, and is presently extinct, in the hottest flames. So they only tied him, who but art ignorant, alas! of the fire of eternal dam-standing like a sheep ready for the slaughter, denation, and the judgment to come, reserved for the signed as a grateful sacrifice to the Almighty, wicked in the other world. But why delayest clasping his hands, which were bound behind him, thou? bring forth whatever thou hast a mind to." he poured out his soul to heaven in this following This and much more he spake with a pleasant prayer: "O Lord God Almighty, the Father of and cheerful confidence; and a divine grace was thy well-beloved and ever-blessed Son, Jesus conspicuous in his very looks, so far was he from Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge cowardly sinking under the great threatenings of thee; the God of angels, powers, and of every made against him. Yea, the proconsul himself creature, and of the whole race of the righteous, was astonished at it: though finding no good who live before thee; I bless thee that thou hast could be done upon him, he commanded the crier, in graciously condescended to bring me to this day the middle of the stadium, thrice to make open pro-and hour, that I may receive a portion in the clamation, (as was the manner of the Romans in number of thy holy martyrs, and drink of Christ's all capital trials,) "Polycarp has confessed him- cup, for the resurrection to eternal life, both of self a Christian." Whereat the whole multitude, soul and body, in the incorruptibleness of the Holy both of Jews and Gentiles, that were present, Spirit. Into which number grant I may be re(and probably it is, that the common council or ceived this day; being found in thy sight as a fair assembly of Asia, might about this time be held and acceptable sacrifice, such a one as thou thyat Smyrna, for the celebration of their common self hast prepared; that so thou mayest accomshows and sports; for that it was sometimes held plish what thou, O true and faithful God, hast here, is evident from an ancient inscription making foreshown. Wherefore, I praise thee for all thy mention of it,) gave a mighty shout, crying out mercies. I bless thee, I glorify thee, through the aloud, "this is the great doctor of Asia, and the eternal High-Priest, thy beloved Son, Jesus father of the Christians; this is the destroyer of Christ; with whom to thyself and the Holy our gods, who teaches men not to do sacrifice, or Ghost, be glory both now and for ever, Amen." worship the deities." Which last words he pronounced with a more 12. The cry being a little over, they immedi- clear, audible voice; and having done his prayer, ately addressed themselves to Philip, the asiarch. the ministers of execution blew up the fire, which These asiarchs were Gentile priests belonging to increasing to a mighty flame, behold a wonder, the commonalty of Asia, yearly chosen at the (seen, say my authors, by us, who were purposely common council or assembly of Asia, to the num-reserved, that we might declare it to others,) ber of about ten, (whereof one was principal,) out the flames disposing themselves into the resemof the names returned by the several cities. It blance of an arch, like the sails of a ship swelled was an office of great honor and credit, but withal with the wind, gently encircled the body of the of great expense and charge; they being obliged martyr, who stood all the while in the midst, not to entertain the people with sights and sports upon like roasted flesh, but like gold or silver purified in the festival solemnities; and therefore it was not the furnace; his body sending forth a delightful conferred but upon the more wealthy and substan-fragrancy, which like frankincense, or some other tial citizens. In this place was Philip at this costly spices, presented itself to our senses. time, whom the people clamorously requested to 14. How blind and incorrigibly obstinate is un Γ. belief! The infidels were so far from being convinced, that they were rather exasperated by the miracle; commanding a spearman, one of those who were wont to despatch wild beasts when they became outrageous, to go near and run him through with a sword; which he had no sooner done, but such a vast quantity of blood flowed from the wound, as extinguished and put out the fire; together with which a dove was seen to fly from the wounds of his body, which some suppose to have been his soul, clothed in a visible shape at the time of its departure; though true it is, that this circumstance is not mentioned in Eusebius's account, and probably never was in the original. Nor did the malice of Satan end here; he knew by the innocent and unblameable course of his life, and the glorious constancy of his martyrdom, that he had certainly attained the crown of immortality, and nothing now was left for his spite to work on, but to deprive them even of the honor of his bones. For many were desirous to have given his body decent and honorable burial, and to have assembled there for the celebration of his memory; but were prevented by some who prompted Nicetes, the father of Herod, and brother to Alce, to advise the proconsul not to bestow his body upon the Christians; lest having their crucified master, they should henceforth worship Polycarpus. A suggestion however managed by the heathens, yet first contrived and prompted by the Jews, who narrowly watched the Christians when they would have taken away his body from the place of execution; "little considering (they are the words of my authors) how impossible it is that either we should forsake Christ, who died for the salvation of the whole world, or that we should worship any other. Him we adore as the Son of God; but martyrs, as the disciples and followers of our Lord, we deservedly love for their eminent kindness towards their own prince and master, whose companions and fellow-disciples we also by all means desire to be." So far were those primitive and better ages from that undue and superstitious veneration of the relics of martyrs and departed saints, which after ages introduced into the church, as elsewhere we have shown more at large. well suppose him to have been less than sixteen or twenty years old: besides his converse with the apostles and consecration by St. John, reasonably suppose him of some competent years; for we cannot think he would ordain a youth, or a very young man, bishop, especially of so great and populous a city. The incomparable primate, from a passage in his epistle, conjectures him to have lived (though not then converted to Christianity) at the time when St. Paul wrote his epistles; which if so, must argue him to have been of a greater age. Nor is this any more improbable than that Quadratus, the Christian apologist, who lived under Hadrian, and dedicated his Apologetic to that emperor, reports; that there were some of those whom our Lord had healed, and raised from the dead, alive even in his time. And of Simeon, successor to St. James in the bishopric of Jerusalem, Hegesippus expressly relates that he was a hundred and twenty years old at the time of his martyrdom. Sure I am Irenæus particularly notes, of our St. Polycarp, that he lived a very long time, and was arrived to an exceeding great age, when he underwent a most glorious and illustrious martyrdom for the faith. 16. He suffered on the second of the month Xanthicus, the seventh of the kalends of May; though whether mistaken for the seventh of the kalends of April, and so to be referred to March 26, as some will have it, or for the seventh of the kalends of March, and so to be adjudged to February 23, as others, is difficult to determine. It shall suffice to note, that his memory is celebrated by the Greek church, February 23; by the Latin, January 26. The amphitheatre where he suffered is in a great measure yet remaining; (as a late eye-witness and diligent searcher into antiquity informs us ;) in the two opposite sides whereof are the dens where the lions were wont to be kept. His tomb is in a little chapel, in the side of a mountain, on the south-east part of the city, solemnly visited by the Greeks upon his festival day; and for the maintenance and reparation whereof, travellers were wont to throw in a few aspers into an earthen pot that stands there for that purpose. How miserable the state of this city is under the Turkish yoke at this day, is without the limits of 15. The centurion beholding the perverseness my business to inquire. To look a little higher to and obstinacy of the Jews, commanded the body the times we write of, though I love not to make to be placed in the midst, and in the usual manner severe and ill-natured interpretations of the actions to be burned to ashes; whose bones the Chris- of divine Providence, yet I cannot but observe, tians gathered up as a choice and inestimable how heavy the divine displeasure, not long after treasure, and decently interred them. In which Polycarp's death fell, as upon other places, so more place they resolved, if possible, (and they prayed particularly upon this city, by plague, fire, and God nothing might hinder it,) to meet and cele-earthquakes, mentioned by others, but more fully brate the birth-day of his martyrdom; both to do honor to the memory of the departed, and to prepare and encourage others hereafter to give the like testimony to the faith. Both which considerations gave birth and original to the Memoric Martyrum, those solemn anniversary commemorations of the martyrs, which we have in another place more fully shown, were generally kept in the primitive church. Thus died this apostolical man, ann. Chr. 167, about the hundreth year of his age; for those eighty-six years, which himself speaks of, wherein he had served Christ, cannot be said to commence from his birth, but from his baptism or new-birth, at which time we cannot described by Aristides their own orator, who was contemporary with St. Polycarp. By which means their city, before one of the glories and ornaments of Asia, was turned into rubbish and ashes, their stately houses overturned, their temples ruined; one especially, which as it advanced Asia above other countries, so gave Smyrna the honor and precedence above other cities of Asia; their traffic spoiled, their marts and ports laid waste, besides the great numbers of people that lost their lives. Indeed the fate so sad, that the orator was forced to give over, professing himself unable to describe it. 17. I cannot better close the story of Polycarp's martyrdom, than with the preface which the church of Smyrna has in the beginning of it, as what eminently represents the illustrious faith and patience of those primitive Christians. "Evident it is, (say they,) that all those martyrdoms are great and blessed, which happen by the will of God; for it becomes us Christians, who have a more divine religion than others, to ascribe to God the sovereign disposure of all events. Who would not stand and admire the generous greatness of their mind, their singular patience, and admirable love to God? who, when their flesh was with scourges so torn off their backs, that the whole frame and contexture of their bodies, even to their innermost veins and arteries, might be seen, yet patiently endured it: insomuch that those who were present, pitied and grieved at the sight of it, while they themselves were endued with so invincible a resolution, that none of them gave one sigh or groan; the holy martyrs of Christ letting us see, that at that time, when they were thus tormented, they were strangers to their own bodies; or rather that our Lord stood by them to assist and comfort them. Animated by the grace of Christ, they despised the torments of men, by one short hour delivering themselves from eternal miseries. The fire which their tormentors put to them seemed cool and little, while they had it in their eye to avoid the everlasting and unextinguishable flames of another world; their thoughts being fixed upon those rewards which are prepared for them that endure to the end, such as "neither ear hath heard, nor eye hath seen, nor hath it entered into the heart of man ;" but which were shown to them by our Lord, as being now no longer mortals, but entering upon the state of angels. In like manner those who were condemned to be devoured by wild beasts, for a long time endured the most grievous tortures: shells of fishes were strewed under their naked bodies, and they forced to lie upon sharp-pointed stakes driven into the ground, and several such-like engines of torture devised for them, that, (if possible,) by the constancy of their torments, the enemy might drive them to renounce the faith of Christ. Various were the methods of punishment which the devil did invent; though, blessed be God, there were not many whom they were able to prevail upon." And, at the end of the epistle, they particularly remark concerning Polycarp, that he was not only a famous doctor, but an eminent martyr; whose martyrdom all strove to imitate, as one who by his patience conquered an unrighteous judge; and by that means having attained an immortal crown, was triumphing with the apostles, and all the souls of the righteous, glorifying God the Father, and praising of our Lord, the disposer of our bodies, and the bishop and pastor of the catholic church throughout the world. Nor were the Christians the only persons that reverenced his memory, but the very Gentiles (as Eusebius tells) everywhere spoke honorably of him. 18. As for his writings, besides that St. Jerome mentions the volumes of Papias and Polycarp, and the above-mentioned Pionius's epistles and homilies, Irenæus evidently intimates that he wrote several epistles; of all which none are extant at this day, but the Epistle to the Philippians, an epistle peculiarly celebrated by the ancients, very useful, says St. Jerome, navv davμagn, (as Suidas and Sophronius style it,) a most admirable epistle. Irenæus gives it this eulogium, that it is a most perfect and absolute epistle, whence they that are careful of their salvation may learn the character of his faith, and the truth which he preached. To which Eusebius adds, that in this epistle he makes use of some quotations out of the first Epistle of St. Peter. An observation that holds good with the epistle, as we have it at this day, there being many places in it cited out of the first, not one out of the second epistle. Photius passed this just and true judgment of it, that it is full of many admonitions, delivered with clearness and simplicity, according to the ecclesiastical way and manner of interpretation. It seems to hold a great affinity, both in style and substance, with Clemen's Epistle to the Corinthians; often suggesting the same rules, and making use of the same words and phrases; so that it is not to be doubted but he had that excellent epistle particularly in his eye at the writing of it. Indeed it is a pious and truly Christian epistle, furnished with short and useful precepts and rules of life, and penned with the modesty and simplicity of the apostolic times; valued by the ancients next to the writings of the holy canon: and St. Jerome tells us, that even in his time it was read in Asia conventu, in the public assemblies of the Asian church. It was first published in Greek by P. Halloix, the Jesuit, ann. 1633, and not many years after by bishop Usher: and I presume the pious reader will think it no unuseful digression, if I here subjoin so venerable a monument of the ancient church. THE EPISTLE. Polycarp and the presbyters that are with him, to the church of God which is at Philippi: mercy unto you, and peace from God Almighty, and Jesus Christ our Saviour, be multiplied. 1. I REJOICED with you greatly in our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye entertained the patterns of true love, and (as became you) conducted onwards those who were bound with chains, which are the ornaments of saints, and the crowns of those that are the truly elect of God, and of our Lord; and that the firm root of your faith, formerly published, does yet remain, and bring forth fruit in our Lord Jesus Christ, who was pleased to offer up himself even unto death for our sins: "whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death:"*"in whom, though you see him not, ye believe, and believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory;"'+ whereinto many desire to enter, knowing that "by grace ye are saved, not by works, but by the will of God through Jesus Christ." 2. Wherefore, girding up your loins,"|| serve God in fear and truth, forsaking empty and vain talking, and the error wherein so many are involved, believing in him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave him glory," and a throne at his right hand; to whom all things, both in heaven and in earth, are put in subjection, whom every thing that has breath worships, who comes to judge the quick and the dead, whose blood God will require of them that believe not in him. But he who raised him up from the dead, will raise up us also, if we do his will, and walk in his commandments, and love what he loved, abstaining from all unrighteousness, inordinate desire, covetousness, detraction, false witness; "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing."* or striking for striking, or cursing for cursing; but remembering what the Lord said when he taught thus, "Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and ye shall be forgiven; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." And that "Blessed are the poor, and they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God."t to please him in this world, we shall receive the reward of the other life, according as he has promised to raise us from the dead; and if we walk worthy of him, "we believe that we shall also reign with him." Let the young men also be unblamable in all things, studying in the first place to be chaste, and to restrain themselves from all that is evil. For it is a good thing to get above the lusts of the world, seeing every lust wars against the spirit; and that "neither fornicators, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind shall inherit the kingdom of God," nor whoever commits base things. 5. Wherefore it is necessary that ye abstain from all these things, being subject to the presbyters and deacons, as to God and Christ. That the virgins also walk with a chaste and undefiled conscience. Let the presbyters be tender and merciful, compassionate towards all, reducing those that are in error, visiting all that are weak; not negligent of the widow and the orphan, and him that is poor, but ever providing what is honest in the sight of God and men; abstaining from all wrath, respect of persons, and unrighteous judgment; being far from covetousness, not hastily believing a report against any man, nor rigid in judgment; knowing that we are all faulty, and obnoxious to punishment. If therefore we stand in need to pray the Lord that he would forgive us, we ourselves ought also to forgive. For we are before the eyes of him who is Lord and God, and "all must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, and every one give an account of himself." Wherefore let us serve him with all fear and reverence, as he himself has commanded us, and as the apostles have preached and taught us, and the prophets who foreshowed the coming of our Lord. Be zealous of that which is good, abstaining from offences and false brethren, and those 3. These things, brethren, I write to you concerning righteousness, not of my own humor, but because yourselves did provoke me to it. For neither I, nor any other such as I am, can attain to the wisdom of blessed and glorious St. Paul; who being among you, and conversing personally with those who were then alive, firmly and accurately taught the word of truth; and when absent, wrote epistles to you, by which, if you look into them, ye may be built in the faith delivered unto you, which is the mother of us all, being followed by hope, and led on by love, both towards God and Christ, and to our neighbor. For whoever is inwardly replenished with these things, has fulfilled the law of righteousness; and he that is furnished with love, stands at a distance from all sin. But love of money is the beginning of all evil.Knowing therefore that “we brought nothing into the world, and that we shall carry nothing out," let us arm ourselves with the armor of righteous-who bear the name of the Lord in hypocrisy, who ness; and in the first place be instructed ourselves seduce and deceive vain men; for "every one that to walk in the commands of the Lord, and next confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the teach your wives to live in the faith delivered to flesh, is anti-Christ ;" and he who doth not acthem, in love, and chastity; that they embrace knowledge the martyrdom of the cross, is of the their own husbands with all integrity, and others devil; and whoever shall pervert the oracles of also with all temperance and continency; and that the Lord to his private lusts, and shall say, that they educate and discipline their children in the there is neither resurrection nor judgment to come, fear of God. The widows, that they be sober that man is the first-born of Satan. Leaving and modest concerning the faith of the Lord; that therefore the vanity of many, and their false docthey incessantly intercede for all, and keep them-trines, let us return to that doctrine that from the seves from all slandering, detraction, false witness, beginning was delivered to us: let us be watchful covetousness, and every evil work; as knowing in prayers, persevering in fasting and supplicathat they are the altars of God, and that he ac- tions, beseeching the all-seeing God that he would curately surveys the sacrifice, and that nothing not lead us into temptation; as the Lord has said, can be concealed from him, neither of our reason- "the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is ings, nor thoughts, nor the secrets of the heart. weak." Let us unweariedly and constantly adAccordingly, knowing that God is not mocked, here to Jesus Christ, who is our hope and the we ought to walk worthy of his command, and of pledge of our righteousness, "who bare our sins his glory. 4. Likewise let the deacons be unblamable before his righteous presence, as the ministers of God in Christ, and not of men; not accusers, not double-tongued, not covetous, but temperate in all things; compassionate, diligent, walking according to the truth of the Lord, who became the deacon or servant of all of whom, if we be careful in his own body on the tree, who did not sin, neither was guile found in his mouth," but endured all things for our sakes, that we might live through him. Let us, then, imitate his patience, and if we suffer for his name, we glorify him; for such a pattern he set us in himself, and thus we have believed and entertained. |