Chapter 2 The Ten Primitive Persecutions The Christians, about this time, upon mature consideration, sought it unlawful to bear arms under the heathen emperor. The son of Fabius Victor was the first beheaded under this regulation. Vitus, a Sicilian of considerable family, was brought up a Christian. When his virtues increased with his years, his constancy supported him under all afflictions, and his faith was superior to the most dangerous burials. His father, Hylas, who was a pagan, finding that he had been instructed in the principles of Christianity, was a nurse who brought him up. used all his endeavours to bring him back to paganism, and at length sacrificed his son to the idols.—June 14, Anno Domini, 303. Victor was a Christian of a good family at Marseilles, in France. He spent a great part of the night in visiting the afflicted, and confirming the week, which pious work he could not, consistently with his own safety, perform in the daytime. and his fortune he spent in relieving the distresses of poor Christians. He was at length, however, seized by the Emperor Maximian's decree, who ordered him to be bound and dragged through the streets. During the execution of this order, he was treated with all manner of cruelties and indignities by the enraged populace. Remaining still inflexible, his courage was deemed obstinacy, being by order stretched upon the rack. He turned his eyes toward heaven, and prayed to God to endure him with patience, after which he underwent the tortures of his most admirable fortitude. After the executioners were tired with inflicting torments on him, he was conveyed to a dungeon. In his confinement he converted his jailers, named Alexander, Felician, and Longinus. This affair coming to the ears of the emperor, he ordered them immediately to be put to death and the jailers were accordingly beheaded. Victor was then again put to the rack, unmercifully beaten with batons, and again sent to prison. Being a third time examined concerning his religion, he persevered in his principles. A small altar was then brought, and he was commanded to offer incense upon it immediately. Fired with indignation at the request, he boldly stepped forward, and with his foot overthrew This so enraged the Emperor Maximian, who was present, that he ordered the foot with which he had kicked the altar to be immediately cut off, and Victor was thrown into a mill and crushed to pieces with the stones. Anna Dominic, 303 Maximus, governor of Scyllicia, being a Tarsus, three Christians were brought before him. Their names were Tarachus, an aged man, Probus, and Andronicus. After repeated tortures and exhortations to recant, they at length were ordered for execution. Being brought to the amphitheatre, several beasts were let loose upon them, but none of the animals, though hungry, would touch them. The keeper then brought out a large bear that had that very day destroyed three men. But this voracious creature and the fierce lioness both refused to touch the prisoners. Finding the design of destroying them by the means of vile beasts ineffectual, Maximus ordered them to be slain by the sword on October 11th, Anno Domini 303. Romanus, a native of Palestine, was deacon of the church of Caesarea at the time of the commencement of Diocletian's persecution. Being condemned for his faith at Antioch, he was scourged, put to the rack, his body His flesh cut with knives, his face scarified, his teeth beaten from their sockets, and his hair plucked up by the roots. Soon after he was ordered to be strangled, November the seventeenth, Anna Dominus 303. Susanna, the niece of Caius, bishop of Rome, was pressed by the emperor Diocletian to marry a noble pagan, who was nearly related to him, refusing the honor intended her. she was beheaded by the Emperor's order. Dorotheus, the high chamberlain of the household to Diocletian, was a Christian, and took great pains to make converts. In his religious labors he was joined by Gorgonius, another Christian, and one belonging to the palace. They were first tortured and then strangled. Peter and Oinoch, belonging to the Emperor, was a Christian of singular modesty and humility. He was laid on a gridiron, and brought over a slow fire until he expired. Cyprian, known by the title of the Magician, to distinguish him from Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, was a native of Antioch. He received a liberal education in his youth, and particularly applied himself to astrology, after which he travelled for improvements through Greece, Egypt, India, etc. In the course of time he became acquainted with Justina, a young lady of Antioch. with birth, beauty, and accomplishments, rendered her the admiration of all who knew her. A pagan gentleman applied to Cyprian to promote his suit with the beautiful Justina. This he undertook, but soon himself became converted, burned his books of astrology and magic, received baptism, and felt animated with the powerful spirit of grace. The conversion of Cyprian had a great effect on the pagan gentleman who paid his addresses to Justina. and he in a short time embraced Christianity. During the persecutions of Diocletian, Capriana and Justina were seized upon as Christians. The former was torn with splinters and the latter chastised, and after suffering other torments, both were beheaded. Eulalia, a Spanish lady of a Christian family, was remarkable in her youth for sweetness of temper and solidity of understanding seldom found in the capriciousness of juvenile years. Being apprehended to the Christian, the magistrate attempted by the mildest means to bring her over to paganism, but she ridiculed the pagan deities with such asperity that the judge, incensed at her behavior, ordered her to be tortured. Her sides were accordingly torn by hooks, and her breasts burned in the most shocking manner, until she expired by the violence of the flames. In the year 304, when the persecution reached Spain, Dacian, the governor of Tarragona, ordered Valerius the bishop and Vincent the deacon to be seized, loaded with irons, and imprisoned. The prisoners being firm in their resolution, Valerius was banished, and Vincent was wracked, his limbs dislocated, his flesh torn with hooks, and he was laid on a gridiron, which had not only a fire placed up under it, but spikes at the which ran into his flesh. The storm was neither destroying him nor changing his resolutions. He was remanded to prison and confined in a small, lonesome, dark dungeon, strewed with sharp slants and pieces of broken glass, where he died January 22, 304. His body was thrown into the river. The persecution of Dioplethean began particularly to rage in Annodomini 304. But many Christians were put to cruel tortures, and the most painful and ignominious death, the most eminent and particular of whom we shall enumerate. Saturninus, a priest of Albitina, a town of Africa, after being tortured, was remanded to prison, and there starved to death. His four children, after being variously tormented, shared the same fate as their father. Dativas, a noble Roman senator, Calico, a pious Christian, Victoria, a young lady of considerable family and fortune, with some others of less consideration, all auditors of Saturninus, were tortured in a similar manner, and perished by the same means. Agrape, Teonia and Irene, three sisters, were seized upon at Thessalonica, when Diocletian's persecution reached Greece. They were burned, and received the crown of martyrdom in the flames. March the 25th, A.D. 304. The Governor, finding that he could make no impression on Irene, ordered her to be exposed naked in the streets. With shameful order having been executed, a fire was kindled near the city wall, amid whose flames her spirit ascended beyond the reach of man's cruelty. Agato, a man of pious turn of mind, with Kasike, Philippa, and Oiticia, were martyred about the same time, but the particulars have not been transmitted to us. Marcellinus, Bishop of Rome, who succeeded Caius in that seat, having strongly opposed paying divine honours to Diocletian, suffered martyrdom by a variety of tortures in the year 324, comforting his soul until he expired with the prospect of these glorious rewards it would receive by the tortures suffered in the body. Victorius, Carpophorus, Severus and Severianus, our brothers, and all four employed in places of great trust and honour in the city of Rome. Having exclaimed against the worship of idols, they were apprehended and scourged with a plumbity, or scourges, to the end of which were fastened leaden balls. This punishment was exercised with such excessive cruelty that the pious brothers fell martyrs to its severity. Timothy, a deacon of Mauritania, and Maura, his wife, had not been united together by the bans of wedlock about three weeks, when they were separated from each other by the persecution. Timothy, being apprehended as a Christian, was carried before Ariannus, the governor of Thebes, who, knowing that he had the keeping of the Holy Scriptures, commanded him to deliver them up to be burned. Had I children, I would sooner deliver them up to be sacrificed than part with the word of God." The Governor, being much incensed at this reply, ordered his eyes to be put out with red-hot iron, saying, "'The books shall at least be useless to you, for you shall not see to read them.' His patience under the operation was so great that the Governor grew more exasperated. He therefore, in order, if possible, to overcome his fortitude, ordered him to be hung up by his feet, with a weight tied about his neck, and a gag in his mouth. In this state Maura, his wife, tenderly urged him for her sake to recant. But when the gag was taken out of his mouth, instead of consenting to his wife's entreaties, he greatly blamed her mistaken love, and declared his resolution of dying for the faith. The consequence was that Maura resolved to imitate his courage and fidelity and either to accompany or follow him to glory. The governor, after trying in vain to alter her resolution, ordered her to be tortured, which was executed with great severity. After this Timothy and Maura were crucified near each other. Anno Domini, 304. Sabinus, bishop of Assisium, refusing to sacrifice to Jupiter, and pushing the idol from him, at his hand cut off by the order of the governor of Tuscany. While in prison, he converted the governor and his family, all of whom suffered martyrdom for the faith. Soon after their execution, Sabinus himself was scorched to death. December, Anna Domini, 304. Tired with the farce of state and public business, the emperor Diocletian resigned the imperial diadem and was succeeded by Constantius and Galerius. the former a prince of the most mild and humane disposition, and the latter equally remarkable for his cruelty and tyranny. These divided the empire into two equal governments, Galerius ruling in the east and Constantinus in the west, and the people in the two governments felt the effects of the dispositions of the two emperors. For those in the west were governed in the mildest manner, but such as resided in the east fell all the miseries. of oppression and lengthened tortures. Among the many martyred by the Order of Galerius, we shall enumerate the most eminent. Amphianus was a gentleman of eminence in Lucia, and a scholar of Asebius. Julita, a Lycaonian of royal descent, but more celebrated for her virtues than noble blood. While on the rack, her child was killed before her face. Julita of Cappadocia, with a lady of distinguished capacity, great virtue, and in common courage. To complete the execution, Julita had boiling pitch poured on her feet, her sides torn with hooks, and received the conclusion of her martyrdom by being beheaded. April the 16th. Anna Domenech, 305 Hermolaus, a venerable and pious Christian, at a great age, and an intimate acquaintance of Pantaleon's, suffered martyrdom for the faith on the same day, and did the same manner as Panteleimon. Oestratius, secretary to the governor of Armina, was thrown into fury and furnace for exhorting some Christians who had been apprehended to persevere in their faith. Nicander and Marcian, two eminent Roman military officers, were apprehended on account of their faith. As they were both men of great abilities in their profession, the utmost means were used to induce them to renounce Christianity. But these endeavours being found ineffectual, they were beheaded. In the kingdom of Naples, several martyrdoms took place, in particular Janoris, Bishop of Beneventum, Sosius, Deacon of Mycenae, Proculus, another deacon, Oetohes and Acuteus, two laymen, Festus, a deacon, and Desiderius, a reader, all on account of being Christians. were condemned by the governor of Campania to be devoured by its wild beasts. The savage animals, however, would not touch them, and so they were beheaded. Quirinus, bishop of Siscia, being carried before Mathenius, the governor, was ordered to sacrifice to the pagan deities, agreeably to the edict of various Roman emperors. The governor, perceiving his constancy, sent him to jail, and ordered him to be heavily that the hardships of a jail, some occasional tortures, and the weight of chains might overcome his resolution. Being decided in his principles, he was sent to Amontius, the principal governor of Pannonia, now Hungary, who loaded him with chains and carried him through the principal towns of Danube, exposing him to ridicule wherever he went. Arriving at length at Sabaria, and finding that Quirinus would not renounce his faith He ordered him to be cast into a river, with a stone fastened about his neck. The sentence being put into execution, Quirinus floated about for some time, and, exhorting the people in the most pious terms, concluded his admonitions with this prayer. It is no new thing, O all-powerful Jesus, for thee to stop the course of rivers, or to cause a man to fall upon the water, as thou didst thy servant Peter. The people have already seen the proof of thy power in me. Grant me now to lay down my life for thy sake, O my God." On pronouncing the last words, he immediately sank and died. June the 4th. Anno Domini, 308. His body was afterwards taken up and buried by some pious Christians. Pamphilus, a native of Phoenicia, of a considerable family, was a man of such extensive learning that he was called a second origin. He was received into the body of the clergy at Caesarea, where he established a public library and spent his time in the practice of every Christian virtue. He copied the greatest part of the works of origin with his own hand, and assisted by Eusebius, gave a correct copy of the Old Testament, which had suffered greatly by the ignorance or negligence of former transcribers. In the year 307 He was apprehended and suffered torture and martyrdom. Marcellus, Bishop of Rome, being banished on account of his faith, fell a martyr to the miseries he suffered in exile. January 16th. Anno Domini. 310. Peter, the sixteenth Bishop of Alexandria, was martyred November 25th. Anno Domini. 311. By order of Maximus Caesar, who reigned in the East. a virgin of only thirteen years of age, was beheaded for being a Christian, as was Cyrene, the empress of Dilithian. Valentin, a priest, suffered the same fate at Rome, and Erasmus, a bishop, was martyred in Campania. Soon after this, the persecution abated in the middle parts of the empire, as well as in the west, and providence at length began to manifest vengeance on the persecutors. Maximian endeavoured to corrupt his daughter Falstaff to murder Constantine, her husband, which she discovered, and Constantine forced him to choose his own death, when he preferred the ignominious death of hanging after being an emperor near twenty years. Constantine was a good and virtuous child of a good and virtuous father, born in Britain. His mother was named Helena, daughter of King Coelus. He was a most bountiful and gracious prince. having a desire to nourish learning and good arts, and in often times used to read, write, and study himself. He had marvellous good success and prosperous achieving of all things he took in hand, which then was, and truly supposed to proceed of this, for that he was so quite a favourer of the Christian faith, which faith when he had once embraced, he did ever after most devoutly and religiously reverent. Thus Constantine, sufficiently appointed with strength of men, but especially with strength of God, entered his journey, coming towards Italy, which was about the last year of the persecution, under Domine 313. Maxentius's understanding of the coming of Constantine, and trusting more to his devilish art of magic than to the good will of his subjects, which he little deserved, doth not show himself after the city, nor encounter him in the open field. But these privy garrisons laid wait for him by the way in sundry strays, as he should come, with whom Constantine had diverse skirmishes, and by the power of the Lord did ever vanquish them and put them to flight. Notwithstanding, Constantine yet was in no great comfort, but in great care and dread in his mind, approaching now near and to Rome, for the magical charms and sorceries of Maxentius, wherewith he had vanquished before Severus sent by Galerius against him. Therefore, being in great doubt and perplexity in himself, and revolving many things in his mind, what help he might have against the operations of his charming? Constantine, in his journey drawing toward the city, and casting up his eyes many times to heaven, in the south part, about the going down of the sun, saw a great brightness in heaven, appearing in the similitude of a cross, giving this inscription, in Hocrinse, that is, in this hour come. Osepius Pompilus does witness that he had heard the said Constantine himself oftentimes report, and also to swear this to be true and certain, which he did see with his own eyes in heaven, and also his soldiers about him. At the sight thereof, when he was greatly astonished, and consulting with his men upon the meaning thereof, behold, in the night season in his sleep, Christ appeared to him with the sign of the same cross which he had seen before, bidding him to make the figuration thereof, and to carry it in his wars before him, and so should we have the victory. Constantine so established the peace of the Church, that for the space of a thousand years we read of no such persecution against the Christians, and to the time of John Bethlehem. So happy, so glorious was this victory of Constantine. For the joy and gladness were off. The citizens who had sent for him before, with exceeding triumph, brought him into the city of Rome, where he was most honorably received, and celebrated the space of seven days together. Having more hour in the marketplace, his image set up, holding in his right hand the sign of the cross with this inscription. With this wholesome sign, the true token of fortitude, I have rescued and delivered our city from the yoke of the tyrant. We shall conclude our account of the tenth and last general persecution with the death of St. George, the titular saint and patron of England. St. George was born in Cappadocia of Christian parents, and, giving proof of his courage, was promoted in the army of the Emperor Diocletian. During the persecution, St. George, through active command, went boldly to the Senate House and devout his being a Christian, taking occasion at the same time to demonstrate against paganism and point out the absurdity of worshipping idols. This freedom so greatly provoked the senate that St. George was ordered to be tortured and by the emperor's orders was dragged through the streets and beheaded the next day. The legend of the dragon which is associated with this martyr is usually illustrated by representing St. George seated upon a charging horse, and transfixing the monster with his spear. The fiery dragon symbolizes the devil, who was vanquished by St. George's steadfast faith in Christ, which remained unshaken in spite of torture and death. End of chapter 2 This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available. free and for sale in audio, video, and printed formats. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reform books, tapes, and videos at great discounts, is on the web at www.swrb.com. We can also be reached by email by phone at 780-450-3730 by fax at 780-468-1096 or by mail at 4710-37A Edmonton, that's E-D-M-O-N-T-O-N Alberta, abbreviated capital A, capital B, Canada, T6L3T5. You may also request a free printed catalog. And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart. From his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The Prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.