withstanding the reservedness which he imposed on himself in that respect, there are in him many allusions and references to them: which seems to show, that the christians of that time were so habituated to the language of scripture, that it was not easy for them to avoid the use of it, whenever they discoursed upon things of a religious nature.

His quotations of Sibylline books, and other writings ascribed to heathen vates or diviners, such as Hydaspes and Hermes Trismegistus, have been just now accounted for. And it has been shown, that he was far from esteeming them of canonical authority. Nor does it appear, that he placed the Preaching of Peter and Paul in the rank of sacred scripture, though he has once quoted it.

IX. We come now to the author of the books of the Deaths of Persecutors: in whom there are no quotations of scripture, and but few references or allusions to it. I shall therefore transcribe but little from him at present.

1. It is manifest that he refers to the Acts of the Apostles, and perhaps to the gospels likewise, in the second chapter of his work: Neary the end of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, as we find it written, our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified by the Jews. When he had risen again on the third day, he assembled his disciples, whom the fright of his apprehension had dispersed. And continuing with them forty days, he opened their hearts, and explained to them the scriptures, which to that time were obscure and difficult to them. also gave them instructions concerning the preaching his doctrine. When he had so done, he was surrounded by a cloud, which, withdrawing him from human sight, carried him up to heaven. Whereupon his disciples, who were then eleven, taking into the room of Judas the traitor Matthias and Paul, went abroad throughout the world, and preached the gospel, as the Lord had commanded them.'

He

2. This writer speaks of the early success of the apostles in preaching the gospel, and the swift progress of the chris

5 Extremis temporibus Tiberii Cæsaris, ut scriptum legimus, Dominus noster Jesus Christus a Judæis cruciatus est post diem decimum calendarum Aprilis, duobus Geminis Consulibus. Cum resurrexisset die tertio, congregavit discipulos, quos metus comprehensionis ejus in fugam verterat, et diebus quadraginta cum his commoratus, aperuit corda eorum, et scripturas interpretatus est, quæ usque ad id tempus obscuræ et involutæ fuerant. Ordinavitque eos, et instruxit ad prædicationem dogmatis ac doctrinæ suæ.-Quo officio repleto, circumvolvit eum procella nubis, et subtractum oculis hominum rapuit in cœlum. Et inde discipuli, qui tunc erant undecim, assumtis in locum Judæi proditoris Matthiâ et Paulo, dispersi sunt per omnem terram ad evangelium prædicandum, sicut illis magister Dominus imperaverat.-De M. P. c. 2. in.

tian religion in the time of Nero, and afterwards particularlya in the times following the reign of Domitian.

3. He speaks of the coming of Antichrist: perhaps he has therein an eye to the book of the Revelation.

4. Finally, he takes notice of the burning of the christian scriptures in Dioclesian's persecution.

CHAP. LXVI.

Of burning the scriptures, and of traitors, in the time of Dioclesian's persecution.

a

1. EUSEBIUS assures us, that in the imperial edict for Dioclesian's persecution in 303, it was expressly ordered, not only that the christian churches should be demolished, but also that their scriptures should be burned. And this was one of the affecting scenes of that persecution, that he had seen the sacred and divine scriptures burned in marketplaces.

2. This order shows that the heathen people were now sensible of the importance of the scriptures, which the christians made use of as the grounds of their religion, the rule of their conduct, and the support of their steadiness and zeal.

et per annos 25, usque ad principium Neroniani imperii per omnes provincias et civitates ecclesiæ fundamenta miserunt.-Quâ re ad Neronem delata, cum animadverteret, non modo Romæ, sed ubique quotidie magnam multitudinem deficere a cultu idolorum, et ad religionem novam, damnatå vetustate, transire-ib. c. 2.

* Rescissis igitur actis tyranni, non modo in statum pristinum ecclesia restituta est, sed etiam multo clarius ac floridius enituit: secutisque temporibus, quibus multi ac boni principes Romani imperii clavum regimenque tenuerunt, nullos inimicorum impetus passa, manus suas in orientem occidentemque porrexit: ut jam nullus esset terrarum angulus tam remotus, quo non relig o Dei penetrâsset, nulla denique natio tam feris moribus vivens, ut non suscepto Dei cultu ad justitiæ opera mitesceret. cap. 3. fin.

b

-ut, quia primus persecutus est, idem etiam novissimus persequatur, et antichristi præcedat adventum,-cap. 2.

Qui dies cum illuxisset,

-repente adhuc dubià luce ad ecclesiam profectus cum ducibus ac tribunis et rationalibus venit: et revulsis foribus simulacrum Dei quæritur, scripturæ repertæ incenduntur. cap. 12.

a

p. 294.

τας δε γραφας αφανεις πυρι γενεσθαι προςαττοντα. Η. Ε. l. viii. c. 2.

b -τας δε ενθέως και ίερας γραφας κατα μεσας αγορας πυρι παραδιδομενας αυτοις επείδομεν οφθαλμοις. ib. p. 293. C.

3. The burning of the scriptures is also mentioned by the author Of the Deaths of Persecutors, in his account of this persecution; but he does not speak of it so particularly, and so much at large, as might have been expected.

4. Arnobius likewise refers to it, and insists, that there was nothing dishonourable to the Deity in the scriptures of the christians, that should expose them to such usage from the heathen people; though many writings of their own well deserved to perish in the flames.

e

5. The first council of Arles, which met in 314, soon after the persecution was over, made a canon, that whoever of the clergy should be convicted by the public acts of betraying to the persecutors the scriptures, or any of the holy vessels, or the names of any of their brethren, should be deposed.

6. This was peculiar to Dioclesian's persecution: at least we do not know of any such order before.

7. The persecution was for a while exceeding hot in Africa, both in Numidia, and in the proconsular province: the two governors of which, Anulinus and Florus, acted with great severity toward the christians, as Optatus relates. The inquest after the scriptures, and other sacred things, was very strict in that country: the magistrates in the several cities were very active and diligent in their searches: they seized what they could by any means discover, and gave informations, as they saw fit, to the superior officers of their district. And here seems to have been the greatest number of traitors: some bishops, as well as others, were guilty of that crime, which Optatus laments.

8. How the imperial orders were published and executed,

c Scripturæ repertæ incenduntur. De M. P. c. 12.

d Quod si haberet vos aliqua pro religionibus indignatio has potius literas, hos exurere debuistis libros. Nam nostra quidem scripta cur ignibus meruerunt dari?-Arnob. 1. iv. sub fin. * De his qui scripturas sanctas tradidisse dicuntur, vel vasa dominica, vel nomina fratrum suorum, placuit nobis, ut quicumque eorum ex actis publicis fuerit detectus, non verbis, nudis, ab ordine cleri amoveatur. Concil. Arl. i. c. 13.

Alia persecutio, que fuit sub Diocletiano et Maximiano; quo tempore fuerunt et impii judices, bellum christiano nomini inferentes. Ex quibus in Provinciâ Proconsulari fuerat Anulinus, in Numidià Florus. Omnibus notum est, quid eorum operata sit artificiosa crudelitas.---Alii cogebantur templa Dei vivi subvertere: alii Christum negare; alii leges divinas incendere; alii thura ponere. Optat. l. iii. c. 8. In Africà duo mala et pessima admissa esse constat, unum in traditione, alterum in schismate.-Nam ferme ante annos sexaginta, et quod excurrit, per totam Africam persecutionis est divagata tempestas. Ipsi apices et principes omnium, aliqui episcopi, illis temporibus, ut damno æternæ vitæ illius incertæ lucis moras brevissimas compararent, instrumenta divinæ legis tradiderunt. Optat. 1. i. c. 13.

Of Burning the Scriptures, and of Traitors. A. D. 303. 551

may be seen in the Acts of Felix, an African bishop, who suffered martyrdom at the beginning of the persecution, for refusing to deliver up the scriptures. I transcribe those Acts in the margin somewhat largely. They show the great regard which the christians of that time had for the sacred scriptures. And the reader may there observe, that the book of the Acts of the Apostles was well known, and received in Africa.

9. There are extant' Acts of the martyrs Saturninus presbyter, Felix, Dativus, Ampelius, and others, who on account of the assemblies, and the sacred scriptures, having been ex• amined and made confession before Anulinus the proconsul ' of Africa at Carthage, at divers times, and in divers places, 'shed their precious blood.' These Acts are the work of a Donatist writer; nevertheless they are very curious.

10. These persons were apprehended at their worship, and carried to Carthage in the year 304; where they made a glorious confession, and surmounted all the temptations they met with.

Il. The author relates' the edict of the emperors Dioclesian and Maximian, for burning the scriptures, for demolishing churches, and forbidding the assemblies of divine worship; and bears an honourable testimony to the fidelity and

Diocletiano octies et Maximiano septies Coss.exivit edictum Imperatorum et Cæsarum super omnem faciem terræ. Et propositum est per colonias et civitates principibus et magistratibus, suo cuique loco, ut libros deificos peterent de manu episcoporum et presbyterorum. Tunc programma positum est in civitate Tiburensi.-Tunc Magnilianus curator jussit ad se perduci per officialem. Cui Magnilianus curator dixit: Da libros, vel membranas quascumque habes. Felix episcopus dixit: Habeo, sed non do. Magnilianus curator dixit: Da libros, ut possint aduri. Felix episcopus dixit: Melius est me igne aduri, quam scripturas deificas; quia bonum est obedire Deo magis quam hominibus. [Act. v. 29.]-Præfectus dixit: Felicem gladio interficite. Et ductus est ad passionis locum.— -Felix episcopus, elevans oculos in cœlum, clarâ voce dixit: Deus, gratias tibi. Quinquaginta et sex annos habeo in hoc seculo. Virginitatem custodivi: Evangelia servavi: fidem et veritatem prædicavi. Ap. Ruinart. p. 355- -357.

i Ap. Baluz. Miscell. T. ii. p. 56, &c. et Optat. ex edit. Du Pin, p. 150, &c. k Scripta sane sunt ista, quod negari non potest, ab aliquo Donatistâ, sed docto et erudito. Dignaque mihi visa sunt quæ cum Lactantio [De M. P.] conjungerentur, cum ob similitudinem argumenti, tum ob elegantiam sermonis.- -Opus tamen est antiqui scriptoris, et qui non admodum remotus fuit ab ævo Diocletiani. Baluz. Monit. apud Du Pin, ut supra, p. 150.

I Temporibus namque Diocletiani et Maximiani bellum diabolus christianis indixit isto modo, ut sacrosancta Domini testamenta scripturasque divinas ad exurendum peteret, basilicas dominicas subverteret, et ritus cœtusque sanctissimos celebrari Domino prohiberet. Sed non tulit exercitus Dei immane præceptum. -Et quamvis, tradendo gentilibus scripturas dominicas atque testamenta divina profanis ignibus comburenda, a fidei cardine cecidere nonnulli, conservando tamen eas, et pro ipsis libenter suum sanguinem effundendo fortiter fecere quamplurimi. Act. Saturnin. &c. n. ii.

fortitude of the christians at that time. And he particularly relates the examinations of the persons above mentioned, and the resolute answers made by them. It will appear likewise, from what I shall transcribe in the margin from this piece, that the christians of Africa were very assiduous in the assemblies of public worship, and constantly had there readings of scripture.

12. If that writer may be credited, there had been a miraculous appearance in that place, when the bishop Fundanus had delivered up some scriptures, a short time before.

13. The inquiries of the heathen persecutors at that time, were not confined to the scriptures, but they searched likewise for sacred vessels, and seized gold and silver cups, and lamps, and suits of apparel ready made for the use of poor people, as occasions might require. This may be collected from the canon of the council of Arles before quoted, and more particularly from an enumeration of such things, taken from the public Acts or Register of the city of Cirtha, where is an account of things taken with the consent, or by the discovery, of Paul, the bishop, and one of the deacons, Silvanus, who therefore are reckoned traitors. Which is also taken notice of by Augustine, in an epistle of his, a part of which I shall transcribe in the P margin, for the sake of curious readers.

m

-Contra quæ confessores Domini, invicti martyres Christi, tanquam ex uno ore dixerunt, Christiani sumus. Non possumus nisi Domini legem sanctam usque ad effusionem sanguinis custodire. Quâ voce percussus inimicus Felici dicebat: Non quæro, utrum christianus sis; sed an collectam feceris, vel scripturas aliquas habeas.-Respondit: Quasi christianus sine Dominico possit, aut Dominicus sine christiano celebrari.-Collectam, inquit, gloriosissime celebravimus, ad scripturas dominicas legendas in Dominicum convenimus semper. ibid. n. x.

In isto namque foro jam pro scripturis dominicis dimicaverat cœlum, cum Fundanus civitatis quondam episcopus scripturas dominicas traderet exurendas: quas cum magistratus sacrilegus igni apponeret, subito imber sereno cœlo diffunditur; ignis scripturis sanctis admotus exstinguitur: grandines adhibentur, omnisque ipsa regio, pro scripturis dominicis, elementis furentibus devastabatur. ib. n. iii.

-Ex actis Munatii Felicis, flaminis perpetui, perpetui curatoris coloniæ Cirtensium. Cum ventum esset ad domum in quâ christiani conveniebant, Felix flamen, perpetuus curator, Paulo episcopo dixit, Proferte scripturas, et si quid aliud hic habetis. Paulus episcopis dixit: Scripturas lectores habent. Sed nos, quod hic habemus, damus. In brevi sic-Calices duo aurei, item calices sex argentei, urceola sex argentea,-lucernæ argenteæ vii. candelæ breves, æneæ cum lucernis suis vii. item lucernæ æneæ xi. cum catenis suis, tunicæ muliebres lxxii. tunicæ viriles, xvi. caliga viriles, paria_xiii. caligæ muliebres, paria xlvii. &c. Acta Purgationis Cæcil. ap. Optat. Du Pin, p. 168. Precita illi gesta apud Munatium Felicem, flaminem perpetuum, curatorem tunc civitatis vestræ, Diocletiano octavum, et Maximiano septimum consulibus -quibus liquido constitit Paulum episcopum tradidisse, ut Silva