Last Days of the Martyrs

By Andrew R. Bonar

Andrew Bonar focuses upon early Christian martyrs such as Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr and Perpetua. He then considers the persecution faced by Pre-Reformation martyrs such as John Huss and Jerome of Prague. The author then moves through the Reformation period to the Killing Times in Scotland. This challenging and inspiring book is as relevant today as it was in past generations. Suitable illustrations are included throughout the book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Ritchie
• Release date: Nov 18, 2014
• ISBN: 9781909803176

Book preview

CHAPTER I.

PRIMITIVE MARTYRS

IGNATIUS—POLYCARP—JUSTIN MARTYR—VIVIA PERPETUA —CYPRIAN.

THE fact that the religion which was to be promulgated in His name, and by His authority, should meet with strenuous and continued opposition, was pre­ dicted by our blessed Lord, and spoken of to His early followers in a manner declarative of the aversion against divine truth that would be entertained by the unregenerate human heart, and of the contempt and hatred which would be called forth by the self-denial and holiness of its professors. Vital religion admits of being viewed as a standing protest against prevalent ungodliness and corruption. When our Saviour declared that He had not come to send peace,’ but a ‘sword,’ He referred to the severance of those who should embrace the faith not only from pagan corruption, but also, in not a few cases—at that period more particularly—from the charities of life and the protection of law.

The early Christians had a ‘ great fight of afflictions,’ both outward and inward, to endure. The alleged tolerance of paganism was, for the most part, confined to a recognition of additional deities, newer modes of worship, and devices of idolatry and superstition; but different sections and parties—Jew and Greek, Barbarian and Scythian—forgot their existing quarrels for the time, and on various occasions leagued together or acted in harmony with a view to crush the followers of Jesus. One Roman emperor in particular, Julian the Apostate, strove to rebuild the shattered temples that had been used for pagan worship, and to restore to the pagan priesthood a measure at least of the authority and influence of which they had been dispossessed. The attempt, however, was vain. Though it is not necessary to believe that direct intervention from heaven prevented the attempt made under Julian’s auspices to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, we know that, in spite of all opposition and of much persecution, of exile and torture, of ruinous confiscation, and of deaths in the amphitheatre or by violence, the word of God grew mightily and prevailed. Passion and prejudice, the sword of the magistrate, the intrigue and fury of the priest, the scorn of the philosopher, and the rage of the ignorant and furious populace, giving credit to the malignant assertions of falsehood and wickedness,— were individually and collectively employed to crush those who adhered to the religion of Jesus, however pure in life and conversation, however benevolent and self-denied, and on other accounts unimpeachable. The Christians were accordingly on many occasions, and almost wherever they sought refuge, hunted like beasts of prey, forced to seek concealment in the mountain-cave, the recess of the forest, or the dreary wilderness. If apprehended, and maintaining, as in most cases, without flinching, the principles which they had embraced, a death of horror generally marked the termination of their earthly course. They had to endure the ‘much tribulation’ through which it was then for the most part necessary to gain an entrance into the kingdom of God; the words of St Paul being at the same time singularly verified ‘We are persecuted on every side, yet not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.’

Accounted one of the ‘fathers of the Church,’ and a native of Syria, is believed to have been a disciple and friend of St John, and to have been acquainted with St Peter and St Paul. Having been set apart, it is said, by St John to the office of the ministry, he was, about the year 70, appointed minister of Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, and the most celebrated city in the East, where he laboured, in promoting the cause of Christian truth, for the long period of forty years, until the arrival of Trajan, who having entered the city with a triumphal procession, in celebration of recent victories, on being informed that there were not a few Christians within its precincts, directed Pliny to visit with punishment such as were accused of professing the gospel. On this, Ignatius resolved, unbidden, to make a profession of his faith before Trajan, by whom, on coming forward, he was thus addressed: ‘What an impious wretch art thou, to transgress our commands; and more, to inveigle others to do the same!’ Ignatius replied, ‘Theophorus ought not to be so spoken of, since wicked spirits have departed from the servants of God. If you call me impious, in one respect I own the charge; for I dissolve their snares, sustained by Christ, the heavenly King.’ ‘Who is Theophorus?’ was the question next asked. ‘He,’ Ignatius answered, ‘who has Christ within his breast.’ ‘Thinkest thou not,’ asked Trajan, ‘that gods reside in us also, and fight for us against our enemies?’ ‘You mistake,’ Ignatius replied, ‘when you call the demons of the nations by the name of gods. There is but one God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; and one Jesus Christ, His only-begotten Son, whose kingdom is my portion.’ ‘His kingdom,’ say you, ‘ who was crucified under Pilate?’ ‘Yes,’ replied Ignatius, ‘ the same who bore my sins, and has put all the fraud and malice of Satan under the feet of those who carry Him in their hearts.’ ‘Dost thou then,’ asked Trajan, ‘carry Him who was crucified within thee?’ ‘I do, he replied, ‘ since it is written, I will dwell in them, and walk in them.’ On this Ignatius was sentenced to be carried a prisoner to Rome, and cast to be devoured by wild beasts in the amphitheatre.

The probable reason for sending Ignatius to the capital was, that he might afford in a more conspicuous manner, and before a large number of spectators in the capital city of the empire, an example of the imperial hatred against the professors of the Christian religion. He was first of all conveyed to the port of Seleucia, in Syria; and thence (following closely the track of St Paul) to Smyrna, where, however, no ship was ready to sail, probably in consequence of Trajan’s expedition,—a circumstance which permitted Ignatius to meet, and perhaps to hold repeated conversations with Polycarp, himself destined to wear the martyr’s crown. At Smyrna the priests and deacons vied with one another in kindness to the prisoner; the ‘devout women’ also, some of whom are mentioned by name in the epistle he wrote, contributing abundantly to his wants. Deputies, moreover, from various of the Asiatic churches, visited and refreshed Ignatius by their converse; in return for whose kind sympathy he wrote letters to the churches at Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, and Rome, with the view of confirming their faith, and animating them to endurance in the Christian conflict. One of these letters contains the following remarkable passage, after an allusion to the fierce demeanour of those who had him in custody:—

‘Now I begin to be a disciple; nor shall anything move me of things visible and invisible, that I may enjoy Jesus Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body and the malice of the devil come upon me; so that I may enjoy Jesus Christ. The kingdoms of the world cannot profit me; better I should die for Jesus Christ, than reign over the ends of the earth.

Him I seek, who died for us; Him I desire, who rose for us: He is my gain, laid up for me. The prince of this world wishes to carry me away, and to change my purpose towards God.

Let none of you assist him. My love is crucified, and there is in me no fire that loves water (its own extinction), but that which, living and speaking in me, says, Come to the Father. I have no delight in the bread that perisheth, nor in the pleasures of this life. I long for the bread of God—the flesh of Jesus Christ, of the seed of David; and I desire to drink His blood— incorruptible love.’

From Smyrna, the guards, being anxious to arrive at Rome in time for the great festival, hurried Ignatius next to Troas, and thence to Philippi, whence he had an opportunity of writing to Polycarp and the Christians of Smyrna.

The next stage of the journey was Puteoli, then Ostia, at the mouth of the Tiber, and a few miles from Rome; on drawing near which city, Ignatius was met by many of the brethren, who greeted him with mixed emotions of joy and grief; joy at beholding so distinguished an advocate and exemplar of the faith, and sorrow that the Church should be so soon deprived of his services. On their expressing a hope that he might yet be spared, he expressed an anxious desire that this should not be the issue. ‘Let nothing,’ he replied, ‘of things visible or invisible, grudge me the attainment of Christ. Fire and the cross, or beasts tearing my limbs asunder, or crushing my whole body—let all such inflictions come upon me, provided I only win Christ,’ He embraced them, and added some words of advice. All then knelt, when Ignatius offered up prayer for the prosperity of the churches, for the staying of persecution, and the cherishing of love among the brethren. Rome, he was immediately conducted to the prefect of the city.

The annual festival called the Saturnalia,— when the populace were wont to be entertained by the bloody conflicts of gladiators and the encounters of wild beasts,—was at hand, and was fixed upon as a befitting period for Ignatius to suffer. The day came, when Ignatius first saw the interior of a place which Christians never thought of entering, where (illustrative of the cruelty and hardness of heart fostered by paganism, and also peculiarly in accordance with the harsh disposition of the ancient Romans) nobles, magistrates, senators, and even women of rank, were accustomed to look with eager gaze on human agony and suffering. With shouts of joy they saw the Christian martyr stand on the spot where assassins, slaves, and murderers were wont to suffer, and beheld the beasts let loose upon him. His agonies were not protracted. The animals, from whom food had, as was usual, been withheld for a considerable space, devoured the body, leaving only the bones. The remains of Ignatius having been carefully gathered up by two deacons, who had continued beside him that they might witness the last sad scene, were carried to Antioch for interment.

Among early sufferers in the cause of Christ, Polycarp deserves to be held in honourable remembrance. He had long been minister, or as some express it, bishop at Smyrna, and had, during a troublous period, neither causelessly exposed himself to persecution, nor declined to take such steps as were accordant with the office he held, consenting even to retire to a neighbouring village, whence, on hearing that messengers had been sent for his apprehension, he retired to another. Two slaves, however, who had been urged thereto by the application of torture, disclosed the place of his retreat; on which Polycarp exclaimed, ‘The directed refreshment to be prepared for the officers of the law, and requested leave to retire for two hours, which were spent in prayer and devout meditation. He was then mounted upon an ass, and on a day of public concourse conducted to the town, during which he was met by Herod the Irenarch, and by his father Nicetus, who took him, with not a little show of respect, into their carriage, and endeavoured to persuade him to submit to the two tests by which Christians were then tried, viz. giving to the emperor the title of ‘Lord,’ and the offering up of sacrifice to idols. Refusing to forfeit his integrity by either of these acts, Polycarp was thrust out of the chariot, and conducted on foot to the crowded stadium place and time of his sufferings would seem to have been surmised, for many Christians who were present said, ‘Polycarp, be firm!’ The proconsul, respecting his old age, entreated that he would conceal his name, but he proclaimed it loudly. The trial then went on. ‘Swear,’ they said, ‘by the genius of Cæsar; retract, and say, Away with the godless!’ He was urged still further, but, as might have been anticipated, in vain. ‘Swear,’ said the proconsul, ‘and I will release thee; blaspheme Christ.’ ‘Eighty and six years,’ was Polycarp’s reply, ‘I have served Christ, and He has never done me injury; how can I then blaspheme my King, my Saviour?’ On being asked once more to swear by the genius of Cæsar, Polycarp replied by avowing himself a Christian, and by requesting a day to be named on which he might publicly explain and defend the particulars of the Christian faith. ‘Persuade,’ said the proconsul, ‘ the people to consent ;’ be vain, and replied, ‘To thee I will explain the reasons of my conduct, but not to the people.’ He was then threatened with exposure to the wild beasts, and next with being burned alive; on which he said, ‘I fear not the fire that burns only for a moment, but thou hast heard of that which burns for ever and ever.’ His countenance was full of peace and joy as the herald advanced into the midst of the assemblage and proclaimed, ‘Polycarp has professed himself a Christian.’ There were many Jews and heathens present, who vociferously exclaimed, ‘This is the teacher of Asia, and the overthrower of our gods, who has perverted so many from sacrifice and from adoration of the gods.’ ‘A lion upon Polycarp!’ was demanded of the president of the games, who would have excused himself by saying that these were now over. On this there was a general demand that he should be burned alive, and both Jews and heathens began to collect the furniture of the baths, along with other combustible matter. Polycarp was then undressed. Having requested not to be nailed to the stake, they were satisfied with only binding him to it.

His end approaching, Polycarp thus prayed: ‘O Lord God Almighty, Father of Thy wellbeloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received knowledge of Thee; God of angels, powers, and every creature who lives before Thee, I thank Thee that Thou hast graciously thought me worthy of this day and this hour, that I may receive a portion in the number of Thy martyrs, and drink of Christ’s cup, for the resurrection of both soul and body unto eternal life, in the incorruptibleness of the Holy Spirit. Among them may I be admitted this day, as an acceptable sacrifice, as Thou, O true and faithful God, hast prepared, foreshown, and accomplished. Wherefore I praise Thee for all Thy mercies. I bless Thee. I glorify Thee, with Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, the Eternal, to whom, with Thee and the Holy Spirit, be glory now and for ever.’

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POLYCARP BEFORE THE PRO-CONSUL

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JOHN HUSS ON HIS WAY TO MARTYDOM

The fire, however, did not prove the end of Polycarp. From whatever cause, it failed in consuming his body, so that an executioner had to be sent to despatch him, when, the sword piercing his side, the outflow of blood checked any further ravage by fire upon the insensate body. Polycarp had quitted this earthly scene, his faith and courage remaining as a testimony and