perish through their own fault: but that the church, which believes in Christ, and holds to that which it once learned, never departs "from him; moreover, that they compose the church, who remain in the house of God; and that the plant is not planted by the Lord. (Matt. xy. 13.) which is not firmly rooted, but is blown about like straw by the breath of the enemy." Ep. lix. p. 131. "The Novatian is not in the church! nor can he be deemed a bishop, who, despising evangelical and apostolical tradition and succeeding to no one, is sprung "from himself. One not ordained in the church, has no church." Ep. Ixix. p. 181. "The power of remitting sins was given by Christ to his "apostles, whom he sent; and to the churches, which they founded; "and to the bishops who succeeded them in a regular succession.' Inter Cyprian. ep. lxxv. p. 225.

On the fallacy of " placing human reason in competition with revelation," St. Cyprian observes, "Let not some men deceive them"selves by an idle interpretation of the words of Christ, when he said : "Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there I am "with them. (Matt. xviii. 20.) Corrupting the gospel, and interpreting falsely, they take the last words, and omit what goes before; retaining one part, and craftily suppressing the other. As they are cut off from the church, so do they cut off the words of scripture. "For, recommending to his disciples unanimity and peace, the Lord. "said to them: If two of you shall agree upon earth, concerning any "thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done for them by my father; for where there are two or three gathered, &c. shewing, that much is granted, not to the number, but to the unanimity of the supplicants. "If two of you, he says, shall agree upon earth; he gives the first place unanimity, to peaceful concord: on this he insists. But how shall "he agree with another, who has dissented from the body of the "church and from the whole fraternity? Can two or three be gathered together in the name of Christ, who it is plain, are separated from him and his gospel? For we did not leave them, but they us. Choosing for themselves separate conventieles, they quitted the head and the fountain of truth." De Unit. Eccles. p. 112.

On the state of celibacy, he published a book On the Habit of Virgins, which he addresses to virgins "devoted to God, dedicated to Christ," or such "who profess virginity, and a stricter attendance than ordinary upon the service of God." Those who thus devote themselves to prayer and chastity, he says are "the flower of the church's flock, the ornament and lustre of spiritual grace, her joyful "offspring, the very perfection of honour and praise, the image of God copied according to the pattern of his holiness, the more illustrious "portion of the flock of Christ."

St. Cyprian also held the same doctrines on the sacrifice of the mass, the real presence in the Eucharist, and the primacy of the pope, as St. Justin, martyr, St. Irenæus, Tertullian, and Origen; and thus we

that in every age of the church, to the period we are now arrived at, the faith and doctrines of the Orthodox Christians were ONE and the SAME; while the heterodox, as at the present day, were rent into a thousand divisions.

To enumerate the different accounts given by Fox of the sufferings

of the "godly martyrs" of the primitive ages, who were all, let it be remembered, Roman Catholics, would tire the reader, and swell our pages to a considerable length; we must therefore confine ourselves to the most prominent statements, where the martyrologist has clearly overstepped the boundaries of truth, or suppressed the most material circumstances of the case Under this eighth persecution (he gives an account of the martyrdom of 300 Christians" in the following terms: Perhaps one of the most dreadful events in the history of martyrdom "was that which took place at Utica, where 800 Christians were, by orders of the proconsul, placed around a burning lime-kiln. A pan "of coals and incense having been prepared, they were commanded either to sacrifice to Jupiter, or be thrown into the kiln. Unani"mously refusing, they bravely JUMPED into the pit, and were suf"focated immediately." Dreadful indeed would have been this event had it occurred as John Fox has related; for had they jumped into the pit, instead of being thrown in, they would have been guilty of suicide, and could not have been martyrs. We know not from what authority John Fox related this story; we have consulted the martyrology of the Rev. Mr. Butler, and he gives a very different tale. He states that "St. Austin reckoned the number to be one hundred and fifty-three, which falls considerably short of three hundred. Then, he says, the victims were offered their choice, either to be thrown into the pit, or to offer sacrifice to the idols. They chose the former, and were thrown in, by which they were all consumed together. “

Fox next gives a "singular account of a Christian lady," named Eugenia, the daughter of Philippus, governor of Alexandria, who, to avoid the persecution, eloped from her father's house, she having_embraced the religion of Christ. For the purpose of concealment," Fox says, she "assumed male attire, and, calling herself Eugenius, was admitted into a monastery, or society of Christians, in the suburbs of Alexandria, "of which, at length, by her learning and virtue, she became the head. "Here," he adds, ""she performed MANY MIRACLES, and among "others who were cured by her was a certain matron of Alexandria, "named Melancia, who, supposing her to be a man, conceived a crimi"nal passion for her, and so far lost all sense of virtue and decorum, as to solicit her to gratify her desires. Eugenius exhorted her to continue in the paths of virtue; but Melancia, enraged at the refusal, and fearful of exposure, determined to anticipate the accusation, and "therefore immediately charged Eugenius, and other members of the Christian community, with attempting to debauch her. This matter being heard before Philippus, and Melancia being esteemed virtuous, "the accusation gained credit, especially as it was brought against the "Christians. Then Eugenius perceiving that she and her fellow-be"lievers were in imminent danger of death on this infamous charge, "and that it was now no time for dissimulation, desired of the judge "to allow her time and place to make manifest to him the truth; which "being granted, she disclosed to him that she was his daughter, and "that her companions were Protheus and Hiacinthus, two pious eunuchs; explaining to him and to her brethren, the cause of her departure from them. By this narration they were convinced of her innocence, and her malignant accuser was utterly confounded. Phi

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"lippus was afterwards converted to Christianity, made bishop of "Alexandria, and suffered miartyrdom. Eugenia, after the death of "her father, returning to Rome with Protheus and Hiacinthus, and having there converted Basilla (a lady who was to have been mar"ried to a Pagan, but now refused in consequence of which h she was "beheaded) was assailed with various kinds of death, from all of which she was delivered by the miraculous interference of Heavens. "first, being tied to a great stone and cast into the Tiber, where she was prevented from drowning then put into the hot baths, when the fires were extinguished and she preserved; lastly, being cast into prison to die of hunger, she was fed by a supernatural hand.". We have given this account at length from Fox, to shew how little regard heb has for the understandings of his readers, by detailing such ridiculous romancing without a single authority to verify his extraordinary narration. That a female Christian should disguise herself in men's clothes, and should be raised to the head of a body of monks by her superior learning, is equally as fabulous as the story of Pope Joan, which Protestant writers have so successfully imposed upon the credulous peoples of this country. Then again, that an old matron should fall in love wiih 1 this young ssuperior! who, in the name of common sensey sean give credit to such a rodomontade? Of the same piece is the discovery of her sex, and the conversion of her father, who bescame himself sa martyr, while othe young lady is deprived of that honour by the interposition of a supernatural power in various ways! We do not deny the existence of miracles; but we are not c credulous enough sto: believe in such a tale as this, nor any other, unattested by authorities; for we know that impositions have been practised in every age; though we also know that the Catholic church was always Ocareful to guard against these impositions, and caution the people from being deceived by them. Forgeries and imposture were ever abominated by the pastors of the church, as her canons sufficiently testify; ands pope Adrian I, in an epistle to Charlemagne, says, that no acts of martyrs are suffered to be read which are not supported by vouchers. That Fox's singular account of a Christian lady," as above cited, is a complete fabrication, we have not a single doubt in our omind; for, on examining Butler's Lives of Saints, we find that learned and saccurate martyroligist gives the following account of this martyr Eugenia. She suffered," he writes, at Rome, under Valerian, ›ɗf about the year 257, and is mentioned by St, Avitus, though we have NO AUTHENTIC acts of her sufferings, those recited by Metaffophrastes and Surius deserving no notice. Thus then it is clear that Fox's singular account" is entitled to no credit, and is like many other fabulous tales in his work, invented to delude the ignorant and credulous. There is one circumstance, however, that must not be o be overlooked, which is, the admission by Fox, that the Christians, "at this ff period, lived in communities, or monasteries, which Protestants now condemn, and ate the period of the reformation so, called, destroyed with Vandalic barbarity and ruthlessness.wạy học

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Fox concludes his account of this persecution by giving the fate of the author of it, the emperor Valerian, which we shall not notice

here, but reserve our remarks till we have got through the remaining two persecutions, move

THE NINTH GENERAL PERSECUTION UNDER THE ROMAN EMPERORS.

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This persecution is ushered in with the martyrdom of Felix, bishop' of Rome, who was advanced to the Roman see, Fox says, in 274," and was beheaded in the same year on the 22d of December." Here Fox is guilty of a gross mistake. Mr. Echard states that Felix suf fered in Rome," after he held the dignity FIVE YEARS, wanting "four days," which is a palpable contradiction of John Fox. Mr. Butler corroborates Echard as to the period Felix governed the church, he having succeeded St. Dionysius in the year 269. Previous to the pontificate of this holy pope, two councils were held at Antioch, to inquire into the doctrines advanced by Paul of Samosata, the proud bishop of that city, who denied the divinity of Christ, and taught many impious errors concerning the mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation. In 269 a third council was held at the same place, when Paul was clearly convicted of heresy and many scandalous crimes. On this occasion the holy Felix wrote a letter to Maximus, bishop of Alexandria, which is quoted by the council of Ephesus, St. Cyril of Alexandria, and St. Vincent of Lerins, as clearly explaining the Catholic doctrines of the whole mystery of the Incarnation. Neither Butler nor Echard states the manner of his death, though Fox, on his own authority, says he was beheaded on the 22d of December.. The Western martyrologies name him on the 30th of May, on which day he is recorded by Butler.

The next article demanding our notice, is the " massacre of a whole "legion of Christian soldiers. Fox calls it "a remarkable affair," and states it to have happened in the year 268. In this year Dioclesian as* sociated Maximian with him in the empire, whose disposition was as cruel, and his hatred to Christianity as malignant, as Dioclesan's. In the Roman army there was a legion formed of Christians, in number about 6600, called the Theban legion. The legion was ordered to join the army of Maximian, who was on the march to Gaul to quell some disturbances. On their arrival at Octodurum, at that time a considerable city on the Rhine, above the lake of Geneva, now a village called Martignac or Martigni in the Valais, Maximian issued an order that the whole army should join in offering sacrifice to the gods for the success of his expedition. Fox adds, that "he commanded that they "should take oaths of allegiance, and swear, at the same time, to as"sist him in the extirpation of Christianity in Gaul." Where Fox found this part of his tale, we do not know; perhaps he was dreaming of the oath of allegiance required by Elizabeth from her Catholic sub jects, which they could not conscientiously take, and the murderous attempts made in her reign to extirpate Catholicism in Ireland. Be this as it may, we have looked into Butler, Echard, &c. and we find no account whatever of oaths of allegiance and extirmination. The legion was ordered to sacrifice and refused. On this refusal every tenth man was put to death, while the rest exhorted them to con

staney. A second order was issued, which was followed by another refusal, and a second decimation. But this second severity," says « than

"their fortitude, lovely helpe

ficers, drew up a remonstrance to

preserved of their of

emperor, in which they told "him, that they were his subjects and his soldiers, but could not at the same time forget the Almighty that they received their pay “from him, and their existence from God. While your commands (said they) are not contradictory to those of our common master, “we shall always be ready to obey, as we have been hitherto;bbut "when the orders of our prince and those of the Almighty differ, we "inust always obey the latter. Our arms are devoted to the emperor's use, and shall be directed against his enemies; but we cannots sub"mit to stain our hands with effusion of Christian blood; and how, indeed, could you, O emperor, be sure of our allegiance and fide"lity, should we violate our obligation to our God, in whose ser"vice we were solemnly engaged before we entered the army You

command us to search out, and to destroy the Christians; it is not necessary to look any further for persons of that denomination; we "ourselves are such, and we glory in the name. We saw our com"panions fall without the least opposition or murmuring, and thought. "them happy in dying for the sake of Christ. Nothing shall make us "lift up our hands against our sovereign; we had rather die wrongfully, and by that means preserve our innocence, than live under a load of guilt; whatever you command, we are ready to suffer; we "confess ourselves Christians, and therefore cannot persecute Christians, nor sacrifice to idols.'

16Such a declaration, it might be presumed, (adds Fox) would have softened the emperor, but it had a contrary effect; for, enraged at their perseverance and unanimity, he commanded that the whole legion "should be put to death, which was accordingly executed by the other "troops, who cut them to pieces with their swords." Although Fox and his modern editors may consider this massacre to be a very remarkable affair, yet it is not without its parallel under “ Protestantascendency; nor is the conduct of Maximian, in rejecting the just remonstrance of this Christian legion, without an exception. Whey Elizabeth came to the throne, she formed the plan of subverting the old faith, which her sister Mary had re-established, and of which we shall have occasion to speak hereafter. In place of this ancient faith, a new religion was established by the temporal power, and the civil sword was exerted to compel the people to conform to it. In Ireland, the Roman Catholic religion, that is, the same religion for which the primitive Christians laid down their lives, was professed by the whole population with scarce an exception. There was not in the wholę island at that time one individual in ten thousand that did not profess the Catholic religion, first planted by the preachings and miracles of St. Patricks in the fifth century, and consequently had existed there during an uninterrupted space of ONE THOUSAND YEARS. Elizabeth, on assuming the popedom of the then new church of England, adopted a similar mode to that pursued by Maximian towards the Theban legion, to make the Irish renounce their ancient faith, an

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