Yet this is he whom Mr. Pope celebrates in thofe lines, Who noble ends by noble means obtains, Providence feems however to have determined, that those who, in contradiction to the feelings of human nature, dark and indigent as it is, and needing a heaven-imparted virtue, will yet proudly exalt their own fufficiency, fhall be fruftrated and put to fhame. The latter of these men, with his laft breath, gave a fanction to the most abfurd idolatry, and the former did fuch deeds as I almost fhudder to relate. It is remarkable that Gataker, the Editor of Antoninus's Meditations, reprefents himself as quite afhamed to behold the fuperior virtues of this Prince, as described in his book, and speaks of himfelf in the most humiliating terms on this account. Not to infift on this obvious circumftance, that to fay and to do are not the fame things, and that there is no reason to apprehend that Marcus equalled in practice what he defcribes in theory, if a comparison were drawn between the author and his commentator with refpect to humility, it would be much to the disadvantage of the former. I have not studied Marcus Aurelius with fo much anxious care as to be affured, from an inspection of the work, that there appear no traces of this virtue in the Emperor; but the general turn of the whole book leads me to conclude, that its writer felt no abafing thoughts of himself. In truth, no Philofopher (I have already defined in what P Some readers may perhaps need to be informed that Antoninus was alfo called Aurelius. what fenfe I call men Philofophers) ever made fuch a confeffion of himself as Gataker does. Such is the effect of fome knowledge of chriftianity on the human mind! If we attend to the notices of history on the education and manners of Marcus, the account which has been given of his enmity against the gofpel will be amply confirmed. Adrian had introduced 'him among the Salian priests when eight years old, and he became accurately verfed in the rituals of his priesthood. At twelve he began to wear the Philofopher's cloak; he practifed aufterities, lay on the bare ground, and was with difficulty perfuaded by his mother to use a mattress and flight coverlet. He placed in his private chapel gold ftatues of his deceased masters, and vifited their fepulchral monuments, and there offered facrifices, and ftrewed flowers. So devoted was he to ftoicifm, that he attended the schools after he became Emperor; and the faith which he put in dreams fufficiently proves his fuperftitious credulity. From a man fo much lifted up by felf-fufficiency, bigotry, and fuperftition, fo illiberal a cenfure as this of the chriftians is not matter of furprise. This readiness (he is speaking of being refigned to the profpect of death) "ought to proceed from a propriety of deliberate "judgment, not from mere unintelligent obfti 66 nacy, as is the case of christians, but should be "founded on grounds of folid reason, and with "calm compofure, without any tragical raptures, "and in fuch a way as may induce others to ad"mire and imitate." Had this Emperor ever attended to the dying fcenes of chriftians tortured to death by his orders, with any degree of candour and impartiality, he might have feen all these circumftances *rrth B. Sect. зd. cumstances exemplified in their deaths. Thoufands of them have suffered with deliberate judgment, preferring heavenly things to earthly, having counted the coft, and made a reasonable decifion, not uncertain (as he expreffes himself) concerning a future life, calmly departing this life without any circumftances to juftify the fufpicion of pride or oftentation, and adorned with meeknefs, cheerfulness, and charity, which induced tens of thousands to examine what that hidden energy of chriftian life muft be, which produces fuch exalted fentiments and fuch grandeur of fpirit. And the power of prejudice was never more strongly exhibited than in this malignant fentence; which, in truth, is the more inexcufable, because he laboured under no involuntary ignorance of chriftians. For, befides the knowledge of them which he must have acquired under his predeceffor, he had an opportunity of knowing them from various apologies published in his reign. Juftin's fecond apology we have feen was published; one fentence of which demonftrates, in how ftriking a manner our Saviour's prophecy was then fulfilled, a man's foes fhall be they of his own houfhold. Every where he obferves, if a Gentile was reproved by a father or relation, he would revenge himself by informing against the reprover; in confequence of which he was liable to be dragged before the Governor, and put to death. Tatian also, Athenagoras, Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis, and Theophilus of Antioch, and Melito of Sardis, published apologies. This laft published his about the year 177, of which fome valuable remains are preferved in Eufebius. A part of his addrefs to Marcus deferves to be quoted on account of the juftness of the fentiments, and the politeness with which P 2 * B. 4. 25 C. they they are delivered. "Pious perfons aggrieved by new edicts published throughout Afia, and never before practifed, now fuffer perfecution. For audacious fycophants, and men who covet other perfons' goods, take advantage of these proclamations openly to rob and spoil the innocent by night and by day. If this be done through your order, let it ftand good; for a juft Emperor cannot act unjustly, and we will cheerfully carry away the honour of iuch a death: this only we humbly crave of your Majefty, that, after an impartial examination of us and our accufers, you would juftly decide whether we deferve death and punishment, or life and protection. But if these proceedings be not yours, and the new edicts be not the effects of your perfonal judgment, (edicts which ought not to be enacted against barbarian enemies) in that cafe we intreat you not to defpife us, who are thus unjustly oppreffed." He afterwards reminds him of the juftice done to chriftians by his two immediate predeceffors. From this account it is evident that Marcus, by new edicts, commenced the perfecution, and that it was carried on with merciless barbarity in thofe Afiatic regions which had been relieved by Pius. There is nothing pleasant that can be fuggefted to us by this view of things, but this circumftance, that the out-pouring of the Spirit of God ftill continued to produce its holy fruits in thofe highly-favoured regions. In the two next chapters I shall defcribe diftinctly two scenes of this Emperor's perfecution. Nothing more in general concerning him remains to be mentioned, except the remarkable ftory of his danger and relief in the war of the Marcomanni. He and his army being hemmed * Eufeb. B. 5. G. 5. in by the enemy, were ready to perish with thirst; when fuddenly a ftorm of thunder and lightning affrighted the enemies, whilft the rain refreshed the Romans. It is evident that the victory was obtained by a remarkable providential interpofition. The chriftian foldiers in his army, we are fure, in their distress would pray to their God, even if Eufebius had not told us fo. All chriftian writers speak of the relief as vouchfafed in answer to their prayers, and no real chriftian will doubt of the foundness of their judgment in this point. I have only to add, that Marcus, in a manner agreeable to his usual fuperftition, afcribed his deliverance to his gods. Each party judged according to their views, and thofe moderns who afcribe the whole to the ordinary powers of nature, judge alfo according to their ufual fcepticism. Whether the Divine interpofition deferves to be called a miracle or not, is a queftion rather concerning propriety of language than religion. This feems to me all that is needful to be faid on a fact which on one fide has been magnified beyond all bounds, and on the other has been reduced to mere infignificancy. It happened in the year 174. He lived five years after this, as far as appears, a perfecutor to the laft. CHAP. V. THE MARTYRDOM OF POLYCARP. HE year 167, the fixth of Marcus, Smyrna was diftinguished by the martyrdom of her bishop Polycarp. P 3 The |