11.07.2015 Views

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

304 THE SECOND AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.This state <strong>of</strong> suffering continued during the life <strong>of</strong>Severus for nine years : and splendid examples <strong>of</strong>Christian championship were shown in all thechurches.70 It is only with the accession <strong>of</strong> Oa-racalla that peace is restored, and then ensues aperiod <strong>of</strong> comparative repose : that is, while theordinary law against the Christian Faith as anillicit religion still continues, it is understood thatthe emperor does not wish it to be put in action.In such intervals that Faith, strengthened by theconflicts it had undergone, and admired by thosebefore whose " eyes it had enabled its adherents tobrave and endure every sort <strong>of</strong> suffering, sprungup and shot out with redoubled vigour, and theseed which the blood <strong>of</strong> the martrs had shedabroad found time to grow.<strong>The</strong> suminary <strong>of</strong> the seventy-four years is this.From 161 to 180 there are nineteen years <strong>of</strong> irregularbut severe persecution, followed by seven-teen, from 180 to 197, wherein the denouncing <strong>of</strong>Christians is forbidden, though if brought to trial,they are punishable with death. Five years succeed,from 197 to 202, in which the favour <strong>of</strong> Severusseems lost, and the state <strong>of</strong> intermittent persecutiontakes effect.<strong>The</strong>n breaks out a ereneralpersecution, set on foot by the emperor himself,and we may judge if he who slaughtered his senatespared Christians. This lasts for nine years untilhis death in 211, whereon a time <strong>of</strong> peace returns,"° Euseb. Hist. vi. 1.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!