Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

364 THE THIRD AGE OF THE MARTYR CHURCH.those who ruled the churches should first be imprisoned,and then by every means compelled tosacrifice."40 Lactantius adds that every action atlaw was to proceed against Christians, while theyshould not be allowed to claim the law for anvwrong inflicted, or spoliation suffered, or dishonourdone to their wives.41 Many in consequenceof these edicts suffered willingly terrible torments:many others at first gave way. What these tormentswere Eusebius describes: some were beaten;some torn with hooks.42 " It is impossible to sayhow many and how great martyrs of Christ mightbe seen in every city and country." A man of thehighest rank in Nicomedia from an impulse of zealwhen the edict first appeared tore it down: he wasseized, and not merely tortured but slowly roastedalive,43 which he bore with unflinching patience,joyousness and tranquillity tThe emperors polluted the provinces subjectto them, by the slaughter of men and womenwho worshipped God, as if it had been in a civilwar, with the exception of Constantius,44 whoruled the Gauls and Britain, and preserved hissoul pure from this stain. But it was so muchworse than a war in which the conquered have40 Eusebius, Hist. viii. 2.41 Lactantius, de Morte Persecutorum, 1342 Euseb. viii. 4.43 modo extortus sed etiamcum admirabili patientia, postremo exustus est." Lact. de Nort. P(13; Euseb. viii. 5.44 Euseb, de Vita Constant. 1. i. 13.