"that a

discourse which he pronounced on the festival of this martyr, "certain king of barbarians had sent his royal diadem set with jewels, "and his rich helmet a present to the church of St. Phocas, praying "the martyr to offer it to the Lord in thanksgiving for the kingdom "which his divine Majesty had bestowed upon him." St. Chrysostom also, in one of two sermons, preached by him on a great festival of this saint, says, "that the emperors left their palaces to reverence these relics (of St. Phocas), and strove to share with the rest in the blessings "which they procure to men." (See Butler.) This author further states, that the Greeks often style St. Phocas hiero-martyr, or sacred martyr, "which epithet they often give to eminent martyrs who were not bishops, as Ruinart demonstrates against Baronius." From this account it is evidently manifest, that Fox is under a mistake in his relation; and it is further manifest, that the primitive Christians practised venerating the relics and invoking the prayers of the saints and martyrs, as Catholics do at this day, while Protestants believe and swear such practices are damnable and idolatrous. This point is necessary to be borne in mind, as without such a retention on the side of the reader it will be impossible for him to come at the truth, and act the part of an impartial juror bebetween Fox and our Review of him. While, however, we are detecting the lies and errors of John Fox, it is but justice to the public that we should, to avoid cavil, point out an error in each of our preceding numbers. In a great part of the impression of the first number the compositor put America for Armenia (see page 2, line 13 from bottom); and in our second number we have inadvertently, in page 19, named Leo the 12th for Leo the 10th. These mistakes we have corrected in

the latter impressions.

The next martyr noticed by Fox is the great St. Ignatius, and his account is as follows: "Trajan likewise commanded the martyrdom of Ignatius, bishop of Antioch. This holy man was the person whom, “when an infant, Christ took into his arms and shewed to his disciples, as one that would be a pattern of humility and innocence. He receiv"ed the gospel afterwards from St. John the evangelist, and was ex"ceedingly zealous in his mission. He boldly vindicated the faith of "Christ before the emperor for which he was cast into prison, and was " tormented in a cruel manner; for, after being dreadfully scourged, he was compelled to hold fire in his hands, and, at the same time, papers dipped in oil were put to his sides, and set alight, His flesh was then torn with red hot pincers, and at last he was dispatched by being torn to pieces by wild beasts."

Where Fox obtained his information respecting the infancy of St. Ignatius, and our Saviour's exhibiting him to his disciples as a future pattern of humility and innocence, he does not tell us, and we have no doubt of its being a fiction. Neither have we any substantial evidence that this martyr suffered the torments which the martyrologist says he did. Echard writes, that some reported that he was subjected to the most severe and merciless torments; it is but justice, however, to the memory of Trajan, by whom St. Ignatius was condemned, to observe, that not a Catholic writer we have met with describe St. Ignatius as undergoing any torture but that of suffering death by wild beasts; two fierce lions being let out upon him, they instantly devoured him, leav

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ing nothing but his large bones. While, however, we doubt and even deny the accuracy of this part of Fox's statement, we are ready to allow the correctness of his assertion, that this martyr "received the "gospel from St. John the evangelist, and was exceedingly zealous in "his mission." Yes, we have it from the most authentic source, that St. Ignatius was not only a disciple of St. John, but also of SS. Peter and Paul, who united their labours in planting the faith of Christ at Antioch, and that he succeeded St. Peter in that see, after Evodius. Such a character was therefore well able to give an account of the doctrine he was going to suffer for, and such an account he did give, though John Fox thought it best to suppress this very important fact. St. Ignatius was condemned by Trajan at Antioch, and his sentence was, "It is "our will, that Ignatius, who says he carries the crucified man within " him, be bound and conducted to Rome, to be there devoured by wild "beasts, for the amusement of the people." Consequently the good bishop had a long journey to undertake, during which it will appear that his zeal in his mission was not in the least abated. On his arrival at Smyrna, he had an interview with the holy bishop of that place, Polycarp, of whom we shall have to speak hereafter. Here also St. Ignatius wrote four epistles to the Christians of four different churches, namely, the Ephesians, the Magnesians, the Thrallians and Romans. At Troas he wrote three other epistles, one to the church of Philadel phia, the second to that of Smyrna, and the third to St. Polycarp. It was also his intention to have written to some other churches in Asia, but not being allowed time, he commissioned St. Polycarp to do it for him. We have observed, in our introductory remarks, that the doctrines of Christ were openly taught, both by himself and his apostles; that they were attested by miracles of the most extraordinary kind, and such as could not be wrought but by a divine hand; that by these supernatural occurrences an appeal was made to PUBLIC OPINION, which was so far convincing, that in spite of all the powers of the world, and the work-ings of the human passions, these doctrines, combined with the purest system of morality, made the most rapid progress amongst mankind, and in nations differing in customs and habits, yet preserving the same unity in faith, "The Christian religion," writes the Rev. Mr. Echard, prebendary of Lincoln, in his General Ecclesiastical History, "was now (A. D. 101) spread through the greatest part of Europe, Asia, and Africa, extending from the British islands to the farthest Indies; and fixing not only in cities and populous places, but also in towns and country villages, as Pliny himself testifies. The metropolitan cities were all under bishops of the greatest eminency and piety; and the "four great cities of the Roman empire, Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, "and Jerusalem, usually styled apostolic churches, were governed by "apostolical men, viz. Evaristus in Rome, Cerdo in Alexandria, Igna"tius in Antioch, and Simeon in Jerusalem. Besides these, we find "Publius in Athens, Polycarp in Smyrna, Onesimus in Ephesus, Papias in Hierapolis, with many others of primitive integrity. This was the " state of the church in the beginning of the second century, increasing " and flourishing after a stupendous manner; but grievously afflicted "on one side by the malice of the Jews and Pagans, and the present persecution under this emperor (Trajan), and no less wounded on the

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"other by the heretics, the Simonians, the Gnostics, the Menandrians, "the Ebonites, the Cerinthians, and the Nicolatians: yet still it stood "FIRM AS A ROCK against all the powers of hell; shining and tri"umphing in the glories of the utmost purity and piety."

We also observed, that when the hostile powers of the world prevented the church from assembling her depositaries of this Christian and immutable faith in general councils or parliaments, to define disputed dogmas, there were always to be fouud learned scholars and able writers to defend the truth, and enable the people to shun the snares of error. The first of these, in the second age of the church, was our present martyr, whose death Fox has recorded with much repletion, but has passed over the most important acts of his life. This it is absolutely necessary to fill up, or the reader will not be able to discover the truth, which we are desirous he should, for without such knowledge judgment will be made on false premises. At this time, as related by Echard, there were many teachers of erroneous doctrines, and it was to caution the true Christians against being deceived by these seducers that St. Ignatius wrote to the different churches founded by the apostles. In his epistle to the Ephesians he says, "Let no one de"ceive himself; if he be not within the inclosure of the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. There are deceivers who talk much of “God, but do things unworthy of him: these you must avoid as you "would the approaches of so many wild beasts; for they are mad dogs "who bite unawares: against whom you must guard yourselves, as men hardly to be cured. There is but one Physician corporeal and spiritual, made and not made; God in man; true life in death; first passible then impassible; even Jesus Christ our Lord... Our GOD "Jesus Christ...was conceived in the womb of Mary of the seed of David, but by the Holy Ghost... Now the virginity of Mary, her bringing forth a child, and the death of our Lord were kept secret from "the prince of the world. How then became he manifest to the world? "A star shone out of the heavens, with a brightness beyond all other"stars... to which the sun and moon with all the lesser lights were "the chorus... Hence the power of magic grew faint, and every bond " of wickedness dissolved away." From these words it is incontro-' vertible that this martyr, who was a disciple of the apostles, believed and taught the divinity and incarnation of Christ the second person of the holy Trinity. These mysteries then were part of the revelations the apostles were commanded to carry throughout the world, and this fact is also worthy of notice, that not a single nation was converted to Christianity without believing in these mysteries.

In his epistle to the people of Magnesia, he exhorts them to unity in their faith, which is one of the four marks of the true church. He writes, "Avoiding heterodox opinions, and useless fables-labour to "be strengthened in the doctrines of the Lord and of the apostles, in "order that you prosper in all things, in body and spirit, in faith and "charity-together with your respectable bishop, the united college of "priests, and holy deacons. Be submissive to the bishop and to one another, as Jesus Christ, according to the flesh, was to his Father, " and the apostles to Christ, and to the Father and the Holy Spirit

"that your union be in body and spirit." Ap. ad Magnesios Inter PP. Apost. t. ii, p. 21. Ed Amstelodami, 1724.

This unity is preserved in the Catholic church by all the clergy and laity dispersed throughout the whole universe acknowledging the bishop of Rome to be its head, which Protestants deny. Many even doubt that St. Peter ever was at Rome, though John Fox admits that he was there put to death, and buried. Others say, that as St. Peter raised the see of Antioch before he established that of Rome, the bishop of Antioch ought to have the supremacy. St. Ignatius however, who must have been a better judge of the rights of his church, as he was cotemporary with the apostles, knew different, for in directing his aforesaid epistles he makes a distinction in favour of Rome, as having a supremacy. In saluting the former churches he writes, "To the "blessed church which is at Ephesus: at Magnesia near the Mæander: "at Tralles: at Philadelphia: at Smyrna :" but, in that to the Romans, he changes his style, and addresses his letter: "To the beloved church "which is enlightened (by the will of Him who ordaineth all things which are according to the charity of Jesus Christ our God), which "s presides in the country of the Romans," &c. (See Butler's Saint's Lives, Feb. 1.) That St. Ignatius held the doctrine of the real presence in the Eucharist and Mass, or transubstantiation, is also clear from his epistles to the Smyrneans and Romans. To the first he writes thus of the Gnostic heretics: they "abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, "because they do not acknowledge the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father by his goodness resuscitated. Rejecting therefore the gift of "God they die in their disputes." Ep. ad Smyrn. p. 36. T. ii. PP. Apost. Amstelodami, 1724. To the latter, "I take no delight in food that perishes, nor in the pleasures of this life. What I desire is the "bread of God, the heavenly bread, the bread of life, which is the "flesh of Jesus Christ the son of God, who was born of the seed of David; and I desire to drink of God, his blood, which is charity "incorruptible and eternal life." Ep. ad Rom. p. 29. Is it possible to make words more plain and distinct on this article of Christian faith? yet Protestants not only reject it, but in this country they are compelled to disavow on oath what St. Ignatius had received from the apostles, and are deemed ineligible to civil office until they have made a declaration of its being damnable and idolatrous. Of course John Fox could have no claim to St. Ignatius as a martyr of his church; he belongs to the Catholic church, which believes in this doctrine and commemorates his memory to this day, by offering up that sacrifice of the mass to his honour, which he himself used to offer to God in honour of the saints and martyrs who preceded him.

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Without entering into a doctrinal disquisition, these matters are well worthy the consideration of the reader desirous to find the truth, only as historical facts; because they shew what was the belief of the primitive Christians, and will enable him to distinguish between what was then and what is now taught. These writings of St. Ignatius may be denied, as indeed that proving the real presence was denied by John Calvin, but they cannot be disproved. Dr. Pearson, the learned Pro

testant bishop of Chester, most ably refuted the sophism of Calvin, and "the whole seven epistles, the same which were quoted by St. Irenæus, "Origen, Eusebius, St. Athanasius, St. Chrysostom, Theodoret, Gildas, "&c. are published genuine," writes Mr. Butler, "by Usher, Vossius, "Cotelier, &c. and in English by archbishop Wake in 1710.". A copy of St. Ignatius' works is we believe to be seen in the college at Manchester.

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St. Symphorosa and her seven sons are next recorded; but here the martyrologist commits another mistake. He says they were com"manded by Trajan to sacrifice to the heathen deities;" whereas according to the most authentic writers the martyrdom of this holy widow and her sons did not take place till late in the reign of the emperor Adrian. Trajan's persecution continued partially during the first year of the reign of his successor, when Adrian put a stop to it, being moved, according to conjecture, by the apologies of Quadratus bishop of Athens, and Aristides, a Christian philosopher of that city, as well as by a letter written in favour of the Christians by Serenius Granianus, proconsul of Asia. St. Quadratus, speaking of the prodigies performed in testimony of the divine essence of the Christian religion, says, "But as to the miracles of our Saviour, they always re"mained, because they were real and true. The sick cured, and the "dead by him raised, did not only appear restored, but they remained so both whilst Christ was on earth, and long after he was departed, so that some of them have come down to our time." Trajan died in 117, and Echard notes the death of Symphorosa and her sons in 125, but Butler, who takes the account from the genuine acts in Ruinart, places their martyrdom later. This latter author says, that after some respite had been granted to the church, it was again subjected to persecution, in consequence of the Pagans involving the Christians in the disgrace which the Jews drew upon themselves in their last rebellion, which gave occasion to the final destruction of Jerusalem in 134. Adrian, towards the end of his reign, erected a magnificent country palace at Tibur, now Tivoli, sixteen miles from Rome, which he furnished with the most curious articles he could collect out of the different provinces. On completing the building he wished to dedicate it by heathenish ceremonies, and offered sacrifices to induce the idols to deliver their oracles. But, writes Mr. Butler, the demons answered, "The widow Symphorosa and her seven sons daily torment us by invoking their God; if they sacrifice we promise to be favourable to your vows.' Adrian, in consequence of this answer, ordered the good widow and her sons to be brought before him, and when he found that neither threats nor torments were able to subdue the invincibility of her soul, he commanded her to be put to death, which was accordingly done by throwing her into the Tyber. The next day her sons were brought before him, when preserving the constancy of their mother, they were all put to death by the command of the tyrant, who soon after, namely, in 138, perished miserably himself.

The paragraph that follows is an admirable specimen of the confused mode John Fox adopts to enlighten his readers. About this time (he writes) Alexander, bishop of Rome, after filling that office ten years, was martyred, as were his two deacons ; and also Quirinus and Hermes,

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