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Book of Martyrs 18
THE BOOK OF MARTYRS
by John Foxe
Chapter Three
Persecutions under the Arian Heretics
The author of the Arian heresy was Arius, a native of Lybia, and a priest of Alexandria, who, in A.D. 318, began to publish his errors. He was condemned by a council of Lybian and Egyptian bishops, and that sentence was confirmed by the Council of Nice, A.D. 325. After the death of Constantine the Great, the Arians found means to ingratiate themselves into the favor of the emperor Constantinus, his son and successor in the east; and hence a persecution was raised against the orthodox bishops and clergy. The celebrated Athanasius, and other bishops were banished, and their sees filled with Arians.
In Egypt and Lybia, thirty bishops were martyred, and many other Christians cruelly tormented; and, A.D. 386, George, the Arian bishop of Alexandria, under the authority of the emperor, began a persecution in that city and its environs, and carried it on with the most infernal severity. He was assisted in his diabolical malice by Catophonius, governor of Egypt; Sebastian, general of the Egyptian forces; Faustinus, the treasurer; and Heraclius, a Roman officer.
The persecutions now raged in such a manner that the clergy were driven from Alexandria, their churches were shut, and the severities practiced by the Arian heretics were as great as those that had been practiced by the pagan idolaters. If a man, accused of being a Christian, made his escape, then his whole family were massacred, and his effects confiscated.
Oh Desire
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” —Mark 11:24
We never read anywhere in Scripture, or even in any extra-Biblical historical accounts that any of the Lord’s disciples ever said to a mountain, “Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea” (Mark 11:23). When Jesus taught that we would receive whatever we desired when we prayed, He spoke of those whose sinful and desperately wicked hearts had been replaced with new hearts; He spoke of those who were once spiritually dead, now having been resurrected with a new spirit unto newness of life; He spoke of the praying soul who was now regenerated, having an entirely new disposition, with a heart that has turned to God and panting hard after Him, to love Him with all the heart, all the soul, all the mind, and all the strength. Is your desire the God who has saved you? Is it the Lord that you want? “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee” (Psalm 73:25).
If our desire in prayer is anything other than God Himself, if that desire does not include God’s will, God’s Word, and all of God’s ways for His ultimate and eternal glory, we’ve sinned.
The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.
Israel’s Zealous Ignorance
“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” —Romans 10:2
Zeal does not save anyone. Zeal doesn’t even aid in pointing you to Christ. Were zeal a necessary component in salvation, Paul would have been on the top of the list because of his religious zeal as the Pharisee of Tarsus (Galatians 1:13-15).
Paul points out that Jewish zeal, zeal like that which he possessed as a Pharisee, was “not according to knowledge.” The Greek word used here for “knowledge” is not the word to define the knowing of facts or the accumulation of information, as in 1 Corinthians 8:1,
Knowledge puffeth up…
The word translated “knowledge” in Romans 10:2 is a Greek word that is used to define discernment or recognition. This “knowledge” is a supernatural revelation from the Spirit of God that discerns and recognizes truth because it is spiritually revealed. This revelation knowledge was Paul’s prayer for the saints in Ephesus, Ephesians 1:17,
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
We must also be aware that when Paul speaks of zeal that is not according to knowledge, he is referring to unbelievers. Unbelievers certainly would not have spiritual discernment, nor recognition of heavenly and eternal truth, as it is written, 1 Corinthians 2:14,
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Too often, someone quotes this verse in reference to another believer that doesn’t see things quite the way they do. We don’t want to go off the deep end and suggest that someone is not saved because they do not have a thorough understanding of the doctrines of grace, &etc. Yes, though there are certain truths that must be acknowledged for salvation, it doesn’t mean that someone isn’t saved because he or she cannot articulate the doctrines of particular redemption, total depravity, &etc., Ephesians 2:8-9,
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Book of Martyrs 17
THE BOOK OF MARTYRS
by John Foxe
Chapter Three
Persecutions of the Christians in Persia
The Gospel having spread itself into Persia, the pagan priests, who worshipped the sun, were greatly alarmed, and dreaded the loss of that influence they had hitherto maintained over the people’s minds and properties. Hence they thought it expedient to complain to the emperor that the Christians were enemies to the state, and held a treasonable correspondence with the Romans, the great enemies of Persia.
The emperor Sapores, being naturally averse to Christianity, easily believed what was said against the Christians, and gave orders to persecute them in all parts of his empire. On account of this mandate, many eminent persons in the church and state fell martyrs to the ignorance and ferocity of the pagans.
Constantine the Great being informed of the persecutions in Persia, wrote a long letter to the Persian monarch, in which he recounts the vengeance that had fallen on persecutors, and the great success that had attended those who had refrained from persecuting the Christians.
Speaking of his victories over rival emperors of his own time, he said, “I subdued these solely by faith in Christ; for which God was my helper, who gave me victory in battle, and made me triumph over my enemies. He hath likewise so enlarged to me the bounds of the Roman Empire, that it extends from the Western Ocean almost to the uttermost parts of the East: for this domain I neither offered sacrifices to the ancient deities, nor made use of charm or divination; but only offered up prayers to the Almighty God, and followed the cross of Christ. Rejoiced should I be if the throne of Persia found glory also, by embracing the Christians: that so you with me, and they with you, may enjoy all happiness.”
In consequence of this appeal, the persecution ended for the time, but it was renewed in later years when another king succeeded to the throne of Persia.
What Shall We Do?
What Shall We Do?
Encouraging lost but hopeful sinners
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” —Acts 2:37
Simon Peter, filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, preached a message that pricked the hearts of many Jews that heard his words. They were convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and they knew they were not saved. That is evident from their cry to the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
They asked about what they should do. Immediately, many of us will slam on the brakes, recognizing that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone; not of works that we do so that we may boast about what we have done (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Yet, for those who have heard a gospel message, when the Holy Spirit is moving upon their souls, He moves them to move.
We shouldn’t think it odd that someone can sit in church for a certain amount of time and not be saved, desiring to be saved by God’s grace and knowing that if they said they were saved they would be hypocrites. They are not saved and they know it.
I’ve got one soul in our congregation that I pray fervently and passionately for every day. He knows he’s not saved, but he says he believes he’s close. He’s opened up the scriptures in Sunday school and sat under expositional preaching through Romans for several months now. He comes every Sunday with only very few exceptions. He sits right up front and listens carefully and intently and checks it out by the Word of God. Sometimes his flesh is weak and some Saturdays he figures, “What’s the use?” Then he wakes up early Sunday morning and figures that since he’s up, he might as well go to church. “Who knows,” he thinks silently, “today may be the day that You save me, Lord.”
The particular Baptists in the days of the Puritans called this type of soul “hopeful.” He is hopeful for salvation though he hasn’t received it yet. During the First Great Awakening, in records and diaries of pastors such as Jonathan Edwards, were accounts of such souls who, aware of the truth that they were truly under the just condemnation of a holy God, sought “hopefully” for salvation if it might, by God’s grace come; and if not, would make every effort to lead a more upright life so as to have less sins to be accounted for in that Day of Judgment.
Recently, I received an email from a soul who confessed that he knew he wasn’t saved, but wondered what to do. Men and brethren, what shall we do? After fourteen years of trying and giving up, he wonders if he should just wait. Though modified a bit, for this article, I’m providing my response so that others might be benefited from this, Lord willing and by His grace.
My Response:
I believe that every true believer must at least acknowledge that we cannot possibly save ourselves in order to actually grow in grace. As Jesus told Nicodemus that the “wind blows where it will,” speaking of the Holy Spirit, many believe that this means that, though God saves by use of means, i.e., preaching the gospel, prayer, the heard word from the Bible and the read word from the Bible, God is free to work above and beyond these means as He wills. Typically, we believe where the Word of God is available (the Bible in your understood language), that it is the usual means by which salvation comes, whether preached, proclaimed, read, or taught.
My testimony (back in 1984-85) took me on a journey of nine months of the Spirit of God’s work and when the Christians on board my ship began sharing Christ with me, I had no interest or desire in being saved. Slowly though, as I would sit in on their Bible studies and hear the Word or get glimpses of the gospel message, by the last month before my salvation I was under so much conviction that I almost literally said, “God, if you don’t change me so that I can repent, you may as well send me to hell right now.” They were words very close to that, if not exactly.
The Christian brothers that I was surrounded by were nothing more than babes in Christ themselves; and none of them knew how to really encourage me to read the Bible. In fact, I didn’t even get a Bible until after the Lord saved me.
Yet, I’d like to encourage you in some things. First, Biblical “waiting” isn’t a passive thing. Though the Bible speaks of the sovereignty of God and He rules and reigns over all things, the Bible never removes the responsibility of man to acknowledge and respond to God as Lord of all; nor does it remove man’s accountability to God as Creator; neither does it excuse man’s culpability for his sins against a holy God, who is all righteous and wholly good.
Since you acknowledge that you are not saved, that you are not “born again” (literally, born from above; or figuratively, born spiritually), that is a very good place to start. You also acknowledge that somehow you sense this need for salvation; that, too, is a pretty good indication that perhaps the Spirit of God is doing a work in you.
That you had written to me concerning this is a very good indication that there may be a supernatural and heavenly work taking place in your life because there are many, many false conversions these days: “decisions for Christ” and trusting in something you did, like repeating a prayer that someone led you in, or trusting is someone else’s opinion (and wrong theology) when they tell you, “You’re saved; just believe.”
The content of your email seems to say that you understand that salvation comes from God alone by His grace alone; that it is a work of the Holy Spirit of God that changes you from within, not only to acknowledge certain facts concerning Christ and His atoning and sacrificial death, but that it produces a trust upon Him as the one resurrected because the price He paid to save souls was wholly sufficient to save them.
So what does one do until the Holy Spirit awakens a dead soul?
I encourage you to read the Bible. The Gospel of John in the New Testament is a good place to start. But if you’re unsaved, will it make sense to you?
Well, if it has been the subtle convicting of the Holy Spirit moving you to seek God, seek His salvation, and seek to live for Him, then you can most certainly pray and ask for guidance to have the words of the text illuminated to your understanding.
What should you be looking for specifically? or what should stand out in your understanding? When you come across a portion of scripture that deals with man’s sins, consider that even though you may not have committed that specific sin, every one of your sins is utter wickedness before a holy and just God.
Whenever you come across text that speaks of the judgment of God, consider that the sins you have committed against God are infinitely heinous and horrid, not because you’re infinite (you’re not), but because they are sins committed against an infinite God who is holy and just.
Whenever you come to a text that speaks of things holy, just, good, or righteous, consider that the least of your sins keep you from measuring up to the least of God’s standards recorded in the Bible; yet, at the same time consider that Jesus Christ, who is God in human flesh, is the epitome of all righteousness, sinlessness, and holiness, having lived a life that was not only perfect as a Man, but living that life in complete obedience to God the Father, and pleasing Him in every possible thought and deed.
Because it was God who required justice, God became a man in the Person of Jesus Christ to be that perfect, complete and holy Man. Since it was God the Son who was sacrificed, His sacrifice was infinitely pure, infinitely perfect, and infinitely valuable to God. Because Christ’s sacrifice on that Roman cross was accepted of God as perfect and satisfying in His justice, He raised Christ from the dead as a token of the certainty of Christ’s finished work.
Therefore, all who come to this knowledge of Christ, believe it, and trust in Christ alone for salvation receive the promise of salvation according to God’s Word. The assurance that it is so is a truth that is revealed only by the Holy Spirit with a peace in the soul that surpasses understanding.
Additionally, I would like to recommend reading All of Grace by Charles Spurgeon. The link on the title is to a free pdf copy.
You may also be benefited from listening to this message I preached on Sunday, July 25, 2010, entitled “Divine Remission.” You can listen to it without leaving this page by clicking on the arrow or you can go to SermonAudio.com through the title link to download it and listen to it later.
Finally, a few years back I wrote a gospel tract on the cross of Christ (it was actually a little booklet). At the end of it I included a little section that might be of help:
WHAT MUST WE DO?
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” —Acts 2:37
Salvation is by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, performed by Him with a greater miracle than the creation of the universe; that’s because God is creating a new life in you from a corrupt and wicked life, whereas, when He created the heavens and the earth, He created it from nothing.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit awakens to the dead soul the ability to respond to all the words of scripture that you’ve just read, as it is written in Romans 10:17,
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
According to Charles Spurgeon, faith is made up of three things: knowledge, belief, and trust.[1]
Now you have knowledge of certain truths that have come from the Bible, the Word of God. Yet, knowledge alone is not Biblical faith. These gospel truths have been presented to millions yet the response of many has been to reject these things as stuff and nonsense. They are armed with as much knowledge as you and I concerning the truth of Jesus Christ, but they will disregard this information as untrue. The Bible says this about them in Romans 1:21-22,
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Knowledge of this truth and belief in it does not constitute Biblical faith either. It is more than a mere mental ascent to this knowledge. The Bible says this in James 2:19,
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Satan and his angels are not only aware of the knowledge of God, they believe that He exists as the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, yet that knowledge and belief is not the Biblical faith that saves a soul by God’s grace. Biblical faith requires the third element: trust.
Trust is responding appropriately to the belief in that knowledge. This trust is accomplished supernaturally by the Holy Spirit to regenerate the soul and make him or her alive when once they were dead in sin. Ephesians 2:5 says,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
In faith, therefore, the result of that life that has been saved by the free gift of a sovereign God through the cross of Jesus Christ (grace), is a life that lives righteously because of the reality of what God has done in that soul. It is written in 1 Peter 2:24,
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
This doesn’t mean that it is a life of sinless perfection. Nevertheless, the result of the saved life will be evidenced by, but not limited to these things: a growing resemblance to the life of Christ in sanctification (1 John 1:7), repentance of sins as the illumination of His light reveals them (1 John 1:8-10), a love for God’s Word (1 John 2:3-5), abiding in the Holy Spirit-led life (1 John 2:6), exhibiting a sacrificial love for fellow-believers (1 John 2:9-11), a hatred for the things of this world and hatred for the lusts of the flesh because those things are at enmity with the Father (1 John 2:13-17), and a love for and discernment of the truth (1 John 2:20-21).
Therefore,
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” —2 Corinthians 13:5
[1] C. H. Spurgeon, All of Grace, “Faith, What is It?”
Israel’s Unsaved Condition
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” —Romans 10:1
After the almost-relentless teaching of Paul to drive the truth of sovereign election into us, by the remaining corruptions of our flesh we might be tempted to say (and sadly so many people do), “Alright already, I believe! God is sovereign in the election of man unto salvation;” and then we will stop right there at sovereign election and forsake the truth concerning man’s responsibility. We will continue to justify our own selves because of our corruption saying, “Okay, if God is sovereign, then it’s not up to me…,” and then we do nothing at all.
Yet, the apostle does not do that. He expresses a deep, overwhelming passion in his compassion for the unsaved Israelites. He pleaded with God for Jewish salvation.
The apostle opens this portion of text with an address: “Brethren.” This rather conveys an overwhelming tenderness, first for his saved brothers who are Israelites according to the flesh; yet, it is not to the exclusion of Gentile believers. This is very similar to the address of Peter prior to preaching the gospel on the Day of Pentecost, “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you” (Acts 2:29). In fact, this is similar to the response of the Jews to Peter’s preaching, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). As if to say, with tremendous tenderness and affection, “Brethren, I have something of urgency and importance to tell you!”
Desire. Paul had a deep and passionate longing for Israel to be saved; and his desire was such that it could not be quenched short of complete satisfaction.
Prayer. Paul’s desire wasn’t passive or helpless. He prayed with great pleadings and supplications. Because we believe in the sovereign election of God to save whomever He will, and because we do not know who the elect are among the lost, we should be praying passionately for souls.
Our passionate pleas actually recognize God’s sovereignty in salvation because we are praying in such a way to declare that we can do nothing apart from the gracious and efficacious power of God. This is one of the reasons that we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We pray at every opportunity with importunity because, through prayer, God has graciously allowed us to “connect” with His work to save souls.
As it pertains to the sovereign election of God and the responsibility of man, if our theology does not give us a passion and compassion for lost souls, it’s not good theology; it’s not true theology, nor is it Biblical theology.
We should also recognize that, not only is it fallen man’s responsibility to repent and believe the truth, but it is also the responsibility of the saved to proclaim the truth and obey it. Therefore, if you are saved by God’s amazing grace, you have a responsibility to pray for the lost.
The Foundation of Peace
THE WEDNESDAY WORD: The Foundation of Peace
by Miles McKee
Someone once said that the Bible is a blood stained book and that Christianity is a blood stained religion. Like it or not, ‘blood’ plays a central role in our salvation. Thankfully, God has told us why He emphasizes the blood and it is as we understand what He says about this matter, that we get an insight into the very foundation of our peace with God.
In the Old Testament sacrifices, from the days of Abel onward, we are given the key to the meaning of the blood, and the explanation of the remission of sins. The great truth taught by God was, “Not without blood” (Heb. 9:7). From the beginning and for more than two thousand years, during the age of the patriarchs, there was but one great sacrifice, the burnt offering. In the time of Moses, this one offering was split into various parts; the peace offering, the trespass offering, the sin offering, etc (See the book of Leviticus). In all of these, however, the presence of blood and the fire preserved the fundamental nature of the original burnt offering. Why the blood? It was the sign of substitution. Why the fire? It was the representation of God’s wrath upon the substitute. By the time of the Temple we see each day, morning and evening a lamb sacrificed in the tradition of the ancient Burnt Offering (1 Chronicles 16:40).
Of course all these sacrifices pointed to the one final sacrifice who was yet to come. This is what John referred to when he pointed at Jesus saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Josephus, the Jewish historian when writing about John the Baptist, said— “When John the Baptist entered his ministry, that particular year 260,000 lambs were slain at the Passover!” Imagine that! —260,000 lambs and yet their combined power could not take away one sin! But, listen to the contrast on that day when John lifted up his eyes and made his grand declaration. He was saying, “Behold Yahweh’s lamb, the Lamb whom Yahweh Himself has provided (Gen 22:8). This is the true sacrificial lamb; this is the one who will be led as a lamb to the slaughter (Isa 53:7). This is the one with the power to remove the sins of the world. This is THE Lamb.”
In all the sacrifices of the Old Testament the shedding of the blood was the infliction of death. The “blood was the life” (Gen 9:4); the blood made atonement for the soul (Lev 17:11).This blood shedding or life-taking was the payment for the penalty for sin; for “The soul that sins, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20), and “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). So when Christ hung upon the cross, He did so as the great offering for our sins. He poured out His soul unto death (Isa 53:12). This is God’s perfect ultimate and only Sacrifice with which He is satisfied forever!
Since the Father is satisfied with the doing and dying of the Son, so should we! Since Christ died for us, then we have the certainty of eternal life. Since has been punished in our stead that means that we cannot be punished. God being just will not punish Christ first, and then punish us afterwards for the same crimes. Our Savior died, the Lamb was slain and we are now free from every demand of God’s wrath. We can walk through this life secure. God is not out to get us. There are no thunderbolts from heaven being hurled at us. There are no flames of hell waiting for us since Christ has paid for and suffered for us. Do you believe this?
What mighty sum paid all my debt,
When I a bondsman stood,
And has my soul at freedom set?
‘Tis Jesus’ precious blood
What stream is that which sweeps away
My sins just like a flood,
Nor lets one guilty blemish stay?
‘Tis Jesus’ precious blood
And that’s the Gospel Truth
Miles
www.milesmckee.com (please stop by and sign my guest book)
Miles McKee Ministries
Box 541, Kingston Springs, TN 37082, USA
Miles McKee Ministries
Po Box 8, New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland.
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Christian Behavior 33
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR
by John Bunyan
“…so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.”
─Titus 3:7-8, NASB
Lastly, Consider this: to provoke you to good works you will have of God when you come to glory, a reward for everything you have done for him on earth. Little do the people of God consider how richly God will reward what is done for Him here on earth from a right principle and to a right end; not a bit of bread to the poor, not a drink of water to the lowest of them that belong to Christ, or the loss of a hair from your head shall go without its reward in that day (Luke 14:13-14; Matthew 10:42).
“For our light affliction,” and so all other pieces of self-denial, “which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). I tell you, Christian, be rich in good works and you will have more than salvation; your salvation you have freely by grace through Christ, without works (Ephesians 2:8-10), but now being justified and saved, and as the fruits hereof, renewed by the Holy Ghost; after this, I say, you will be rewarded for every work that proved good; “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10; 1 Corinthians 3:14). Moses counted the reward that he was to have, for a short suffering with the people of God, of greater worth than the treasures of Egypt, the smiles of the king, or the honor of his kingdom (Hebrews 11:25-27). Simply, let the disappointments that do, and will most surely happen to the fruitless professors, provoke you to look with all diligence to your standing. For,
1. Such a person is deceived and disappointed concerning the work of grace as he supposes to be in his heart when he thinks he is a Christian, and has grace, as faith, hope, and the like in his soul, yet no fruits of these things manifest themselves in him; indeed his tongue is tipped with a talk and tattle of religion. Poor man, poor empty man! Faith without works is dead; your hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost; your gifts with which your soul is possessed are merely common to reprobates; you are therefore disappointed; God considers you wicked still, though you come and go to the place of the Holy (James 2:19-20; Job 11:20; 1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
2. Therefore all your joy and comfort must fall short of saving comfort, and will leave you in the suds notwithstanding; your joy is the joy of the Pharisees (John 5:35), and your gladness as that of Herod (Mark 6:20), and the longest time it can last is merely a Scripture-moment (Job 20:5). Alas! in all your gladness and contentment with your religion, you are like the boy that plays with brass instead of gold; and with counters instead of that which will go for current coin. Therefore, “if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth [or disappoints] himself” (Galatians 6:3).
3. This is not all, but certainly look for an eternal disappointment in the day of God; for it must be; your lamp will go out at the first sound the trump of God makes in your ears; you cannot hold up at the appearance of the Son of God in His glory; His very looks will be to your profession as a strong wind is to a blinking candle, and you will be left only to smoke.
Oh, the alteration that will befall a foolish virgin! She thought she was happy and that she should have received happiness with those that were right at the heart; but behold the contrary, her lamp is going out, she now has to seek saving grace, when the time of grace is over? Her heaven she thought of has proved to be a hell, and her god is proved a devil. God has cast her out of His presence and shuts the door upon her. She pleads her profession, and the like, and she has for her answer is denied from heaven. “So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish: whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web. He shall lean upon his house but it shall not stand; he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure” (Matthew 25:1-10; Luke 8:25-26; Job 8:13-15).
Take heed therefore; your soul, heaven, and eternity, lies at stake; yes, they turn either to you or from you upon the hinge of your faith; if it is right, all is yours: if wrong, then all is lost; however, your hopes and expectations are to the contrary: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love;” “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of unbelief;”[1] “For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: but that which beareth thorns and briars is REJECTED, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned” (Galatians 5:6; Ephesians 5:3-6; Hebrews 6:7-8).
This excerpt is from Christian Behavior, written by John Bunyan (1628-1688) and edited in modern English by Jon Cardwell. This book is available wherever Christian books are sold. Using this 8-digit code, M87JLJEV, you can purchase Christian Behavior online for only $5.55 at CreateSpace.com, which is $2.22 off the regular $7.77 price. CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today.
[1] “Of unbelief.” See margin of the Bible. [G. Offor’s original footnote] (JC note: Mr. Offor may be referring to the margin note of the original Authorized Version of the Bible, also known as the King James Version of 1611, for “unbelief” is a margin note in the KJV; this margin note is not found in the 1599 Geneva Bible notes)
Book of Martyrs 16
THE BOOK OF MARTYRS
by John Foxe
Chapter Two
The Ten Primitive Persecutions
The Tenth Persecution, Under Diocletian, A.D. 303 – Part 5
Among the many martyred by the order of Galerius, we shall enumerate the most eminent.
Amphianus was a gentleman of eminence in Lucia, and a scholar of Eusebius; Julitta, a Lycaonian of royal descent, but more celebrated for her virtues than noble blood. While on the rack, her child was killed before her face. Julitta, of Cappadocia, was a lady of distinguished capacity, great virtue, and uncommon courage. To complete the execution, Julitta had boiling pitch poured on her feet, her sides torn with hooks, and received the conclusion of her martyrdom, by being beheaded, April 16, A.D. 305. Hermolaus, a venerable and pious Christian, of a great age, and an intimate acquaintance of Panteleon’s, suffered martyrdom for the faith on the same day, and in the same manner as Panteleon.
Eustratius, secretary to the governor of Armina, was thrown into a fiery furnace for exhorting some Christians who had been apprehended, to persevere in their faith.
Nicander and Marcian, two eminent Roman military officers, were apprehended on account of their faith. As they were both men of great abilities in their profession, the utmost means were used to induce them to renounce Christianity; but these endeavors being found ineffectual, they were beheaded.
In the kingdom of Naples, several martyrdoms took place, in particular, Januaries, bishop of Beneventum; Sosius, deacon of Misene; Proculus, another deacon; Eutyches and Acutius, two laymen; Festus, a deacon; and Desiderius, a reader; all, on account of being Christians, were condemned by the governor of Campania to be devoured by the wild beasts. The savage animals, however, would not touch them, and so they were beheaded.
Quirinus, bishop of Siscia, being carried before Matenius, the governor, was ordered to sacrifice to the pagan deities, agreeably to the edicts of various Roman emperors. The governor, perceiving his constancy, sent him to jail, and ordered him to be heavily ironed; flattering himself, that the hardships of a jail, some occasional tortures and the weight of chains, might overcome his resolution. Being decided in his principles, he was sent to Amantius, the principal governor of Pannonia, now Hungary, who loaded him with chains, and carried him through the principal towns of the Danube, exposing him to ridicule wherever he went. Arriving at length at Sabaria, and finding that Quirinus would not renounce his faith, he ordered him to be cast into a river, with a stone fastened about his neck. This sentence being put into execution, Quirinus floated about for some time, and, exhorting the people in the most pious terms, concluded his admonitions with this prayer: “It is no new thing, O all-powerful Jesus, for Thee to stop the course of rivers, or to cause a man to walk upon the water, as Thou didst Thy servant Peter; the people have already seen the proof of Thy power in me; grant me now to lay down my life for Thy sake, O my God.” On pronouncing the last words he immediately sank, and died, June 4, A.D. 308. His body was afterwards taken up, and buried by some pious Christians.
Pamphilus, a native of Phoenicia, of a considerable family, was a man of such extensive learning that he was called a second Origen. He was received into the body of the clergy at Caesarea, where he established a public library and spent his time in the practice of every Christian virtue. He copied the greatest part of the works of Origen with his own hand, and, assisted by Eusebius, gave a correct copy of the Old Testament, which had suffered greatly by the ignorance or negligence of former transcribers. In the year 307, he was apprehended, and suffered torture and martyrdom.
Marcellus, bishop of Rome, being banished on account of his faith, fell a martyr to the miseries he suffered in exile, January 16, A.D. 310.
Peter, the sixteenth bishop of Alexandria, was martyred November 25, A.D. 311, by order of Maximus Caesar, who reigned in the east. Agnes, a virgin of only thirteen years of age, was beheaded for being a Christian; as was Serene, the empress of Diocletian. Valentine, a priest, suffered the same fate at Rome; and Erasmus, a bishop, was martyred in Campania. Soon after this the persecution abated in the middle parts of the empire, as well as in the west; and Providence at length began to manifest vengeance on the persecutors. Maximian endeavored to corrupt his daughter Fausta to murder Constantine her husband; which she discovered, and Constantine forced him to choose his own death, when he preferred the ignominious death of hanging after being an emperor near twenty years.
Constantine was the good and virtuous child of a good and virtuous father, born in Britain. His mother was named Helena, daughter of King Coilus. He was a most bountiful and gracious prince, having a desire to nourish learning and good arts, and did oftentimes use to read, write, and study himself. He had marvellous good success and prosperous achieving of all things he took in hand, which then was (and truly) supposed to proceed of this, for that he was so great a favorer of the Christian faith. Which faith when he had once embraced, he did ever after most devoutly and religiously reverence.
Thus Constantine, sufficiently appointed with strength of men but especially with strength of God, entered his journey coming towards Italy, which was about the last year of the persecution, A.D. 313. Maxentius, understanding of the coming of Constantine, and trusting more to his devilish art of magic than to the good will of his subjects, which he little deserved, durst not show himself out of the city, nor encounter him in the open field, but with privy garrisons laid wait for him by the way in sundry straits, as he should come; with whom Constantine had divers skirmishes, and by the power of the Lord did ever vanquish them and put them to flight.
Notwithstanding, Constantine yet was in no great comfort, but in great care and dread in his mind (approaching now near unto Rome) for the magical charms and sorceries of Maxentius, wherewith he had vanquished before Severus, sent by Galerius against him. Wherefore, being in great doubt and perplexity in himself, and revolving many things in his mind, what help he might have against the operations of his charming, Constantine, in his journey drawing toward the city, and casting up his eyes many times to heaven, in the south part, about the going down of the sun, saw a great brightness in heaven, appearing in the similitude of a cross, giving this inscription, In hoc vince, that is, “In this overcome.”
Eusebius Pamphilus doth witness that he had heard the said Constantine himself oftentimes report, and also to swear this to be true and certain, which he did see with his own eyes in heaven, and also his soldiers about him. At the sight whereof when he was greatly astonished, and consulting with his men upon the meaning thereof, behold, in the night season in his sleep, Christ appeared to him with the sign of the same cross which he had seen before, bidding him to make the figuration thereof, and to carry it in his wars before him, and so should we have the victory.
Constantine so established the peace of the Church that for the space of a thousand years we read of no set persecution against the Christians, unto the time of John Wickliffe.
So happy, so glorious was this victory of Constantine, surnamed the Great! For the joy and gladness whereof, the citizens who had sent for him before, with exceeding triumph brought him into the city of Rome, where he was most honorably received, and celebrated the space of seven days together; having, moreover, in the market place, his image set up, holding in his right hand the sign of the cross, with this inscription: “With this wholesome sign, the true token of fortitude, I have rescued and delivered our city from the yoke of the tyrant.”
We shall conclude our account of the tenth and last general persecution with the death of St. George, the titular saint and patron of England. St. George was born in Cappadocia, of Christian parents; and giving proofs of his courage, was promoted in the army of the emperor Diocletian. During the persecution, St. George threw up his command, went boldly to the senate house, and avowed his being a Christian, taking occasion at the same time to remonstrate against paganism, and point out the absurdity of worshipping idols. This freedom so greatly provoked the senate that St. George was ordered to be tortured, and by the emperor’s orders was dragged through the streets, and beheaded the next day.
The legend of the dragon, which is associated with this martyr, is usually illustrated by representing St. George seated upon a charging horse and transfixing the monster with his spear. This fiery dragon symbolizes the devil, who was vanquished by St. George’s steadfast faith in Christ, which remained unshaken in spite of torture and death.
In the Word and with the Word
“But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” —Mark 10:38
Mark 10 is an interesting portion of scripture as it presents some interesting contrasts that provide the saint incredible encouragement.
The Pharisees approached Jesus with a question: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2, ESV). In answer to their question, Jesus sent them directly to the Word of God, Mark 10:3,
“What did Moses command you?”
A little later in the chapter an enthusiastic rich man came running up to Jesus. He knelt before the Lord and asked Him what He must do to inherit life eternal. Jesus directed the man to the Word of God, Mark 10:19,
“Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.”
When unbelievers confronted Jesus the Living Word, He directed them to the written Word, the scriptures. When the Lord’s disciples inquired of Him, Jesus brought them into something more intimate, something deeper, and something eternally glorious.
Christ’s true disciples already walked with the Word, Jesus Christ the Living Word. As they walked with Him, the truth of scripture grew within them. The Word was in them while they were with the Word. James and John desired something of the Lord and this is how Jesus answered them, Mark 10:38,
“…can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
Again, the Lord took His disciples deeper. “Can you drink of the cup that I drink of?” Will you drink down the truth of Christ’s atoning death? “Can you be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” Will you be so identified with Me that My life will live through you?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. —Romans 6:4
