NERO.

The first Bishop of Alexandria was Mark,* the Evangelist, by whom the Church there is supposed to have been founded. There is a tradition that he suffered martyrdom; but the probability is that he died a natural death in the eighth year of Nero's reign. Annianus succeeded him in the administration of the Alexandrian Church.

St. Peter
at Rome.

:}

60. St. Peter settled at Rome in the latter part of his life, and in the reign of Nero; but the exact date is uncertain. He found Simon Magus, whom he had before defeated in Samaria, in great repute both with the people and with the Emperor, who was a professed patron of magicians. The progress of this man provoked the indignation of Peter, who zealously opposed and defeated him in various encounters. Hegesippus relates a tale which is generally held to be fabulous, namely, that Simon offered to demonstrate his power, by ascending to Heaven as the son of God, whereupon he raised himself into the air by the help of two invisible devils, as in a chariot of fire. By Peter's prayers the impostor was unmasked; his two spirits were taken from him, he fell headlong to the ground, and was so bruised that he died shortly afterwards.

Freedom from

Roman Persecution.

61 It does not appear that public laws were enacted against Christianity, till the

reign of Nero. The reason for this may be, that the con

*It does not appear to be | tioned in the Acts, or some other satisfactorily decided whether he person.

is the John Mark so often men

60. What do we know of St. Peter at Rome? What notorious person did he meet there?

61. When were public laws enacted against the Christians? To what cause do you attribute the freedom from Roman persecution up to this time?

verts to Christianity were regarded only as a Jewish sect, NERO. who had seceded from their brethren on account of some difference of opinion of trifling importance; and as the Romans were not accustomed to trouble individuals on account of their religion, and as they suffered the Jews in particular to live according to their own laws, it is not likely they would pay much attention to what they regarded as the intestine quarrels of the Jews. But in the time of Nero, Christianity had acquired considerable extent and stability, and its steady and uniform opposition to heathen superstition could not long pass unnoticed.

Causes of Roman
Persecution.

62. Independent of the general cause of persecution arising from the steady progress of Christianity, the following particular causes may be mentioned :-(1) The Christians contemned the religion of the state, which was closely connected with the Roman Government; and the Romans, although they tolerated religions from which the commonwealth had nothing to fear, would not suffer the ancient religion of their nation to be derided, and the people to be withdrawn from it. Yet these things the Christians dared to do. They also assailed the religions of all other nations. Hence, they were concluded to be unfriendly to public peace.* (2) The Christian worship had no sacrifices, temples, statues, or oracles: hence, its professors were deemed Atheists, and by the Roman laws Atheists were

*This is probably the reason why Tacitus calls Christianity a

"destructive superstition."

62. Mention any circumstances which were likely to have been unfavourable to the early progress of Christianity among the heathen. Why were the early Christians deemed Atheists by the Romans? In what light were Atheists regarded by the Roman laws?

F

NERO. regarded as the pest of human society. Moreover, the worship of so many pagan deities afforded support great numbers, who were in danger of coming to want if Christianity should prevail. (3) Their cautious method

of performing the offices of religion, dictated at first by fear or necessity, caused horrid calumnies to be circulated against them; and it was believed that national calamities were sent by the Gods, because the Christians, who contemned their authority, were tolerated.

}

First General 63. Under these circumstances, it is not
Persecution.* wonderful that Nero, who had now
fallen into monstrous vices, should endeavour to transfer
to the Christians the guilt of which he was
A.D. 64.
strongly suspected, that of having set fire to
Rome, in the year 64. With this view, he inflicted upon
them the most exquisite tortures. Some, as Tacitus informs
us, were crucified; others impaled; some thrown to wild-
beasts; and others wrapped in garments dipped in pitch, and
burned as torches to illuminate the night.
In this persecu-

63. What is the date of the first systematic persecution of the Christians by the heathen? Mention some of the more remarkable circumstances connected with it. What account does Tacitus give of the sufferings of the Christians as the incendiaries of Rome? Name some of the eminent Christians who suffered in this persecution. [Note.] Name the ten principal persecuting

tion it is supposed that Paul and Peter suffered Martyrdom* at Rome; but there is a controversy about the year, some contending that it was 64, and others 67 or 68. Paul, as a Roman citizen, was beheaded, and Peter crucified. It is said they both suffered on the same day. Linus, the first Bishop of Rome, is also thought to have suffered about this time. The first persecution ended in the year 68: it is uncertain whether it extended beyond Rome.

Effects of Persecution.

}

64. This and other Pagan persecutions were probably not upon the whole unfavourable to the progress of Christianity. For, their extreme barbarity was not only revolting to the spectators, but gave fortitude to the sufferers, whose constancy in torture won the admiration of the best part of the heathen, and convinced them of the sincerity of the Christians. And, in addition to this, Christians were dispersed into distant lands by the cruelties practised against them, and carried with them the doctrines of the Gospel to places which would otherwise have long remained without them.

*Those who died for the Gospel were called Martyrs, (from MáρTupes, witnesses,) a term denoting that they were witnesses for Christ: those who only suffered loss of honours, goods, or liberty, were denominated Confessors; they obtained veneration and influence, and enjoyed many prerogatives.

Origen says he was crucified with his head downwards, as if he felt himself unworthy to die after the manner of his Heavenly Master.

We are told that Justin Martyr was converted to Christianity by witnessing the constancy with which the Christians endured torture.

NERO.

emperors, with dates. *[Note.] Who received the name of Martyrs, and who that of Confessors?

64. What was probably the general effect of Pagan persecution upon the progress of Christianity? [Note.] Illustrate your opinion by an eminent example.

NEBO.

The Jewish
War.

65. Towards the latter end of the year in which Rome was burnt, Gessius Florus succeeded Albinus as Procurator of Judæa.

The

rapacity and oppression of this man created great discontent
among the Jews, who at length broke out into
A.D. 66.
open rebellion against Rome, in the year 66.
After various skirmishes and massacres, Cestius Gallus,
Governor of Syria, advanced against Judæa and Jerusalem,
but retired with considerable loss. The management of the
war was subsequently entrusted to Vespasian, who laid siege
to Jerusalem. In the year 69, Vespasian* was proclaimed
Emperor, and some time afterwards his son Titus took the
command of the besieging army. Jerusalem, with its
Temple was taken and entirely destroyed by
A.D. 72.
Titus in the year 72, after a siege of about five
months. Upwards of a million Jews are said to have
perished in this war, and it has been asserted that every
Christian escaped. Here ended the temporal state and
economy of the Jews, who were now dispersed throughout
all parts of the world.

The Christians

at Pella.Nazarenes and Ebionites.

66. Our Lord had given the Christians a warning to flee from Jerusalem when they should see it compassed with armies (Matt. xxiv. 15, 21). Accordingly, in the early part of the Jewish war, they

*Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, the three successors of Nero, held their disputed titles for only eighteen months.

+ Upon the destruction of Jeru

salem, the piece of money which each Jew used to pay for the maintenance of the Temple was ordered to be paid henceforward to the Capitol at Rome.

65. Give the date and the cause of the Jewish war. By whom, and in what year, was Jerusalem destroyed? Did many Christians perish during this war? What became of the Christians of Jerusalem at the siege of that city?

66