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citement, such as, O God! good God! and so forth: and their appealing to God as the judge of the world; saying God sees every thing," and "I recommend myself to God," and "God will recompense me." "What are all these sayings," says he, "but the writings of God upon the heart-what, but the testimonies of the soul, thus far by nature Christian!" To illustrate this principle more at large, Tertullian wrote a small tract, entitled "the Testimony of the Soul," in which he adduces additional proofs of man's being naturally a religious animal, designed for immortality. He argues the point, from his fear of death; his love of life; his desire for even posthumous fame; his anxiety to survive in his offspring, &c.; and sums up the whole with declaring, that "this testimony of the soul is as true as it is simple, as simple as it is common, as common as it is universal, as universal as it is natural, and as natural as it is divinely implanted."

The following attestation to the learning and talents of Tertullian is given by Vincentius Lirinensis, a writer of the fifth century, and deserves to be introduced in this place. He tells us that what Origen was in the Greek that was Tertullian in the Latin church; without dispute, the most considerable writer of his age. For," he asks, "what more learned than this man? Who more skilful either in divine or human literature? Truly, every branch of philosophy, and every sect of philosophers-the founders and followers of those sectsall their several institutions, with all the variety of history and law-all this huge store of learning he comprised in the wonderful capacity of his mind. So admirable was his satire, and at the same time such was the solidity of his judgment, that he rarely laid siege to any thing but he soon made it to yield, either by the penetration of his wit or the cogency of his reasoning. Nay, where is the man that is possessed of sufficient learning to do justice to his learning? His discourses are so thickly strewed with powerful reasons, that those whom he cannot persuade by his eloquence he compels by arguments. He has nearly as many sentences as words; and every sentence is sure of victory."

It seems to have been during the reign of Severus that the martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas, with that of their companions, took place, at Carthage, in Africa, the residence of Tertul

lian, about the year 202. The account is too interesting to be omitted; and it will serve, in addition to the history already given of the transactions at Lyons and Vienne, to give a clear idea of the manner in which these ancient persecutions were wont to be conducted. Augustine refers to the case of Perpetua, in his works, vol. vii. p. 304, and the abbé Fleury has also given a copious account of the subject, vol. i. b. vi. The narrative is supposed by Dr. Lardner to have been drawn up by Tertullian.

On this occasion, three young men, whose names were Saturninus, Secundulus, and Revocatus, were apprehended on a charge of being Christians (probably occasioned by its being rumoured that they were all of them about to be baptized and added to the church), and, along with them, two females of the names of Felicitas and Perpetua; the latter a widow of the age of two and twenty, of a good family and well educated, having a father and mother living, two brothers, and an infant at the breast. The father of Perpetua, who alone of all the family continued a heathen, no sooner heard that his daughter was informed against, than he had recourse to every method of persuasion and even of compulsion to induce her to desist from her purpose of suffering martyrdom; so that she rejoiced when he left her; and in this interval she and the rest were baptized. Some days after this they were all thrown into prison, where the treatment she met with very much affected her at first, as the darkness of the place, the heat occasioned by the number of prisoners, the rudeness of the soldiers, and especially her anxiety about her child. Two of the deacons of the church, however, Tertius and Pomponius, who ministered to their wants, procured by means money the removal of them all into a more airy part of the prison, where Perpetua had the opportunity of suckling her child, which was ready to die for want of it. In this situation she comforted her mother-encouraged her brother, to whom she confided the care of her infant son-and was, according to her own expression, as happy as if she had been in a palace. At this time she had a remarkable dream, from which she inferred that she should certainly suffer, but by which she was nevertheless greatly encouraged in her resolution.

of

A few days after this, a report was prevalent that these Christian prisoners would soon be called before the governor

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on which her father, overwhelmed with grief, came to her, entreating her to have compassion on his grey hairs, and on her mother, brothers, and especially her child, which he said could not survive her. This he did, kissing her hands, and, throwing himelf at her feet, evinced stronger affection for her than he had before done. This much increased her concern; add to which, that he was the only relative she had who would not think themselves, in reality, honoured by her conduct. To all his entreaties, however, she uniformly returned this answer, that she was not at her own disposal, but at that of God.

On the ensuing day, while she and her friends were dining, they were summoned to an audience in the public forum, where a prodigious crowd was assembled. Here all her fellow-prisoners confessed that they were Christians; but, before Perpetua had an opportunity of doing it in the customary form, her father presented himself, holding her child in his arms, and supplicating her to have compassion upon him. In these entreaties he was joined by Hilarianus, the procurator, who besought her to think of her aged father and her own child, and to sacrifice for the safety of the emperor. She only answered that she was a Christian, and could not do it.

After this the father was commanded to desist; but, showing a reluctance to retire, one of the lictors struck him with a rod, which affected her, she said, as much as if she had herself been struck. However, having all made their confession, they were sentenced to be thrown to the wild beasts; notwithstanding which they returned to the prison filled with joy. Perpetua now sent Pomponius, the deacon, to request that her child might be sent to her, that, as heretofore, she might have the privilege of suckling it; but that indulgence was denied her. She bore the disappointment, however, with fortitude, even greater than she herself could have expected.

After a few days, Pudeus, the jailor, being favourably inclined towards them, gave permission to their friends to visit them, and, when the time of exhibition drew near, the father of Perpetua also renewed his visit. He now threw himself upon the ground, tore his beard, leaving nothing either to be said or done which he thought could tend to move her; but without any other effect than to excite her pity towards him.

The author of the narrative next proceeds to give an account of some of the other prisoners; and the case of Felicitas is almost as interesting as that of Perpetua. Being eight months advanced in pregnancy, she was fearful lest her execution should be put off till another time, and that then she should die in the company of ordinary malefactors. Her companions also were affected at the reflection of going without her. Three days before the exhibition, however, she was delivered; and, being in great pain, those who were about her asked how she would be able to endure the being exposed to wild beasts, when she was so much affected with the pains of child-birth. She replied that, in this case, she was left to herself, but that in her other sufferings she should have another to support her, even Him for whom she suffered. Being delivered of a daughter, a sister of her's undertook to bring it up. Secundulus died in prison; but they had been joined by another of their friends called Saturus, who, after they were apprehended, had voluntarily surrendered himself.

The day preceding the exhibition, they all joined in a lovefeast with their Christian friends, who had permission to visit them, in the presence of many strangers, whom curiosity had brought to the place. To these the prisoners expressed great joy in the idea of their approaching sufferings, and endeavoured to engage their attention to the great cause for which they were about to suffer. Saturus bade them observe their countenances, that they might know them all again the next day. From this extraordinary spectacle, the strangers retired with marks of astonishment, and many of them afterwards became converts.

When the day of exhibition arrived, they all went from the prison, with erect and cheerful countenances, trembling, says our author, with joy rather than with fear. Perpetua, in particular, walked in such a manner as struck the spectators with superior respect: and Felicitas rejoiced that, being delivered of her child, she should accompany her friends to this glorious combat. On reaching the gate of the amphitheatre, the officers, according to custom, began to clothe the men in the dresses of the priests of Saturn, and the women in those of the priestesses of Ceres. But, when they remonstrated against the injustice of being compelled by force to do that for refusing

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which they were willing to lay down their lives, the tribune granted them the privilege of dying in their own habits.

They then entered the amphitheatre; when Perpetua advanced singing hymns, and her three male companions solemnly exhorted the people as they went along. Coming in view of the Proprætor, they said, “ You judge us, but God will judge you." This so enraged the populace, that, at their request, all the three were scourged; but in this they rejoiced, as having the honour to share in one part of the sufferings of their Saviour.

When the wild beasts were let loose, Saturninus, according to a wish which he had previously expressed, died by the attack of several of them rushing upon him at the same time; and Revocatus was killed by a leopard and a bear. Saturus was first exposed to a wild bear; but, while the attending officer was gored by the animal so that he died on the following day, he himself was only dragged about and not materially hurt. A bear, too, to which he was next exposed, would not go out of its den to meddle with him. He was, however, thrown in the way of a leopard, towards the end of the exhibition, and so much blood gushed out at one of his bites, that the spectators ridiculed him, as being baptized with blood. Not being quite killed, he, when the animal was withdrawn, addressed Pudeus, the jailor, exhorting him to stedfastness in the faith, and not to be disheartened by his sufferings. He even took a ring from his finger, and, dipping it in one of his wounds, gave it him as a pledge.

Perpetua and Felicitas were first enclosed in a net, and then exposed to a wild cow. But this sight struck the spectators with horror, as the former was a delicate woman, and the breasts of the latter were streaming with milk after her delivery. They were, therefore, recalled, and exposed in a common loose dress. Perpetua was first tossed by the beast; and, being thrown down, she had the presence of mind to compose her dress as she lay on the ground. Then rising, and seeing Felicitas much more torn than herself, she gave her her hand, and assisted her to rise and for some time they both stood together, near the gate of the amphitheatre. Thither Perpetua sent for her brother, and exhorted him to continue firm in the faith, to love his fellowChristians, and not to be discouraged by her sufferings.