From Tacitus and Sulpicius Severus; and testimony of Tacitus, a heathen, to the Facts of the Gospel History. TACITUS is familiar to every classical scholar, and to every reader of history, both as a historian, and as one who served in many stations, during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian and several of his successors. He wrote in the latter part of the first and early in the second century of the Christian era. Sulpicius wrote in the latter part of the fourth and early in the fifth century. The first was a heathen, the latter a Christian. They individually give accounts of the great fire that took place in the city of Rome, in the 64th year of our Lord and the tenth of the reign of the emperor Nero, the celebrated persecutor of the early Christians. A large part of the city was burned. Nero undertook to rebuild it in greater splendour. When all things were done by him, that were possible to put the stigma of its burning upon the Christians as will be seen, both from Tacitus and Sulpicius, still the impression remained, that he was the cause of its destruction, as will be seen in the extracts from these two writers, for which we are indebted to Lardner in the 6th vol. pages 629 630 of whose works they will be found, with the original in the notes. "But neither all human help, nor the liberality of the emperor, nor all the atonements presented to the gods availed to abate the infamy he lay under of having ordered the city to be set on fire. To suppress therefore this common rumor, Nero procured others to be accused, and inflicted exquisite punishment upon those people, who were in abhorrence for their crimes, and were commonly known by the name of Christians. They had their denomination from Christus, who in the reign of Tiberius was put to death as a criminal by the procurator Pontius Pilate. This pernicious superstition though checked for a while, broke out again, and spread, not only over Judea, the source of this evil, but reached the city also; whither flow from all quarters all things vile and shameful, and where they find shelter and encouragement. At first they only were apprehended who confessed themselves of that sect, afterwards a vast multitude, discovered by them: all which were condemned, not so much for the crime of burning the city, as for their enmity to mankind. Their executions were so contrived as to expose them to derision and contempt. Some were covered over with the skins of wild beasts, and torn to pieces by dogs; some were crucified; others having been daubed over with combustible materials, were set up as lights in the night time, and thus burned to death. Nero made use of his own gardens as a theatre upon this occasion, and also exhibited the diversions of the circus, sometimes standing in the crowd as a spectator, in the habit of a charioteer, at other times driving a chariot himself: till at length these men, though really criminal, and deserving exemplary punishment, began to be commisserated, as people who were destroyed, not out of a regard to the public welfare, but to gratify the cruelty of one man." Annals of Tacitus-book XV. chap. 44. "In the mean time, when the number of the Christians was greatly increased, there happened a fire at Rome while Nero was at Antium. Nevertheless, the general opinion of all men cast the blame of the fire upon the emperor. And it was supposed that his aim therein was that he might have the glory of raising the city again in greater splendor. Nor could he by any means suppress the common rumor that the fire was owing to his orders. He therefore endeavored to cast the reproach of it upon the Christian.— And exquisite tortures were inflicted upon innocent men: and moreover new kinds of death were invented. Some were tied up in the skins of wild beasts, that they might be worried to death by dogs. Many were crucified. Others were burnt to death; and they were set up as lights in the night-time. This was the beginning of the persecution of the Christians. Afterwards the profession of the Christian Religion was prohibited by law; and edicts were published that no man might be a Christian. At that time Paul and Peter were condemned to death. The former was beheaded. Peter was crucified." Sulpitius Severus. Sacred Hist. Book-2-chap. 41. Tacitus is valuable, not for the accuracy of his statements on the character of the early Christians, for every Heathen and every Jew, considered the Christian as a wicked man, from the fact that he would not worship their Gods-or walk according to the law of Moses. He is valuable, as one who testifies to the facts of the New Testament History. The time when, the places where; the person or persons engaged in spreading the religion of Christ. The manner in which they were received-the increase of their numbers, and spread of their religion. Here we have the name of Christians given them, as the followers of one Christus, or Christ. Of him, we learn that he was put to death in the reign of Tiberius, by Pontius Pilate. His religion, which he here calls superstition, was stopped for a while, but afterwards broke out and spread, not only over Judea, but had reached even to the city of Rome. They were numerous in this city. They were hated. They were charged with all manner of crimes. Treated as the very offscouring and filth of the earth. Nero pursued and persecuted them to the utmost, charging them with crimes, that he might have some ground of attack. Looking back at these records, how should our hearts be filled with gratitude to God, that he has delivered us from this fire of Persecution; that we are privileged to worship him, and Jesus our Saviour under our own vine and fig tree with none to trouble, or make us afraid. But what diligence, zeal, and self denial for the advancement of the cause of our blessed Redeemer, should it stir up within us, when we behold what others have endured to spread abroad the knowledge of Christ-that very knowledge that has been blessed of God to the saving of our souls. They laboured in the fire; and shall we now live and be at ease, while the cause of the Lord Jesus, is fainting and dying around us? A CATALOGUE OF RELICS. (Continued.) 88. Large parcels of the blessed Virgin's hair, all of one colour: from Paris and several places less known and much of it of this city. 89. Great quantities of her milk, gathered from many places; some butter and a small cheese made of it, that never decays nor corrupts: from Mexico, in America. 90. Her slipper, and one of her shoes. -N. B. This is the original shoe, which the famous Rivet, in his Apology for the Virgin, (lib. xi. chap. 9,) was possessed of, and had the figure of it engraved, and published with li cense; and in the middle of the sole this is written, "The measure of the most holy foot of our Lady;" and then follows, "Pope John XXII, hath granted to those who shall thrice kiss it, and rehearse three ave marias with devotion to her blessed honour and reverence, that they shall gain seven hundred years of pardon, and be freed from many sins.' The exact measure of this blessed shoe is just seven and a quarter inches. وو 91. Her needle, thread, and quasillum: Hala. Her picture, by St. Luke: Romæ ad Maria Inviolata. 92. Another picture by the same hand of that holy evangelist: Roma ad Maria nova. 93. A third from Cambray-N. B. Though some Catholics maintain St. Luke only painted one, yet as these are each of them unquestionably vouched, and that allowing. St. Luke was a painter as well as a physician, it is but reasonable to suppose he should have painted more than one; his holiness, by the annexed bull, has thought it expedient to warrant them all for originals of the same divine pencil. 94. St. Michael's dagger and buckler: Magni Michaelis apud Carcassanenses. 95. St. John Baptist's face, very little the worse for the keeping: Cambiis ad Joannis Angelici. 96. The hand, and part of his head without a face: from Malta. 97. Others, ditto: from Nemours. His brain, very well dried and preserved: Novii Rantroviensis. 98. His whole head: Rome, from the convent of St. Sylvester.-As to these two heads, the pious reader is referred to the foregoing apology for the two heads of St. Luke. It is true, Gregory Nazianzen has decla red, that his bones were buried by the Donatists, so that nothing remained but a piece of his skull; but it is absurd to compare the authority of him, or one hundred such Fathers, with the authority of the church and her sacred traditions. At the same time, far be it from the modesty of the holy see to maintain he had two; but both are so amply vouched and verified, that it is presumptuous to decide for either. Let us say rather, with Cardinal Baronius, in the sentiments of a truly pious mind, allowing a mistake' in such cases 66 Quicquid sit, fides purgat facinus.” It is not the head of the saint we adore, but the faith for which he died. 99. A second fore-finger of St. John Baptist, with which he pointed at our Saviour, and said, "Ecce agnus Dei," &c. from Tolouse. 100. As good a one from Lyons; one from Florence,--wants the nail. 101. Another from Genoa, mightily damaged.--N. B. Though these are not maintained to be fore-fingers, yet they are indubitably the real fingers of the saint: and be they anathema and accursed who say otherwise, wounding the sides of the church, through these her blessed relics. 102. His ashes: Rome, St. John Lateran. More of them from Genoa, very safe and dry. 103. Some of the blood of our Saviour as he hung on the cross, gathered in a glove by Nicodemus; which, being thrown by him into the sea, for fear of the Jews, was cast up, after many ages, on the coast of Normandy, and found out by a duke of that country as he was hunting, by the hunted stag and dogs all kneeling quietly about it: from the Abbey du Bec, in Normandy, which the duke built for it, and where it was kept till now, and the said history recorded. 104. St. Peter and St. Paul's bodies, mixed togther: one half belonging to St. Peter's, the other half from St-Paul's, at Rome; both equally divided, weighed by Pope Sylves ter. N. B. That moiety at St. Peter's with some other precious relics, is not to be disposed of to any person whatever, but to remain to the church. 105. Both their heads, from St. John Lateran: Rome. 196. A toe, a finger, and a slipper, of St. Peter; all in good condition: Rome. 107. His episcopal chair, wants a foot; his vestments, want mending and darning greatly, but it would be dangerous, the cloth is so sadly decayed. 108. His rochet, which he always used to say mass in, and especially in this city, when he was here; much torn, and greatly damaged by time all at Rome. 109. Another chain, and another sword, of this blessed apostle when in prison: all at Rome from St. Petri ad Vincula. Lot 110. A shoulder of St. Paul: Rome. St. Bartholomew's body. Three of them: one from Naples; another, fully as well saved, from St. Bartholomew's in this city; and a third from Toulouse, very tender, and not well dried, but plainly his own.-- N. B. These different bodies are as hard to have any thing determined about them as the duplicates aforesaid. They are well vouched by ancient and unquestionable tradition, and all proper depositions and certificates; and it suits better with good faith and good manners to leave such perplexed difficulties in suspense, as the holy church and our religious ancestors have delivered them down to us, (however ambiguous and incomprehensibly obscure,) than that the temerity of these days should overturn the piety of the former. Let the buyers examine, and judge to the best of their faith and knowledge, and remember, as they are blessed who believe though they saw not, so much more blessed are they who believe piously and candidly even against that which they do see. 111. The skin which was flayed off this blessed apostle, in a sad condition, and something rotten: from Poictiers. 112. Another of them; probably from one of the aforesaid bodies, but wants the fesses, though better preserved by a great deal: Rome. 113. St. Matthias's head: Romæ Petri ad Vincula. 114. His rib, shoulder, arm, one foot, and a piece of another; all of them kept moist, and strongly scented: from Paris, Aquæ Sextiæ, and other places of equal credit. 115. Another skin of St Bartholomew; in all human probability, flayed off one of the bodies aforesaid: from Pisa. 116. His head, and another member; but hard to say what it is, it is so much disfigured by time, and the zealous devotion of pious pilgrims and visitants: from Pisa also. 117.St. Matthew's blessed bones: Treviris. His left arm: from Casini. 118. His right arm: Romæ ad Marcelli. Another arm: Romæ ad Nicolai.-We have said enough on these duplicates already. 119. The complete body of St. Anne, the blessed Virgin's mother: Apte oppido Provincia. 120. Another: from Maria Insulance, Lyons. Her head: Treviris. Another. 121. Other heads: Tureni apud Juliacencis, A third: Annabergæ oppido Thuringia.-We have said above what is abundantly sufficient to ease the minds of truly pious, though scrupulous, Christians, concerning these vexatious difficulties. The faithful and sincerely religious person will ask no more hereupon: and we speak not to schismatics, heretics, and unbelievers, as gangrened members cut off from the body of the holy church, to their eternal destruction. 122. St. Magdalen's body: Vessalı prope Allissiodorum. 123. Another body of her: but, as this is not well youched, having but twenty depositions, and those not fully confirmed by oral tradition, and the constant testimony of the church, and the devotion of her faithful sons, we candidly and ingenuously declare our not being perfectly satisfied in this particular relic; which yet we would not cast out, lest we should scandalize the devout Catholics who have so long venerated it: apud san. Maximinum oppido Provincia. 124. Her head, and the mark of the blow given her by our Lord on the cheek, when she would have touched him, as he said-Noli me tangere: the blow very plain still. 125. Great quantities of her hair, near twenty pounds: from many places. -N. B. Though this quantity is large, there is nothing therein to give the least offence to the faithful: for on all dead bodies, and much more on those of the saints, the hair, even after death, grows most exuberantly, by which means, probably, these quantities have been produced. 126. The holy spousal ring, with which the blessed Virgin was espoused to Joseph; for which the Clusians and Perusians waged such war here in Italy, as history mentions: from Perusia. 127. The bodies of the three kings, or magi,-Melchior, Jaspar, and Belthazar; all perfectly fresh and fair, and good liking: from Colen, or Cologne. 128. Three other bodies of the same kings, fully as fair, and as well preserved, except the nose, the right eye, and a part of the left foot, of King Jaspar: from Milan, ad Eustorgii.-We shall be altogether silent on these six bodies, belonging (that is, universally agreed, by infallible tradition, to belong) to these three kings; and shall content ourselves with referring the pious reader, and especially if a purchaser, to the foregoing apologies. Blessed be the care of the Empress Helina, to whom we and the Christian church are indebted for these precious relics, by her sending them to Constantinople! and surely it is much better to have six bodies disputing for this honour than none at all. 129. The knife used at the circumcision of our Lord: from Compendium. 130. The stone on which St. Peter's cock crew, and the column which was cleft asunder from top to bottom on the day of the passion; and the stone on which Pilate's soldiers cast lots for Christ's garment, all from St. John de Lateran in this city. 131. St. Stephen's body: from St. Stephen's at Rome. Several parcels of the bodies of the Innocents: from France, Germany, and Italy. Testiculi eorum: from Friburgh, in Brisgaw. 132. St. Laurence's body, from his church in this city; together with a vessel full of his broiled flesh; and another full of his fat when broiling on the fire: from the same. 183. The gridiron on which he suffered martyrdom, and the coals where with this blessed martyr was broiled to death for the faith: from St. Eustachius's, in this city. 134. Four bodies of St. Sebastian: one from St. Laurence's in this city; another from Soissons; a third from a town near Narbonne, his native country; and the fourth from Pelignum, apud Armoricos.It is not to be denied, these undistinguishable duplicates do return too frequently; but our former defences, and the confusion and too forward zeal of those darker times, must, and (if he be faithful and pious) will, content the reader and buyer. Let us only add, which is a point full of comfort, that the prayers of the church, and the devotion of her religious children, have so far conscecrated the mistakes of their forefathers, that all must allow that each of these bodies have wrought most prodigious miracles, of which the proper certificates remain with each of them. 135. A head of the same glorified saint: at St. Peter's in this city. 136. Another head of his, belonging most certainly to one of the above carcases: from Magdeburgh. 137. A third head of his, in like manner (as is to be delivered) several from another of the said bodies: procured from the Dominicans at Toulouse, who recovered it at the immense expense of a tedious law-suit. 133. Four of his arms; one from the Dominicans: Andegavi. 139. A second, from Toulouse, ad Saturnini. 140. A third, from the town Casedei, in Avernia. |