thily love[32], because of
their pre-eminent [Greek: anuperblaeton] good-will towards their {94}
own king and teacher, with whom may we become partakers and
fellow-disciples."

[Footnote 32: [Greek: axios agapomen]. Ruffinus translates it by
"diligimus et veneramur," and it is so quoted by Bellarmin.]

"The centurion, seeing the determination of the Jews, placed him in the
midst, and burnt him as their manner is. And thus we collecting his
bones, more valuable than precious stones, and more esteemed than gold,
we deposited them where it was meet. There, as we are able, collecting
ourselves together in rejoicing and gladness, the Lord will grant to us
to observe the birth-day of his martyrdom, for the remembrance of those
who have before undergone the conflict, and for exercise and preparation
of those who are to come." [Greek: hos dunaton haemin sunagomenois en
agalliasei kai chara parexei ho Kurios epitelein taen tou martyriou
autou haemeran genethlion, eis te ton proaethlaekoton mnaemaen, kai ton
mellonton askaesin te kai hetoimasian.]

In this relic of primitive antiquity, we have the prayer of a holy
martyr, at his last hour, offered to God alone, through Christ alone.
Here we find no allusion to any other intercessor; no commending of the
dying Christian's soul to saint or angel. Here also we find an explicit
declaration, that Christians offered religious worship to no one but
Christ, whilst they loved the martyrs, and kept their names in grateful
remembrance, and honoured even their ashes when the spirit had fled.
Polycarp pleads no other merits; he seeks no intercession; he prays for
no aid, save only his Redeemer's. Here too we find, that the place of a
martyr's burial was the place which the early Christians loved to
frequent; but then we are expressly told with what intent they met
there,--not, as in later times, to invoke the departed spirit of the
martyr, but to call to mind, in grateful remembrance, the sufferings of
those who had already endured the awful struggle; and by {95} their
example to encourage and prepare other soldiers of the cross thereafter
to fight the good fight of faith; assured that they would be more than
conquerors through Him who loved them.

* * * * *

We have now examined those works which are regarded by us all, whether
of the Roman or Anglican Church, as the remains of apostolical
fathers,--Christians who, at the very lowest calculation, l