Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/124

 lxxii expected from any other Quarter; upon this the Emperour ordered these Christians to be brought before him, and desired them to pray to their God for him : Which being done, their Prayers were immediately heard; and by the strange Distinction, and Pointing of the Storm, 'twas demonstrably apparent that they belong'd to the true God, who had the Winds and Thunder at command, and had often delivered his Servants by such an extraodinary Interposition.

Antoninus being too just to stifle the Miracle, wrote to the Senate in favour of the Christians, and order'd those should be punish'd with Death, that informed against them; A very clear Argument that he believ'd the late Deliverance was all of it owing to their Prayers. Tertullian, and several other Writers, about the same time mention this Letter, and argue upon it; which they durst not have done had it not been well known, and unquestionably Authentick. For a Forgery of this kind, would only have serv'd to enflame the Persecution, and make their Cause so much the worse. But the preserving this Record would have been too great a blow to the Heathen Religion. This Spirit of Falshood and Imposture, was no doubt the occasion that this noble Testimony for