Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 1.djvu/494

 other nations, appears to have regarded the pious brotherhood of Christians, as forming the only exception to the universality of his conquests; and he accordingly issued his threats of persecution against any person, who should refuse to perform the customary worship to the heathen gods; so that all who professed the Christian religion were either reduced by their fears to acquiesce in this worship, or were exposed to the prospect of death if they refused it. Alive to the danger which had fallen on the Church of Antioch, this valiant soldier of permitted himself to be brought before Trajan, who was residing at the time in that city, and was on the eve of an expedition against Armenia and the Parthians. When brought into the imperial presence, he was thus addressed by Trajan.—"Who art thou," he said, "and what evil spirit is exercising its malice upon thee, that thou hast thus adventured to transgress the commands which I have given, and even to exercise such persuasion upon others, as has brought them to a miserable end?" Ignatius answered, "I bear the title of Theophorus; evil spirits cannot influence the acts of those who bear that name; the Servants of are protected from the approach of Demons. But if, in supposing the malice of such beings towards me, you imply my hostility against them, I admit that you are not mistaken. For I am the subject of a Heavenly King, whose name is, and by His help I bring to nought the counsels of the evil spirits." "What signifieth the title Theophorus?" enquired Trajan; "to whom belongs it?" "It belongs," replied Ignatius, "to all, who carry in their bosoms." "Then," said Trajan, "do you think that we have not our gods in our minds, when we employ them to fight with us against our enemies?" Ignatius answered him; "You do wrong to designate as gods, the Demons whom the heathen worship. There is One God, who made the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them; and there is One, the of , the Only-begotten, of whose kingdom I am an expectant." "Do you mean," enquired Trajan, "that person, who was crucified in the time of Pontius Pilate?" "Him," replied Ignatius, "I mean, who nailed upon His Cross both the sins which I have committed, and the being that led me to commit them, and who has decreed that all spiritual craft and malice shall be put under the feet of them, who carry Him in their bosoms!" "Do you then," asked Trajan,