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 and the other Disciples who had seen the Lord; and his recollections of the sayings of those who were eye-witnesses of the Word of Life, of their account of His miracles, and His teaching, which was all agreeable to what is related in the Scriptures. To all this I used to listen with earnestness, through the mercy of God vouchsafed to me, recording them, not on paper, but in my heart; and through God's grace I ever have them accurately in mind." Irenæus says this, when writing against a friend of his, who had been formerly taught by Polycarp, but had fallen away from the true faith into heresy. He adds; "I protest in the sight of God, that if that Blessed and Apostolical Elder had heard any such doctrine as thine, Florinus, he would have cried out, and stopped his ears, and said after his manner; 'O my, unto what times hast thou reserved me, that I should hear such words!' and would have even fled the place in which he had heard them."

So far Irenæus. Now let us hear the account of Polycarp's Martyrdom, which took place under the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, A. D. 169.

The Church of which dwelleth in Smyrna to the Church of  which dwelleth in Philomelium, and all the members, in every place, of the Holy Catholic Church, mercy, peace, and love, from  the, and our , be multiplied.

We have written to you, brethren, the history of those who have been martyred, and more particularly of the blessed Polycarp, who closed the persecution, setting a seal as it were upon it by his own martyrdom. For almost all that happened before was done, that the from on high might in him set forth to us this example of a true Christian confession. For he abode where he was, as also our did, that he might be delivered up, in order that we too might be followers of him, and not look only to our own good, but to the good of our neighbours also; for it is the part of a sincere and stedfast charity for a man to desire not only his own salvation, but also of all the brethren.