POLYCARP, one of the most ancient Fathers of the Christian church, was born towards the end of the reign of Nero, probably at Smyrna, where he was educated at the expense of Calista, a noble matron distinguished alike by her piety and charity. He was unquestionably a disciple of St John the Evangelist, and he conversed familiarly with others of the apostles. When of a proper age, Bucolus ordained him a deacon and a catechist of his church; and upon his death he succeeded Bucolus in the bishopric, to which he is said to have been consecrated by St John, who also directed his Apocalypse, amongst others, to him, under the title of “the angel of the church of Smyrna.” When the controversy about the observation of Easter began to run high between the eastern and western churches, he went to Rome to discourse with those who were of the opposite party. The Roman see was then occupied by Anicetus, with whom he had many conferences, which were carried on in the most amicable manner; and though neither of them could bring the other to embrace his opinion, they both retained their own sentiments without violating that charity which is the great law of religion.

Whilst at Rome he particularly opposed the heresies of Marcian and Valentinus. His conduct on this occasion is related by Irenaeus, who informs us, that when Polycarp passed Marcian in the street without speaking, Marcian said, “Polycarp, own us ;” to which he replied with indignation, “I own thee to be the first-born of Satan.” Irenaeus adds, that when any heretical doctrines were spoken in his presence, he would stop his ears and say, “Good God, to what times hast thou reserved me, that I should hear such things,” and immediately left the place. He was accustomed to mention, that St John, going into a bath at Ephesus, and finding in it Cerinthus the heretic, immediately started back without bathing, crying out, “Let us run away, lest the bath should fall upon us whilst Cerinthus, the enemy of truth, is in it.” Polycarp governed the church of Smyrna with apostolic purity, till he suffered martyrdom in the seventh year of Marcus Aurelius. The manner of his death is thus related. The persecution waxing hot at Smyrna, and many having sealed their faith with their blood, the general cry was, “Away with the impious; let Polycarp be sought for.” Upon this he pri√ately withdrew into a neighbouring village, where he continued for some time praying day and night for the peace of the church. He was thus employed, when one night he fell into a trance and dreamed that, his pillow took fire, and was burned to ashes. When he awoke, he told his friends the circumstance, and pronounced it a presage that he should be burned alive for the cause of Christ. Three days afterwards, in order to escape the incessant search after him, he retired into another village. His enemies, however, were at hand, and having seized upon two youths, one of whom they forced by stripes to confess, they were by these lads conducted to his lodging. He might have saved himself by getting into another house; but he submitted, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” He therefore came down from his bed-chamber, and saluting his persecutors with a serene and cheerful countenance, he ordered a table to be set before them with provisions, invited them to partake, and only requested for himself one hour for prayer; after which he was set upon an ass, and conducted towards Smyrna. On the road he met Herod, a justice of the province, and his father, who were the principal instigators of the persecution. Herod took him up into his chariot, and strenuously endeavoured to undermine his constancy; but having failed in the attempt, he thrust him out of the chariot with so much violence and indignation, that his thigh was bruised by the fall. When at the place of execution, there came, as is said, a voice from heaven, saying, “Polycarp, be strong, and quit thyself like a man.” When before the tribunal he was urged to swear by the genius of Caesar. “Repent,” said the proconsul, “and say with us, take away the impious.” Upon this the martyr, looking round at the crowd with a severe and angry countenance, beckoned with his hand, and looking up to heaven, said with a sigh, in a very different tone from what they expected, “Take away the impious.” At last, having confessed himself to be a Christian, the cricr thrice proclaimed his confession, and the people shouted, “This is the great doctor of Asia, and the father of the Christians; this is the destroyer of our gods, who teaches men not to do sacrifice to, or worship, the deities.” When the fire was prepared, Polycarp requested not to be nailed, as usual, but only tied to the stake; and after a short prayer, which he pronounced with a clear and audible voice, the executioner blew up the fire, which increasing to a mighty flame, “Behold a wonder seen by us, who were purposely reserved,” says the relator, “that we might declare it to others; the flames, disposing themselves into the resemblance of an arch, like the sails of a ship swelled with the wind, gently encircled the body of the martyr, who stood all the while in the midst, not like roasted flesh, but like the gold or silver purified in the furnace, his body sending forth a delightful fragrance, which, like frankincense or some other costly spices, presented itself to our senses. The infidels, exasperated by the miracle, commanded a spearman to run him through with a sword; which he had no sooner done, than such a vast quantity of blood flowed from the wound as extinguished the fire, and then a dove was seen to fly from the wound, which some suppose to have been his soul, clothed in a visible shape at the time of its departure.”^[1. The miraculous part of this account is ridiculed by Dr Middleton in his Free Inquiry and Defence of it; but something is offered in its favour by Mr Jorton, who observes, “The circumstances are sufficient only to create a pause and a doubt.” {Remarks οη Ecclesiastical History, vol. i ) ] The Christians endeavoured to carry off his body entire, but were not allowed by the irenarch or justice, who commanded it to be burned to ashes. The bones, however, were gathered up, and decently interred by the Christians.

Thus died St Polycarp, on the seventh of the kalends of May, in the year 167. The amphitheatre on which he suffered was mostly remaining not many years ago; and his tomb, which is in a little chapel in the side of a mountain, on the south-east of the city, was solemnly visited by the Greeks on the festival day; whilst, for maintaining and. repairing it, travellers were wont to throw a few aspers into an earthen pot which stands there for the purpose. He wrote some homilies and epistles, which are now lost, except that to the Philippians, which is a truly pious and Christian production, containing short and useful precepts and rules of life, which St Jerome informs us was even in his time read in the public assemblies of the Asiatic churches. It is singularly useful in proving the authenticity of the books of the New Testament; for he has cited several passages and expressions from St Matthew, St Luke, the Acts, St Paul’s Epistles to the Philippians, Ephesians, Galatians, Corinthians, Romans, Thessalonians, Colossians, the first Epistle to Timothy, first Epistle of St John, and first Epistle of [7:18:311]Peter; and makes particular mention of St Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. Indeed the whole of this epistle consists of phrases and sentiments taken from the New Testament.