The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Justin Martyr
JVSTIN MARTYR
The Life of Justin Martyr, who dyed Anno Christi 139.
IVstin Martyr was born at Neapolis in the Country of Palestine: His Parentage and education.His father was Priscus Bachius, by whom in his youth he was set to schole, where he profited so much, that in time he became a famous Philosopher: For being exceedingly inflamed with a desire of knowledge, he would not be satisfied in his minde, till he had gotten Instructors singularly seen in all kinds of Philosophy.His study of Philosophy. First he applyed himself to be a Scholar to a certain Stoick: but finding that by his help he nothing profited in Divine knowledge, after a time he left him, and went to one of the Sect of the Peripateticks: with whom after he had been a while, he demanded of him a stipend for his teaching: whereupon Justin accounting him no Philosopher, left him, and departed. And being not yet satisfied in minde, but desirous to hear of further learning, he adjoined himself to one that professed the Pythagorean Sect, a man of great …ame, and one that highly esteemed of himself: whom after he had followed a time, his Master asked him, whether he had any skill in Musick, Astronomy, and Geometry, without the knowledge whereof he said, he could not be apt to receive the knowledge of virtue and felicity: for that his minde must be drawn from the knowledge of sensible matters, to the contemplation of things intelligible. He spake much in commendation of these Sciences, how profitable and necessary they were: and because Justin declared himself to have no skill therein, he turned him away; which much grieved Justin, who considering with himself, what time was requisite for the learning of these Sciences, and purposing to defer it no longer, betook himself to the Sect of the Platonists for the great fame that ran of them: Wherefore choosing to himself a singularly learned man of that Sect, that was lately come into those parts, he remained with him, profiting not a little in contemplation of supernatural things, and invisible forms: Insomuch as he hoped ere long through the sharpness of his wit to attain to the comprehension and contemplation of God, which is the end of Plato's Philosophy. And thus he imployed his Youth:His conversion, and the occasion of it. But afterwards being grown to riper years, he was converted to the knowledge and profession of Christianity by this means: Beholding the Constancy, Courage, and Patience of the Christians in their torments, and sufferings, he was wonderfully moved therewith, which made him thus to reason; that it was impossible for that kinde of people to be subject to any vice, or carnality, which would certainly disable them to sustain such sharp adversity, and much more the bitterness of death.
Hereupon (naturally affecting Knowledge) he began to love and embrace the Christian Religion. This himself testifies in the end of his first Apologie; telling us moreover, that being afflicted in minde about finding out the truth, he resolved for more privacy to retire himself unto a Grange neer the Sea-side, where he might be free from the concourse of people, whither as he went,He is instructed by an old man. there met him a grave ancient Father, of a comly visage, and gentle behaviour, who began to reason with him; and after long disputation, told him plainly that there was no knowledge of the truth amongst the Philosophers, who neither knew God, nor were directed by the Holy Ghost: He also further reasoned with him of the immortality of the soul, of the reward of the godly, and of the punishment of the wicked: So that Justin being convinced by his arguments, voluntarily assented to him, and demanded of him by what means he might attain to the knowledge of the true God? The old man counselled him to read, and search the Word of God; and to adjoin Prayer thereto. But what man (quoth Justin) shall I use for my instructor therein? And who shall be able to help me, if these Philosophers (as you say) lack the Truth, and are void of the same? To which the old Father answered: There have been (saith he) before these Philosophers others more ancient then they, who were just men, and beloved of God: and who spake by the Spirit of God: fore-seeing, and fore-Prophesying of those things which we now see are come to pass, and therefore they are called Prophets. These only have known the Truth, and revealed it to men, neither fearing, nor respecting the persons of any. They were seduced with no opinions of mans invention, but only spake, and taught those things which themselves both heard, and saw, being inspired with the Holy Spirit of God, whose Writings, and Books are extant, out of which the Reader may receive great profit, and knowledge of many things: As of the first Creation of the World, and of the end of the same, with all other things that are necessary for us to know. Neither in their teachings do they use any demonstrations: the things taught being of themselves more certain then that they need any such demonstration: the accomplishment of their Prophesies which we see fulfilled, constraining us of necessity to believe the words, and Doctrine which they have taught: Their Doctrine also hath been confirmed by Wonders and Miracles, which induce us to give credit to it. They preached of God the Creator, and Maker of all things: They prophesied also before of Christ the Son of God sent to be the Redeemer of the World, which the false Prophets, seduced by false and wicked Spirits did not, but only took upon them to work certain prodigious wonders, for men to gaze at, that thereby they might gain belief to their false and unclean opinions: But remember before all things to make thy Prayers to Almighty God, that he will open a gate of light to thee: for otherwise the knowledge of these things cannot be attained to by every man, but they are revealed only to such to whom God and his Christ give understanding.
The old Father having declared these, and many other things to Justine, departed from him, exhorting him carefully to follow those things which he had spoken: after which he saw him no more.Hi. conversion. But Justine was presently wonderfully inflamed in his minde to know and study the Prophets, in comparison of which all other Philosophy now seemed vain, and unprofitable to him, and so in time he became a Christian, and was baptized.His Baptism.
After this …e became an earnest defender of the Truth, travelling up and down, and disputing against all those which were enemies, and opposers of it, fearing neither peril of life,His zeal and courage. nor danger of death, so that he might maintain the Doctrine of Christ against the malitious blasphemers of the same, and also increase the number of Christian Believers, as may appear by his vehement disputations against the Heathen Philosophers, and by the long disputation of his at Ephesus against Tripho, and also by his confutations of Hereticks: Yea and by his Apologies which with great zeal and courage he exhibited to the Emperour and Magistrates against the Persecutors of the Christians, and in their just defence all which do sufficiently testifie the same.
The first Apologie which he wrote,His Apology for the Christians to the Senate. was to the Senate of Rome, in which he wrote with great liberty, telling them, that of necessity he was compelled thus to utter his minde unto them: For that in persecuting the Christians they neglected their duty, and highly offended God, of which they had need to be admonished: This Apology he also sent to Antoninus Pius the Emperour: Writing also to Vrbicius, Leiutenant of the City, he told him, that he put men to torments, and death, for no offence committed, but only for the confession of the name of Christ; which proceedings (saith he) neither becometh the Emperour nor his Son, nor the Senate. In the same Apology he also defended, and purged the Christians from those crimes which were falsely charged upon them by the Ethnicks.
In his second Apology writing to Antoninus the Emperour,His Apologie to the Emperour. and his successors, with like gravity, and freedom of speech, he declareth unto them how they had the name and repute of vertuous Philosophers, maintainers of Justice, lovers of Learning, &c. But whether they were so indeed, their Acts declared. As for himself he professeth that neither for flattery, nor for favour he wrote unto them: but that he was constrained to sue unto them for righteousness in their judgements, and sentences: For (saith he) it becomes Princes to follow uprightness, and piety in their judgements, not tyranny, and violence: He also in plain words chargeth as well the Emperour as the Senate with manifest wrong; for that they did not grant to the Christians that which was not denyed to all other Malefactors, but judged them to death, not convicted; but out of an hatred to their name.Injustice used to the Christians. Other men (saith he) which are appeached in judgement, are not condemned till they are first convicted: But for us, you take the name for a sufficient crime; whereas indeed you ought to see justice done rather upon our accusers. So that if a Christian that is accused, deny his name, him you release, being not able to charge him with any other offence: But if he stand to his name, you condemn him: Whereas it were your duty rather to examine their manner of life, and so according to their demerits to see justice done upon them. And in another place: You examine not the Causes, but hurried on with rash affections, as with the spur of fury, you slay and murther the innocent without any respect of justice: And if any will say, some of them have been taken in evil doings: I answer, that you use not to enquire after those things, but condemn them before due examination of their offences, for the cause above mentioned: Hereby it appears that you degenerate from the goodness of your predecessors, whose examples you follow not: For your Father Adrian, of famous memory, caused to be proclaimed, that Christians accused before the Judge should not be condemned, unless they were found guilty of some notorious crime, &c.
In the same Apologie he also proves, by firm and strong arguments, that Christians ought not at the sole will and command of the Emperor and Senate to offer Sacrifice to Idols, for which if they be condemned, they suffer open wrong: He affirms moreover, that the only true Religion, is the Religion of Christians, whose Doctrine and Conversation hath no fault. And although by these,He prevails for favour to the Christians. and such like perswasions he could not prevail with the Emperour to love their Religion, and to become a Christian; yet thus much he obtained, that the Emperour wrote to his Officers in Asia in the behalf of the Christians, requiring and commanding them, that those Christians only that were found guilty of other crimes, should suffer, and that none for the bare name of a Christian should be punished, as hitherto they had been. By this it is apparent with what zeal, and …aith Justine strove against the persecutors of his time, who (as he used to say) could kill, but could not hurt.
At last he went to Rome, He goes to Rome.where he had many open disputations, and publique conferences with some Philosophers, especially with one Crescens, who was of the Sect of the C…nikes, from whom he alwayes bore away the Bell, which tended to the shortning of his life, as himself foresaw, and foretold in these words.
I look for no other end then this,A prediction. that I be betrayed by some one of them called Philosophers: or knocked on the head with a club by Crescens, no Philosopher indeed, but a proud boaster. For it is not meet to call him a Philosopher, which ignorantly reporteth that the Christians are impious, and irreligious, to the end that he may flatter, and please such as are over-shadowed with the mist of error, and ignorance. For if he impugn the Doctrine of the Christians, having never read, nor known the same, then is he full of malice, and far worse then Idiots, that sometimes fear to reason of unknown matters, least they speak falsely: Or if he hath read them, yet he understands not the Mysterie, and Majestical meaning thereof: Or if in any thing he understands them, yet is he afraid to confess the Truth, least he should be taken for one of them, and then he is far more wicked, and malitious, yea the bondslave of vain glory, and brutish fear. I desire that you may understand the Truth, I have proposed certain Questions and Interrogatories to him, whereby I have found that he knows nothing: So that if you knew what I propounded, and what answer he made thereto, you would certainly give sentence that he is altogether ignorant in our Doctrine, &c.
And according to this his prediction,His Martyrdom. he was slain by the procurement of Crescens: being beheaded, An. Christi 139. Suffering Martyrdom with much cheerfulness under Verus the Emperor: or as Epiphanius saith, under Adrian.
Tatianus, a learned man, writeth thus of it; Crescens (saith he) being in Rome, passed all men in that filthy and unnatural sin of Sodomie, defiling himself with mankinde; inferiour also he was to no man in covetousness. He taught, that death was not to be feared, yet himself was so extreamly fearful of it, that he procured Justins death, as it were for a great evill: Because that he Preaching the Truth, reprehended the Philosophers as gluttonous and deceitful persons.
He confuted Marcion the Heretick;His zeal against Heresies. and the Valentinians: He complain'd to the Emperor Antoninus Pius of the cruelty of the Proconsul in Asia against the Christians, who forbad them to read any Books that spake of Christ.
His usual saying was, His sayings.That which the Soul is in the Body, that are Christians in the World: for as the Soul is in, but not of the Body: so Christians are in, but no part of the World.
Also, It is best of all not to sin: and next to that to amend upon the punishment.
Again, That it is the greatest slavery in the World to be subject to ones own passions.
He was one that did not only suffer in his Saviours Cause: but took great pains in defending it against all oppositions in his times.His zeal. He gat much repute for his constant zeal against Idolatry, and Superstition, and perswading the Gentiles to leave it, as a vain and unprofitable service: declaring unto them the excellency and benefit of the true Worship of God: So that he was a blessed Instrument to bring many out of that miserable condition, cheerfully to imbrace the Faith of Christ crucified.
His works are these:His works. A Dialogue with Triphon the Jew: An Apology to the Senate of Rome: Another to Antoninus Pius: An Oration to the Gentiles, with some Epistles: One Ad Zenam, & Serenum: Altera ad Diognetum▪ Paraenetica Oratio ad Graecos.