/ 
M ARTY R. 
45« 
“ and,, in their application of the faitli of prophecy to the 
truth of hiftory, they were careful to fele£t thofe reigns 
which were indeed the moll hoftile to the Chriftian caufe.” 
Aftera reference to Mofheitn (ubi fupra), he adds, “that 
Sulpicius Severus was the firft: author of this computa¬ 
tion ; though he feemed defirous of referving the tenth and 
greatelt perfecution for the coming of the antichriff.” 
Some writers have taken pleafure in cont.ra,fling the per- 
fecuting temper of the Chriftians with the mild toleration 
of the ancient heathens; and in extolling the humanity of 
the Roman magiftrates, devifing apologies for their con- 
duiff in doubtful or cenfurable inftances, and.expo/ing the 
enthufiafm of thofe deluded Chriftians who were folicitous 
for obtaining the crown of martyrdom. Voltaire was otie 
of the number to which we now refer; and Gibbon fays, 
“ it is not improbable that fotne of thofe perfons who w'ere 
raifed to the dignities of the empire might have imbibed 
the prejudices of the populace, and that the cruel difpo- 
fition of others might occafionally be ftimulated by mo¬ 
tives of avarice or of perfonal refentment. But it is cer¬ 
tain, and we may appeal to the grateful confeffions of the 
firft; Chriftians, that the greateft part of thofe magiftrates, 
who exercifed in the provinces the authority of the empe¬ 
ror and of the fenate, and to whofe hands alone the jurif- 
diftion of life and death was intrufted, behaved like men 
of poiiflied manners and liberal education, who refpedled 
the rules of juftice, and who were converfant with the 
precepts of phiiofophy. They frequently declined the 
odious tafk of perfecution, difmift’ed the charge with con¬ 
tempt, or fuggeffed to the accufed Chriftian fome legal 
evafton by which he might elude the feverity of the laws. 
Whenever they were invefted with a difcretionary power, 
they tifed it lefs for the oppreftion than for the relief and 
benefit of the affliCced church. They were far from con¬ 
demning all the Chriftians who were accufed before their 
tribunal, and very far from punifhing with death all thofe 
who were convicted of an obftinate adherence to the new 
fuperftition.” 
The fame writer (Gibbon) concludes his remarks upon 
this fubject, with fuggefting a melancholy truth, which, 
whatever may be thought of his. general realbning, will 
be both allowed and lamented. “ Admitting,” he fays, 
“ all that hiftory has recorded, or devotion has figured, 
on the fubjedl of martyrdoms, it muft ftill be acknow¬ 
ledged, that the Chriftians, in the courfe of their inteftine 
divilions, have inflifted far greater feveritie; on each other 
than they had experienced from the zeal of infidels. In 
the Netherlands alone, more than 100,000 of the fubjefls 
of Charles V. are faid to have fuffered by the hand of the 
executioner; and this extraordinary number is attefted by 
Grotius. (Annal. de Rebus Belgicis, 1 . i. p. 11, fol. ed.) 
If this be admitted as true, it inuft follow, that the number 
of proteftants who were executed in a fingle province, and 
a fingle reign, far exceeded that of the primitive martyrs in 
the fpace of three centuries, and of the Roman empire.” 
It is hardly neceffary to obferve, that the founder of 
Chriftianity never gave any direffions to his difciples to 
propagate his religion by external force and violence. He 
was too well acquainted with the human heart to imagine 
that thefe were fuitable means of making converts; and he 
well knew, what the experience of all ages has confirmed, 
that fuch methods differve any caufe in which they are 
employed, and that they are adapted only to make hypo¬ 
crites or martyrs. Befides, perfecution is altogether in- 
confiftent with the diftinguiftiing chandler of his religion, 
which is peace on earth, and good will towards men . It is 
likewife altogether incredible, and even impoliible, that 
the founder of a religion, who was himfelf crucified, and 
then raifed from the dead and exalted to heaven, in con¬ 
firmation of the truth of his doctrine, and as an example 
of fidelity to God, patience, relignation, and fortitude, 
and to raife the thoughts of his difciples and followers to 
things heavenly and divine: it is impotfible that.fuch a 
teacher of religion (hould give any directions to his apof- 
tles and minilters to propagate his religion by force and 
violence. What is religion but an exercife of the tinder- 
ftanding and of the heart, the principles and affeiflions of 
which are to regulate the conduft ? Perfecution, there¬ 
fore, is altogether incompatible v%ith its nature and de- 
fign, and tends rather to obftrmft than to promote its in¬ 
fluence; to excite prejudices againft it, than to gain pro- 
felytes to its intereft. Should it be faid that Chriftians 
have perfecuted, and that “ the weapons of their warfare,” 
with a profefled view of extending the fpread, and main¬ 
taining the purity of religion, have been fometimes, and, 
indeed, in too many inftances, “ carnal,” and not “ fpi- 
ritual;”—it il> allowed and lamented. But, to adopt the 
words of an excellent prelate of the laft age, “ let either 
the bittereft zealot, or the moft bigoted infidel, ftiow, if 
they can, one inftance in which the Gofpel gives the leaft 
pretence for pious cruelty. Every-where it breathes mild- 
nefs, patience, forbearance; enjoins Chriftians of ever fo 
different opinions to receive one another in mutual cha¬ 
rity ; and even thofe who are no Chriftians it permits us 
not to judge hardly, much lefs to life them unmercifully. 
If, then, tome who profefs this faith will afl in defiance 
to it, let them bear their condemnation : but to charge 
their guilt upon Chriftianity, would be like cenfuring the 
legal conftitution of any government, becaufe they who 
rebel againft it behave uniuftifiably. For indeed the fpi- 
rit of perfecution is rebellion againft Chrift, under a pre¬ 
tence of a commifiion from him ; it is the man offin fitting 
as God in the temple of God. 2 Theff. ii. 3, 4. And, where 
it is not defgned impiety, it is the groffelt ignorance both 
of the attributes of our Maker and the precepts of our 
Redeemer.” 
To MAR'TYR, v. a. To put to death for virtue, or 
true profefljon. To murder; to deftroy.— Martyr’d with 
the gout. Pope. 
Hark, wretches, how I mean to martyr you: 
This one hand yet is left to cut your throats. Shakefpeare. 
MAR'TYR (Juftin.) See Justin, vol. xi. p. 571. 
MAR'TYR (Peter), an ufeful writer of voyages and 
difcoveries, was born in 1455, at Aroni, on the bank of 
Lago Maggiorein Italy ; but is generally named d'Angkierra, 
from a town on the oppofite bank. He had lived feveral 
years in Rome, when, in 1487, he accompanied the Spa- 
nifti ambaffador on his return to Spain, by whom he was 
prefented to Ferdinand and Ifabella. He followed their 
court in various military expeditions, till the capture of 
Grenada, after which he went into holy orders. Their 
majefties beftowed feveral benefices upon him, and he was 
appointed to inftruft their children in belles lettres. I11 
1510 the king lent him as his ambaffador to the foldan of 
Egypt, for the purpofe of inducing him to be more fa¬ 
vourable to the Chriftians ; which commifiion he executed 
with fuccefs. After his return he was rewarded with 
more benefices, and alfo received favours from pope 
Adrian VI. who would have taken him to Rome, had he 
not excufed himfelf on account of his advanced age. He 
died about 1526, and was buried in the cathedral of Gre¬ 
nada, of which he was a canon and prior. The writings 
of Peter Martyr were, 1. A relation in Latin of the voy¬ 
age of Columbus and the difcovery of the new world, 
entitled “ De Rebus Oceanicis et Orbe novo,” 4to. a. 
An account of his embaffy into Egypt, with a defcription 
of the countries through which he paffed, entitled “ De 
Legaticne Babylonica.” 3. Epiftolse de Rebus Hifpa- 
nicis, folio; containing a hiftory of the moft memorable 
events in his time, from 1488 to 1525. The ftyle of this 
writer is rude, but he is elleemed a faithful and exa6l 
narrator of the facts that came within his cognifance. 
Tirabofchi. 
MAR'TYR (Peter), a very diftinguifhed character 
among the early reformers, was defcended from a refpecf- 
able family of the name of Vermigli, and born at Florence 
in the year 1500. His parents gave him the furname of 
Martyr, in honour of Peter the Martyr, a Milanefe faint, 
whofe church was near their houfe. Our Peter was initi¬ 
ated 
