A Source Book for Ancient Church History - Mirrors

16 A Source Book for Ancient Church History[008]Ch. 5. But to leave the ancient examples, let us come to thechampions who lived nearest our times; let us take the nobleexamples of our generation. On account of jealousy and envythe greatest and most righteous pillars of the Church were persecuted,and contended even unto death. Let us set before oureyes the good Apostles: Peter, who on account of unrighteousjealousy endured not one nor two, but many sufferings, and so,having borne his testimony, went to his deserved place of glory.On account of jealousy and strife Paul pointed out the prize ofendurance. After he had been seven times in bonds, had beendriven into exile, had been stoned, had been a preacher in the Eastand in the West, he received the noble reward of his faith; havingtaught righteousness unto the whole world, and having come tothe farthest bounds of the West, and having borne witness beforerulers, he thus departed from the world and went unto the holyplace, having become a notable pattern of patient endurance.Ch. 6. Unto these men who lived lives of holiness was gathereda vast multitude of the elect, who by many indignities andtortures, being the victims of jealousy, set the finest examplesamong us. On account of jealousy women, when they had beenpersecuted as Danaïds and Dircæ, and had suffered cruel andunholy insults, safely reached the goal in the race of faith andreceived a noble reward, feeble though they were in body.§ 2. The Death of Peter and PaulEusebius, Hist. Ec., II, 25. (MSG, 20:207.) Cf. Mirbt, n. 33.For an examination of the merits of Eusebius as a historian,see McGiffert's edition, PNF, ser. II, vol. I, pp. 45-52; also J.B. Lightfoot, art. “Eusebius (23) of Caesarea,” in DCB.