As soon as he had uttered the last word of his prayer (the word “Amen”), the executioners ignited the wood upon which he was placed; and when the flames circled high above the body of Polycarp, it was found, to the astonishment of everyone that the fire injured him but little, or not at all. The executioner was therefore commanded to pierce him with a sword, which was instantly done, so that the blood, either through the heat of the fire, or from some other reason, issued so copiously from the wound that the fire was almost extinguished thereby; and thus this faithful witness of Jesus Christ, having died both by fire and the sword, entered into the rest of the saints, about A. D. 168. Compare _Euseb., 4th book, 15 chap._, printed A. D. 1588, _page 66–70_ with _Abr. Mell., 1st book of the Hist., fol. 40, 41, col. 1–4_, from _Iren., lib. 3, cap. 3. Hæres. Hieron. Catal. in Polycarp_, _Euseb., lib. 4, cap. 13_, and _lib. 5, cap. 19_. Also, _Joh. Gysii Hist. Mart. for the year 168, fol. 17, col. 2_. Also, _P. J. Twisck, Chron. 2d book, A. D. 168, page 45, col. 2_. TWELVE PIOUS CHRISTIANS, WHO HAD COME FROM PHILADELPHIA TO SMYRNA, PUT TO DEATH ON THE SAME DAY, WITH POLYCARP, THE AFOREMENTIONED MARTYR, A. D. 168. In the letter which the Holy Ghost directed John to write to the angel of the church at Smyrna, which we mentioned above, it is indicated, that not only the teacher, who is called an angel, namely Polycarp, but also some of the church, would have to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ. We read: “Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried.” Rev. 2:10. This was also fulfilled in truth. For it is stated, that not only Polycarp, the leader of the church at Smyrna, but with him also twelve members of the church, who had come from Philadelphia, were put to death for the same reason, and in the same manner. The words of Eusebius concerning these martyrs from Philadelphia, taken from the Smyrna letter, are, according to A. Mellinus, as follows: “These are the particulars of the martyrdom of Polycarp, who had come from Philadelphia to Smyrna, together with twelve others, who willingly suffered death in the same manner with him; whose names are not mentioned, that of Polycarp alone being given, because, not only among the Christians, but even among the Jews and the heathen, he was famous far and wide for his extraordinary godliness. These testimonies are finished and sealed with the precious blood of the Christians. At the time of the fourth persecution; under the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Virus, about in the seventeenth year of their reign, coinciding with the 168th year of our Savior.”