In the mean time, _Decius_ being killed, the Persecution was carried on, or rather renewed, with more Fury than ever, by _Gallus_ his Successor. As the _Roman_ Empire was, at this Time, afflicted with a dreadful Plague, _Gallus_, who, it seems, had not molested the Christians during the first Months of his Reign[399], issued an Order, injoining Men of all Ranks and Professions to offer Sacrifice to the Gods, hoping, by that means, to appease their Wrath, and put a Stop to the raging Evil. It was on Occasion of this Plague that St. _Cyprian_ writ his excellent Discourse on _Mortality_, wherein he so eloquently teaches a Christian to triumph over the Fears of Death, and shews with how little Reason we mourn for those Friends and Relations who are snatched from us. [Sidenote: Cornelius _apprehended_.] Such of the Christians as refused to comply with the Emperor’s Edict, were either banished or executed. _Cornelius_, among the rest, was apprehended at the first breaking out of the Persecution, and made a glorious Confession of his Faith, as appears from St. _Cyprian_, who, on that Occasion, writ him a Letter of Congratulation[400]. What happened to him afterwards is uncertain; for his Acts are evidently fabulous, though they have been received by _Bede_, by _Ado_, by _Anastasius_, and many others, far more considerable for their Number than their Authority. We read in the Pontifical of _Bucherius_, that he was banished to _Centumcellæ_, now _Civita-vecchia_, and died of a natural Death, according to the Expression used there[401] (_Dormitionem accepit_). As to the Title of Martyr, with which he is distinguished by St. _Jerom_[402], it was antiently given to all those who, for the Confession of Faith, died in Prison, which in all Likelihood happened to _Cornelius_[N5]. ----- Footnote N5: