Section 253
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222 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. undergoing no trifling amount of laborious exercise, and at night devoting himself the most of the time to the study of the holy Scriptures, and restraining himself, as far as possible, by a most rigid and philosophical life. Sometimes he was exercised in the discipline of fasting ; then, again, at night, he limited his times for sleep, which, in consequence of his great zeal, he never en joyed on his bed, but upon the bare ground. But, most of all, he thought that the evangelical precepts of our Saviour should be observed, in which he exhorts that we should not have two coats, nor make use of shoes, nor pass our time in cares for the future. But indulging, also, an ardour greater than his years, he perse vered in cold and nakedness ; and advancing to the greatest ex tremes of poverty, astonished, most of all, his nearest friends. Many, indeed, that wished to impart to him some of their means, were grieved on account of the laborious toil that he endured for the sake of inspired truth. He did not, however, relax in his perseverance. He is said, indeed, to have walked the ground for many years without any shoes ; and also to have abstained from the use of wine and other food not necessary for sustenance, many years. So that now he was greatly in danger of subvert ing and destroying his constitution.* But in presenting such specimens of his ascetic life to the beholders, he naturally in duced many of his visiters to pursue the same course ; so that now many, both of the unbelieving heathen, and some of the learned, and even philosophers of no mean account, were pre vailed upon to adopt his doctrine. Some of these, also, having been deeply imbued by him, with the sound faith in Christ deeply implanted in the soul, were also eminent in the midst of the per secution then prevailing ; so that some were taken, and finished their course by martyrdom. The word used here is d«pg, the chest.