accuse their countrymen of error, and to devote c h a p. their ancestors to eternal misery. The habits of XVI. justifying the popular mythology against the invectives of an implacable enemy, produced in their minds some sentiments of faith and reverence for a system which they had been accustomed to consider with the most careless levity. The supernatural powers assumed by the church inspired at the same time terror and emulation. The followers of the established religion intrenched themselves behind a similar fortification of prodigies; invented new modes of sacrifice, of expiation, and of initiation *; attempted to revive the credit of their expiring oracles †; and listened with eager credulity to every impostor, who flattered their prejudices by a tale of wonders . Both parties seemed to acknowledge

the truth of those miracles which were claimed by their adversaries; and while they were con

tented

*We might quote, among a great number of instances, the mysterious worship of Mythras, and the Taurobolia; the latter of which became fashionable in the time of the Antonines (see a Dissertation of M. de Boze, in the Memoires de l'Academie des Inscriptions, tom. ii. p. 443.) The romance of Apuleius is as full of devotion as of satire.

The impostor Alexander very strongly recommended the oracle of Trophonius at Mallos, and those of Apollo, at Claros and Miletus (Lucian, tom. ii. p. 236. Edit. Reitz.) The last of these, whose singular history would furnish a very curious episode, was consuited by Diocletian before he published his edicts of persecution (Lactantius, de M. P. c. 11.)

Besides the ancient stories of Pythogoras and Aristeas, the eures performed at the shrine of Asculapius, and the fables related of Apollonius of Tyana, were frequently opposed to the miracles of Christ; though I agree with Dr Lardner (see Testimonies, vol. i. p. 253.352.) that when Philostratus composed the life of Apollonius, he had no such intention.

37

X

XVI.

CHA P. tented with ascribing them to the arts of magic, and to the power of dæmons, they mutually concurred in restoring and establishing the reign of superstition *. Philosophy, her most dangerous enemy, was now converted into her most useful ally. The groves of the academy, the gardens of Epicurus, and even the portico of the Stoics, were almost deserted, as so many different schools of scepticism or impiety t; and many among the Romans were desirous that the writings of Cicero should be condemned and suppressed by the authority of the senate . The prevailing sect of the new Platonicians judged it prudent to connect themselves with the priests, whom perhaps they despised, against the Christians, whom they had reason to fear. These fashionable philosophers prosecuted the design of extracting allegorical wisdom from the fictions of the Greek poets; instituted mysterious rites of devotion

* It is seriously to be lamented, that the Christian fathers, by acknowledging the supernatural, or, as they deem it, the infernal part of Paganism, destroy with their own hands the great advantage which we might otherwise derive from the liberal concessions of our adversaries.

† Julian (p. 301. Edit. Spanheim) expresses a pious joy, that the providence of the gods had extinguished the impious sects, and for the most part destroyed the books of the Pyrrhonians and Epicurcans, which had been very numerous, since Epicurus himself composed no less than 300 volumes. See Diogenes Laertius, 1. x. c. 26.

Cumque alios audiam mussitare indignanter, et dicere opportere statui per Senatum, aboleantur, ut hæc scripta, quibus Christiana Religio comprobetur, et vetustatis opprimatur auctoritas. Arnobius adversus Gentes, 1. iii. p. 103, 104. He adds very properly, Erroris convincite Ciceronem tercipere scripta, et publicatam velle submergere lectionem, non est Deum defendere sed veritatis testificationem timere.

nam in

devotion for the use of their chosen disciples; CHA P. recommended the worship of the ancient gods as XVI. the emblems or ministers of the Supreme Deity, and composed against the faith of the gospel many elaborate treatises *, which have since been committed to the flames by the prudence of orthodox emperors †.

Maximian

rius pu

soldiers.

Although the policy of Diocletian and the humanity of Constantius inclined them to preserve and Galeinviolate the maxims of toleration, it was soon nish a few discovered that their two associates Maximian Christian and Galerius, entertained the most implacable aversion for the name and religion of the Christians. The minds of those princes had never been enlightened by science; education had never softened their temper. They owed their greatness to their swords, and in their most elevated fortune they still retained their superstitious prejudices of soldiers and peasants. In the general administration of the provinces they obeyed the laws which their benefactor had established; but they frequently found occasions of exercising within their camp and palaces a secret persecution, for which the imprudent zeal of the Chriftians

*Lactantius (Divin. Institut. 1. v. c. 2, 3.) gives a very clear and spirited account of two of these philosophic adversaries of the faith. The large treatise of Porphyry against the Christians consisted of thirty books, and was composed in Sicily about the year 270.

† See Socrates, Hist. Ecclesiast. 1. i. c. 9. and Codex Justinian. 1. i. tit. i. 1. 3.

Eusebius, 1. viii. c. 4. c. 17. He limits the number of military martyrs, by a remarkable expression (exaING TOUTED BIS # xai deursgos), of which neither his Latin nor French transia

XVI.

CHA P. Christians sometimes offered the most specious pretences. A sentence of death was executed upon Maximilianus, an African youth, who had been produced by his own father before the magistrate as a sufficient and legal recruit, but who obstinately persisted in declaring, that his conscience would not permit him to embrace the profession of a soldier *. It could scarcely be expected that any government should suffer the action of Marcellus the Centurion to pass with impunity. On the day of a public festival, that officer threw away his belt, his arms, and the ensigns of his office, and exclaimed with a loud voice, that he would obey none but Jesus Christ the eternal King, and that he renounced for ever the use of carnal weapons, and the service of an idolatrous master. The soldiers, as soon as they recovered from their astonishment, secured the person of Marcellus. He was examined in the city of Tingi by the president of that part of Mauritania; and as he was convicted by his own confession, he was condemned and beheaded for

the

have rendered the energy. Notwithstanding the authority of Eusebius, and the silence of Lactantius, Ambrose, Sulpicius, Orosius, &c. it has been long believed, that the Thebaan legion, consisting of 6000 Christians, suffered martyrdom, by the order of Maximian, in the valley of the Penine Alps. The story was first published about the middle of the fifth century, by Eucherius, bishop of Lyons, who received it from certain persons, who received it from Isaac, bishop of Geneva, who is said to have received it from Theodore bishop of Octodurum. The abbey of St Maurice still subsists, a rich monument of the credulity of Sigismond, king of Burgundy. See an excellent Dissertation in the thirty-sixth volume of the Bibliothéque Raisonée, p. 427—454•

* See the Acta Sincera, p. 299. The accounts of his martyrdom and of that of Marcellus, bear every mark of truth and authenticity.

XVI.

the crime of desertion*. Examples of such a CHA P. nature savour much less of religious persecution than of martial or even civil law: But they served to alienate the mind of the emperors, to justify the severity of Galerius, who dismissed a great number of Christian officers from their employments; and to authorize the opinion, that a sect of enthusiasts, which avowed principles so repugnant to the public safety, must either remain useless, or would soon become dangerous, subjects of the empire.

secution.

After the success of the Persian war had raised Galerius prevails the hopes and the reputation of Galerius, he on Dioclepassed a winter with Diocletian in the palace of tian to begin a geNicomedia; and the fate of Christianity became neral perthe object of their secret consultations +. The experienced emperor was still inclined to pursue measures of lenity; and though he readily consented to exclude the Christians from holding any employments in the household or the army, he urged in the strongest terms the danger as well as cruelty of shedding the blood of those deluded fanatics. Galerius at length extorted from him the permission of summoning a council, composed of a few persons the most distinguished in the civil and military departments of the state. The important question was agitated in their presence, and those ambitious courtiers easily VOL. II. Hh discerned

* Acta Sincera, p. 302.

† De M. P. c. II. Lactantius (or whoever was the author of this little treatise) was, at that time, an inhabitant of Nicomedia; but it seems difficult to conceive how he could acquire so accurate a knowledge of what passed in the Imperial cabinet.