5 the flames, and themselves deprived of all civil rights and honours. This first edict spared the lives of the Christians; for Diocletian was averse from slaughter and bloodshed. Yet it caused many Christians to be put to death, particularly those who refused to deliver up their sacred books to the magistrates. Seeing this, many Christians, among whom were even bishops and priests, in order to save life, gave up the books and sacred things in their possession. These were, however, charged with sacrilege by others of greater constancy, and branded with the ignominious name of Traditors." § 3. Not long after the publication of this first edict, two conflagrations broke out in the palace of Nicomedia; which their enemies persuaded Diocletian to believe were kindled by Christians. Hence he ordered many of them in that city to be tortured, and punished as incendiaries. Nearly at the same 5 Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 11. Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 2. [This persecution should, properly, be named that of Galerius Maximianus, and not that of Diocletian. For Diocletian had much the least hand in it; and he resigned his authority before the persecution had continued quite two years; moreover, Maximianus, in his edict for putting an end to the persecution, a little before his death acknowledges that he himself was the author of it. See Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. viii. 17, and Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 34. Romulia, the mother of Galerius, who was a very superstitious and haughty woman, and who was offended that the Christians would not allow her to be present when they celebrated the Lord's supper, contributed to inflame the rage of her son against them. Perhaps also the Platonic philosophers had some influence in exciting the emperor's hostility; for they represented the many sects among the Christians in a most odious light, and taxed them with having apostatized from the religion of the early Christians. Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. viii. c. 17. But political considerations may have influenced him. Galerius contemplated getting rid of his colleagues, and making himself sole emperor. The Christians, who were attached to Constantius Chlorus and his son, seemed to him to stand in the way of his designs; and he wished to weaken their power, or rather to annihilate it, as far as practicable. But Diocletian was not disposed to further his cruel project. He was willing to exclude Christians from the palace and the army, and to compel all who served him at court or in the armies to offer sacrifices to the gods; but not to suspend over them penal laws and executions. Galerius would have had them all brought to the stake. A council was called, composed of learned civilians and officers in the army, which declared against the Christians. To this decision Hierocles, the governor of Bithynia, and one who afterwards wrote against the Christians, contributed not a little. But Diocletian would not yet give up entirely. He would consult the oracle of Apollo at Miletus; which likewise directed the extirpation of the Christians. But even Apollo could not move the superstitious emperor to the extreme of cruelty. He decreed indeed a persecution, but it was to cost no blood. It commenced with the demolition of the Christian temple at Nicomedia, and the burning of the books found in it. See Mosheim, Comment de Rebus Christianor. &c. p. 916-922. __Schl.] 6 Augustine, Breviculum collat. cum Donatistis, c. 15. 17, in his Opp. tom. ix. p. 387. 390, and Baluze, Miscellan. tom. ii. p. 77.92. 7 Optatus Milevit. de Schismate Donatist. l. i. § 13, p. 13, ed. du Pin. 9 Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 6. Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 14. Constantine the Gr. Oratio ad Sanctorum Catum, c. 25.-[After the second conflagration, Galerius left Nicomedia, pre time there were insurrections in Armenia and in Syria; and, as their enemies charged the blame of these also upon the Christians, the emperor by a new edict ordered all bishops and ministers of holy things to be thrown into prison; and, by a third edict, soon after, he ordered that all these prisoners should be compelled by tortures and punishments to offer sacrifice to the gods; for he hoped, if the bishops and teachers were once overcome, that the Christian churches would follow their example. A great multitude, accordingly, of excellent men, in every part of the Roman empire, Gaul only excepted, which Constantius Chlorus governed 1, either suffered capitally, or were sent to the mines. § 4. In the second year of this persecution, A. D. 304, Diocletian published a fourth edict, at the instigation of his son-inlaw and of other enemies to the Christian name. The magistrates were now directed to make free use of torture for forcing all Christians into worship of the gods.2 These orders being strictly obeyed by men in power, the Christian church was tending to be afraid of being burnt up by the Christians. Diocletian also compelled his wife and daughter to sacrifice to the gods, in proof that they were not Christians; and caused many Christians of his household and court to be cut off, and Lonthimus, the bishop of Nicomedia, with many of the clergy and common Christians, to undergo cruel deaths, because they refused to offer sacrifices to the gods. Schl.] 9 Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 6, and de Martyribus Palæstina. [Introduction.]-[Some degree of probability could be attached to the charge against the Christians causing the insurrections, from the fact that their inconsiderate zeal sometimes led them to deeds which had an aspect of rebellion. At the commencement of this persecution, for example, a very respectable Christian tore down the imperial edict against the Christians, which was set up in a public place. See Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 5. Schl.] Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutorum, c. 15. Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 13. 18. [Constantius Chlorus presided over Spain and Britain, as well as Gaul. In Spain there were some martyrs; because Constantius not being present there in person, he could not prevent the rigorous execution of the decree of the senior emperor. * Eusebius, de Martyr. Palæstinaæ, c. 3.-[Diocletian was not yet willing the Christians should be put to death outright; his orders to the governors were couched in general terms, that they should compel the Christians, by all kinds of corporeal sufferings, _to_give honour to the heathen gods. See Eusebius, de Vita Constantini, 1. ii. c. 51, compare Lactantius, Instit. Divinar. 1. v. c. 11. Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. ix. c. 9, and 1. viii. c. 12. Hence, according with the disposition of the several governors, was the execution of their imperial edict. Some only sent the Christians into banishment, when the attempt to make them offer sacrifices failed. Others deprived them of an eye, or lamed one of their reduced to the last extremity.3 Galerius Maximianus, therefore, no longer hesitated to disclose the secret designs that he had long entertained. He required his father-in-law 5, together with his colleague Maximianus Herculius, to divest themselves of their power, and constituted himself emperor of the East leaving the West to Constantius Chlorus, whose health he knew to be infirm. He also associated with him in the government two assistants, of his own choosing; namely, Maximinus, his sister's son, and Severus; excluding altogether Constantine, afterwards styled the Great, the son of Constantius Chlorus. This revolution in the Roman government restored peace to the Christians in the western provinces, which were under Constantius7; feet by burning it; and others exposed them to wild beasts; or lacerated their bodies with iron hooks, or with the scourge, and afterwards sprinkled vinegar and salt on the wounds, or dropped melted led into them. In Phrygia, a whole city with all its inhabitants was burnt to ashes, because not an individual in it would offer sacrifice. Lactantius, Instit. Divinar. lib. v. c. 11. Some Christians also brought death upon themselves, by holding religious meetings contrary to the emperor's prohibition, or by voluntarily presenting themselves before the governors, and requesting to be martyred. Sulpitius Severus, Hist. Sacra, lib. ii. c. 32, and Eusebius, de Martyr. Palæstinæ, c. 3. Schl.] 3 Lactantius, Instit. Divinar. 1. v. c. 11. [With the exception of Gaul, streams of Christian blood flowed in all the provinces of the Roman empire. Every where the Christian temples lay in ruins, and all assemblies for worship were suspended. The major part had forsaken the provinces, and taken refuge among the barbarians. Such as were unable or unwilling to do this, kept themselves concealed, and were afraid for their lives if they appeared in public. The ministers of Christ were either slain, or mutilated and sent to the mines, or banished the country. The avaricious magistrates and judges had seized upon nearly all their church property and their private possessions. Many, through dread of undergoing torture, had made away with their own lives, and many had apostatized from the faith; and what remained of the Christian community, consisted of a few weak, poor, and timorous persons. Schl.] 4 [A.D. 305. Tr.] 5 [Diocletian. Tr.] Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 18, 20.-[Galerius Maximianus was in more fear of the young prince Constantine, than of his father Constantius ; the latter being a mild and sickly sovereign, while Constantine was of an ardent temperament, and at the same time greatly beloved by the people and the soldiers. Yet Galerius had this prince in his power; for he detained him at his court in Nicomedia, and if he found occasion, might have put him out of his way by assassination, or some other means. Indeed Galerius attempted this, especially in the year 306. Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 24. But Constantine saved himself by flight, and repaired to his father in Britain. This sagacity of the prince overset the whole plan of the emperor, and was the means of rescuing the Christian religion from its jeopardy. See Mosheim, Comment, de Rebus, &c. p. 942, &c. Schl.] Eusebius, de Martyr. Palæstina, c. 13. [Eusebius says expressly, that Italy, Sicily, Gaul, Spain, Mauritania, and Africa, enjoyed peace after the first two years of the persecution. Nor was this strange; for Constantius Chlorus, who governed Britain, Spain, and Gaul, was a friend to the Christians; and Severus, who in the character of a Cæsar held the other western provinces, was obliged to show deference to Constantius as the emperor of the West. Neither was the debauched Severus, of himself, inclined to cruelty. Yet the Christians enjoyed less freedom under him, than under Constantius. See Optatus Milevitanus, de Schismate Donatist. 1. i. c. 14, comp. c. 16. Schl.] but in the eastern provinces, the persecution raged with even greater severity than before.8 § 5. But Divine Providence frustrated the whole plan of Galerius Maximianus. For, Constantius Chlorus dying in Britain, in the year 306, the soldiers saluted his son Constantine Augustus, the very man known from achievements as the Great: an unlucky chance, which the tyrant had not only to bear, but also to approve. Soon after, a civil war broke out. For, Maxentius, the son-in-law of Maximianus, assumed himself the imperial dignity, because he could not bear to see it bestowed, by his father-in-law's mortifying partiality, upon Severus, and he took his father, Maximianus Herculius, for his colleague in the empire. In the midst of these commotions, Constantine, beyond all expectation, made his way to the imperial throne. The western Christians, those of Italy and Africa excepted, enjoyed a good degree of tranquillity and liberty during these civil wars.2 But the oriental churches experienced various fortune, adverse or tolerable, according to the political changes from year to year.3 At length Galerius Maximianus, who had 8 Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 21. [Lactantius here states, that Galerius Maximianus gave orders, that such Christians as could not by tortures be induced to sacrifice, should be roasted over a slow fire. Maximin, who governed Syria and Egypt, at first showed himself quite mild towards the Christians. Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. ix. c. 9. But afterwards he seemed to wish to surpass all other enemies of the Christians in cruelty towards them. See Mosheim, Comment. de Rebb. &c. p. 945, &c. Schl.] 9 [Galerius. Macl.] [Son of the ex-emperor Valerius Maximianus Herculius. Tr.] 2 [Constantine, as soon as he came into power, gave the Christians full liberty to profess and to practise their religion. Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 24, and Institut. Divinar. 1. i. c. in Africa and Italy enjoyed entire religious liberty. See Optatus Milevitanus, de Schismate Donatist. 1. i. c. 16, and Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 14. See Mosheim, Comment, de Rebus Christianor. p. 952, &c. Schl.] 3 [In the eastern provinces, which were under the government of Galerius Maximianus and C. Galerius Maximinus, Christians were the most cruelly persecuted; as is manifest from various passages in Eusebius. Yet C. G. Maximin did not at all times treat them with equal severity. According to Euseb. (de Martyr. Palæstinæ, c. 9,) in the year 308, the persecution seemed to be at an end in Syria and Palestine: but it soon after recommenced, with increased severity. The cause of these vicissitudes is to be sought in the political state of things. In this year, C. G. Maximin assumed the title of Cæsar in Syria, against the will of Galerius Maximianus; and the latter appeared about to declare war against the former; who therefore was indulgent towards the Christians, in order to secure their friendship, But as Galerius Maximianus was appeased, C. G. Maximin became more severe against the Christians, in order to ingratiate himself more effectually with the emperor. After a while, however, he been the author of their heaviest calamities, being brought low by a terrific and protracted disease, and finding himself ready to die, in the year 311, issued a decree which restored peace to them, after they had endured almost unbounded sufferings.4 § 6. After the death of Galerius Maximianus 5, Maximinus and Licinius divided between themselves the provinces which had been governed by him. At the same time Maxentius, who held Africa and Italy, determined to make war upon Constantine, who governed in Spain and Gaul, in order to bring all the West under his authority. Constantine anticipated his designs, marched his army into Italy in the year 312, and in a battle fought at the Milvian bridge near Rome, routed the army of Maxentius. In the flight, the bridge broke down, and Maxentius falling into the Tiber, was drowned. After this victory, Constantine, with his colleague Licinius, immediately gave full liberty to the Christians of living according to their own institutions and laws; and this liberty was more clearly defined the following year, A. D. 313, in a new edict drawn up at Milan.7 Maximin, indeed, who reigned in the East, was projecting new calamities for the Christians, and menacing the emperors of the abated his severity; and towards the end of the year 309 and in the beginning of 310, the Christians enjoyed great freedom (Euseb. de Martyr. Palæstina, c. 13); for Galerius Maximianus was now in declining health, and in such circumstances C. G. Maximin wished not to alienate the Christians from himself. But when the governor of the province informed him, in the year 310, that the Christians abused their freedom, Maximin renewed the persecution. But soon after Galerius Maximianus was seized with his last and fatal sickness, and C. G. Maximin being apprehensive that the imperial power could be secured only by a successful appeal to arms, policy required him again to desist from persecuting the Christians. Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 16. See Mosheim, Comment. de Rebus Christianor. p. 955, &c. Schl.] 4 Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 16. Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 33. -[The decree is given us, in Greek, by Euseb. Hist. Eccles. 1. viii. c. 17, and in Latin, by Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 34. Schl.] [A. D. 311. Tr.] [Who was created Augustus by Galerius Maximianus, after the death of Flavius Severus, A. D. 307. Tr.] 'Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. 1. x. c. 5. Lactantius, de Mortib. Persecutor. c. 48. [It is the second edict, or that of Milan, which is found in the passages here referred to Eusebius gives it in Greek, Lactantius in Latin. The first edict is wholly lost; yet from the second we may learn what was obscure or indefinite in the first. The first edict gave religious freedom, not only to the Christians, but to all other sects; yet it forbade any person from abandoning the religion in which he had been born and brought up. This prohibition operated disadvantageously to the Christian cause, and occasioned many, who had recently embraced Christianity, to return to their former religion, in obedience to the imperial edict. This prohibition, therefore, with all other restraints, was removed in the second edict. See Mosheim, Comment. de Rebus Christianor. p. 959. Schl.] 8 [C. Gal. Maximin did not at first venture to contravene the edict of Gal. Maximianus, (giving full toleration to |