AN

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Book the Second.

CONTAINING THE

STATE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH,

FROM THE TIME OF

CONSTANTINE THE GREAT,

ΤΟ

CHARLEMAGNE.

THE

FOURTH CENTURY.

PART I.

The EXTERNAL HISTORY of the CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

Concerning the prosperous and calamitous events which happened to the churchduring this century.

IV.

PART I.

I. THAT I may not separate facts, which CENT. are intimately connected with each other, I have judged it expedient to combine, in the same chapter, the prosperous and calamitous events that happened to the church during this century, instead of treating them separately, as I have hitherto done. This combination, which presents things in their natural relations, as causes or effects, is, undoubtedly the principal circumstance that renders history truly interesting. In following, however, this plan, the order of time shall also be observed with as much accuracy as this interesting combination of events will ad

mit of.

peace at the

In the beginning of this century, the Roman The church empire was under the dominion of four chiefs, enjoys of whom two, Diocletian and Maximian Hercu- entrance of leus, were of superior dignity, and were distin- this centu guished each by the title of Augustus; while

the

ry.

IV.

PART I.

CENT. the other two, viz. Constantius Chlorus and Maximinus Galerius, were in a certain degree of subordination to the former, and were honoured with the appellation of Cæsars. Under these four emperors, the church enjoyed an agreeable calm [a]. Diocletian, though much addicted to superstition, did not, however, entertain any aversion to the Christians: and Constantius Chlorus, who, following the dictates of right reason alone in the worship of the deity, had abandoned the absurdities of polytheism, treated them with condescension and benevolence. This alarmed the Pagan priests, whose interests were so closely connected with the continuance of the ancient superstitions, and who apprehended, not without reason, that to their great detriment the Christian religion would become daily more universal and triumphant throughout the empire. Under these anxious fears of the downfal of their authority, they addressed themselves to Diocletian, whom they knew to be of a timorous and credulous disposition, and, by fictitious oracles, and other such perfidious stratagems, endeavoured to engage him to persecute the Christians [b].

The perse cution un

II. Diocletian, however, stood for some time der Diocle- unmoved by the treacherous arts of a selfish tian. and superstitious priesthood, who, when they

perceived the ill success of their cruel efforts, addressed themselves to Maximinus Galerius, one of the Cæsars, and also son-in-law to Diocletian, in order to accomplish their unrighteous purposes. This prince, whose gross ignorance of every thing but military affairs was accompanied with a fierce and savage temper,

was

[a] Eusebius Hist. Eccles. lib. viii. cap. i. 291, &c. [6] Eusebius, De vita Constantini, lib. ii. cap. 1. p. 467. Lactantii Institut. divin. lib. iv. cap. xxvii. p. 393. Idem, De mortibus persequutor, cap. x. p. 943. edit. Heumann.

IV. PART I.

was a proper instrument for executing their de- CENT. signs. Set on, therefore, by the malicious insinuations of the heathen priests, the suggestions, of a superstitious mother, and the ferocity of his own natural disposition, he solicited Diocletian with such indefatigable importunity, and in such an urgent manner, for an edict against the Christians, that he, at length, obtained his horrid purpose. For in the year 303, when this emperor was at Nicomedia, an order was obtained from him to pull down the churches of the Christians, to burn all their books and writings, and to take from them all their civil rights and privileges, and render them incapable of any honours or civil promotion [c]. This first edict, though rigorous and severe, extended not to the lives of the Christians, for Diocletian was extremely averse to slaughter and bloodshed; it was, however, destructive to many of them, particularly to those who refused to deliver the sacred books into the hands of the magistrates [d]. Many Christians, therefore, and among them several bishops and presbyters, seeing the consequences of this refusal, delivered up all the religious books, and other sacred things that were in their possession, in order to save their lives. This conduct was highly condemned by the most steady and resolute Christians, who looked upon this compliance as sacrilegious, and branded those who were guilty of it with the ignominious appellation of traditors [e].

III

[c] Lactantius, De mortibus persequutor, c. xi. p. 944. Eusebius, Histor. Eccles. lib. viii. cap. ii. p. 293, &c.

[d] Augustinus, Breviculo collat. cum Donatistis, cap. xv. xvii. p. 387. 390. tom. ix. opp. Baluzii Miscellan. tom. ii. p. 77. 92.

[e] Optatus Milevit. De Schismate Donatistar. lib. i sect. xiii. p. 13, &c. edit. Pinian.