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CHAP. which was destitute of theological principles, of XXIII. moral precepts, and of ecclesiastical discipline, which rapidly hastened to decay and dissolution, and was not susceptible of any solid or consistent reformation. The jurisdiction of the supreme pontiff, more especially after that office had been united with the imperial dignity, com prehended the whole extent of the Roman empire. Julian named for his vicars, in the several provinces, the priests and philosophers, whom he esteemed the best qualified to co-operate in the execution of his great design; and his pas toral letters, if we may use that name, still re present a very curious sketch of his wishes and intentions. He directs, that in every city the sacerdotal order should be composed, without any distinction of birth or fortune, of those persons who were the most conspicuous for their love of the gods, and of men. "If they are. "guilty," continues he, " of any scandalous of"fence, they should be censured or degraded

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by the superior pontiff; but, as long as they "retain their rank, they are entitled to the respect of the magistrates and people. Their humility may be shewn in the plainness of their “domestic garb; their dignity, in the pomp of holy vestments. When they are summoned "in their turn to officiate before the altar, they ought not, during the appointed number of

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• See Julian, Epistol. xlix, lxii, xliii, 'and a long and curious fragment, without beginning or end, (p. 288-305). The supreme pontiff derides the Mosaic history and the Christian discipline, prefers the Greek poets to the Hebrew prophets, and palliates, with the skill of a Jesuit, the relative worship of images.

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XXIII.

days, to depart from the precincts of the tem- CHAP. ple; nor should a single day be suffered to elapse, without the prayers and the sacrifice, which they are obliged to offer for the prosperity of the state, and of individuals. The "exercise of their sacred functions requires an "immaculate purity, both of mind and body; " and even when they are dismissed from the temple to the occupations of common life, it "is incumbent on them to excel in decency and "virtue the rest of their fellow-citizens. The

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priest of the gods should never be seen "in theatres or taverns. His conversation "should be chaste, his diet temperate, his "friends of honourable reputation; and if he "sometimes visits the forum or the palace, he "should only appear as the advocate of those who "have vainly solicited either justice or mercy. "His studies should be suited to the sanctity of "his profession. Licentious tales, or come"dies, or satires, must be banished from his li

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brary; which ought solely to consist of histo"rical and philosophical writings; of history "which is founded in truth, and of philosophy "which is connected with religion. The impious opinions of the epicureans and sceptics "deserve his abhorrence and contempt; but " he should diligently study the systems of Py

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P The exultation of Julian, (p. 301), that these impious sects, and even their writings, are extinguished, may be consistent enough with the sacerdotal character; but it is unworthy of a philosopher to wish that any opinions and arguments the most repugnaut to his own, should be concealed from the knowledge of mankind.

CHAP.
XXIII.

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thagoras, of Plato, and of the stoics, which unanimously teach that there are gods; that "the world is governed by their providence; "that their goodness is the source of every temporal blessing; and that they have pre"pared for the human soul a future state of re"ward or punishment." The imperial pontiff inculcates, in the most persuasive language, the duties of benevolence and hospitality; exhorts his inferior clergy to recommend the universal practice of those virtues; promises to assist their indigence from the public treasury; and declares his resolution of establishing hospitals in every city, where the poor should be received without any invidious distinction of country or of religion. Julian beheld with envy the wise and humane regulations of the church; and he very frankly confesses his intention to deprive the Christians of the applause, as well as advantage, which they had acquired by the exclusive practice of charity and beneficence. The same spirit of imitation might dispose the emperor to adopt several ecclesiastical institutions, the use and importance of which were approved by the success of his enemies. But if these imaginary plans of reformation had been realized, the forced and imperfect copy would have been less beneficial to paganism, than honourable to Chris

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9 Yet he insinuates, that the Christians, under the pretence of charity, inveigled children from their religion and parents, conveyed them on shipboard, and devoted those victims to a life of poverty or servitude in a remote country, (p. 305). Had the charge been proved, it was his duty, not to complain, but to punish.

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tianity. The gentiles, who peaceably followed chap. the customs of their ancestors, were rather surprised than pleased with the introduction of for reign manners; and, in the short period of his reign, Julian had frequent occasions to complain of the want of fervour of his own party.

The philo

The enthusiasm of Julian prompted him to. embrace the friends of Jupiter as his personal sophers. friends and brethren; and though he partially, overlooked the merit of Christian constancy, he admired and rewarded the noble perseverance of those gentiles who had preferred the favour of the gods to that of the emperor. If they cul, tivated the literature, as well as the religion, of the Greeks, they acquired an additional claim to the friendship of Julian, who ranked the Mu ses in the number of his tutelar deities. In the religion which he had adopted, piety and learning were almost synonymous ;" and a crowd of

'Gregory Nazianzen is facetious, ingenious, and argumentative, (Orat. iii, p. 101, 102, &c.), He ridicules the folly of such vain imitation; and amuses himself with inquiring, what lessons, moral or theo logical, could be extracted from the Grecian fables.

* He accuses one of his pontiffs of a secret confederacy with the Christian bishops and presbyters, (Epist. Ixii.) Opwr uv wokkur jev ολιγωρίαν ουσων ημιν προς τους θεους; and again, ημας δε ουτω ραθυμως, στο Epist. Ixiii.

t He praises the fidelity of Callixene, priestess of Ceres, who had been twice as constant as Penelope, and rewards her with the priesthood of the Phrygian goddess at Pessinus, (Julian. Epist. xxi), He applauds the firmness of Sopater of Hierapolis, who had been repeatedly pressed by Constantius and Gallus to apostatize, (Epist: xxvi, p. 401).

* Ο δε νομίζων αδελφα, λόγους τε και θεων ιερα. Orat. Parent. c. 77, με 302. The same sentiment is frequently inculcated by Julian, Liba. nius, and the rest of their party.

XXIII.

CHAP. poets, of rhetoricians, and of philosophers, hastened to the imperial court, to occupy the vacant places of the bishops, who had seduced the credulity of Constantius. His successor esteemed the ties of common initiation as far more sacred than those of consanguinity; he choose his favourites among the sages, who were deeply skilled in the occult sciences of magic and divination; and every impostor, who pretended to reveal the secrets of futurity, was assured of enjoying the present hour in honour and affluence. Among the philosophers, Maximus obtained the most eminent rank in the friendship of his royal disciple, who communicated, with unreserved confidence, his actions, his sentiments, and his religious designs, during the anxious suspense of the civil war. As soon as Julian had taken possession of the palace of Constantinople, he despatched an honourable and pressing invitation to Maximus, who then resided at Sardes in Lydia, with Chrysanthius, the associate of his art and studies. The prudent and superstitious Chrysanthius refused to undertake a journey which shewed itself, according to the rules of divination, with the most threatening and malignant aspect: but his companion, whose fanaticism was of a bolder cast, persisted in his interrogations, till he had extorted from the gods a seeming consent to his own

* The curiosity and credulity of the emperor, who tried every mode of divination, are fairly exposed by Ammianus, xxii, 12.

› Julian. epist. xxxviii. Three other epistles, (xv, xvi, xxxix), in the same style of friendship and confidence, are addressed to the philoso pher Maximus

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