198 XV. ceived the earlieft intelligence, of the prodigy. CHAP. Each of these philosophers, in a laborious work, has recorded all the great phenomena of Nature, earthquakes, meteors, comets, and eclipfes, which his indefatigable curiofity could collect "". Both the one and the other have omitted to mention the greatest phenomenon to which the mortal eye has been witnefs fince the creation of the globe. A diftinct chapter of Pliny 1 is defigned for eclipfes of an extraordinary nature and unusual duration; but he contents himself with defcribing the fingular defect of light which followed the murder of Cæfar, when, during the greatest part of a year, the orb of the fun appeared pale and without splendour. This season of obscurity, which cannot furely be compared with the præternatural darkness of the paffion, had been already celebrated by most of the poets and hiftorians of that memorable age 200 † 199 CHAP. XVI. Chriftian cuted by the Ro man em perors. CHAP. XVI. The Conduct of the Roman Government towards the IR F we feriously confider the purity of the Chrif tian religion, the fanctity of its moral precepts, ity perfe and the innocent as well as auftere lives of the greater number of those who during the first ages embraced the faith of the gospel, we should naturally suppose, that fo benevolent a doctrine would have been received with due reverence even by the unbelieving world; that the learned and the polite, however they might deride the miracles, would have efteemed the virtues of the new fect; and that the magistrates, instead of persecuting, would have protected an order of men who yielded the most paffive obedience to the laws, though they declined the active cares of war and government. If on the other hand we recollect the universal toleration of Polytheism, as it was invariably maintained by the faith of the people, the incredulity of philofophers, and the policy of the Roman fenate and emperors, we are at a lofs to difcover what new offence the Chriftians had committed, what new provocation could exafperate the mild indifference of antiquity, and what new motives could urge the Roman princes, who beheld without concern a thoufand forms of religion fubfifting in peace under their gentle fway, to inflict a fevere punishment on any part of their fubjects, who had chofen for themselves a fingular but an inoffenfive mode of faith and worship. The religious policy of the ancient world feems to have affumed a more ftern and intolerant character, to oppose the progrefs of Chriftianity. About fourfcore years after the death of Christ, his innocent difciples were punished with death by the fentence of a proconful of the most amiable and philofophic character, and according to the laws of an emperor, diftinguished by the wifdom and justice of his general administration. The apologies which were repeatedly addreffed to the fucceffors of Trajan are filled with the most pathetic complaints, that the Chriftians who obeyed the dictates, and folicited the liberty, of confcience, were alone, among all the fubjects of the Roman empire, excluded from the common benefits of their aufpicious government. The deaths of a few eminent martyrs have been recorded with care; and from the time that Chriftianity was invefted with the fupreme power, the governors of the church have been no lefs diligently employed in difplaying the cruelty, than in imitating the conduct, of their Pagan adverfaries. To feparate (if it be poffible) a few authentic as well as interefting facts from an undigefted mafs of fiction and error, and to relate, in a clear and rational manner, the causes, the extent, the duration, and the most important circumftances of the perfecutions to which the first Chriftians were expofed, is the defign of the prefent Chapter. CHAP. XVI. CHAP. XVI. Inquiry into their motives. The fectaries of a perfecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with refentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of mind calmly to inveftigate, or candidly to appreciate, the motives of their enemies, which often escape the impartial and difcerning view even of those who are placed at a fecure distance from the flames of perfecution. A reafon has been affigned for the conduct of the emperors towards the primitive Chriftians which > may appear the more fpecious and probable as it is drawn from the acknowledged genius of Polytheifm. It has already been obferved, that the religious concord of the world was principally fupported by the implicit affent and reverence which the nations of antiquity expreffed for their respective traditions and ceremonies. It might therefore be expected, that they would unite with indignation against any fect or people which should feparate itself from the communion of mankind, and claiming the exclufive poffeffion of divine knowledge, should difdain every form of worship, except its own, as impious and idolatrous. The rights of toleration were held by mutual indulgence: they were juftly forfeited by a refufal of the accustomed tribute. As the payment of this tribute was inflexibly refused by the Jews, and by them alone, the confideration of the treatment which they experienced from the Roman magiftrates, will ferve to explain how far these fpeculations are justified by facts, and will lead us to discover the true caufes of the perfecution of Christianity. CHAP XVI. Rebellious the Jews Without repeating what has been already mentioned, of the reverence of the Roman princes and governors for the temple of Jerufalem, we shall fpirit of only observe, that the destruction of the temple and city was accompanied and followed by every circumstance that could exafperate the minds of the conquerors, and authorize religious perfecution by the most specious arguments of political juftice and the public fafety. From the reign of Nero to that of Antoninus Pius, the Jews difcovered a fierce impatience of the dominion of Rome, which repeatedly broke out in the moft furious maffacres and infurrections. Humanity is shocked at the recital of the horrid cruelties which they committed in the cities of Egypt, of Cyprus, and of Cyrene, where they dwelt in treacherous friendship with the unfufpecting natives'; and we are tempted to applaud the fevere retaliation which was exercised by the arms of the legions against a race of fanatics, whofe dire and credulous fuperftition feemed to render them the implacable enemies not only of the Roman government, but of humankind. The enthufiafm of the Jews was fupported by the opinion, that it was unlawful for them to pay taxes to an idolatrous mafter; and by the flattering promife which they derived from their ancient oracles, that a conquering Meffiah would foon arife, deftined to break their fetters, and to inveft the favourites of heaven with the empire of the earth. It was by announcing himself as their long-expected deliverer, and by calling on |