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CHAP.
XVI.

Idea of the

the empe

rors to

Chriftians.

22

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had departed from its communion "* and it was confeffed on all fides, that the moft fcandalous licentioufnefs of manners prevailed among great numbers of those who affected the name of Chriftians. A Pagan magiftrate, who poffeffed neither leifure nor abilities to difcern the almost imperceptible line which divides the orthodox faith from heretical pravity, might eafily have imagined that their mutual animofity had extorted the discovery of their common guilt. It was fortunate for the repose, or at leaft for the reputation, of the first Christians, that the magiftrates fometimes proceeded with more temper and moderation than is ufually confiftent with religious zeal, and that they reported, as the impartial refult of their judicial inquiry, that the fectaries, who had deferted the established worship, appeared to them fincere in their profeffions, and blameless in their manners; however they might incur, by their abfurd and exceffive fuperftition, the cenfure of the laws 23

Hiftory, which undertakes to record the tranfconduct of actions of the past, for the inftruction of future, ages, would ill deferve that honourable office, if wards the she condefcended to plead the cause of tyrants, or to justify the maxims of perfecution. It must, however, be acknowledged, that the conduct of the emperors who appeared the least favourable to the primitive church, is by no means fo criminal as that of modern fovereigns, who have employed the arm of violence and terror against the religious opinions of any part of their fubjects.

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From their reflections, or even from their own feelings, a Charles V. or a Louis XIV. might have acquired a juft knowledge of the rights of conscience, of the obligation of faith, and of the innocence of error. But the princes and magiftrates of ancient Rome were ftrangers to thofe principles which inspired and authorised the inflexible obftinacy of the Chriftians in the cause of truth, nor could they themselves difcover in their own breasts, any motive which would have prompted them to refuse a legal, and as it were a natural, fubmiffion to the facred inftitutions of their country. The fame reafon which contributes to alleviate the guilt, must have tended to abate the rigour, of their perfecutions. As they were actuated, not by the furious zeal of bigots, but by the temperate policy of legislators, contempt must often have relaxed, and humanity must frequently have fufpended the execution of thofe laws, which they enacted against the humble and obfcure followers of Chrift. From the general view of their character and motives we might naturally conclude: I. That a confiderable time elapfed before they confidered the new fectaries as an object deferving of the attention of government. II. That in the conviction of any of their fubjects who were accused of so very fingular a crime, they proceeded with caution and reluctance. III. That they were moderate in the ufe of punishments; and IV. That the afflicted church enjoyed many intervals of peace and tranquillity. Notwithstanding the careless indifference which the most copious and

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XVI.

XVI.

24

CHAP. the most minute of the Pagan writers have shewn to the affairs of the Chriftians it may ftill be in our power to confirm each of thefe probable fuppofitions, by the evidence of authentic facts.

They ne

glected the Christians

Jews.

1. By the difpenfation of Providence, a mysteri-` ous veil was caft over the infancy of the church, as a fect of which, till the faith of the Chriftians was matured, and their numbers were multiplied, ferved to protect them not only from the malice but even from the knowledge of the pagan world. The slow and gradual abolition of the Mofaic ceremonies afforded a fafe and innocent disguise to the more early profelytes of the Gospel. As they were far the greater part of the race of Abraham, they were diftinguished by the peculiar mark of circumcifion, offered up their devotions in the Temple of Jerufalem till its final destruction, and received both the Law and the Prophets as the genuine infpirations of the Deity. The Gentile converts, who by a fpiritual adoption had been affociated to the hope of Ifrael, were likewife confounded under the garb and appearance of Jews", and as the Polytheists paid lefs regard to articles of faith than to the external worship, the new fect, which carefully concealed, or faintly announced, its future greatnefs and ambition, was permitted to shelter itself under the general toleration which was granted to an ancient and celebrated people in the Roman empire. It was not long, perhaps, before the Jews themfelves, animated with a fiercer zeal and a more jealous faith, perceived the gradual feparation of their

XVI.

Nazarene brethren from the doctrine of the fyna- CHAR gogue; and they would gladly have extinguished the dangerous herefy in the blood of its adherents. But the decrees of heaven had already disarmed their malice; and though they might fometimes exert the licentious privilege of fedition, they no longer poffeffed the administration of criminal juf tice; nor did they find it easy to infufe into the calm breast of a Roman magistrate the rancour of their own zeal and prejudice. The provincial governors declared themselves ready to liften to any accufation that might affect the public fafety: but as foon as they were informed, that it was a question not of facts but of words, a dispute relating only to the interpretation of the Jewish laws and prophecies, they deemed it unworthy of the majesty of Rome feriously to difcufs the obfcure differences which might arife among a barbarous and fuperftitious people. The innocence of the first Chriftians was protected by ignorance and contempt; and the tribunal of the pagan magiftrate often proved their most affured refuge against the fury of the fynagogue ". If indeed we were disposed to adopt the traditions of a too credulous antiquity, we might relate the distant peregrinations, the wonderful atchievements, and the various deaths of the twelve apoftles: but a more accurate inquiry will induce us to doubt, whether any of those perfons who had been witneffes to the miracles of Chrift were permitted beyond the limits of Palestine, to feal with their blood the truth of their teftimony ". From the

XVI.

SHAP. ordinary term of human life, it may very naturally be prefumed that most of them were deceased before the difcontent of the Jews broke out into that furious war, which was terminated only by the ruin of Jerufalem. During a long period, from the death of Chrift to that memorable rebellion, we cannot discover any traces of Roman intolerance, unless they are to be found in the fudden, the tranfient, but the cruel perfecution, which was exercised by Nero against the Chriftians of the capital, thirty-five years after the former, and only two years before the latter of thofe great events. The character of the philosophic historian, to whom we are principally indebted for the knowledge of this fingular tranfaction, would alone be fufficient to recommend it to our most attentive confideration.

The fire of

Rome under the reign of

Nero.

28

In the tenth year of the reign of Nero, the capital of the empire was afflicted by a fire which raged beyond the memory or example of former ages The monuments of Grecian art, and of Roman virtue, the trophies of the Punic and Gallic wars, the most holy temples, and the most fplendid palaces, were involved in one common deftruction. Of the fourteen regions or quarters into which Rome was divided, four only fubfifted entire, three were levelled with the ground, and the remaining seven, which had experienced the fury of the flames, displayed a melancholy prospect of ruin and defolation. The vigilance of government appears not to have neglected any of the precautions which might alleviate the fenfe of fo

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