[Footnote174:Eusebiusl。viii。c。17hasgivenusaGreekversion，andLactantiusdeM。P。c。34theLatinoriginal，ofthismemorableedict。NeitherofthesewritersseemstorecollecthowdirectlyitcontradictswhatevertheyhavejustaffirmedoftheremorseandrepentanceofGalerius。
Note:ButGibbonhasansweredthisbyhisjustobservation，thatitisnotinthelanguageofedictsandmanifestosthatweshouldsearch**forthesecremotivesofprinces。—M。]
WhenGaleriussubscribedthisedictoftoleration，hewaswellassuredthatLiciniuswouldreadilycomplywiththeinclinationsofhisfriendandbenefactor，andthatanymeasuresinfavoroftheChristianswouldobtaintheapprobationofConstantine。ButtheemperorwouldnotventuretoinsertinthepreamblethenameofMaximin，whoseconsentwasofthegreatestimportance，andwhosucceededafewdaysafterwardstotheprovincesofAsia。Inthefirstsixmonths，however，ofhisnewreign，Maximinaffectedtoadopttheprudentcounselsofhispredecessor；andthoughhenevercondescendedtosecurethetranquillityofthechurchbyapublicedict，Sabinus，hisPraetorianpraefect，addressedacircularlettertoallthegovernorsandmagistratesoftheprovinces，expatiatingontheImperialclemency，acknowledgingtheinvincibleobstinacyoftheChristians，anddirectingtheofficersofjusticetoceasetheirineffectualprosecutions，andtoconniveatthesecretassembliesofthoseenthusiasts。Inconsequenceoftheseorders，greatnumbersofChristianswerereleasedfromprison，ordeliveredfromthemines。Theconfessors，singinghymnsoftriumph，returnedintotheirowncountries；andthosewhohadyieldedtotheviolenceofthetempest，solicitedwithtearsofrepentancetheirreadmissionintothebosomofthechurch。^175
[Footnote175:Eusebius，l。ix。c。1。Heinsertstheepistleofthepraefect。]
Butthistreacherouscalmwasofshortduration；norcouldtheChristiansoftheEastplaceanyconfidenceinthecharacteroftheirsovereign。CrueltyandsuperstitionweretherulingpassionsofthesoulofMaximin。Theformersuggestedthemeans，thelatterpointedouttheobjectsofpersecution。Theemperorwasdevotedtotheworshipofthegods，tothestudyofmagic，andtothebeliefoforacles。Theprophetsorphilosophers，whomhereveredasthefavoritesofHeaven，werefrequentlyraisedtothegovernmentofprovinces，andadmittedintohismostsecretcouncils。TheyeasilyconvincedhimthattheChristianshadbeenindebtedfortheirvictoriestotheirregulardiscipline，andthattheweaknessofpolytheismhadprincipallyflowedfromawantofunionandsubordinationamongtheministersofreligion。
Asystemofgovernmentwasthereforeinstituted，whichwasevidentlycopiedfromthepolicyofthechurch。Inallthegreatcitiesoftheempire，thetempleswererepairedandbeautifiedbytheorderofMaximin，andtheofficiatingpriestsofthevariousdeitiesweresubjectedtotheauthorityofasuperiorpontiffdestinedtoopposethebishop，andtopromotethecauseofpaganism。Thesepontiffsacknowledged，intheirturn，thesupremejurisdictionofthemetropolitansorhighpriestsoftheprovince，whoactedastheimmediatevicegerentsoftheemperorhimself。Awhiterobewastheensignoftheirdignity；andthesenewprelateswerecarefullyselectedfromthemostnobleandopulentfamilies。Bytheinfluenceofthemagistrates，andofthesacerdotalorder，agreatnumberofdutifuladdresseswereobtained，particularlyfromthecitiesofNicomedia，Antioch，andTyre，whichartfullyrepresentedthewell—knownintentionsofthecourtasthegeneralsenseofthepeople；solicitedtheemperortoconsultthelawsofjusticeratherthanthedictatesofhisclemency；expressedtheirabhorrenceoftheChristians，andhumblyprayedthatthoseimpioussectariesmightatleastbeexcludedfromthelimitsoftheirrespectiveterritories。TheanswerofMaximintotheaddresswhichheobtainedfromthecitizensofTyreisstillextant。Hepraisestheirzealanddevotionintermsofthehighestsatisfaction，descantsontheobstinateimpietyoftheChristians，andbetrays，bythereadinesswithwhichheconsentstotheirbanishment，thatheconsideredhimselfasreceiving，ratherthanasconferring，anobligation。Thepriestsaswellasthemagistrateswereempoweredtoenforcetheexecutionofhisedicts，whichwereengravedontablesofbrass；andthoughitwasrecommendedtothemtoavoidtheeffusionofblood，themostcruelandignominiouspunishmentswereinflictedontherefractoryChristians。^176
[Footnote176:SeeEusebius，l。viii。c。14，l。ix。c。2—8。
LactantiusdeM。P。c。36。ThesewritersagreeinrepresentingtheartsofMaximin；buttheformerrelatestheexecutionofseveralmartyrs，whilethelatterexpresslyaffirms，occidiservosDeivetuit。
Note:Itiseasytoreconcilethem；itissufficienttoquotetheentiretextofLactantius:Namcumclementiamspecietenusprofiteretur，occidiservosDeivetuit，debilitarijussit。
Itaqueconfessoribuseffodiebanturoculi，amputabanturmanus，naresvelauriculaedesecabantur。HaecillemoliensConstantinilitterisdeterretur。Dissimulavitergo，ettamen，siquisinciderit。marioccultemergebatur。ThisdetailoftormentsinflictedontheChristianseasilyreconcilesLactantiusandEusebius。Thosewhodiedinconsequenceoftheirtortures，thosewhowereplungedintothesea，mightwellpassformartyrs。ThemutilationofthewordsofLactantiushasalonegivenrisetotheapparentcontradiction。—G。
Eusebius。ch。vi。，relatesthepublicmartyrdomoftheagedbishopofEmesa，withtwoothers，whowerethrowntothewildbeasts，thebeheadingofPeter，bishopofAlexandria，withseveralothers，andthedeathofLucian，presbyterofAntioch，whowascarriedtoNumidia，andputtodeathinprison。Thecontradictionisdirectandundeniable，foralthoughEusebiusmayhavemisplacedtheformermartyrdoms，itmaybedoubtedwhethertheauthorityofMaximinextendedtoNicomediatillafterthedeathofGalerius。ThelastedictoftolerationissuedbyMaximinandpublishedbyEusebiushimself，Eccl。Hist。ix。9。
confirmsthestatementofLactantius。—M。]
TheAsiaticChristianshadeverythingtodreadfromtheseverityofabigotedmonarchwhopreparedhismeasuresofviolencewithsuchdeliberatepolicy。ButafewmonthshadscarcelyelapsedbeforetheedictspublishedbythetwoWesternemperorsobligedMaximintosuspendtheprosecutionofhisdesigns:thecivilwarwhichhesorashlyundertookagainstLiciniusemployedallhisattention；andthedefeatanddeathofMaximinsoondeliveredthechurchfromthelastandmostimplacableofherenemies。^177
[Footnote177:Afewdaysbeforehisdeath，hepublishedaveryampleedictoftoleration，inwhichheimputesalltheseveritieswhichtheChristianssufferedtothejudgesandgovernors，whohadmisunderstoodhisintentions。SeetheedictofEusebius，l。
ix。c。10。]
Inthisgeneralviewofthepersecution，whichwasfirstauthorizedbytheedictsofDiocletian，IhavepurposelyrefrainedfromdescribingtheparticularsufferingsanddeathsoftheChristianmartyrs。Itwouldhavebeenaneasytask，fromthehistoryofEusebius，fromthedeclamationsofLactantius，andfromthemostancientacts，tocollectalongseriesofhorridanddisgustfulpictures，andtofillmanypageswithracksandscourges，withironhooksandred—hotbeds，andwithallthevarietyoftortureswhichfireandsteel，savagebeasts，andmoresavageexecutioners，couldinflictuponthehumanbody。Thesemelancholyscenesmightbeenlivenedbyacrowdofvisionsandmiraclesdestinedeithertodelaythedeath，tocelebratethetriumph，ortodiscovertherelicsofthosecanonizedsaintswhosufferedforthenameofChrist。ButIcannotdeterminewhatI
oughttotranscribe，tillIamsatisfiedhowmuchIoughttobelieve。Thegravestoftheecclesiasticalhistorians，Eusebiushimself，indirectlyconfesses，thathehasrelatedwhatevermightredoundtotheglory，andthathehassuppressedallthatcouldtendtothedisgrace，ofreligion。^178Suchanacknowledgmentwillnaturallyexciteasuspicionthatawriterwhohassoopenlyviolatedoneofthefundamentallawsofhistory，hasnotpaidaverystrictregardtotheobservanceoftheother；andthesuspicionwillderiveadditionalcreditfromthecharacterofEusebius，whichwaslesstincturedwithcredulity，andmorepractisedintheartsofcourts，thanthatofalmostanyofhiscontemporaries。Onsomeparticularoccasions，whenthemagistrateswereexasperatedbysomepersonalmotivesofinterestorresentment，therulesofprudence，andperhapsofdecency，tooverturnthealtars，topouroutimprecationsagainsttheemperors，ortostrikethejudgeashesatonhistribunal，itmaybepresumed，thateverymodeoftorturewhichcrueltycouldinvent，orconstancycouldendure，wasexhaustedonthosedevotedvictims。^179Twocircumstances，however，havebeenunwarilymentioned，whichinsinuatethatthegeneraltreatmentoftheChristians，whohadbeenapprehendedbytheofficersofjustice，waslessintolerablethanitisusuallyimaginedtohavebeen。
1。Theconfessorswhowerecondemnedtoworkinthemineswerepermittedbythehumanityorthenegligenceoftheirkeeperstobuildchapels，andfreelytoprofesstheirreligioninthemidstofthosedrearyhabitations。^1802。ThebishopswereobligedtocheckandtocensuretheforwardzealoftheChristians，whovoluntarilythrewthemselvesintothehandsofthemagistrates。
Someofthesewerepersonsoppressedbypovertyanddebts，whoblindlysoughttoterminateamiserableexistencebyagloriousdeath。Otherswerealluredbythehopethatashortconfinementwouldexpiatethesinsofawholelife；andothersagainwereactuatedbythelesshonorablemotiveofderivingaplentifulsubsistence，andperhapsaconsiderableprofit，fromthealmswhichthecharityofthefaithfulbestowedontheprisoners。^181
Afterthechurchhadtriumphedoverallherenemies，theinterestaswellasvanityofthecaptivespromptedthemtomagnifythemeritoftheirrespectivesufferings。Aconvenientdistanceoftimeorplacegaveanamplescopetotheprogressoffiction；andthefrequentinstanceswhichmightbeallegedofholymartyrs，whosewoundshadbeeninstantlyhealed，whosestrengthhadbeenrenewed，andwhoselostmembershadmiraculouslybeenrestored，wereextremelyconvenientforthepurposeofremovingeverydifficulty，andofsilencingeveryobjection。Themostextravagantlegends，astheyconducedtothehonorofthechurch，wereapplaudedbythecredulousmultitude，countenancedbythepoweroftheclergy，andattestedbythesuspiciousevidenceofecclesiasticalhistory。
[Footnote178:SuchisthefairdeductionfromtworemarkablepassagesinEusebius，l。viii。c。2，anddeMartyr。Palestin。c。
12。Theprudenceofthehistorianhasexposedhisowncharactertocensureandsuspicion。Itwaswellknownthathehimselfhadbeenthrownintoprison；anditwassuggestedthathehadpurchasedhisdeliverancebysomedishonorablecompliance。Thereproachwasurgedinhislifetime，andeveninhispresence，atthecouncilofTyre。SeeTillemont，MemoiresEcclesiastiques，tom。viii。parti。p。67。]
[Footnote*:Historicalcriticismdoesnotconsistinrejectingindiscriminatelyallthefactswhichdonotagreewithaparticularsystem，asGibbondoesinthischapter，inwhich，exceptatthelastextremity，hewillnotconsenttobelieveamartyrdom。Authoritiesaretobeweighed，notexcludedfromexamination。Now，thePaganhistoriansjustifyinmanyplacesthedetailwhichhavebeentransmittedtousbythehistoriansofthechurch，concerningthetorturesenduredbytheChristians。
CelsusreproachestheChristianswithholdingtheirassembliesinsecret，onaccountofthefearinspiredbytheirsufferings，\"forwhenyouarearrested，\"hesays，\"youaredraggedtopunishment:
and，beforeyouareputtodeath，youhavetosufferallkindsoftortures。\"Origencont。Cels。l。i。ii。vi。viii。passing。
Libanius，thepanegyristofJulian，says，whilespeakingoftheChristians。
Thosewhofollowedacorruptreligionwereincontinualapprehensions；theyfearedlestJulianshouldinventtorturesstillmorerefinedthanthosetowhichtheyhadbeenexposedbefore，asmutilation，burningalive，&c。；fortheemperorshadinflicteduponthemallthesebarbarities。\"Lib。ParentinJulian。ap。Fab。Bib。Graec。No。9，No。58，p。283—G。]
[Footnote*:ThissentenceofGibbonhasgivenrisetoseverallearneddissertation:Moller，deFideEusebiiCaesar，&c。，Havniae，1813。Danzius，deEusebioCaes。Hist。Eccl。Scriptore，ejusquetidehistoricarecteaestimanda，&c。，Jenae，1815。
KestnerCommentatiodeEusebiiHist。Eccles。conditorisauctoritateetfide，&c。SeealsoReuterdahl，deFontibusHistoriaeEccles。Eusebianae，Lond。Goth。，1826。Gibbon\'sinferencemayappearstrongerthanthetextwillwarrant，yetitisdifficult，afterreadingthepassages，todismissallsuspicionofpartialityfromthemind。—M。]
[Footnote179:Theancient，andperhapsauthentic，accountofthesufferingsofTarachusandhiscompanions，ActaSinceraRuinart，p。419—448，isfilledwithstrongexpressionsofresentmentandcontempt，whichcouldnotfailofirritatingthemagistrate。
ThebehaviorofAedesiustoHierocles，praefectofEgypt，wasstillmoreextraordinary。Euseb。deMartyr。Palestin。c。5。
Note:M。Guizotstates，thattheactsofTarachusandhiscompanioncontainnothingthatappearsdictatedbyviolentfeelings，sentimentoutre。NothingcanbemorepainfulthantheconstantattemptofGibbonthroughoutthisdiscussion，tofindsomeflawinthevirtueandheroismofthemartyrs，someextenuationforthecrueltyofthepersecutors。Buttruthmustnotbesacrificedeventowell—groundedmoralindignation。
Thoughthelanguageofthesemartyrsisingreatpartthatofcalmdefiance，ofnoblefirmness，yettherearemanyexpressionswhichbetray\"resentmentandcontempt。\"\"ChildrenofSatan，worshippersofDevils，\"istheircommonappellationoftheheathen。Oneofthemcallsthejudgeanother，onecurses，anddeclaresthathewillcursetheEmperors，aspestilentialandbloodthirstytyrants，whomGodwillsoonvisitinhiswrath。Ontheotherhand，thoughatfirsttheyspeakthemilderlanguageofpersuasion，thecoldbarbarityofthejudgesandofficersmightsurelyhavecalledforthonesentenceofabhorrencefromGibbon。
Onthefirstunsatisfactoryanswer，\"Breakhisjaw，\"istheorderofthejudge。Theydirectandwitnessthemostexcruciatingtortures；thepeople，asM。Guizotobservers，weresomuchrevoltedbythecrueltyofMaximusthatwhenthemartyrsappearedintheamphitheatre，fearseizedonallhearts，andgeneralmurmursagainsttheunjustjudgerankthroughtheassembly。Itissingular，atleast，thatGibbonshouldhavequoted\"asprobablyauthentic，\"actssomuchembellishedwithmiracleastheseofTarachusare，particularlytowardstheend。—M。
Note:Scarcelyweretheauthoritiesinformedofthis，thanthepresidentoftheprovince，aman，saysEusebius，harshandcruel，banishedtheconfessors，sometoCyprus，otherstodifferentpartsofPalestine，andorderedthemtobetormentedbybeingsettothemostpainfullabors。Fourofthem，whomherequiredtoabjuretheirfaithandrefused，wereburntalive。
Euseb。deMart。Palest。c。xiii。—G。Twoofthesewerebishops；
afifth，Silvanus，bishopofGaza，wasthelastmartyr；another，namedJohnwasblinded，butusedtoofficiate，andrecitefrommemorylongpassagesofthesacredwritings—M。]
[Footnote180:Euseb。deMartyr。Palestin。c。13。]
[Footnote181:Augustin。Collat。Carthagin。Dei，iii。c。13，ap。
Tillanant，MemoiresEcclesiastiques，tom。v。parti。p。46。ThecontroversywiththeDonatists，hasreflectedsome，thoughperhapsapartial，lightonthehistoryoftheAfricanchurch。]
ChapterXVI:ConductTowardsTheChristians，FromNeroToConstantine。
PartVIII。
Thevaguedescriptionsofexileandimprisonment，ofpainandtorture，aresoeasilyexaggeratedorsoftenedbythepencilofanartfulorator，thatwearenaturallyinducedtoinquireintoafactofamoredistinctandstubbornkind；thenumberofpersonswhosuffereddeathinconsequenceoftheedictspublishedbyDiocletian，hisassociates，andhissuccessors。Therecentlegendariesrecordwholearmiesandcities，whichwereatoncesweptawaybytheundistinguishingrageofpersecution。Themoreancientwriterscontentthemselveswithpouringoutaliberaleffusionoflooseandtragicalinvectives，withoutcondescendingtoascertaintheprecisenumberofthosepersonswhowerepermittedtosealwiththeirbloodtheirbeliefofthegospel。
FromthehistoryofEusebius，itmay，however，becollected，thatonlyninebishopswerepunishedwithdeath；andweareassured，byhisparticularenumerationofthemartyrsofPalestine，thatnomorethanninety—twoChristianswereentitledtothathonorableappellation。^182^!Asweareunacquaintedwiththedegreeofepiscopalzealandcouragewhichprevailedatthattime，itisnotinourpowertodrawanyusefulinferencesfromtheformerofthesefacts:butthelattermayservetojustifyaveryimportantandprobableconclusion。AccordingtothedistributionofRomanprovinces，PalestinemaybeconsideredasthesixteenthpartoftheEasternempire:^183andsincethereweresomegovernors，whofromarealoraffectedclemencyhadpreservedtheirhandsunstainedwiththebloodofthefaithful，^184itisreasonabletobelieve，thatthecountrywhichhadgivenbirthtoChristianity，producedatleastthesixteenthpartofthemartyrswhosuffereddeathwithinthedominionsofGaleriusandMaximin；thewholemightconsequentlyamounttoaboutfifteenhundred，anumberwhich，ifitisequallydividedbetweenthetenyearsofthepersecution，willallowanannualconsumptionofonehundredandfiftymartyrs。AllottingthesameproportiontotheprovincesofItaly，Africa，andperhapsSpain，where，attheendoftwoorthreeyears，therigorofthepenallawswaseithersuspendedorabolished，themultitudeofChristiansintheRomanempire，onwhomacapitalpunishmentwasinflictedbyajudicia，sentence，willbereducedtosomewhatlessthantwothousandpersons。SinceitcannotbedoubtedthattheChristiansweremorenumerous，andtheirenemiesmoreexasperated，inthetimeofDiocletian，thantheyhadeverbeeninanyformerpersecution，thisprobableandmoderatecomputationmayteachustoestimatethenumberofprimitivesaintsandmartyrswhosacrificedtheirlivesfortheimportantpurposeofintroducingChristianityintotheworld。
[Footnote*:Perhapsthereneverwasaninstanceofanauthorcommittingsodeliberatelythefaultwhichhereprobatessostronglyinothers。WhatisthedexterousmanagementofthemoreinartificialhistoriansofChristianity，inexaggeratingthenumbersofthemartyrs，comparedtotheunfairaddresswithwhichGibbonherequietlydismissesfromtheaccountallthehorribleandexcruciatingtortureswhichfellshortofdeath?Thereadermayrefertothexiithchapterbookviii。ofEusebiusforthedescriptionandforthescenesofthesetortures。—M。]