Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/231

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 213 straints which had required the direct and solemn tes- CHAP, timony of an accuser, it became the duty as well as in- ' terest of the imperial officers to discover, to pursue, and to torment the most obnoxious among the faithful. Heavy penalties were denounced against all who should presume to save a proscribed sectary from the just in- dignation of the gods and of the emperors. Yet, not- withstanding the severity of this law, the virtuous courage of many of the pagans in concealing their friends or relations, affords an honourable proof that the rage of superstition had not extinguished in their minds the sentiments of nature and humanity*'. Diocletian had no sooner published his edicts against General the christians, than, as if he had been desirous of com- ' ^gg'^Jy^jl^^ mitting to other hands the work of persecution, he di- vested himself of the imperial purple. The character and situation of his colleaijues and successors some- times urged them to enforce, and sometimes inclined them to suspend, the execution of these rigorous laws; nor can we acquire a just and distinct idea of this im- portant period of ecclesiastical history, unless we se- parately consider the state of Christianity, in the dif- ferent parts of the empire, during the space of ten years, which elapsed between the first edicts of Dio- cletian, and the final peace of the church. The mild and humane temper of Constantius was in the averse to the oppression of any part of his subjects. TroviuTes The principal offices of his palace were exercised by under Con- ... wriii- 11' stantius and christians. He loved their persons, esteemed their Constan- fidelity, and entertained not any dislike to their reli- *'"^ > gious principles. But as long as Constantius remained in the subordinate station of Cassar, it was not in his power openly to reject the edicts of Diocletian, or to disobey the commands of Maximian. His authority contributed, however, to alleviate the sufferings which he pitied and abhorred. He consented with reluct- ance to the ruin of the churches ; but he ventured to protect the christians themselves from the fury of the ■= Athanasius, p. 833, ap. Tilleniont, Mem, Ecclesiast. torn. v. part i. p. 90.