Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 2.djvu/431

 OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 413 The conquest of Italy produced a general edict of CHAP, toleration ; and as soon as the defeat of Licinius had '___ invested Constantine with the sole dominion of the .d. 324. Roman world, he immediately, by circular letters, ex- horted all his subjects to imitate, without delay, the example of their sovereign, and to embrace the divine truth of Christianity ^ The assurance that the elevation of Constantine was Loyalty and intimately connected with the desicrns of Providence, ^^^'°/^''^ ^ _ °_ ' christian instilled into the minds of the christians two opinions, party. which, by very different means, assisted the accom- plishment of the prophecy. Their warm and active loyalty exhausted in his favour every resource of hu- man industry ; and they confidently expected that their strenuous efforts would be seconded by some divine and miraculous aid. The enemies of Constantine have im- puted to interested motives the alliance which he in- sensibly contracted with the catholic church, and which apparently contributed to the success of his ambition. In the beginning of the fourth century, the christians still bore a very inadequate proportion to the inhabit- ants of the empire ; but among a degenerate people, who viewed the change of masters with the indifference of slaves, the spirit and union of a religious party might assist the popular leader to whose service, from a principle of conscience, they had devoted their lives and fortunes ^ The example of his father had in- structed Constantine to esteem and to reward the merit of the christians ; and in the distribution of public offices, he had the advantage of strengthening his government by the choice of ministers or generals in whose fidelity he could repose a just and unreserved confidence. By the influence of these dignified mis- » Euseb. in Vit. Constant. 1. ii. c. 24—42. 43—60. a thirtieth, and the protestants of France only dijifteenth part of the respec- tive nations, to whom their spirit and power were a constant object of appre- hension. See the relations which Bentivoglio (who was then nuncio at Brussels, and afterwards cardinal) transmitted to the court of Rome; Relazione, torn. li. p. 211.241. Bentivoglio was curious, well informed, but somewhat partial.
 * > In the beginning of the last century, the papists of England were only