Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/73

 Rh The Deifying of his Father was no sooner over, but Antoninus was crouded with Addresses from the Heathen Priests, the Philosophers, and Governours of Provinces, desiring they might have the Liberty to revive the Persecution against the Christians, who had been sheltred from their Malice during the Reigns of Adrian and Antoninus Pius. The Emperour who was no less an Enemy to Rigour than either of these Princes, and being inclinable besides to govern by their Maxims, would by no means hearken to this unreasonable Request: And to protect the Christians from Violence in the remoter Provinces, he wrote to the Convention of Asia, then sitting at Ephesus, this admirable Letter secured us by Eusebius.

''I'm well satisfied that the Practices of the Christians are not conniv'd at by the Immortal Gods, and that they'l take care to punish those that refuse to worship them much deeper than you can. As for the Persecutions you raise against these People upon the score of Religion, it does but fortify them the more in their Perswasion, And since they believe they lose their Lives for their God, you may imagine they'l rather wish for Death, and reckon it an Advantage. And thus they get the better of you upon the Experiment, chusing rather to dye, than submit to your'' Rh