Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/74

 xxii ''Orders. As to the Calamity of the late Earthquakes, I think it not amiss to put you in mind to compart your own behaviour with theirs under such Misfortunes as these. Now their Reliance upon their God rises always in Proportion to their Danger ; whereas your Courage presently sinks upon such an occasion : Indeed you seem to behave your selves ignorantly during the whole course of the Affliction ; for you not only neglect the rest of the Gods, and over-look that Immortal Being worship'd by the Christians, but banish and persecute those People to Death who serve and adore him. Several Governours of Provinces have formerly written about this Business to the late Emperour our Father of Divine Memory : The Answer they receiv'd was, that they should give that Perswasion no trouble, unless they found them practising against the State. Now I being willing to follow my Father's Measures, and being solicited by several Informations about this matter, my Instructions were to the same purpose. And therefore if any one for the future shall Prosecute a Christian meerly upon the Account of his Religion, the Christian shall be discharg'd, and the Prosecutor punish'd. This Letter was publish'd in the Temple when the Convenvention, or Common Council of Asia'' was sitting. Rh