Chap. 2.

and buried the dead. children."

Licinius.

187

"WISDOM is justified of HER

In the year 313, war broke out between Maximin and his rival Licinius. Each contended for the sovereignty of the whole East, but vietory decided in favour of Lieinius. It is said that before the last battle was fought, Licinius was impressed in a dream with the importance of supplicating Jehovah the God of the Christians. He accordingly gave orders to his men to join him in solemn prayer. Maximin also, like another Ahab, consulted the priests of his god, but Jupiter deceived him, while Jehovah declared in favour of Licinius. The result of this conflict was exceedingly favourable to the church; for Maximin finding himself duped by his pa gan oracle, resolved upon the toleration of Christianity. Persecuting ediets were countermanded, and others, as full and complete as those of Constantine, were substituted in their place. Thus Christianity was at length brought through the long and fearful struggle, and the followers of Jesus allowed to worship their Divine Master, and to propagate his gospel, none daring to make them afraid. But the Avenger of the blood of the saints had not yet done with the cruel Maximin. He had to undergo a punishment like his late master, in which he might read his own guilt. He was suddenly seized with a distemper which prevailed over his whole body, till his flesh was consumed from his bones, and his eyes started from their sockets; and being scorehed with a perpetual fever, he was constrained to acknowledge the greatness, and the glory of Christ and his kingdom. And thus he miserably gave up the ghost. It is supposed that the plague with which this wicked prince was afflicted, was the effect of his having eaten and drunken to excess, and of a quantity of poison

438

Constantine's Vision.

Cent. 4

which he took for the purpose of finishing his hate"Did any man ever harden himself

ful existence.

against God and prosper ?"

While these things were going on in the East, Divine Providence was bringing matters to the same issue in the West. Maxentius (son of Maximin) carried matters at Rome with a high and heavy hand. These measures so provoked the people, that they besought Constantine to come to their deliverance. Accordingly Constantine, in the year 311, set off on his expedition to Rome, with an army of nine thousand foot, and eight hundred horse. This expedition, in its consequences, was of great moment to Constantine-every thing dear to him depended on its success. Under such circumstances, doubtless the solicitude of his mind was great; and the early bias he had received in favour of Christianity, might very likely contribute to the reported event of his miraculous conversion. The historian of his time states that the emperor, in his advance with his army towards Rome, implored some sign from the great Majesty of heaven, which prayer was answered in the course of the day by the apperrance of A CROSS in the heavens, very bright, and elevated above the sun, with this inscription, “CONQUER BY THIS." This was seen by the army as well as by their leader. By Constantine it was hailed as an answer to prayer, and a token for good. This extraordinary event was followed by a vision at night, in which the emperor saw the appearance of the Saviour, with the same sign he had seen in the day, from whom he received direction to adopt the cross as his military ensign. Constantine readily obeyed, and the cross was eyer afterwards displayed in the army as the grand imperial standard. This supernatural appearance has been doubted by some, but be the fact as it may, this expedi

Chap. 3.

Church Established.

139

tion was attended with great advantages; Maxentius was completely defeated and driven from the city.

During these vicissitudes in the state, the church exhibits nothing peculiarly great. Among the common people there were doubtless many truly devoted in the spirit of their mind, and among them, many that loved the Divine Saviour above life itself: but among the bishops and pastors, nothing like what we saw in the past century. Indeed the principal events in the internal department of the church, are rather more to its disgrace than to its honour. But this detail we reserve for the succeeding chapter.

CHAPTER III.

STATE OF CHRISTIANITY UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF CONSTANTINE.

Church established-Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of

Cæsarea.

CONSTANTIVE THE GREAT appears, from the best authority, to have been born in Britain. His education, as we have noticed, was favourable to the profession of Christianity. From the first of his appearance, his prejudices evidently leaned that way, though for a while he maintained a perfect equilibrium, in the absolute exercise of his power, towards all religions. In his department of empire, Christianity was tolerated, and so was paganism. And it is presumed had this prince persevered in such a line of conduct, the religion of Jesus had enjoyed every privilege desirable and im

140

Church Established.

Cent. 4.

portant. But upon the vietory obtained by him over Maxentius, and on his establishment in the sovereignty of all the West, Constantine declared more decidedly in favour of the Christian system. Whether any credit is to be given to the report of his miraculous conversion, or not, it is certain, about that time he saw it either his duty, or his interest, to espouse the cause of the faithful. There is one circumstance which does this emperor great credit-he was in his conduct towards the church uniform; he started a friend to Christianity, and whether others in authority favoured it or not, he made use of all his influence, at all times in its favour. The last war into which he entered with his partners and competitors in government, was occasioned by the intolerance and cruelty practised by Licinius, emperor of the East. Licinius for a while had united with Constantine in befriending the Christian cause, but from motives of jealousy, or of interest, he at length turned his hand against it, destroyed churches, murdered bishops, prohibited synods, prevented assemblies, expelled believers from his court, and dismissed from his army those who refused to sacrifice. This led to a quarrel with Constantine; and Licinius was willing to stake the truth of his cause upon the event. Whether the appeal were just or not, God took him at his word -he lost the battle and his empire too, and soon after his life. Thus Constantine succeeded to the whole Roman empire, which had not been in subjection to one individual prince for a series of years. This event tended in no small degree to extend the pale of the church, and to render the profession of the gospel safe and honourable.

Such being the acquisitions of Constantine, he had none to contend with in the exercise of his own will.

Chap. 3.

Eusebius of Cæsarea.

141

He therefore having espoused the Christian cause, proeeeded to establish it, to the exclusion of idolatry, and of the whole pagan ritual. The pagan temples were pulled down, or converted into Christian churches; the exercise of the old priesthood was proscribed, and the idols destroyed; large and elegant structures for Christian worship were raised, and those already erected enlarged and beautified; the episcopaey was increased, and honoured with great favours, and enriched with vast endowments; the ritual received many additions ; the habiliments of the clergy were pompous, and the whole of the Christian service at once exhibited a scene of worldly grandeur and external parade. What a mighty change! But a short time since, and Christianity was held in sovereign contempt; now she is a favourite at court, and the companion of princes. Alas! such is the change, that it scarcely affords a ground for triumph. The kingdom of our God and his Christ is become a kingdom of this world, and the church of Jesus reduced to a mere worldly sanctuary. The glory is departed; the gold is become dim, and the fine gold is changed.

In order more fully to ascertain the state of religion at this period, it will be necessary to make some inquiry into the character, and spirit which took the lead in spiritual affairs, during the revolution under Constantine. Upon examination, it appears that

EUSEBIUS BISHOP OF CESAREA

Was the principal instructor of the emperor. The character of Eusebius, in a moral point of view, stands high; but whether he possessed the true spirit of a primitive bishop, admits of a doubt. It is certain he was extremely fond of Origen, and largely defended the