Images de page
PDF
ePub

same.

ians to cease throughout the empire; and even implored their prayers; like Pharaoh, in the terrors of the final plague, beseeching a blessing from Israel. This epoch too was signalized by a sudden and heavy demand on the wealth of Paganism; not, it is true, by Constantine, but by Maxentius; yet the effect, as a penalty on the persecutors, was the The independence of Constantine and the West had been established; Constantine and Licinius holding the greater part of Europe; Maximin and Maxentius, holding Asia, Africa, and Italy. Maxentius suddenly gave an example of confiscation on the largest scale. He covered the Roman provinces of Africa with informers, charged the rich and noble with conspiracy, and robbed them of their estates. "The wealth of Rome supplied an inexhaustible fund for his vain and prodigal expences; and it was under his reign that the method of exacting a free gift from the senators was first invented and as the sum was insensibly increased, the pretences of levying it were proportionably multiplied'.'

[ocr errors]

But the final blow was still to be given. The

1 Gibbon quotes the "Panegyrics," for the public opinion of this enormous extraction of the old spoils of Rome. "The riches which Rome had accumulated in a period of 1060 years, were lavished by the tyrant on his mercenary bands." It is pronounced a "civile latrocinium." Whatever the instruments were, the refunding was well due from the plunderers of the world.

Emperor Maxentius had soon begun to break the compact by which the government of Constantine was declared independent. He gathered the forces of his empire, and prepared to overwhelm him. Constantine attempted to negociate, but was rapidly forced to hostilities. The difficulty of the time was appalling; but he marched with an unabated spirit. In this march, which must decide his fate, he was, like Moses, led to victory by the "Celestial Sign." The pillar of light, which guided the Israelites through their dangers, was visible in front of the host of Constantine. The Sign of the

66

Angel Jehovah," which led the chosen people, had changed neither its nature nor its purposes, when it shone as the Sign of the Son of Man, at the head of the army of Christianity. In that Sign he conquered; and a single day of battle made. him master of the capital of the Pagan world. But another blow was to be struck. Licinius, a powerful and daring adversary, still divided the empire. Constantine, with the Labarum, the representative of the Divine standard, borne at the head of his troops; fought, and totally extinguished his immense army. The war was closed by the total defeat of the last host of Paganism on the heights of Chrysopolis', on the Asiatic side of the Hellespont;-on those waters which divide the East and West, and within sight of that

1 Now Scutari.

PP

spot where the first Christian city was raised; the first spot where Christianity, free and triumphant by the Divine guidance, set her foot upon firm ground.

The triumph was begun; but Canaan was not yet conquered; Paganism was still the religion of the empire. Constantine was empowered alone to establish the general frame and authority of the faith; he built his goodly city, but it was still in the wilderness; Constantinople was Christian: but the mighty strength of Rome was Pagan. The possession of the Christian Palestine was to be achieved only by a future conqueror. Theodosius was the Joshua who overthrew Paganism. The homage of their day united both conquerors in the name of "Great." And if it was ever earned by man, it was earned by the first champion of Christianity, and the final subverter of Paganism.

CHAPTER XLVII.

BABYLON.

THE unexpected length to which this volume has already extended, must preclude more than a glance at the vast and important period since the days of Constantine; leaving it for other occasions, to trace the full and exact affinity of the fortunes of the Israelites in the wilderness with those of the primitive Church; and of the Philistine wars with the long conflicts of civilization and barbarism, which followed the fall of the Western Empire. The only points which can now be touched, and scarcely more than touched, are the Captivity, the Restoration, and the reign of Alexander; severally holding the same positions, effecting the same purposes, and exhibiting the same circumstances, which characterise the Papal supremacy, the Reformation, and the reign of Napoleon, the close of the long career of Papal persecution.

The Emperor Justinian by his arms had recovered the patrimony of the Church from the

barbarians.

The West and East were reunited

under one sovereign. By his celebrated edict, (A. D. 533.) he had also placed the universal Church under one head. Having thus effected, in all external circumstances, the two-fold purpose for which David had fought and Solomon legislated, he concluded a long, active, and singularly mingled career. Beginning in obscurity, and rising into distinction by public services; perplexed with war, yet constantly advancing in the magnitude of his successes; still more perplexed with religious debate, yet constantly advancing to the general establishment of his religious objects; beginning with orthodoxy, sinking in his latter days into heresy; signalizing his early zeal by activity against Arianism, degrading his mature wisdom by homage to the Virgin and St. Michael; he died; at once leaving in his life the melancholy example of human weakness; and in his famous Code, the principles of a legislation which has been long extolled, as one of the most solid monuments of human wisdom. But if, like Solomon, he stained his sceptre by heresy, like him he left it to be broken by rebellion. At the death of Solomon, the Jewish nation still formed one sovereignty. But idols had been tolerated by his example; and they gradually became the objects of popular homage. Jeroboam revolted at the head of the ten tribes; and the sovereignty was divided for ever. His

« PrécédentContinuer »