. to pay his homage to the temple of Apollo at Daphne, in the neighbourhood of Antioch, but there were neither people nor sacrifices; the priest had only a small victim of his own preparing. Of this Julian complains grievously, that so large a city had not provided some bulls for a sacrifice on that solemnity: You" ought,' says he, to have sacrificed both privately and publicly. But you let your wives carry away every thing to the Galileans; and they maintain the poor with your goods, and so bring their impiety into esteem.' It is hence apparent, that christianity was now the prevailing religion at Antioch. V 18. I am disposed to conclude my accounts and extracts of Julian's Orations and Epistles, with a translation of his epistle to the people of Bostra, the chief city in Arabia, of whom some notice was taken long ago: and before I do that, I am led to recite an article of Sozomen, representing the state of things in the time of that emperor. Sozomen, though sometimes rather too credulous of miracles, was a lawyer, and a man of good understanding and great moderation and therefore his testimony must deserve a good deal of regard, he being less partial than some others. He was born in Palestine, and wrote his Ecclesiastical History at Constantinople about the year 440. : This emperor," says Sozomen, hearing that Athana'sius held assemblies in the church of the Alexandrians, and that he boldly taught the people, and brought over many Greeks [or gentiles] to christianity, ordered him to leave Alexandria: threatening him with a severe penalty if he did not go away: pretending this as a crime, that whereas he had been banished by former princes, he had without his authority again taken possession of the episcopal chair; forasmuch as he had not granted leave for the bishops, 'who had been banished by Constantius, to return to their churches, but only to their country. When in obedience to this order of the emperor he left Alexandria, and the 'people were in tears, he said: "It is only a small cloud, which will soon pass away."--And,' says Sozomen, though the emperor was determined by all means to restore Hellenism, he judged it imprudent to compel men by 'punishments to sacrifice against their will; for he knew 'that compulsion was of no avail in things which depended upon men's free choice. Nevertheless, he would not per u τη Πρεπειν δ' οιμαι, τῇ πόλει θυειν ιδια και δημοσια, νυνι δε ύμων έκασος επιτρέπει μεν τῇ γυναικι παντα εκφέρειν ενδοθεν εις τους Γαλιλαίους, κ. λ. p. 363 A. Vol. iii. p. 272. Soz. 1. v. cap. 15 W 'mit them to meet together, and offer the usual prayers. Therefore he took care to banish the clergy and presidents out of cities, intending by their absence to abolish the assemblies of the people, when there were none to teach them, nor perform the accustomed rites, that in length of time the memory of their worship should be lost. His pretence for doing so was, that the clergy excited the people to sedition. Under this pretence he banished Eleusius and his friends from Cyzicum, though there was no sedition there, nor any reason to apprehend it: and he required, that the people of Bostra should, by a public decree, send away from their city Titus bishop of their church: for, when he had threatened, that if any disturbance happened there, he should impute it to the bishop and his clergy, Titus thereupon sent a letter to the emperor, assuring him, that the christians of Bostra were equal in number to the Greeks, [or gentiles,] and that they were quiet, and that paying a regard to his admonitions, they had no thought of making any disturbance. From those words Julian 'took occasion to write a letter to the people of Bostra, in order to incense them against Titus, as having accused them, saying: It was not owing to their own good temper, but to his exhortations, that they were kept from sedition. Thus exciting the people to expel him out of their city as a public enemy. And it is likely, that there were many such things, partly owing to the command of the emperor, and partly to the violence and petulance of the people. But the whole fault of all is to be ascribed to the emperor himself, who neglected to punish, according to the laws, 'those who out of hatred to our religion transgressed in these respects; seemingly reproving them in words, but by his 'actions really exciting them to such irregularities. Thereforex though he did not openly persecute, yet the christians were banished from cities and villages: of this, as many others of my ancestors, so particularly my grand'father was an instance. His father was a gentile; but he and the whole family were converted to christianity by Hilarion; and they were the first christians at Bethelia, a 'populous village near Gaza.' So writes Sozomen, with great discretion and judgment, as seems to me. I now proceed to the letter or edict mentioned. I imagined, that the presidents of the Galileans would * Όθεν και μη διώκοντος αυτό, κατα πόλεις και κωμας εφευγον οἱ χρισιανοι ταυτης δε της φυγης μετεσχον πολλοι των εμων προγόνων, και ὁ εμος παππας, *. λ. p. 617. A. › Ep. 52. p. 435, &c. VOL. VII. 20 : acknowledge themselves to be under greater obligations to me than to my predecessor: for in his reign many of them were banished, persecuted, imprisoned and many of those who are called heretics were put to death, particularly at Samosata, and Cyzicum in Paphlagonia, in Bithynia, in Galatia, and other places, where many villages were plundered and utterly ruined. In my time it has been quite otherwise for they who had been banished are permitted to return home; and all their goods that had been confiscated have been restored by a law of mine. Nevertheless, because they have now no longer power to tyrannize over any, nor to practise their usual violences upon one another, nor upon us the pious worshippers of the gods, they are become furious, and try every method to raise seditions and disturbances among the people. In which they show themselves void of fear toward the gods, and of respect to our edicts, though full of moderation and humanity: for we suffer not any of them to be dragged to the altars against their own choice. And we openly declare, that if any are desirous to partake in our worship, they must first of all offer sacrifices of expiation, and so reconcile themselves to the gods: so far are we from desiring, that any of the impious should communicate with us, till they have purified their souls by prayers to the gods, and their bodies by the appointed expiations. It is plain therefore, that the clergy mislead the people for no other reason, but because they are not suffered to lord it over others. For they who have been hitherto accustomed to tyrannize over others, are not satisfied that they have obtained forgiveness of past crimes; they would still, as formerly, act as judges, make testaments, and appropriate estates to their own use, and bring every thing to themselves: for this reason they blow up the fire of sedition among the people. Wherefore we by this edict declare, and make known to all people, that they join not the clergy in seditions, nor be persuaded by them to throw stones, nor to disobey the magistrates, but to be contented with saying their prayers among themselves in their own assemblies. This edict is particularly addressed to the city of the Bostrenes; because their bishop Titus, and his clergy, in a petition sent to me, have accused their people as ready to raise disturbances if not restrained by their admonitions. I insert here their own words: "Though the christians a equal in number to the gentiles, they are so restrained by our admonitions, that they are not at all inclined to make any disturbances." These are your bishop's words concerning you see, how he says, your good order proceeds not from are your own mind; and that you have been unwillingly restrained by his admonitions. Therefore do you willingly, and of your own accord, expel him out of your city as your accuser. Do you live in concord with each other: let no one be an enemy, or injurious to another. Let not them who are in error disturb those who rightly and justly worship the gods, according to the tradition handed down to us from ancient time. Nor let the servants of the gods disturb or pillage the houses of those, who err more through ignorance than choice. Men ought to be persuaded and taught by reason, not by blows, reproaches, and corporal punishments: I therefore again and again, and often exhort those who embrace the true religion, not to abuse nor insult the Galileans. We ought to pity rather than to hate men, who suffer the greatest calamity for indeed true religion is the greatest good, and, on the contrary, impiety is the greatest of evils: which calamity they bring upon themselves, who forsaking the immortal gods, betake themselves to dead men and their relics. With those who are sick we sympathize: and we rejoice with them who obtain deliverance from the gods. Given at Antioch the first day of August.' That is, in the year of Christ 362. : From this edict, as well as from other things, it appears, that Julian was very fond of Hellenism, or heathenism: and Sozomen's observations above mentioned appear to be very pertinent. Julian was very ready to lay hold of every pretence, and to improve every occasion, to rid himself of the presidents of christian churches, especially such as had an influence with the people. Here we see three instances of this, in Athanasius of Alexandria, Eleusius of Cyzicum, and Titus of Bostra; all of them meu of great distinction. Julian here makes repeated professions of moderation and equity toward the christians; but the letter bears witness against him. Titus was one of the most learned men of the age: his people were peaceable, and he had exhorted them to be so: and yet Julian commands his people to expel him out of their city; under a pretence, that his exhortations to a peaceable behaviour implied an accusation of an unpeaceable temper. I add no more. The extracts now made are sufficient to cast some light upon the circumstances and state of things in the time of Julian; and to show the real temper of that emperor, and that he was intent upon extirpating christianity, and with the greatest despatch. He was a man of great ingenuity, sobriety of manners, and good natured in himself: but his zeal for the religion which he had embraced was excessive, and degenerated into bigotry and superstition: insomuch, that with all his pretensions to right reason, and all his professions of humanity, moderation, tenderness, and equity, he has not escaped the just imputation of being a persecutor. I cannot but think, that a review of the history of this person, of shining abilities and high station, may lead us to some serious reflections; particularly it holds out to us this humbling and useful admonition: "Let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall," 1 Cor. x. 12. END OF THE SEVENTH VOLUMÈ. JOHN CHILDS AND SON, BUNGAY. UNIV. OF MICHIGAN, JUN 24 1912 |