gustus, and I Licinius Augustus, happily met at Milan, and we consulted together what might be best and most ' conducive to the benefit of the public, among other things these following were resolved upon as beneficial for all. And in the first place it was resolved, that such constitu⚫tions should be ordained as might secure the worship and ' veneration of the Divine Being: that is, that we should grant both to the christians, and to all others, a free choice. 'to follow that way of worship which they judge best; that' 'so the Godhead, and whatever is divine and heavenly, may 'be propitious to us, and to all living under our dominion. We publish this therefore as our will and pleasure, and agreeable to sound and right reason, that leave shall not 'be denied to any man whatever to follow and choose the 'constitution and worship of the christians: and that leave be given to every one to betake himself to that religion 'which is most agreeable to him, that so the Divine Being [TO OCIOV] may in all things display his usual favour and benignity toward us. Moreover it is now thought proper to signify to you, that all the restraints concerning the christians, which were in the former letter sent to you, 'should be left out, that whatever is unsuitable to our benignity may be omitted, and that now for the future every one who chooseth to adhere to the christian religion, may 'observe it freely, without any impediment or molestation. These things we have thought proper to signify to you, in 'order to your perceiving, that we have given free and full liberty to these same christians to follow their own religion. And you may perceive, that as we have granted this full liberty to them, so in like manner we have granted the

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sed alia etiam habuisse noscuntur, ad jus corporis eorum, id est, ecclesiarum, non hominum singulorum, pertinentia, ea omnia lege quâ superius comprehendimus, citra ullam prorsus ambiguitatem vel controversiam hisdam christianis, id est, corpori et conventiculis eorum, reddi jubebis, supradictâ scilicet ratione servatâ, ut ii qui eadem sine pretio, sicut diximus, restituerint, indemnitatem de nostrâ benevolentiâ sperent. In quibus omnibus supradicto corpori christianorum intercessionem tuam efficacissimam exhibere debebis; ut præceptum nostrum quantocyus compleatur: quo etiam in hoc per clementiam nostram quieti publicæ consulatur. Hactenus fiet, ut sicut superius comprehensum est, divinus juxta nos favor, quem in tantis sumus rebus experti, per omne tempus prospere successibus nostris cum beatitudine nostrâ publicâ perseveret. Ut autem hujus sanctionis benevolentiæ nostræ forma ad omnium possit pervenire notitiam, prolata programmata tuo hæc scripta et ubique propunere, et ad omnium scientiam te perferre conveniet, ut hujus benevolentiæ nostræ sanctio latere non possit. De M. P. cap. 48.

§ Όπως ό, τι ποτε επι θειότης και ερανιο πραγματος, ημιν και πασι τοις ὑπο την ημετεραν εξεσίαν διαγεσιν ευμενες ειναι δυνηθη. Ap. Euseb. Η. Ε. p. 388. D.

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'same liberty to others to observe their own institution and religion for, as is manifest, this is suitable to the tranquillity of our times, that every one should have liberty to choose and follow the worship of that deity which he approves [o ποιον δ' αν βέλεται Θειον]. This we have determined, that it may appear, we do not forbid or restrain 'any religion or way of worship whatever. And farther, with regard to the christians we ordain, that the places of worship (concerning which in the letter formerly sent to you there was another rule) in which they had been wont to assemble, that if any of them have been adjudged to our treasury or exchequer, or have been purchased by any, they 'should be restored to the christians without price and without delay and if any by grant have obtained such places, they are to be immediately restored to the christians and if any of those who have purchased such places, or have obtained them by grant, are desirous to have an allowance 'made to them by us, let them apply to the officer who 'administers justice, in the place where they reside, that a proper regard may be had to them according to the benevolence of our disposition. You are to take care, that all 'these things be restored to the body of the christians without failure. And whereas the same christians, beside the places where they assemble, are well known to have also "other possessions, and such as belong not to particular persons separately, but to the community, you are to take care, that such places also be restored to the body to which they appertain, without any subterfuge or delay; upon this "condition however, that they who restore these things 'without price, may expect indemnity from our liberality. In all these things you are to exert yourself with the utmost care and vigour, in behalf of the aforesaid body of the christians, that our appointment may be performed with all speed that by this means, agreeably to our gracious intention, provision may be made for the common and public tranquillity without delay. Hereby, as before said, the divine favour, of which we have already had great experience, will be secured to us for ever. And that the design of this our law and our gracious indulgence may come to the knowledge of all, you are to take care, that 'this our letter be set up every where to public view, that none may be ignorant of this appointment of our gracious "indulgence.""

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This & constitution or edict was signed and published at • Literæ de restituendâ Ecclesiâ ad Presidem missæ, die quidem Iduum Juniarum Nicomediæ propositæ, ut testatur Lactantius, sed datæ fuerant Me

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Milan, in the former part of the year 313, in the mouth of March, as it seems, by the joint authority of Constantine and Licinius.

In the mean time Maximin," who had sided with Maxentius, took this opportunity, whilst Constantine and Licinius were at Milan, and in the depth of winter, marched with his army from Syria into Bithynia, and crossed the Hellespont into Thrace. Licinius left Milan, and went to meet him, and in a pitched battle overcame him, near Adrianople, on the 30th day of April, in the year 313, and pursued him into Bithynia. Maximin fled to mount Taurus, and thence to Tarsus, where he took poison, and died miserably, about the month of August in the same year, 313.

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When Licinius came to Nicomedia, having offered up his thanksgivings to God for the victory vouchsafed to him, as Cæcilius says, he set up the fore-mentioned edict in • favour of the christians at Nicomedia, on the 13th day of 'June. So that,' as the same writer says, from the time of the edict which proclaimed the persecution, to the restoring of peace to the churches, was the space of ten years and about four months:' or in other words, from the 23d day of February in the year 303, to the 13th day of the month of June in 313, was the space of ten years, three months, and nineteen days.

In the first edict published by Constantine and Licinius there were some defects or faults, which were supplied, or corrected and rectified, in the second edict. What those faults or defects were cannot be perceived with certainty,

diolani eodem anno, Christi 313, circa mensem Martium, ut Constantinus et Licinius in iisdem diserte asserunt. Pagi ann. 314. num. viii.

Constantinus, rebus in urbe compositis, hieme proximâ Mediolanum contendit. Eodem Licinius advenit, ut acciperet uxorem. Maximinus, ubi eos intellexit nuptiarum solemnibus occupatos, exercitum movit e Syriâ, hieme quam maxime sæviente, et mansionibus geminatis, in Bithyniam concurrit debilitato agmine, &c. De M. P. cap. 45. Vid. et cap. 46, 47.

iTum cap. 48. Licinius vero, acceptâ exercitùs parte ac distributâ, trajecit exercitum in Bithyniam paucis post pugnam diebus: et Nicomediam ingressus, gratiam Deo, cujus auxilio vicerat, retulit, ac die Iduum Juniarum • Constantino atque ipso ter Consulibus' (anno nempe Christi 313,) ́ de • restituendâ ecclesiâ hujusmodi literas ad Præsidem datas proponi jussit.' Tum literas refert, quas Eusebius, lib. x. cap. 5, describit e linguâ Latinâ, quâ primum editæ sunt, ut ipsemet docet. Postea Lactantius [al. Cæcilius] ait : His literis propositis, etiam verbo hortatus est' (nempe Licinius) ut con• venticula in statum pristinum redderentur. Sic ab eversâ ecclesiâ' (a die sc. xxii. Februarii anni 303) ' usque ad restitutam' (usque ad diem videlicet xiii. mensis Junii anni 313, quâ propositum est Nicomediæ edictum de restaurandis ecclesiis,) fuerant anni decem, plus minus quatuor: nempe menses tres, dies novemdecim. Ideoque pax universæ ecclesiæ anno tantum cccxiii. reddita. Pagi ann. 314. num. vi.

as the expressions in this new edict relating to that matter are obscure. Various things have been proposed by learned men in the way of conjecture; but I do not think it needful to take particular notice of them here.

It is, however, manifest, that this second edict is full and comprehensive, giving liberty to all men to worship God according to the best of their own judgment, and in the way that each one should choose. At the same time, as I apprehend, there is special regard had to christians; and the places of worship, of which they had been deprived, are restored to them, and likewise some other possessions which belonged to their religious societies, in a body.

XI. Maximin, after his arrival at Tarsus, beside the shame and disappointment of his defeat by Licinius, was afflicted with a grievous distemper, and violent pains, described at large by1 Cæcilius; who also says, that now Maximin confessed his fault, and implored the forgiveness of Christ, and relief from him under his distemper: soon after which he expired.

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Eusebius says, that after the fore-mentioned defeat Maximin 'gave glory to the God of the christians, and enacted ' a full and complete law for their liberty; and then being struck with a mortal distemper, he expired, no longer respite being granted to him. The law issued by him is to this purpose.'

The copy of the edict of Maximin in favour of the christians, translated out of the Roman into the Greek lan'guage.'

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The emperor Cæsar Caius Valerius Maximin Germani'cus Sarmaticus Pius Happy Invincible Augustus. It is ' notorious to all, that by all means, and at all times, we

* Vales. in Euseb. loc. Basnag. ann. 313. nuın. xi. xii. Moshem. de Reb. Christianorum. p. 973, &c.

De

1 -Tarsum postremo confugit. Ibi cum jam terrâ marique perterreretur, non ullum speraret refugium, angore animi ac maetu confugit ad mortem, quasi ad remedium malorum, quæ Deus in caput suum congessit. Sed prius cibo se infersit, ac vino ingurgitavit et sic hausit venenum. inde post multos gravesque cruciatus, cum caput suum parietibus infligeret, exilierunt oculi ejus de cavernis. Tunc demum, amisso visu, Deum vadere cœpit candidatis ministris se judicantem. Exclamabat ergo sicut ii, qui torqueri solent, et non se, sed alios, fecisse dicebat. Deinde, quasi tormentis adactus, fatebatur, Christum subinde deprecans, et plorans, ut suimet miseretur. Sic inter gemitus, quos, tanquam cremaretur, edebat, nocentem spiritum detestabili genere mortis efflavit. De M. P. cap. 49.

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Ειτα δη δες δοξαν τῳ των χρισιανων Θεῳ, νομον τε τον ύπερ ελευθερίας αυτων τελεώτατα και πληρετατα διαταξαμενος, δυσθανατησας αυτικά, μη δε μιας αυτῳ χρονς δοθείσης προθεσμίας, τελευτᾷ τον βιον. Η. Ε. 1. ix. cap. 10. p. 363. D. ♫ Ap. Euseb. ib. p. 363, 364.

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• have consulted the welfare of our subjects in the provinces, and have endeavoured to procure for them what might be 'most for the good and benefit of the public in general, and 'for the comfort and satisfaction of every one in particular; and we trust that all who shall look back upon our past proceedings and administration of affairs, will be convinced in their own minds of this. For when formerly it came to our knowledge, that upon occasion of the law enacted by our deified fathers, Dioclesian and Maximian, which for • bade the assemblies of christians, many injuries and ex'tortions have been committed by the officers, and that these 'mischiefs increased among our people, and the goods and 'estates of our subjects were wasted, for whose welfare we are always earnestly concerned: we the last year sent ' letters to the governors of every province, by which it was ' enacted, that if any one would adhere to such custom, and 'the observance of their own religion, he should be at liberty to follow his own judgment and inclination, without obstruction or hinderance from any man: and that they 'should be permitted freely to do, without fear or distrust, whatever in this manner they approved of. Nevertheless, at the same time, it could not be concealed from our 'knowledge, that some of the judges have misunderstood ⚫ our orders, and have endeavoured to make our people dis'trust the sincerity of our intentions, and have made them afraid to perform the worship agreeable to them. Wherefore, that for the time to come, all fear and suspicion of ambiguity may be removed, we have ordered this edict 'to be published, that it may be known to all, that by this our grant, it is lawful for those who choose this religiou and worship, to act therein as they see best, and to perform worship in the way to which they have been accustomed. And it is granted to them that they may repair their domini'cal houses. And that our beneficence may be the more conspicuous, we have thought fit farther to enact, that if any buildings or lands, aforetime belonging to the christians, have by virtue of the edict of our fathers been confiscated, and brought into our treasury, or have been seized and 'occupied by any city, or have been sold, or given in grant 'to any, we have ordered, that all these should be returned to the former right and possession of the christians; that

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• Upon this place Valesius rightly observes: He intends his epistle sent 'to Sabinus, Præfect of the Prætorium, which Eusebius had alleged before. • Maximin here says, he had written that letter in the preceding year, meaning * the year of Christ 312. It follows, therefore, that this last edict of Maximin was written in the year of Christ 313.' And see Pagi ann. 314. num. viii.