CONSTANTINE. 



181 



that a prince should embrace such opinions from poli- 

 tical motives, appears to us scarcely within the bounds 

 of probability. When Constantine began his career of 

 ambition, the Christians were an insulted and despised 

 sect. The persecutions, which raged with such fury 

 in the reigns of Dioclesian and Maximian, were still 

 continued under their successors, and exceeded in cruel- 

 ty all that had ever afflicted the Christian church. The 

 bloody Maximian vowed to Jupiter, that if he was suc- 

 cessful in his contest with Licinius, he would extirpate 

 the Christian name; and on a medal of Dioclesian, 

 which was struck at that period, and which is still ex- 

 tant, is tills inscription, — Nomine Christianorum dcleto : 

 the name of Christians being extinguished. The mild 

 Constantius, even when he held the rank of Caesar in 

 Gaul, was compelled by the edicts of Maximian to de- 

 stroy the churches, though he continued to respect the 

 persons of the Christians. To espouse such a cause, 

 then, was not the most likely road to the object of his 

 ambition. It inevitably exposed him to the derision 

 and opposition of the Pagans, who composed the ar- 

 mies of his rivals, and perhaps the majority of his own ; 

 and could only serve to collect under his standard the 

 few Christians who had escaped the rage of their ene- 

 mies. Had Constantine, therefore, regarded Christian- 

 ity, as was done by the learned Pagans of that age, as 

 " old wives' fables," or as a superstition which threat- 

 ened the republic with ruin, it would have been folly 

 to have hazarded his success by such a step, while by 

 an opposite conduct he could mere easily have secured 

 the affections of the Roman people, who were now 

 weary of their tyrannical masters. He must, conse- 

 quently, have believed in the truth of Christianity, or 

 supposed it at least of equal authority with the poly- 

 theism of the Pagans ; and it is probable, that he hesi- 

 tated long before he came to the final resolution of de- 

 stroying the temples of the gods, and of declaring him- 

 self a faithful disciple of the cross. Much has been 

 said respecting the date of his conversion ; but this is 

 not a subject for man to explore ; for, whether he was 

 suddenly or gradually brought to the knowledge of 

 Christianity, or whether indeed he had ever such 

 views of divine truth as the gospel requires, can only 

 be known to the Searcher of hearts. He had been, no 

 doubt, early taught to revere the name of Christ. In 

 the palace of Constantius were many Christians, and 

 even ministers of the gospel, who openly prayed for 

 the emperor ; and the opinions and conduct of such a 

 father could not but have a considerable weight with 

 his intelligent son. Though, when resident at the 

 court of Dioclesian or Galerius, he did not shew, at least 

 was deterred from shewing, any partiality for the per- 

 secuted sect, yet as soon as he found himself beyond 

 the reach of their authority, and at liberty to act ac- 

 cording to his own judgment, he declared himself the 

 friend of the Christians, by continuing to them that 

 protection which they had enjoyed under his father ; 

 and from that period, every victory which he obtained 

 was only an additional triumph to the cause of Chris- 

 tianity. With respect to the luminous appearance of 

 a cross in the heavens, which he is said to have seen 

 with his whole army when marching against Maxen- 

 tius, and to which, with the heavenly vision of the 



subsequent night, Eusebius ascribes his conversion, 

 much has been written to little purpose. * We con- 

 fess, that the evidence for this fact appears to us nei- 

 ther so full nor so satisfactory as could be wished in a 

 case of such a miraculous nature ; but though we may 

 hesitate in giving it implicit credit, we can see no rea- 

 son for rejecting it, as many have done, on the ground 

 of improbability. To them who admit the divine ori- 

 gin of Christianity, and are disposed to believe that 

 God has interposed at any time in behalf of the church, 

 this miracle must appear both credible and proper; 

 for scarcely was there a time, when the importance of 

 the contest called more for such an interposition. But 

 whatever credit be attached to this miracle, it is a well 

 known fact, that Constantine, in one of his first edicts 

 which he published after the death of Maxentius, abo- 

 lished throughout his dominions the punishment of the 

 cross ; and what was formerly an object of horror to 

 every Roman citizen, he rendered a badge of distinc- 

 tion and valour, by placing a cross in the right hand of 

 his own statue at Rome, with an inscription which re- 

 ferred the victory of his arms to the virtue of this sign. 

 " The same symbol," says Mr Gibbon, " sanctified the 

 arms of the soldiers of Constantine ; the cross glittered 

 on their helmet, was engraved on their shields, was inter- 

 woven into then- banners ; and the consecrated emblems 

 which adorned the person of the emperor himself, were 

 distinguished only by richer materials, and more ex- 

 quisite workmanship." Those who are inclined to 

 question Constantine's sincerity in the profession of 

 Christianity, may be referred to the invariable tenor 

 of his government. In all his public edicts, the church 

 seems to be the chief object of his regard. He increa- 

 sed its privileges, honoured its pastors, and attended 

 its worship ; and he shewed, that he had in some de- 

 gree imbibed the mild and forgiving spirit of the gos- 

 pel, for, while he earnestly recommended to the go- 

 vernors of provinces to extend its influence among his 

 subjects, he declared, that he woidd compel no one to 

 embrace it contrary to his inclination. He has indeed 

 been charged, and justly too, with many actions very 

 inconsistent with the pure dictates of that religion 

 which he professed ; but if this is to be taken as an 

 evidence of his insincerity and dissimulation, the same 

 argument may be applied to some of the most eminent 

 bishops of his own time, and also to many sincere pro- 

 fessors of the present day. His delaying to receive 

 the initiatory rite of baptism to so late a period of his 

 life, lias been most satisfactorily accounted for. Chris- 

 tianity had considerably degenerated from that simpli- 

 city and pure morality, for which it was so eminently 

 distinguished under the apostles. Many superstitious 

 ceremonies and unmeaning forms had crept into its 

 worship ; and, as many of its professors had been taught 

 to believe a necessary connection between baptism and 

 the remission of sins, they delayed this rite as long a» 

 possible, that they might ascend pure and spotless to 

 the mansions of immortality. In reviewing the cha- 

 racter of this prince, we would conclude with observing, 

 with the candid Lardner, " that we should be willing to 

 make allowances in favour of princes, and especially of 

 long reigns. It is next to impossible for human wis- 

 dom and discretion, in the course of many years filled 



• The fact is thus abridged from Eusebius by Milner : « While he was marching with his forces in the afternoon, the trophy of 

 the cross appeared very luminous in the heavens, higher than the sun, with this inscription, t»t» k*«, « conquer by this." He 



iim when 

 obeyed, 



