al robe, and fled in the habit of a slave. He made different efforts to retrieve himself, but not succeeding, he resolved to make away with himself. For that purpose he eat and drank to great excess; but this not effecting it, he took poison, which burnt him within, and threw him into such a phrenzy, that he eat common earth. His pains became so intolerable, that he ran his head against the wall with such violence that his eyes started out. In the end he acknowledged the justice of his punishment for his cruelty to the Christians, and in the most exquisite torments he breathed out his last. We learn from Lactantius, that not only the forementioned persecutors were all crushed by a superior power, but that their whole race was also cut off. The same fate, in like manner, attended many of the governors of the Roman provinces, who had so willingly concurred in executing the cruel and bloody statutes of the emperors for the extirpation of Christianity. The provinces of the East,' where Maximinus commanded, had also shared in the disasters that usually followed persecution. A dreadful famine and plague had spread through them an universal desolation. At the death of Maximinus Daia in 313, Lucinius remained master in the East. Constantine, who had reigned for some years as emperor in the West, being a Christian, or disposing himself to be so, prevailed upon Licinius to join with him in publishing an edict, which superseded all persecution, and granted full liberty and peace to Christians. This happy time lasted till the year 319, when Licinius altering his conduct, commenced a new persecution, and in 323 renewed the war he had before waged with Constantine. nius was vanquished both by sea and land, and upon his submission was allowed to retire to Thessalonica; but as he still meditated new disturbances, he was put to death by Constantine's orders in the year 324. Lici Thus then at last a period was put to the troubles of the Christians. Religion triumphed over every obstruction, which the idolatrous powers had opposed to it. The Christian Constantine reigned sole emperor: and here is dated the remarkable epccha of the peace and triumph of the Church of Christ. What has been said seems to show sufficiently the accomplishment of the text under consideration, that is, the severe judgments that fell upon the Roman emperors and the people of the empire, for their supporting idolatry, and persecuting the true worship of God., However, the hand of God did not stop here; nor was it satisfied with the slaughter of the great victims we have seen, nor with the large measure of calamities we have described. We shall see in the sequel the most astonishing stroke, by which the divine vengeance was at last completed. This was, the subversion of the great Roman empire, and the total destruction of pagan Rome itself. Notwithstanding the preceding explanation of the text, we shall beg leave, in order to elucidate it the more, to add something further, particularly concerning the cessation of the pagan oracles, which chiefly happened in this first age. Christ came into the world not only to subdue all earthly powers by bringing them under the yoke of his doctrine, but also to conquer the devil, and to break down the dominion he had usurped over mankind. This we learn from our Saviour himself, who said: Now is the judgment of the world: now shall the Prince of this world, the devil, be cast out, John xii. 31. It is well known that the devil had long deluded mankind by the oracles which he pretended to deliver by the mouths of the idols, or their priests. Many of the answers thus pronounced as oracles, were undoubtedly mere inventions of the pagan priests themselves, who by such artifices imposed upon the ignorant. But the holy fathers and ancient ecclesiastical writers agree, that the demons themselves often spoke through the idols, and uttered predictions, which, whether true or false, could always, on account of their obscurity and ambiguity, be interpreted conformable to' the events. All these oracular powers, even the most celebrated, were observed to decline after our Saviour's coming into the world, and the preaching of the gospel;" and by degrees entirely ceased giving any more an F swers. Thus speaks the historian Eusebius, who flourished in the reign of Constantine the great: "A great proof of the imbecility of the demons is, that "their oracles are extinct, and give no more answers as formerly, and that this happened about the time of "the coming of our Saviour; for as soon as his doctrine 66 was preached throughout the world, the oracles then "ceased." Dem. Evang. lib. 5. The pagan writers themselves universally complain, that their gods had forsaken their temples, and that their votaries did in vain solicit their counsels. Julian the apostate owns, "that the gods now-a-days seldom inspire any of their "ministers, nor can any one scarce obtain that inspira❝tion: but oracles, like other things, seem to alter "with the revolution of times." Apud S. Cyrill. lib. 6. contra Julian. Even the most celebrated oracle of Apollo at Delphos, some time before our Saviour's birth, had lost much of its credit, and after his appearance it entirely sunk away. Thus speaks Juvenal of it at the beginning of the second century, Satyr. 6. Delphis Orocuła cessant. Now the Delphian Oracles are dumb. DRYDEN'S Trans. Thus also wrote the poet Lucan a little after the middle of the first century, lib. 5. Non ullo fæcula dono Nostra carent majore Deum, quam Delphica fedes quod siluit. Of all the wants with which this age is curst, Plutarch wrote an express treatise to account for the silence of oracles. He employs arguments founded on natural, moral, and political causes; but all his philosophy proved insufficient to give a satisfactory reason. That this silence was solely owing to the dominion of Christ, and the establishment of his religion, is avowed even by some of the pagans themselves. Porphyry, an inveterate enemy to Christianity, who lived towards the end of the third century, says: "It's no wonder if "the city for so many years has been afflicted with "sickness, Esculapius, and the rest of the gods, hav"ing withdrawn their former commerce with man"kind: for since Jesus has begun to be worshipped, no one has received any public help from the gods." Euseb. Præp. Evang. lib. 5. On this subject see also Cave and others. The holy fathers are unanimous in their opinion, that the superior power of the Christian religion imposed silence on the devil, shut up the mouths of his priests and priestesses, and greatly abridged his influence in seducing mankind. Visible examples are not wanting in confirmation of this truth. St. Gregory of Nyssa relates, that St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, having entered a heathenish temple famous for oracles, purified it by the sign of the cross and prayer, and compelled the demon that resided there to leave the place. This the demon himself confessed to his votaries. We also learn from St. Chrysostom, Theodoret, Sozomen, and others, that at Daphne, in the neighbourhood of Antioch, there was a temple dedicated to Apollo, much celebrated for its oracles; but that the body of the holy martyr, St. Babylas, being brought and laid in a Church near the place, Apollo was instantly struck dumb. Thus was the devil compelled to yield to a force he had not felt before. It was certainly fit that, when the Son of God appeared on the earth, then Satan should be obliged to withdraw, and his impostures give place to the light of truth. But it ought to be here observed, that this silencing of Satan was only a small part of the victory which Christ claimed over him. The whole system of idolatry, which that enemy of God had introduced into the world, was now, by the propagation of the Christian faith, shaken to the very foundation, and in a little time tumbled wholly to pieces. It was what the Almighty had long before announced by his prophets. Thus speaks Isaiah: In that day the Lord shall be exalted alone, and the idols shall be utterly destroyed, Isai. ii. 17, 18. The Lord shall consume all the gods of the earth, says another prophet, Sophon. ii. 11. In proportion as the Christian religion was made known, the absurdity and impiety of idolatrous worship became manifest; the idols were thrown down, the fictitious deities they represented were scoffed at and ridiculed, and their ministers treated with the utmost contempt. In the same measure that He, who is the Light of the world, spread his influence, with the same speed, the spirit of darkness fled away, and retired into obscurity. By degrees the devil's power was so weakened, that the meanest Christian could by a word expel him from those miserable creatures he tyrannically possessed, and force him to acknowledge with confusion, he was a rebel angel, an enemy to God. This practice is fully attested by St. Justin, St. Irenæus, Tertullian, St. Cyprian, and all the primitive fathers, and was common in the three first centuries of the Church. Nor was this power of the Christians over the devil to be wondered at, as it was founded on Christ, who had given his word for it. These signs, says he, shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils, Mark xvi. 17. Facts similar to those above related, are seep at this day in the idolatrous nations of the East-Indies, where the devil has maintained for a long time a settled worship and dominion. It is common there to see persons possessed, which he manages according to his will, and through their mouths delivers his oracles, and answers the questions put to him by his votaries. It is indeed no matter of surprise, that the devil enjoys so much power in places where he is personally worshipped. But at the same time there is seen the same virtue and efficacy residing in the Christian and Catholic religion, as in the primitive ages. The persons possessed are delivered from the evil spirit by the prayers or command of the Christians; and his influence is observed to decline as the gospel gains ground. These facts are certified by unquestionable testimonies of the Catholic missionaries residing in those countries, who are daily eye-witnesses of them. See Lettres curieuses et edifiantes. |