Thus the sentiments of the several Emperors themselves for several there were were now divided: some holding with the Christians, and some with the heathen; Maximian and Galerius bent on persecution; Diocletian in part, Constantius (the father of Constantine) altogether, opposed to it; as in turn, Maximian, Maxentius, and Constantine were at variance with each other in the same way the first two the foes of the Christians, the last their steadfast friend. Nor was this all: the wives of some of the parties had views of their own, and complicated still more the subject of religion by differing from their husbands. Thus, whilst Diocletian himself was a worshipper of the gods of his fathers, Prisca had renounced them, and was a Christian; and whilst Galerius was not only a heathen, but a fierce persecutor of the Christians, Valeria, the daughter of Diocletian and Prisca, followed her mother's example, and was a disciple of Christ.1

Again, Maxentius, a son of Maximinian, another of the Emperors who had established himself during the ten years' persecution, is seen to be so impressed with the growing power and popularity of the Christians, that, though a licentious heathen, and eventually a fierce enemy of the Christians, he pretended (vπeкpívaтo), in the early part of his career, to be a Christian himself, expressly with a view to winning the favour of the Roman people. And if to all this we add the penitential edict of Galerius, when, smitten with a mortal disease, he bethought himself of his past cruelties to the Christians, and gave orders that the persecution should be stopped, and they be permitted to rebuild their churches, and offer up their devotions without restraint, provided only they would pray for his welfare, and that of his subjects, it becomes manifest that the empire was ripe for the ac1 See Mosheim, De Rebus 2 Euseb. Eccl. Hist. viii. c. 14. Christianis, p. 913.

330 HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. CHAP. XIV,

knowledgment of Christianity as the religion of the State; that God-though his judgments were above, far out of the sight of men-had made all his preparations for this great crisis; that nothing was wanting but the last hand; when the other emperors being by degrees disposed of, and, with them, all further impediments-that hand was put to the work-Constantine was left alone on the stage to do his pleasure, and about the year 324, the triumph of the Cross was complete.

A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF ROMAN EMPERORS

TO THE TIME OF CONSTANTINE.

A LIST OF ECCLESIASTICAL WRITERS

TO THE TIME OF CONSTANTINE WHOSE WORKS ARE NOW EXTANT.

Clement, Bishop of Rome, died about.

Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, suffered martyrdom.
Justin Martyr suffered martyrdom at Rome about
Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, suffered martyrdom about
Tatian wrote his book against the Gentiles about
Hermias wrote his Satire against the Heathen Philosophers

.

about Athenagoras wrote his Apology and Treatise on the Resurrection about

A.D.

. 100

. 107

. 165

. 167

. 176

177

177

Hegesippus,* of whose History only fragments remain, died

about Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, addressed his Treatise to

Autolycus: died about .

Irenæus wrote five Books against Heresies about .

180

180

. 190

. 258

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, suffered martyrdom

Gregory (Thaumaturgus) Bishop of Neocæsarea, died about 265
Arnobius wrote seven Books against the Gentiles.
Methodius, Bishop of Tyre, suffered martyrdom about

Pamphilus of Cæsarea suffered martyrdom about.

* See Routh's Reliquiæ Sacre, which contains a collection of the fragmentary writings of the Christian authors of the second and third centuries.