were, without its intention, indeed, without its knowledge, the means of a wider and more effectual propagation of the Gospel; nor did its outward decline take place till the interests of the Faith were, in some measure, secured. Nay, in the events which befel it after the sovereigns became Christian, a similar purpose is still discoverable. It was the standing policy of the empire to convert to Christianity all the Barbarians who were received within the borders, or over whom the influence of civilization could be in any manner exerted; * and it is the grateful observation of Orosius, that the very decay of the civil power wrought the increase of the church of Christ.† There is yet another indication of the same Divine purpose. Eucherius, the son of Stilicho, for whom he designed

* Procopius makes the observation, and says of the Heruli, that they became milder men and better subjects in consequence of their conversion:—τὴν δίαιταν ἐπὶ το ἡμερώτερον μεταβα λόντες, τοῖς Χρισιανῶν νόμοις ἐπὶ πλεῖσον προσχωρεῖν ἔγνωσαν, καὶ Ῥωμαίοις κατὰ τὸ ξυμμαχικὸν τὰ πολλὰ ἐπὶ τὰς πολεμίες EvvTáoσOVTAL. De Bell. Goth. lib. ii. c. 14.

† Si ob hoc solum Barbari Romanis finibus immissi forent, quòd vulgo per Orientem et Occidentem ecclesiæ Christi Hunnis et Suevis, Vandalis et Burgundionibus, diversísque et innumeris credentium populis replentur, laudanda et adtollenda Dei misericordia videretur. Hist. lib. vii. c. 41.

the empire of the West, was secretly connected with the Pagan party within the walls of Rome. We are distinctly informed, that, from his early years, he had seen with dislike the public change of the faith of the empire, and meditated the ruin of the Christians;* and a revengeful pledge was said to have been given to the enemies of the Gospel, that his attainment of the imperial power should be the restoration of the temples of the gods, and the overthrow of the Christian churches. This wickedness was frustrated by his own death, and that of his father. Nor was Paganism promoted by the success of the Barbarians themselves. Rhadagaisus was an idolater; and in his march towards the city, offered daily sacrifices to the gods, his protectors. When Rome fell, it submitted to an enemy, who, though imperfectly instructed in the faith, was the least hostile to it.

* Jam indè Christianorum persecutionem à puero privatóque meditantem. Oros. lib. vii. c. 38.

† Occisus est et Eucherius, qui ad conciliandum sibi favorem Paganorum, restitutione templorum et eversione ecclesiarum imbuturum se regni primordia minabatur. Oros. ib.

+ Paganus et Scytha erat. Oros. Hist. lib. vii. c. 37.

§ Quotidianis sacrificiis placabat atque invitabat Deos. Aug. Civ. Dei, lib. v. c. 23.

Alaric was himself a professor of Christianity,* and the protector of it in others. The civil polity had performed its temporary office, and was dissolved. The religion of Christ is eternal, and amidst the destruction of all other authority, the Gospel was yet respected and maintained.

* Duo tunc Gothorum populi cum duobus potentissimis regibus suis; quorum unus Christianus, propiórque Romano; alius Paganus, Barbarus, et verè Scytha. Oros. Hist. lib. vii. c. 37.

CHAPTER IV.

DISASTROUS ORIGIN OF THE ROMANS...THEIR GODS TWICE VANQUISHED AT TROY...IMPOTENT GUARDIANS OF ITALY ...FATE NOT MORE SERVICEABLE TO THE ROMANS THAN THEIR GODS...BETTER FAITH OF CHRISTIANS...INFERENCE THAT PAGANISM DOES NOT CONFER TEMPORAL GOOD... CONCLUSION OF THE FIRST PART.

THE argument that the Deities of Pagan Rome were the bestowers of temporal happiness, and that the calamities which befel the empire in its later age, were occasioned by the civil establishment of Christianity, has been refuted by an appeal to history. The veil which covered from the eyes of the people the earlier disasters. of the state, was removed by the advocates of the Gospel. From their diligence and zeal, therefore, came the description of the vices and growing miseries of Rome, while yet idolatrous; while, as Augustin remarks, her superstitions were in their fullest maintenance; while her priesthood was publicly honoured, and the mingled odours of garlands and Sabean frankincense ascended from the altars of her gods.*

* Quando illa mala fiebant, calebant aræ numinum Sabao

This perhaps might be deemed sufficient for the vindication of the Gospel. But, not content with this, the Christian writers laboured to expose the general inefficacy of the Heathen worship. They ascended to the origin of the Roman deities, and proved them to have been equally helpless in Asia and in Italy: they described the miseries which ambition had inflicted on the world amid the acknowledgement of so corrupt a mythology, and concluded, that the dominion of Rome had been derived from other causes, and conferred for other purposes. Of this part of the literary warfare with idolatry, some specimens shall therefore be given.

The criticism of our own days may indeed deem such contention unimportant, and the statement of it superfluous. But our researches into the transactions of other ages must be regulated by the circumstances of the times to which they belong. We do not want to be convinced of the folly of polytheism. But, in a contest between two great parties of Christians and Pagans, the question was justly regarded as of great moment. To suppress it, therefore,

thure sertísque recentibus halabant: clarebant sacerdotia, fana renidebant; sacrificabatur, ludebatur, furebatur in templis. Civ. Dei, lib. iii. c. 31.