Coin of Maxiniiau to commemorate the Extirpaiiou ol' eUiiisiianity.
verse is the figure of Jupiter Tonans, in nearly the same attitude, and with the same legend as the former, but Iiaving his head covered. In the prostrate figure the serpentine part of the legs is not distinct, and it has on the whole more of a human form. It may be conjectured that Diocletian wished to represent only the depraved and corrupt sectarians of which his fig- ure is the emblem ; and that his more atrocious col- league, careless of distinction, exhibited the genius of Christianity under any form as equally the object of his persecution. This, the most dreadful of all the heathen persecutions, was happih' also the last; and inscriptions setup recording the fact that the Christian j the time shortly arrived when Christianity became
superstition was now utterly exterminated, and the wor ship of the gods restored by Diocletian, who assumed the name of Jupiter ; and Maximian, who took that of Her- cules. In the annexed coin, from the collection of the Louvre at Paris, the obverse represents the head of the
the public religion of the Roman empire. Constan- tino was converted A.D. 312, and, according to eccle- siastical writers, his conversion was effected, like that of St. Paul, by a sensible miracle, while he was per- forming a journej' on a public road. He immedi-
emperor Diocletian crowned with laurel, and his shoul- ately afterwards adopted the cross as his ensign, and ders covered with a robe, with the legend Diocletkunts \ formed on the spot the celebrated labarum or Chris- tian standard, which was ever afterwards substituted for the Roman eagle. This, as Eusebius describes it, was a spear crossed by an arrow, on which was sus- pended a veliuii having inscribed on it the monograu) foim^d by the Greek let- ters X and P, the initials of tlie name of Christ. See Lauauum. The coin be- low represents on the obvii.se the naked bust of the emperor crowned with a lau- rel wreath, and surrounded with the leg- end Flavins I 'alerius Constantiuns Per- petuus Felix Augustus, " Flavius Valerius Constantino, perpetual, happy, august." On the reverse is the whole-length figure of the emperor in armor, covered with a helmet, stand- ing on the prow of a galley (a ship was the common emblem of the state among the Romans. See the ode of Horace, O Naris); in his right hand he holds a globe, surmounted by a rayed phoenix, the adopted emblem of his family, to intimate the renovation of the empire ; in his left is the labarum, inscribed with the monogram; behind is the angel of victor}', di- recting liis course ; around is the appropriate legend, Felix Temporuin Jieparatio, " The hap]n- reformation of the times." In the exergue is Peciinia Trererorum, "The monej' of Treves." For monographs on these pagan pL>rsecutions, see Volbeding, Index Programma- tum, p. 96 sq.
Coin of Diocletian to commAnorate the Extirpation of Christianity
Perpetuus Felix Augustus, "Diocletian, perpetual, hap- py, august." On the reverse is Jupiter holding in his raised hand a thunderbolt, and trampling a kneeling figure with serpent-like feet, having the legend Jovi Fulgerntoi-i, "To Jupiter the thunderer." The jiros- trate figure designates Christianity, and the figure of Jupiter brandishing his thunderbolt is taken ])robably from Ovid's description, "Quo ccntimanum dejecerat igne Tj'phcea ;" he is dashing down tlie Christians with the same tire as he hurled upon the Titans, who had equally but vainly tried to dispossess him of heav- en. The figure of this coin is very remarkable, and has a resemblance so strong as to identif}' it with the Abrasax on the Gnostic gems, with serpent-like feet, supposed to be the God of the Christians. AVc see him here disarmed of his weapons, the verj' being which the Christians were supposed to adore, and this single sect and its imimre idol bringing persecution on the whole of the Chris- tian Church. In the exergue is Pecunia Roimv, "The monej' of Rome." A coin similar to that of Diocletian was struck by his colleague, iSIax- imian, to commemorate an event in which he also had acted a distinguished part. In the fol- lowing coin tlie obverse represents the naked bust of the emperor crowned with laurel, hav- ing the legend Ma:iimianus Perpetuus Axigustu<, "Maximian, perpetual, august." On the rc-
Coiu of Coustaniiue the Great commemorating the lirst Kecog- nitiou of Christianity.
PERSECUTIONS OF CHRISTIANS 968 PERSECUTIONS OF CHRISTIANS
II. Christian Persecutions. — The guilt of persecution has, however, been attached to professinj; Christians. Had men lieen guided solely by the spirit and the pre- cepts of the Gospel, the conduct of its blessed Author, and the writings and example of his immediate disci- ples, we might have boldly affirmed that among Chris- tians there could be no tendenc}' to encroach upon freedom of discussion, and no approach to persecution. The Gospel, in every page of it, inculcates tenderness and mere}'; it exhibits the most unwearied indulgence to the frailties and errors of men ; and it represents charity as the badge of those who in sincerity profess it. In Paul's description of this grace (1 Cor. xiii) he has drawn a picture of mutual forbearance and kind- ness and toleration, upon which it is scarcely possible to dwell without being raised superior to everj^ con- tracted sentiment, and glowing with the most diffu- sive benevolence. In the churches which he planted he had often to counteract the efforts of teachers who had labored to subvert the foundation which he had laid, to misrepresent his motives, and to inculcate doc- trines which, through the inspiration that was impart- ed to him, he discerned to proceed from the most per- verted views, and to be inconsistent with the great designs of the Gospel. These teachers he strenuously and conscientiously opposed ; he endeavored to show the great importance of those to whom he wrote being on their guard against them ; and he evinced the most ardent zeal in resisting their insidious purposes ; but he never, in the most distant manner, insinuated that they should be persecuted, adhering always to the max- im which he had laid down, that the weapons of a Chris- tian warfare are not carnal but spiritual. He does, in- deed, sometimes speak of heretics; and he even exhorts that, after expostulation with him, a heretic should be rejected, and not acknowledged to be a member of the Church to which he had once belonged. But that pre- cept of the apostle has no reference to the persecution which it has sometimes been conceived to sanction, and which has generally been directed against men quite sincere in their belief, however erroneous they may be esteemed.