heard on the tops of the highest mountains; and the same ox afforded a sacrifice for the gods and a supper for their joyous votaries." We may perhaps not unreasonably infer from this what might have ensued had the life of Julian not been cut short. One of the favourite projects of Julian was to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem. To carry this into effect, he issued a proclamation to all the Jews dispersed throughout the provinces of his empire, in which he tells them, that he pities their misfortunes, condemns their oppressors, praises their constancy, declares himself their gracious protector, and expresses a hope that, after his return from the Persian war, he may be permitted to pay his vows to the Almighty in the holy city of Jerusalem. It is probable that the vain and ambitious mind of Julian aspired to the honour of restoring the ancient glory of the temple. He was not ignorant that the Christians were firmly persuaded that, by the Messiah's advent, the typical dispensation had come to an end; and could he succeed in restoring the Jews to their city, and the ritual of their worship, he might convert it into an argument against the faith of prophecy and the truth of revelation. He therefore resolved to erect upon Mount Moriah a stately temple; and, without waiting for his return from the Persian war, Julian gave instructions to his minister, Alypius, to commence without delay the vast undertaking. At the call of this great deliverer, the Jews, from all the provinces of the empire, repaired to Jerusalem. The desire of rebuilding the temple has always been a favourite project with that people; and, though 1760 years have now elapsed, since its total demolition by the Roman armies, they still fondly cherish the hope of its restoration, nor could a more popular measure at this day be proposed to their descendants. Referring to the project of the Roman emperor, Mr. Gibbon tells us that, "in this propitious moment the men forgat their avarice, and the women their delicacy; spades and pickaxes of silver were provided by the vanity of the rich, and the rubbish was transported in mantles of silk and purple. Every purse was opened in liberal contributions ; every hand claimed a share in the pious labour; and the commands of a great monarch were executed by the enthusiasm of a whole people. But the joint efforts of power and enthusiasm were, in this instance, unsuccessful. The account of this matter JULIAN FAILS IN HIS ATTEMPT TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE. 401 which is given by a heathen historian who lived during the period, and which even Mr. Gibbon is candid enough to own is an unexceptionable testimony," is, that "whilst Alypius, assisted by the governor of the province, urged with vigour and diligence the execution of the work, horrible balls of fire breaking out from the foundations, with frequent and reiterated attacks, rendered the place from time to time inaccessible to the scorched and blasted workmen; and the victorious element continuing in this manner obstinately and resolutely bent, as it were, to drive them to a distance, the undertaking was abandoned.”* statement of the case is further corroborated by Ambrose, bishop of Milan, in a letter to the emperor Theodosius; by Chrysostom, who at the time was bishop of Antioch; and by Gregory Nazienzen, who published an account of this preternatural event before the expiration of the same year. This Mr. Gibbon and other writers of the deistical class have evinced a decided partiality for the character of Julian; but Dr. Lardner, whose impartiality is universally acknowledged, says, that he had a certain levity of mind-that he was a great talker-very fond of fame-superstitious rather than religious— so addicted to sacrificing, that it was said the race of bulls would be destroyed, if he returned victorious from the war in Persia and such was the multitude of his victims, that his soldiers, who partook of them, were often much disordered by excess in eating and drinking. He received the rising sun with an offering of blood, and attended him with blood at his setting. By frequent devotions he laboured to engage the [Pagan] deities to be his auxiliaries in war, worshipping Mercury, Ceres, Mars, Calliope, Apollo, and Jupiter. Libanius, complaining of the deities who had deserted him, says, "Which of them shall we blame? Not one, but all; for none were neglected by him, neither gods nor goddesses :—and is this the return?" says he, " for all his victims, for all his vows, for all the incense, and all the blood offered up to them, by day and by night? Wherever there was a temple," continues the same writer, "whether in the city or on the hill, or on the tops of the mountains, no place was so rough or so difficult of access but he ran to it, as if the way had been smooth and pleasant." * Ammianus Marcellinus, B. xxi. YOL. I. 2 D. But though Julian was so very devout and religious in his way, says Dr. Lardner, he could be much displeased when he was disappointed, and even be angry with his gods, like other heathens. In the Persian war, having obtained some success, and expecting more, he prepared a grand sacrifice for Mars; but, the omen proving unfavourable, he was greatly incensed, and called Jupiter to witness that he would never more offer a sacrifice to Mars! The conduct of Julian towards the Christians was not characterized by all that impartiality which his admirers claim for him. We are told that he ordered the strictest enquiry to be made after the estates that belonged to such of his subjects as professed Christianity, with a view to the confiscation of the whole of them: nor did he scruple to employ torture to come at the truth. He compelled the Catholic clergy to submit to the lowest services in the army, and threatened that, unless the Christians rebuilt the Pagan temples, he would not suffer the "Galileans" to wear their heads! and, if death had not deprived him of the power of doing it, he would in all probability have been as good as his word;* but, after a short reign of twenty months, Julian perished by the lance of a common soldier, while prosecuting the Persian war on the banks of the Euphrates, and was succeeded, in the year 363, by Jovian, one of the officers of his army. The reign of this prince, though it extended only to the short space of one year, is replete with interest, and cannot with propriety be passed over. He had been educated in the principles of Christianity, and, the instant he ascended the imperial throne, he issued an edict which secured the establishment of the Christian religion. The edicts of Julian were abolished, and ecclesiastical immunities restored and enlarged. The clergy of the Catholic church were unanimous in the loud and sincere applause which they bestowed on their new emperor; but they were yet ignorant what creed or what synod he would select as the standard of orthodoxy. The leaders of the different factions were fully aware how much depended upon the first impressions made on the mind of an untutored soldier, and they consequently hastened to the imperial court. The public roads were * Sozomen's History, B. v. ch. iv. REIGN OF THE EMPEROR JOVIAN. 403 crowded with Athanasian, Arian, Semi-Arian, and Eunomian bishops, who struggled to outstrip each other in the race. The apartments of the palace resounded with their clamours, and the ears of Jovian were assaulted-perhaps astounded--with the singular mixture of metaphysical argument and personal invective. The emperor prudently declined taking any part in their altercations, but advised them to cultivate the exercise of charity, and referred the disputants to the decision of a future council. The conduct of Jovian, according to Mr. Gibbon's testimony, gave the death blow to Paganism. Under his reign, Christianity, or, to speak more properly, the Catholic church, obtained an easy and lasting victory; for no sooner was the smile of royal patronage withdrawn, than the genius of Paganism, which had been cherished by the acts of Julian, sunk irrecoverably in the dust. In many cities the temples were shut or deserted. The philosophers who had abused the transient favour thought it prudent to shave their beards, and disguise their profession; and the professors of Christianity exulted in the idea, that they were now in a situation to forgive or to revenge the injuries which they had suffered under the reign of Julian.* His successor, however, issued a wise and favourable edict, in which he explicitly declared that, though he should severely punish the sacrilegious rites of magic, he permitted his subjects to exercise, without molestation, the ceremonies of the ancient worship. "I hate contention," said Jovian," and love only those who study peace," declaring that he would molest none on account of their faith, whatever it was; and that such only should obtain his favour and esteem as exerted themselves in restoring peace to the church. "In On the accession of Jovian to the government of the empire, the senate of Constantinople deputed an orator, whose name was Themistius, to express their loyal devotion to him. His oration is preserved, and claims attention for the discovery which it makes of the state of the Catholic church at that period. the recent changes," says he, "both religions have been alternately disgraced, by the seeming acquisition of worthless proselytes-those votaries of the reigning purple who could pass, without a reason and without a blush, from the church to the *Gibbon, ch. xxv. temple, and from the altars of Jupiter to the sacred tables of the Christians." It would not be easy to sketch a more striking picture of the deplorable state to which the Christian profession was reduced at this period, when Christianity had not been established more than half a century, than is done in this short extract. Jovian was succeeded in the government of the empire by two brothers, viz. Valentinian and Valens, A. D. 364, of whom Mr. Gibbon tells us, that "they invariably retained in the purple the chaste and the temperate simplicity which had adorned their private life; and under their reign the pleasures of a court never cost the people a blush or sigh." Though in a great measure illiterate themselves, they promoted learning among their subjects, by every possible means. But, though acting in concert on this point, they took different courses on the subject of religion. Valentinian avowed himself favourable to the orthodox party, at the same time that he gave no disturbance to the Arians. His colleague, however, was less liberal in his views; for he was disposed to persécute all who differed from him. Upon the whole, however, their reign for the first ten years was tolerant, permitting the free exercise of religious worship to every Christian sect and even to Pagans. In the year 375 Valentinian died suddenly in a transport of rage, and, Valens becoming sole emperor, he was soon prevailed upon by Eudoxius, bishop of Constantinople, to take a decided part with the Arians, and to abandon his moderation, by severely persecuting the orthodox. The first thing that fired his resentment was the conduct of the latter, who had obtained permission from him to hold a synod at Lampsacus, with a view to the revision and settlement of the faith-when, after two months' deliberation, they decreed the doctrine of the Son's being like the Father as to his essence to be the true orthodox faith, and deposed all the bishops of the Arian party. This exasperated the emperor to such a pitch, that, without delay, he convened a council of the Arian bishops, and, in his turn, commanded the bishops who had composed the synod of Lampsacus to embrace the sentiments of Eudoxius the Arian, and, on their refusal, he exiled them, transferring their * Gibbon's Decline and Fall, ch. xxiv. |