PartII。
History，whichundertakestorecordthetransactionsofthepast，fortheinstructionoffutureages，wouldilldeservethathonorableoffice，ifshecondescendedtopleadthecauseoftyrants，ortojustifythemaximsofpersecution。Itmust，however，beacknowledged，thattheconductoftheemperorswhoappearedtheleastfavorabletotheprimitivechurch，isbynomeanssocriminalasthatofmodernsovereigns，whohaveemployedthearmofviolenceandterroragainstthereligiousopinionsofanypartoftheirsubjects。Fromtheirreflections，orevenfromtheirownfeelings，aCharlesV。oraLewisXIV。mighthaveacquiredajustknowledgeoftherightsofconscience，oftheobligationoffaith，andoftheinnocenceoferror。ButtheprincesandmagistratesofancientRomewerestrangerstothoseprincipleswhichinspiredandauthorizedtheinflexibleobstinacyoftheChristiansinthecauseoftruth，norcouldtheythemselvesdiscoverintheirownbreastsanymotivewhichwouldhavepromptedthemtorefusealegal，andasitwereanatural，submissiontothesacredinstitutionsoftheircountry。Thesamereasonwhichcontributestoalleviatetheguilt，musthavetendedtoabatethevigor，oftheirpersecutions。Astheywereactuated，notbythefuriouszealofbigots，butbythetemperatepolicyoflegislators，contemptmustoftenhaverelaxed，andhumanitymustfrequentlyhavesuspended，theexecutionofthoselawswhichtheyenactedagainstthehumbleandobscurefollowersofChrist。Fromthegeneralviewoftheircharacterandmotiveswemightnaturallyconclude:I。Thataconsiderabletimeelapsedbeforetheyconsideredthenewsectariesasanobjectdeservingoftheattentionofgovernment。II。Thatintheconvictionofanyoftheirsubjectswhowereaccusedofsoverysingularacrime，theyproceededwithcautionandreluctance。III。Thattheyweremoderateintheuseofpunishments；and，IV。Thattheafflictedchurchenjoyedmanyintervalsofpeaceandtranquility。
NotwithstandingthecarelessindifferencewhichthemostcopiousandthemostminuteofthePaganwritershaveshowntotheaffairsoftheChristians，^24itmaystillbeinourpowertoconfirmeachoftheseprobablesuppositions，bytheevidenceofauthenticfacts。
[Footnote24:InthevariouscompilationoftheAugustanHistory，apartofwhichwascomposedunderthereignofConstantine，
therearenotsixlineswhichrelatetotheChristians；norhasthediligenceofXiphilindiscoveredtheirnameinthelargehistoryofDionCassius。